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Powerlifting: how to prepare for competitions

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2014-04-02

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In powerlifting, preparing for competitions is generally simpler compared to many other sports I’ve encountered. Nevertheless, there are many nuances. However, many athletes approach this carelessly. Then, they’re surprised at competitions: “How is it possible! I squatted 250 kg in training a week ago! And now I can’t even squat 230!” Let’s figure out how to prepare for competitions.

The main goal of preparing for competitions (in any sport) is to allow the body to fully rest. The aim is to reach the phase of supercompensation.

It is assumed that you have been working hard all these months in preparation for the competition. Naturally, fatigue has accumulated. So how can you ensure that your body not only recovers but also supercompensates? Only during the phase of supercompensation can records and new achievements be possible.

From my coaching and sporting experience, I can say that after heavy training on deadlifts and squats, recovery takes up to two weeks. After bench pressing – up to 10 days (since fewer muscles are engaged). This means that two weeks before the competition, it is undesirable to perform these exercises with maximum loads.

What does "maximum load" mean? Suppose you can squat 200 kg for a maximum of 5 repetitions. Therefore, a set of 200x5 is your maximum load. A set of 200x3 would then be 60% of that maximum load.

Thus, maximum load refers to the number of repetitions that you can complete at the limit of your capabilities with a given weight.

Now, let’s take your maximum weight for a specific exercise as 100%. Therefore, if you can squat 200 kg for 1 repetition, that is 100%. And 160 kg would then be 80%. I think that’s clear. This understanding is crucial for you to interpret the working weights and repetitions indicated in the table below (working weights and repetition counts are provided only for competition exercises).

Table of Load Distribution in Preparation for Competitions

Weeks Until Competition	Working Weights	Number of Repetitions	Number of Auxiliary Exercises	Notes
4-10 weeks	75%-100%	80%-100%	3 - 5	These 7 weeks are the most intense. Here, you significantly increase both strength and mass (if that’s what you need). Therefore, both the working weights and the repetition counts should sometimes reach 100% of your maximum values. Plus, a considerable number of auxiliary exercises should be included. Naturally, with this regimen, by the end of this period, fatigue will accumulate.
3 weeks	80%-95%	80%-100%	2 - 3	Three weeks before the competition, you should start to ease off. This means you should no longer be lifting 100% of your maximum weight. However, the number of repetitions can occasionally be brought up to 100%. The number of auxiliary exercises should be reduced.
2 weeks	80%-90%	70%-90%	1 - 2	This marks the beginning of your body’s recovery. Although the weights on the bar are only slightly decreased, the number of repetitions and auxiliary exercises should be reduced. This is all necessary to lower the total workload per training session.
1 week	50%-70%	40%-50%	1	In the final week, you should rest. Use relatively light weights and very low repetition counts. You can include one auxiliary exercise (something quite light). You can also skip auxiliary exercises altogether. For the last workout (if it is 1-2 days before the competition), it’s best to skip it entirely.

As you can see, I believe that preparation for competitions should begin 3 weeks in advance. The first step should be reducing the number of auxiliary exercises.

Next, two weeks before the competition, we significantly reduce the number of repetitions while only slightly lowering the weights on the bar. We leave only 1-2 auxiliary exercises for each training session. This will approximately reduce the overall workload by 50% compared to the pre-competition preparation period.

In the final week, we should lift light weights for a small number of repetitions. This week is crucial for maximizing recovery.

I would like to specify why I recommend reducing the weight to 100% three weeks before the competition. Personally, I believe it is essential to give your body a chance to rest not only physiologically but also psychologically. Working with maximum weights also loads your nervous system. So it’s important to conserve your "zing" for the competitions. Typically, during these 3 weeks, I do not allow the weight to exceed the initial weight of the first attempt. For instance, if an athlete is set to start squatting with 200 kg, then throughout these 3 weeks, in training, they will squat no more than 200 kg. Naturally, in this scenario, their maximum will be approximately 220 kg.

This is how I envision the preparation for powerlifting competitions. Some may argue that it can be done in a shorter time. However, in my practice, I have rarely encountered situations where an athlete “over-rested” before competitions. In contrast, those who never fully recover are quite common.

Note. Of course, preparation for competitions depends on many factors: the athlete’s experience, the presence of pharmacological support, individual body characteristics, and much more. In this article, I simply intended to present the principle of preparing for competitions. All the figures mentioned here have average statistical significance.