Finding openers and rest before a meet

[Deleted]

How do you guys peak for a meet (specifically for the geared lifters). Obviously the peaking plans taper off in volume, intensity and then leave a few days for rest.

But how does this work for geared lifters? I guess the idea is establish what your openers will be in the skills assessment 4 weeks out. But if I were to do that, I'd feel pretty uncertain about what will touch etc. Does anyone take the approach of finding your openers 7-10 days out and resting the last week? Will this work well with Sheiko?

[Deleted]

Is sounds like you are referring to your bench specifically.

If it's your first meet or new equipment, I understand your concern. Dave Bates illistrates a good 4 week bench cycle in the 13 week program where you handle 90%. If you can't touch 90% of your 1rm shirted max, you may be in some trouble. If this is the case, I would cut the volume in half and just do singles in the 92-95% area. Although training with this intensity may not be ideal, if you mind your volume, you can do it.

As for squat and DL openers, I always pick very conservatively. If you are cutting weight before the meet, be even more conservative. The last thing you want to do is not hit your opener. It sets the attitude for the entire day.

The skills eval day is the lifter's opportunity to see how their equipment feels in full. Make sure you leave the gym that day feeling comfy. Don't do your heaviest singles until you have settled into your equipment. Failure on your skill eval day will leave a nasty cloud over your 5 week peak cycle.

There is a very distinct reason Sheiko is more popular with IPF, singly ply lifters than it is with the double ply dudes. You should be able to reasonably touch in your shirt using the %s prescribed in most sheiko templates. If you can't, I would either recommend making your back stronger, or spending more time in your shirt during the offseason.

[Deleted]

think that generally 4 week out of the meet a lifter is heavier than the meet day, so if he cant touch with projected entry that day is not a big problem.
For sure new bench shirt create a lot of problem in organizing training. Also because you can not think norma: a 95% bench press with shirt is sometimes an effortless lift. so you can do it very near to the meet. But sometimes not, so it is difficult to manage that.

[Deleted]

Thanks for your imput. It's my first time in gear so the next 14 weeks or so is going to be one big learning experience!

[robwhite]

Jan 11, 2009 10:51:56 GMT -5 @djstarer said:

The skills eval day is the lifter's opportunity to see how their equipment feels in full. Make sure you leave the gym that day feeling comfy. Don't do your heaviest singles until you have settled into your equipment. Failure on your skill eval day will leave a nasty cloud over your 5 week peak cycle.

There is a very distinct reason Sheiko is more popular with IPF, singly ply lifters than it is with the double ply dudes. You should be able to reasonably touch in your shirt using the %s prescribed in most sheiko templates. If you can't, I would either recommend making your back stronger, or spending more time in your shirt during the offseason.

I too am new to equipment. I bought a single ply squat suit a while back and only ever used it a few times.

I'm probably being a bit thick here, but are you saying that the Skills Evaluation day is the day you test yourself in equipment with a load near your raw 1RM? Or should you be using equipment in the build up the Skills Evaluation?

I'm just trying to figure out how single ply equipment is worked into the 13 week program.

[spsfw]

if you lift in equipment and you are prepping for a meet- do the equipped template