How Close To Your Training Pr In Competition

[Mikael Siversson]

The quote below is from the "congratulating Jedd thread". This is an aspect of competing that is poorly understood. The question is; do you benefit strength-wise from standing in front of a referee or do you tend to perform below your training PR. Taking the 2HP of a Euro set up for example, what was the average max in workouts leading up a competition vs the weight actually pulled on contest day? In my case (I have only competed once on the Euro set up) I averaged (over the last month leading up to the 2006 Oz championship) 83k in training but pulled 88.5k in competition. That is a 5% increase. It was also a new PR by 4.5k. If your competition results are lower than your training PR are you addressing this by looking into the psychological aspect of performing in front of a crowd (e.g., absence of adrenaline kick)?

Parris, I kid you not when I say that my pinching was so screwed up in my training that I literally could not get 217 much more than a couple of inches off the ground. In Grippers, I could not manage more than 149 #3 and ended up closing a 182 #3.5.

[Bob Lipinski]

This is a very big part in competing. My pinch is so crap that I really don't have enough good numbers.

Part of this is understanding the nature of the lift. For example, it was always easy for me to break a deadlift PR in a comp, but harder to do a bench PR. Some lifts require a different mindset. Once you learn how you respond to different challenges, you will do better.

Gripper PR's are difficult in contests because of gripper differences, but I have always done well in competitions versus training. I have timed thickbar/support stuff so that I can hit PR's there easily.

[Jeff Parker]

In the 8 grip contests I have done the majority of my lifts and or closes have been PRs. I attribute this to three things. Rest, rehab work and psychological state.

Rest: I VERY rarely go a week without grip training, I try to train all aspects of grip at least 3 times per week. Before a contest I will stop all grip work a week out. To further prove that rest works for me, one of my only comps that I did not PR for the majority of the events I had only 3 days rest from my last grip day due to working out of town for the previous several weeks.

Rehab work. I do contrasts baths at least once a day for the week prior to competition. During the competition I use the hot hands packets to keep my hands warm the whole time. I do neither of these things when I am not going to a contest.

Psychological state: I get very excited for grip comps and get motivated when others are doing well around me.

[Mike Rinderle]

I'm typically good for quite a bit more in a contest setting than in training. Contest adrenaline is something special. I get a boost from cert adrenaline, but nowhere near what I get from a contest. There is just something about having all your friends and several spectators watching you that pushes things to another level. Call it fear of failure, drive to win, or competitive fire. Whatever it is, it is a strong motivator.

Take The Beast in the East Steel Bending Contest. I set PRs in all five events contested by a pretty big margin. Had I only been able to do my training PRs at the contest, which weren't too shabby, I would have been looking at 3rd or 4th place instead of 1st.

I've seen very few people do worse at contests than training, but it does happen. The human body's reaction to a huge dump of adrenaline and cortisol is a very interesting thing to observe and to experience. There are practice players and there are game players. Rarely do those two ever switch categories from my experience. Sports psychologists have helped some make the leap, but I think that is the exception rather than the rule. You either thrive on competition, or you shrink from it in most cases.

[Jedd Johnson]

I generally (note I said generally) work my thumbs to such high levels of volume that my Two Hands Pinch really sucks in training.

I have only lifted (to legal height) 250+ in training once or twice ever.

I have only broken 255+ off the ground a handful of times.

I have sucked so long in training that i do not let it bother me that much when going to a comp, however, I was alarmed going into Nationals this year because of the hand injuries I had in the winter and also because I was struggling SO BAD in training.

But, ask Chris Rice, Brent Barbe, and some of the other guys I have competed with the most and they will tell you that I am a contest guy. I perform best at the show, where it counts most, at least that is the reputation I have picked up over the last couple of years.

[Cannon]

I have struggled with this so far on grippers only. I can consistently close 155ish grippers in training, but have yet to break 150 in a contest despite feeling good both days. I have a hunch that I just need more experience. I don't get nervous at all for the attempts, but something is missing on the crush.

[jad]

I'm definitely a show guy except for grippers but I've been streaky on grippers since I started this sport. With the exception of grippers, when I underperform at a contest, it's because I hadn't accounted for a variable in training; it's not the mental aspect.

[barbe705]

I generally (note I said generally) work my thumbs to such high levels of volume that my Two Hands Pinch really sucks in training.

I have only lifted (to legal height) 250+ in training once or twice ever.

I have only broken 255+ off the ground a handful of times.

I have sucked so long in training that i do not let it bother me that much when going to a comp, however, I was alarmed going into Nationals this year because of the hand injuries I had in the winter and also because I was struggling SO BAD in training.

But, ask Chris Rice, Brent Barbe, and some of the other guys I have competed with the most and they will tell you that I am a contest guy. I perform best at the show, where it counts most, at least that is the reputation I have picked up over the last couple of years.

I think it's more accurate to say that you fail to bring it in training. also, easily distracted.

do you think that's mostly the contest atmo or the fact that you're rested up?

[Jedd Johnson]

Well, I train "hard." What I mean by that is I don't get cheated in my training time. There are a tremendous amount of distractions, that is for sure.

However, I never just say, "Man it isn't my day, I am just gonna go up stairs" or anything like that. I know what I want to accomplish as far as sets / reps/ volume, and get it. The weights just aren't there.

One thing that I am wondering about is my chalk. I use a different type of chalk in training than I do at comps. It is called Primo Chalk and I get it from SlatersHardware.com. it has this stuff in it that is supposed to kill staph. At the comp, I used whatever it was that was sitting there.

I also make my training lifts harder than the comp. For instance, once I knock the dust off my pinch, the only challking I do is my hands. I do not strategically chalk my apparatus like in a comp. I also lift it cock-eyed so the balance is off, etc. So the implement is just plain tougher to lift in my training versus the comp.

Also, i do some of my Pinch training with a different grip, which I have included in the instruction at TheGripAuthority - maybe you remember what i am talking about. With this method it is darn near impossible to get the same numbers as my comp grip.

There are lots of variables. That is for sure. However, even when I am loading up for a big lift, the numbers in my gym are nothing compared to the comp.

[barbe705]

jedd,

I just ignored your whole post except for the chalk part. according to the description it has oils in it. do you think that's why I always complain about your chalk being "waxy"?

also, how long have you been using the primo? I've been bitching about your chalk for years now and this is the first time I've heard about it.

[Jedd Johnson]

I started using that in November. Steve Slater hooked me up with it the day after WSH 2010 Leg 4.

I had never heard about the stuff before then, so you can not use it as a crutch! LOL.

[barbe705]

I started using that in November. Steve Slater hooked me up with it the day after WSH 2010 Leg 4.

I had never heard about the stuff before then, so you can not use it as a crutch! LOL.

well, I don't think I've used it then.

I do think that even if the comp chalk is fine it can throw you. If it feels funny and you start thinking about it you can get thrown. I try to bring my own version of any product that I'll be using. I also bring all my own food and water as an attempt to control the competition variables even more.

[climber511]

Just in case anyone is curious - I use Metolius Super Chalk. I've used it for years now climbing and it's what I had on hand so that's what I used when I started grip. It must work OK judging by Jedd's results. I have used several different kinds climbing and most seem the same but a couple were slick feeling over the years. The Metolius is all I buy anymore.

[daniel reinard]

Just in case anyone is curious - I use Metolius Super Chalk. I've used it for years now climbing and it's what I had on hand so that's what I used when I started grip. It must work OK judging by Jedd's results. I have used several different kinds climbing and most seem the same but a couple were slick feeling over the years. The Metolius is all I buy anymore.

Same here, same reason! It doesn't feel clumpy either so it feels like the right amount applied.

[acorn]

Depends on the event for me. For bending I've bent tougher stuff in comps than training. like: 7x5/16 G8, 5.5" x 5/16 G5, 6x5/16 FBBC Square in comps, those were all a little tougher than what I was bending in training at the time.

Grippers my best in a comp is 195# MM6 dup, same with training.

Axle, best in comp 400, best in training 410.

2HP is finicky for me getting hooked up good still. Best in training 256#, comp 246.4# (although I did break 257 off the ground a few inches in the same comp 4th attempt)

Usually I'm pretty close depending on my peaking.

- Aaron

[Cannon]

Depends on the event for me. For bending I've bent tougher stuff in comps than training. like: 7x5/16 G8, 5.5" x 5/16 G5, 6x5/16 FBBC Square in comps, those were all a little tougher than what I was bending in training at the time.

Grippers my best in a comp is 195# MM6 dup, same with training.

Axle, best in comp 400, best in training 410.

2HP is finicky for me getting hooked up good still. Best in training 256#, comp 246.4# (although I did break 257 off the ground a few inches in the same comp 4th attempt)

Usually I'm pretty close depending on my peaking.

- Aaron

I think it helps to know HOW to train. You are the first person I remember mentioning peaking. In training discussions we've had since, it's clear to me that you understand so much more about training than I do. I try and soak it up and hopefully I can use the knowledge in my training. But, for example, I still don't know how to effectively "peak" for a contest or cert. I mostly feel like I work hard, then rest and hope for the best.

[Jedd Johnson]

I started using that in November. Steve Slater hooked me up with it the day after WSH 2010 Leg 4.

I had never heard about the stuff before then, so you can not use it as a crutch! LOL.

well, I don't think I've used it then.

I do think that even if the comp chalk is fine it can throw you. If it feels funny and you start thinking about it you can get thrown. I try to bring my own version of any product that I'll be using. I also bring all my own food and water as an attempt to control the competition variables even more.

I'd say Brent has the most "functional" competition bag. Anything you need is in there.

[Bob Lipinski]

For peaking, my general rules are no heavy wrist training after 14 days precomp, thickbar stuff 10-14, pinch and grippers a week ou, and halfass pinch+gripper work 4-7 days out.

[mbcx6pmw]

I tend to find that on more 'brute strength' events like grippers I do better in a contest due to the adrenaline. However on fiddly things like 2HP I often do worse. When training 2HP I always feel like I need loads of attempts and gradually sneak up on my best weights. With four attempts in a contest, often following myself since I go wide, I never feel like I get my hand in properly.

[Jedd Johnson]

I tend to find that on more 'brute strength' events like grippers I do better in a contest due to the adrenaline. However on fiddly things like 2HP I often do worse. When training 2HP I always feel like I need loads of attempts and gradually sneak up on my best weights. With four attempts in a contest, often following myself since I go wide, I never feel like I get my hand in properly.

For you Paul, I'd suggest changing your training paradigm to match the competition layout so that you get used to the four attempt thing.

[Bob Lipinski]

Paul, I have the exact same problem with the pinch. Usually I take a bunch of warmup attempts until things feel right. It takes some extra time and planning.

[mbcx6pmw]

Thanks for the tip Jedd. Something I keep meaning to do before a contest, but not getting round to, is going through the events in order with four attempts on each.

Bob, I try to do a good few warm up lifts in competition, but of course you often don't have much time.

[Jedd Johnson]

You can try that but I have never done it. It just isn't realistic, considering you might sometimes wait over an hour to get your next attempt between events.