To be good in Weightlifting not only do you need to practice but you need to be good at competing. In addition to the skill of lifting weights (snatch, clean and jerk, squat, presses, jerks, etc) but you must be able to know how to compete. You can have an amazing training cycle preparing you for a competition and completely bomb out at the meet. Below are important factors to consider for a successful meet.
Your Openers
From my experience your openers are your most important lifts. Why? Because if you make them which are your opening snatch and opening clean and jerk you have a total right there. Once you total you have scored and can place. Far too often I have seen openers that are too high and lifters bomb out or are close to bombing out. Keep your openers conservative. They should be lifts you can make. They should not be lifts you have to make on a prayer.
Weight Cut
Generally, you really don’t want to train more than 4 to 5lbs over your body weight in training. More than that is just too risky and going to be hard. Rapid weight cuts will drain your energy and power and you will find it difficult to perform on stage. Usually, the legs are the first to be wiped out. No one likes weight cuts but for me what works is to be 1lb over my body weight 2 weeks before competition and then slowly drop that 1lb the week of comp. Make it easy on yourself.
Warm up Attempts
Keep your warm up attempts to a minimum in the warm up area. Don’t spend too much energy with too many attempts. After all, we want to save our energy for the important lifts on the competition platform not the warm up area. But also, be prepared for the unexpected. There have been times when you might have to be rushed because multiple lifters made last minute changes forcing you to take unwanted warm ups or god forbid forcing you to take your lift on the platform when you’re not ready. You should have your coach or a counter to time your warm ups. if you don’t have either…you’re on your own.
Competing is a skill and it’s very important to be prepared for your competition so that you perform the way you planned. Follow the above suggestions to avoid making the mistakes I have made and others as well. If you have a coach let them work for you so that you don’t have to think and all you have to do is lift.
Respectfully,
Josue Cano
Snatch, Clean and Jerk 