I’ve decided that I do eventually want to do a meet (hoping for next year). What are the minimum squat/bench/deadlift that you would recommend someone in their mid 30s and ~200lb be able to do before registering for a meet?
I just don’t want to embarrass myself.
There are no minimums and I think you’ve overestimating how much people really care how much you lift. 
If you’re interested in a meet, I’d just sign up and go.
What Dave said. You’re not going to embarrass yourself.
Think of it from the other side. Even if you saw a 200 lb 30-year-old guy squatting only 100 lb at a meet, would you judge them? Or would you just think it’s cool that they’re competing?
Take a deep breath and sign up for a local meet.
Not that long ago I was told that if I wanted to improve, that I should sign up for a meet. My response was the same as your, I told my coach: I don’t want to make a fool of myself. Fortunately he reassured me that he wouldn’t let that happen, and so I took the plunge.
It was the best decision of my athletic career.
Not to say there wasn’t some trepidation along the way. I reached out to folks with more experience to help me find my way, and I suggest you do the same ( tip o’ the cap to Leah Lutz for being that person many years ago ).
Hell No! That’d be totes awesome!
problem solved!
Sorry Leah 
I would never actually judge a hypothetical lifter in a hypothetical meet. If my two word internet post stops anyone from realizing their powerlifting dreams, for that I’m truly sorry. Would you like me to delete or edit it?
I assumed it was sarcastic. That’s why we have /s.
I realize you think I am over-reacting, but two word posts can be just as thoughtless as longer posts. Maybe you thought you were being funny. I don’t know. You get to do whatever you see fit as I did what I saw fit in addressing a post that was made counter to the thoughtful advice otherwise found in this thread.
Thought?
I’ll edit, don’t be mad at me, Leah.
Ok. So, it sounds like the consensus is to just go ahead and make the plunge. I’ll start looking into meets that happen in the Fall 2020 within a 45min drive of Kansas City. I think that should be plenty of time for me to get prepped.
I’m moving into Phase III of the beginner template in a couple weeks, so I’ll see what my 1 @ 8 is for the different movements. I’ll follow that up with Powerbuilding I. Then I’ll be doing the Endurance template late winter/early spring because I do spring races with my wife. After that, I’ll just switch over to Strength I.
Current lifts as of this week:
Squat 4@9 225lb
Deadlift 4@9 255lb
Bench 4@9 180lb
I’m not sure what type of gains i’ll make after a year (I’ve been weightlifting since June), but I’m excited to keep going.
Thanks everyone for chiming in!
BTW, Radford, I figured it was sarcasm.
10-4, good luck when/if you decide to compete!
I don’t know man. I’ve been in places where I wasn’t seeing progress, and that was holding me back from signing up to a meet.
Part of it is to do it and see how you like it. If you really like it, that gives you a sport to practice for and train for. If you don’t like it, that’s great information to get too.
It makes the training much more concrete and purposeful.
@LeahBBM is the hero we need. Her testimonial is the lifting article I refer non lifters to the most.