choosing a weight class

[maccaz]

How do you guys decide what bw you will lift at in pl competition? may seem like odd question but so atm im 101kg or so, maybe 20% bf or a little under. no visible abs but first thing in morning theyre close

 

competing mid August

 

realistically i could be >90kg by then but that will limit how much stronger im realistically gonna get between now and then

 

am i better off just letting bw do its own thing (within reason) or try and slowly cut back to a weight to increase lift:bw ratio?

 

is there an optimal bf% for strength gains? IE am I going to be stronger at sub 15% or does it make no difference? obviously long term want to be leaner for health and aesthetics etc (lol) but for now is it going to do too much damage to my strength to cut back a little? 

 

dont want to cut water, done it before for boxing and its shit leaves me frail

[majorflavazz]

Im only new to the sport done 2 real comps for GPC i just cut lilbit of weight slowly while still tryin to maintain most my strength for the first time i did it.I was about 109 cut down to i think 106 in about 6 weeks and kept most my strength but new i was still stuck in the 110kg class as i wasnt goin to try lose 9kg just to get under 100 as i didnt want to lose to much strength unless i did it earlier.

But for you id say it be sweet to cut under 100kg coz your only 1kg over, and if first time maybe just try out a first comp at anybody weight where your strongest or just cut cuple kg to go in the under 100kg class.

You probably lose little no strength cutting a kg or 2.

[reddog]

unless its a big comp and your looking a setting records, just turn up and lift, no point in even worrying about it, just train hard, eat up so your fully recoved turn up and rip into it

[maccaz]

Yeah figured. Will think bout losing some fat afterwards. Prob try end up just under 100 or something

[Optimass]

unless its a big comp and your looking a setting records, just turn up and lift, no point in even worrying about it, just train hard, eat up so your fully recoved turn up and rip into it

 

^^ this - great advice for novice lifters.  Making weight is an added concern you don't need to focus on in your first few comps.  More focus should be put on clean lifting technique - hitting your calls and making sure your lifts are in line with what you can realistically achieve. 

 

I dropped 4k over night in Sydney to come in well under grade (125s) without any loss in strength - recovery.  PB'd every lift.  But I have been competing 3 years now.

[maccaz]

 

unless its a big comp and your looking a setting records, just turn up and lift, no point in even worrying about it, just train hard, eat up so your fully recoved turn up and rip into it

 

^^ this - great advice for novice lifters.  Making weight is an added concern you don't need to focus on in your first few comps.  More focus should be put on clean lifting technique - hitting your calls and making sure your lifts are in line with what you can realistically achieve. 

 

I dropped 4k over night in Sydney to come in well under grade (125s) without any loss in strength - recovery.  PB'd every lift.  But I have been competing 3 years now.

 

 

ok cool il just put my scales in cupboard and weigh whatever im gonna weigh on the day for first comp. not gonna be competitive even at far less bodyweight for a few years so just doing it to hopefully get some pbs in the atmosphere etc

[Leeroid]

Just don't worry about weight classes and lose weight slowly. If that means you're sitting at 95kg by the comp don't worry about u90s and just do the 100kg class.

Also depends which fed u do. NZPF do 2 hour weigh in so not possible to cut weight without losing strength because you don't have enough time to rehydrate. Capo and GPC u can weigh in 24 hours before lifting on the Friday so i Iike to sit around 5kg over the limit. If u rehydrate properly and gain all ur weight back then there's no loss in strength.

Get a few comps under ur belt before u try that though

[maccaz]

Just don't worry about weight classes and lose weight slowly. If that means you're sitting at 95kg by the comp don't worry about u90s and just do the 100kg class.

Also depends which fed u do. NZPF do 2 hour weigh in so not possible to cut weight without losing strength because you don't have enough time to rehydrate. Capo and GPC u can weigh in 24 hours before lifting on the Friday so i Iike to sit around 5kg over the limit. If u rehydrate properly and gain all ur weight back then there's no loss in strength.

Get a few comps under ur belt before u try that though

GPC Australia bro, then maybe one in nz end of year or next year or something dunno havent looked at calendar, would like to do a nz one at some point though.

 

Sweet cheers for input

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

unless its a big comp and your looking a setting records, just turn up and lift, no point in even worrying about it, just train hard, eat up so your fully recoved turn up and rip into it

 

this is the same thing i've been reading about... i was thinking similar to you maccaz im currently hovering 67-69kg coulde asily make the 67.5kg class but planning on competing gpc in august don't think its worth trying to hold that weight would rather add size and strength between now and then without having to worry about diet to meet some weight class when won't even be breaking records . no way i'll be super comeptitive in under 75kg by then but will be stronger that way than if i tried to hold on to under 67.5

 

all that dehydrating stuff sounds like a hassle and if stuffed up would probably make for a real shit first comp experience. i rather not have to worry about that