After a decent virus and having my wisdom teeth pulled I made a last minute decision to compete in the GPC States comp held at Elite Physique, Canberra.
My day started at 3:30am. I was already packed to go but was too scared I'd sleep in and make my team late! The PTC Sydney team hit the highway south at 5am carting with us 250kg of Ivanko Calibrated plates. We stopped at goulburn for Maccas but I passed up as I was on a 12hr fast for weigh in.
Elite Physique
We arrived at Elite Physique at 730am. It is a very well laid out gym with equipment for every kind of gym goer. Their strength equipment was top notch for the kind of lifters who gathered there this day. The warm up room was adequately stocked with racks, benches, bars, weights and floor space for deadlifts or stretching. The owner Billy was a lovely gentleman who wholly threw himself into helping and assisting lifters, organisers, spotters and Referee's. It was also the first time I met Paul, the ACT delegate for GPC.
Weigh In
I weighed in at 55.8kg's clothed. Same as the Nationals and Push/Pull yet this is now my "walking around weight" after losing 4kg since June. I had steak and broccoli for dinner the previous night, I dropped carbs and sodium 24hrs prior to weigh in. And because I only made the decision to compete Wednesday I didnt even get time to waterload so maintained under 2L water Thursday & Friday dropping all fluids 12hrs prior to weigh in.
There were 3 flights of lifters and 36 lifters in total, inclusive of 16 female lifters in varying stages of their powerlifting sport. The competition ran very fluid, it was well organised!
Squats
I warmed up to 85kg x 2 wrapped in the warm up room which was roughly 10 - 15 mins before my platform attempt. It felt good but borderline depth.
First attempt felt awkward due to the bar being something I hadn't used before. It was far thicker than any other bar I'd used. I unracked and the bar wasnt centred and instantly threw me off, I asked if the weight was lopsided? They centred the bar and allowed me to continue. Squat success!
Second attempt 100kg, success! Was undecided about going for the 110kg as a third attempt but I hadn't been practising wraps and my form just wasn't good for it.
Third attempt 105kg, success! I probably had the 107.5kg in me but my left knee kept caving on each attempt.
Knees sore and bruised from wraps, squats were over! Declined a fourth attempt.
Bench
Warmed up gradually to 45kg x 2 but the Forza bench was very odd and higher than what I'd practised on so my arch felt hugely decreased. Trent had me bench my opener on 2 different benches but it just wasnt there. I had benched 62.5kg paused 4 weeks prior but had't trained since due to illness.
Bench attempts went 50 55 57.5x
Just didn't have my bench on today.
Deadlifts
I chugged back a full can of Energy drink prior to warm up and got my second wind. Warm ups felt strong. The short Inzer suit and talcum allowed the backs of my hands to glide up the thigh. Warm ups felt fluid and strong. Warmed up to 102kg x 2 but there was a delay between my last warm up and first platform attempt so waited 5 mins to pull another 100kg for form. My socks were thin and was feeling the scrapes on my shins, need thicker socks!
First attempt was 110kg, I thought I was going to throw the bar through the roof it felt light!! Second attempt was 120 then 130. Both successful and very quick off the floor so went for a fourth attempt of a daring 140kg.
Well, it came off the floor and stuck above the knee....just couldn't lock it out!!! Arrgh!
Placing and Records
Placed third from 16 girls, losing out to 2 fierce competitors!
I broke my previous Squat and bench National Records and broke the existing Open 56kg Deadlift record.
Squat previous 97.5kg, new 105kg
Bench previous 52.5kg, new 55kg
Broke the open deadlift record for the 56kg class, old 125kg, new 130kg. My previous deadlift record was 117.5kg.
Post-Comp
Went home and celebrated with Pizza!!! Slept like a log that night. Woke up and chugged back the Vit C and Multi's. Ate a vast variety of food to avoid the post comp flu!
No injuries but a sore left trap, fatigued lower back and a sore sternum from my belt which felt like it crushed me on that last deadlift.
My poor Titan Toro belt suffered a lost screw on the lever but managed to hold together. Looked high and low for it but its lost unfortunately.
Still on a high!
