How do you choose competition weight?

[Benitz]

I have read alot about how a opener for your competition lifts should be something you can do easily (3 times), but from there do you guys usually just play it by how you feel during the competition for your next 2-3 lifts or do you have your weight already planned out no matter how light/heavy the opener felt?

[Hardlifter9]

1st attempt - Something I can do 3 times with a big struggle
2nd attempt - My gym 1 rep max or close to it
3rd attempt - New 1RM or equal previous meet PR depending on how 2nd attempt went

[Retardo-pex]

1st attempt - Something I can do 3 times with a big struggle
2nd attempt - My gym 1 rep max or close to it
3rd attempt - New 1RM or equal previous meet PR depending on how 2nd attempt went

This is basically exactly how I would pick my lifts. The first 2 were always known well in advance and the 3rd is determined from the performance on the first two. You can't expect to be at your peak strength every time you shoot for a new max ( even if you program with this intention, some times **** just doesn't go as planned) so If what I would normally do for 3 is harder than normal, I might back off on my 2nd attempt. If I hit my planned 2nd I go for broke and shoot for something 10-30 lbs heavier based on the ease of the second lift.

[HamburgerTrain]

First attempt: 90-92% of my previous comp. max
Second: 95-97
Third: Go nuts.

[daniel300DL]

If it your first meet so choose something you can even rep for a 5, you don't want to get "bombed out".
If you have experience on the platform you shouldn't even ask because you will know what weight to choose (everyone different)

[baxtej44]

yup if it's your first meet i would let all of your attempts be more conservative, but especially your first. you will be happier with going 9/9 than going like 5/9 because of nerves/new environment/etc.


look at it this way, everything in your first meet is a meet PR.

[DerAlta]

Follow these guys above for your first few Meets. Later on, you'll have a better feel for what you will be lifting.

I've done enough Meets, that I take a slightly different approach. I know my opener, solid. I take it about 80-90% of my known max. My second attempt, is for a PR. If I miss it, I have another attempt at it. If I hit it, I can go for a bigger PR, chase a record or pass if I want to save energy for another lift.

[Benitz]

Thanks guys, its my third. I was curious about how people went about it. Appreciate all the replies.

[CJ93UK]

Might be a bit late, but A Powerlifter's Guide to Attempt Selection. I found this to be a real good read, goes in-depth into the selection of your 9 attempts, gives a number of opinions and examples in the choice, really stresses the points you need to remember. It's got that whole opener = your best triple guide, it also gives % values, what works for most people, in their openers, and next 2 attempts. Got quite a few helpful pieces of info on the subject overall as well, worth a run down, even if you've got a fairly good idea already, just to nail it in.

[John Prophet]

I remember seeing a guy in the warmup room getting ready for a bench only meet. So I see him warming up, next thing I see him struggling with a weight. I actually see his buddy touch spotting him while he is warming up. Not sure if that was his actual opening weight or not. In any case he opened with either 430 or 440. He never came close to getting it though he gave it 3 gut busting tries.

Things like that I will just never understand

[Sohale31]

First attempt: 90-92% of my previous comp. max
Second: 95-97
Third: Go nuts.

^^ this is how i went about my first meet recently and it went very well. instead of my previous comp. max i used a conservative estimated 1RM

[Benitz]

Thanks CJ9, I'll look into it.

[kaleida]

1st attempt: a weight that you can definitely do even on a crappy day with technical errors.

2nd & 3rd attempts: choose based on how fast and easy the previous attempt was. Use video or an experienced friend for objective feedback on the speed.