Competition Checklist

USAPL Raw Nationals is this weekend and there are A LOT of you competing. 1300 of you 😮. Competing can be stressful, especially at a higher level. Add in travel and you get the perfect set of ingredients to forget even the most important things. In this article I will provide you with a Competition Checklist to make the big day go as smooth as possible.

Equipment List

Since this is Raw Nationals, the Competition Checklist will be easier than Geared meets. So let’s start from the ground and work our way up.

Carry on bag (With Wheels). DO NOT CHECK A BAG!!!. There is nothing worse than packing everything you need to compete just for it to get lost. If you are going to check a bag, pack it with your spare clothes. You can always buy extra shirts, socks and undies but replacing a $300 belt isn’t so easy.
Knee-high Socks. Bring at least 2 pair.
Shoes you will be lifting in. This includes DL slippers if you use them.
Underwear. Competition legal underwear. Bring a few pair. You never know what could happen.
Competition legal T-Shirt. This is usually the meet day shirt or a shirt that is a sponsor of the federation but if you’re like me and don’t want the hassle just wear a plain T-shirt. Sponsors change or drop off and that shirt could be legal at one meet then not at the next. So bring a few Plain shirts.
Singlet
Knee Sleeves
Belt
Wrist wraps
Note book with all your warm ups converted into kilos for the warm up room. A separate list with alternate openers, 2nd and 3rd attempts depending on how warm ups and attempts feel. You need to check your ego at this level.
Baby powder
Foam roller/lacrosse ball if you use one.

Extras

Now that we have your travel/competition list done with the essentials, let’s work on your game day list. It’s the same stuff as above but we’re just adding some extras for comforts.

Music/headphones
Food/drink/snacks. The best meet I ever had was when I drank a gallon of Gatorade. Just saying.
Warm clothes. Warm-up rooms can be very cold depending on the date of the meet, location and if you are competing in the morning or afternoon.
Competent Coach/handler. I know most of you will have someone with you, but you might have to hurt some feelings if you bring a friend that knows nothing about competing. This isn’t the time or place to teach someone what you need. Coaching/handling is a lot more than just putting weight on a bar at a meet. Telling you when to warm up, how far out you are from attempts, keeping track of other competitors and placings. There are people with decades of experience like myself you can hire for this. I recommend spending the money if you don’t have someone like this you can trust.
Get there early. Get the rack and chair you want. There is nothing worse tha sitting next to the bathroom hall or getting that squishy platform.
Group up. Grouping up with people that are around the same strength level as you will make things go much smoother, saving you time and energy.

Additional Thoughts

Some other things to think about when traveling.

The Early Bird Gets The PR. Get there a day earlier than you think. Travel will zap your strength like nothing else.
Pay for convenience. Get the later check in and check out times. Things happens and when they do, it’s usually on important days like this, so be prepared.
Don’t Change your Diet. Get a room with a kitchen if possible or at least a microwave and fridge. Eating the foods your body is use to will not only help with making weight but also prevent any embarrassing digestive issues that can happen with hundreds of pounds on you. Now is not the time to change up your diet.
Air Conditioning. Set that air conditioner to LOW! The cold has been proven to put you in a deeper sleep fast. With nerves being at an all time high you will most likely have a hard time getting to sleep before the big day and this will help you fall asleep faster and deeper.