-[[[-Powerlifting-]]]- Leinster Open Meet Report – Day 1

God… the place to start?

It’s Wednesday, and the mud has simply settled on a weekend of powerlifting. 1 yr in the past, we entered our first competitors, and final weekend – Team RevFit Powerlifting had it’s largest ever contingent at a comp (18 lifters).

Some received courses, most didn’t.

All hit PRs, some greater than others.

For some it was their first competitors, all acquired cheered on regardless.

Many thought they weren’t sturdy sufficient, all came upon they had been.

Over the weekend, roughly 100 lifters, taking 1,000 competitors makes an attempt clanged and banged on barbells to win competitions, beat their mates, beat themselves, and have some enjoyable.

This is the  story of 18.

THE BIGGEST CROWD AT AN IRISH POWERLIFTING COMP EVER?

The Leinster Open ran over Saturday and Sunday, in two areas. The first, Saturday, was within the nationwide present centre in Dublin as a part of The Celtic Cup CrossFit competitors. After strolling into an empty present corridor, Myself, Jay, Dav, Nicola and some others spent most of Friday morning and afternoon reworking it into a contest venue.

Hauling weights, racks, platforms, chairs and fences round for 5 hours on a Friday than preferrred prep to compete on Saturday, however sacrifices should be made and plenty of palms lighten the load. As a end result, I took a in a while start on Saturday so I might sleep in and loosen up.

THE LIFTING – SATURDAY AM

Last week we did an “openers day” in RevFit the place everybody labored as much as their opening lifts of the day utilizing competitors instructions. Based off that we created a sequence of deliberate makes an attempt for a superb day, and a nasty day. Armed with that, Eoin was up on the craic of daybreak to carry out teaching duties on Saturday for Rachel and Ciara.

Coaching in a powerlifting competitors is comparatively easy however extremely hectic. You load the bar within the heat up room for the lifter, make certain they’re doing every part proper, and attempt to cease them going off script as soon as the boldness begins to kick in. See, as a lot as “wanting” a carry is nice, there’s solely each going to be a lot you possibly can take off the platform primarily based in your training. We all the time give our lifters a recreation plan coming into competitors for precisely that motive.

Thankfully, Rachel and Ciara each comply with the plan and hit some nice numbers.

Rachel, additionally a member of the Trinity Barbell Club, completed up with a 60kg squat, 30kg bench and 85kg deadlift in her first comp as a 63kg junior.

Before the comp, Ciara had set “perfect day” numbers of 80 / 47.5 / 90 (whenever you see numbers written like that on this submit, it’s all the time so as of squat / bench / deadlift). We all the time use targets like that as a result of it lets us construct in the direction of in the course of the 3 makes an attempt, by the way in which.

Anyway… she nailed her 80kg squat, got here up a bit brief on a 45kg bench, however then magic occurred – she joined the 100kg deadlift membership. Eoin took her fully off script as a result of she was having such a superb day and he or she went 80, then 90, then 100 and killed all of them. Honestly, I believe she most likely had extra within the tank than 100kg.

Here’s a video of it:

THE LIFTING – SATURDAY PM

One of the most recent issues within the IrishPF is the introduction of break up weigh ins. It was the case that EVERYONE weighed within the morning of the comp, even when lifting within the afternoon. Last yr, we launched break up weigh ins – so if lifting within the afternoon, you don’t weigh in till 12pm

It. Is. Amazing.

We reside about 5 minutes from the present centre. The weigh in was 12-130pm. I didn’t go away my gaff till about 1230pm and nonetheless weighed in with time to spare. Heaven.

The afternoon session noticed a rake load of us carry throughout the 2 flights – Amy, Sharon, Karl, Adam, Luke and Myself. As a end result, I didn’t actually get to look at any of the lifting as I used to be too centered by myself job.

(that’s me apologising if I get something improper, or don’t say sufficient about you now…)

ANYWAY.

HERE COME THE GIRLS

It’s most likely honest to say that each one week Amy’s been fairly nervous in regards to the comp. I dunno if it was the thought of sporting a singlet, lifting in entrance of a giant crowd, or failing to nail the pre-squat hair flick. Regardless, she acquired up there and nailed all of her lifts going 8 for 9.

I couldn’t get a video of the professional-stage hair flick within the squat (which was already a 10kg lifetime PR and doubtless a 30-40kg competitors customary PR within the final yr or so) so her last deadlift must do…

She missed her “perfect day” 45kg bench on her second try, and in some way managed to return out and reserve it on her third try. Still no concept how. But delighted she did. She got here up just a little bit wanting her 130kg deadlift aim, however contemplating she’s not even that lengthy within the 100kg membership, I believe we are able to rely a 125kg deadlift after a protracted day of lifting as a major win ?

Sharon, our subsequent lifter was our first of 2 class winners for the day (and in addition a qualifer for the nationwide powerlifting championships in July). She’s a part of our 615am morning crew and persistently reveals up and works her ass off.

Last day trip, again in October, she had a little bit of a ‘mare along with her squats lacking her first two makes an attempt on depth earlier than nailing it on the third. The opener that day, 110kg, was her opener once more at this comp and he or she completely INSULTED the weight on her opener. The aim had been a 120kg squat, so Eoin and Eric pushed her on to that for her second, after which made a wonderful name of 125kg for her third, which she additionally nailed.

She even managed to tug off a > body weight competitors bench with 72.5kg earlier than ending the day trip with a 170kg deadlift. I didn’t get to see her 175 try, however I do know the strength is 100% there for it, and extra, even when the boldness isn’t but.

With the women completed, it was now on to the blokes.

IT’S GUY TIME TO SHINE

I received’t discuss an excessive amount of about my day, since I did a separate weblog submit on it which you’ll learn right here: https://revolutionfitness.ie/irishpf-leinster-open-2017-day-went/

I wish to hold this all about Karl, Adam and Luke.

Karl’s been with us nearly a yr at this stage and varieties one half of the inseparable couple (his …accomplice… Mark, lifted on Sunday – extra on that in PART 2). He’s acquired the form and measurement of a person that ought to be capable of transfer a whole lot of weight, nevertheless it’s solely within the final 6 months or in order that that has really started to occur.

It was solely final week that he was displaying me some 150kg deadlifts from 3 years in the past, and let’s simply say the weren’t fairly, nor was he making progress training on his personal.

ANYWAY… coming into the comp he pulled a 5kg PR for his opening deadlift (180kg) so we knew issues had been on. He additionally desperately wished a 100kg bench, and 200kg deadlift. So that’s what we went after.

I’m an enormous fan of complete constructing in competitors, attempting to get all 9 makes an attempt efficiently. Anyone who does that tends to complete greater than in the event that they didn’t. Karl had different concepts, he jumped from a comfortable 140 squat to a dangerous 150 (as a substitute of the deliberate 145) and sadly missed it. No huge deal, he’ll most likely be utilizing it as a second try subsequent comp.

The 100kg bench was a lifeless cert, I used to be 100% assured he’d get that. He proved me proper. He completed out the day pulling 5kg lower than Eoin on 200kg, nevertheless it’s cool cos Eoin had a belt.

(don’t fear – that’s not meant to make sense)

Adam joined us a number of months in the past having spent WAY too lengthy in a industrial health club. Just like the only real of my shoe is a respiratory floor for micro organism, industrial gyms are the respiratory grounds of dangerous behavior, and whereas he has a whole lot of uncooked strength and potential, we needed to spend nearly all of the training cycle breaking him again down.

Simple issues like guaranteeing squats had been persistently to depth, benches get paused and deadlifts don’t get hitched. Not a giant deal should you’re lifting within the health club, however competitors calls for greater requirements. I’m glad he’s acquired to see them in motion now as a result of I do know it’ll hold him grounded within the run as much as the following comp.

It’s humorous how irritating it may be watching somebody lift- he CRUSHED a 107.5kg bench with loads of room within the tank, however as a result of he nonetheless ain’t used to guidelines like how the bar most hold shifting up and can’t transfer again down, he didn’t get it. Similar story on the 210kg deadlift. And a 160kg squat which I imagine he racked too shortly.

Essentially, he lifted 160/107.5/210 however solely acquired credit score for 150/102.5/200, which sucks, however units some good targets for subsequent time (170-180 squat, 110+ bench, 220 deadlift)

Last however not least, we’d Coach Luke in among the finest battles of the day.

Myself, Luke and Eoin have spent nearly each training day collectively within the run as much as this comp so I knew they had been each on for one thing huge. I believe how huge Luke went stunned each of us.

He went in searching for a 600kg complete and knew 220/140/240 would get him there. Based off that he went trying to find a giant PR on his squats and tried 220 on his third off a 210 second. It was all the time gonna be a giant ask primarily based off how the weights had been shifting on the day, however he gave it a superb rumble and on reflection it moved fairly nicely however the correct leg wished it greater than the left, and it simply wasn’t there on the day.

After a robust bench opener at 125 (which I believe is an previous comp PR) he jumped straight to 135 after which 140, getting each of them for a GIGANTIC PR (wonderful what tons of of bench reps every week does eh?)

Coming into the deadlifts, he was about 27.5kg behind third place which meant he wanted to tug a BIG PR and hope the opposite man missed a few of his. As luck had it, the opposite lifter missed his second and third makes an attempt at 225kg, which meant that with sensible try choice, Luke was on for a hail mary third DL to position.

We left his third try in at 245 or no matter it was till we knew the opposite man had missed his, then we went amended the try and 247.5kg for third (little bit of gamesmanship there- we didn’t need him pondering Luke had his eye on third till there was nothing he might do about it).

There had been two doable outcomes – pull 247.5kg and place third on body weight, or miss it and are available 4th. The former occurred and all I can say is hooray for try choice, and I advised you sensible choices get placings.

It was an excellent day and I’m tremendous happy with the crew of lifters, coaches and supporters that had been there on the day. The roles had been reversed on Sunday when Eoin can be lifting, and we’d be teaching.

More on that in Part 2.

If you wish to discover out extra about find out how to be part of our powerlifting crew, leap over right here, try this way right here: https://revolutionfitnessireland.wufoo.com/forms/k1agzo4h0t49dda/

We’re training for our subsequent competitors in May proper now and would like to have you ever on board.