Competition Prep Guide
Index
● Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...………2
● Kit Check…………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………….3
● Arrival……………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….3
● Food at competition…………………………………………………………….…………………………..………...4
● Water loading/ cutting……………………………………………………………………………….……………….5
● Example meal timings……………………………………………………………………………….……………….5
● Example foods/drinks……………………………………………………………………………………….……….6
● Contact details………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..7
2
Introduction
I am Sophia Ellis, a London based strength and powerlifting coach and owner of Ellis
Coaching. I am the England Team Powerlifting Coach as well as competitive powerlifter
for England and Great Britain; Bench only and 3 Lift. I have written this guide in the hope
that it will give guidance and help athletes who are either looking to compete, assist
them for their first comp or even for those who have previously competed and would like
some more advice around the day of competition. This guide is going in line with the
British Powerlifting/ International Powerlifting Federation rules. Other federation rules
may differ so please keep this in mind if you are not a member of British Powerlifting. I
would thoroughly recommend that you read through the technical rule book before
competing to familiarise yourself with how the competition works. If you have any
questions please feel free to contact me - you can find my details at the end of this
guide.
3
Kit Check (IPF)
All relevant kit must be IPF approved
●
BP Membership card
●
Singlet
●
Deadlift Socks
●
T-shirt
●
Knee sleeves
●
Belt
●
Wrist Wraps
●
Underwear / sports bra
●
Shoes/ lifters
You can find companies that sell approved kit on the British Powerlifting website as well as
current rules (2020/2021) around kit/ competition.
Approved kit
https://www.powerlifting.sport/fileadmin/ipf/data/rules/approved-list/IPF_Approved_List_01.02
.2016V1.pdf
Rules:
https://www.powerlifting.sport/fileadmin/ipf/data/rules/technical-rules/english/IPF_Technical_
Rules_Book_2020.pdf
Arrival at comp
Arrive at least 10 minutes before weigh in. There is usually a queue so you don’t want to be
waiting a long time to weigh in.
●
Weigh in
●
Kit Check
4
Food at Competition
These are recommendations for what to eat during competition day. If you have been water
loading/ cutting make sure to bring water and electrolytes with you as well as something salty
and easy digestible carbs to have directly after weigh in. You have 2hrs after weigh in till the
competition starts. You want to ideally get in a proper meal after weigh in as it is unlikely you will
have time to have a real meal between lifts. Low/ moderate protein as recovery is not a priority
on comp day - we are fuelling your performance. I wouldn’t recommend trusting what the venue
has there on the day. Normally there are limited options available and personally I feel like it is
sacrificing an opportunity to maximise performance. The goal is to feel good and ready on comp
day. Depending on the size of the competition, it can be quite a long day. Make sure to pack
enough food and fluids - better to pack more than less. Avoid anything new - it’s not a good
decision to be trialling foods on the day.
Key points
●
Don’t have anything out of the norm - you want to keep food and drinks to what you
would normally eat/ drink around training.
●
Stay Hydrated. Sip on fluids throughout - you don’t want to be downing drinks and
needing the toilet constantly.
●
Get a meal in after weigh in - see it as your fuel for the comp and everything else is
topping it up.
●
Graze throughout the day/ eat consistently
●
Low/ moderate fat
●
Low fibre
●
High Carb
●
Eat mainly easy digestible carbs
●
Low/ moderate protein
For those who suffer with IBS symptoms it is worth mainly consuming low-FODMAP foods on
comp day and a few days prior. GI symptoms have been shown to be reduced within athletes on
comp day when doing this.
5
Water Loading/ Cutting
If you are cutting to make your weight class you don’t want to be eating or drinking anything
before weigh in. Having gone through many water cuts myself, I cannot stress the importance
enough of doing it right and fuelling yourself properly after weigh in and throughout the day.
When you weigh in (I recommend this to both athletes who are cutting and who aren’t) to weigh
in with as little amount of clothes on. The main reason being if you are competitive you never
know if the comp will come down to body weight (it happens) or not making weight - you don’t
want to be 0.01kg off because you didn’t take your socks off at weigh in. Bring in a sheet of A4
paper to place on the scales.
After weigh in make sure to have fluids with salts/ electrolytes as soon as possible. Then get in
easy digestible carbs and your first meal. Continue to stay hydrated throughout the day.
If you are not cutting weight for weigh in, have something light beforehand if you are not worried
about your weight (depending on time of weigh in).
Example Meal timings
Night before: Normal dinner (depending on weight)
After weigh in: Eat your normal breakfast, get fluids on.
30 minutes pre squat/ first lift: Caffeine and top up before deadlifts/ last lift
Throughout lifts: easy digestible high GI foods / sports drink
Post lifts/ in between flights: Sports drink, snacks/ food in general
6
Example foods/drinks during comp day
●
Water
●
Electrolytes / carb drink
●
Sports drink
●
Energy drink
●
Coffee
●
Bagels
●
Overnight oats
●
Sandwich (I like a good PBJ bagel/sandwich after weigh in!)
●
Low fat cereal
●
Bananas
●
Dried fruit; banana chips etc
●
Oven baked salted crisps
●
Sweets
●
Yoghurt
●
Muesli bars/ snack bars
●
Biscuits/cookies
This is just an example of some foods you can include during comp day, but as I have
mentioned before, stick to what you know and would usually have. I know that many athletes
have a personal preference towards the foods/ drinks they consume during the day - do what
works for you, not what others are doing.
7
If you have any other or more specific questions regarding this or
,for example, comp preparation, coaching or how to get into the
sport, please do not hesitate to get in contact with me.
Good luck on the day!
Sophia Ellis
London based Strength and Powerlifting coach
Owner of Ellis Coaching
Email: sophiaellispt@gmail.com
Instagram: @sophiastrength @ellis.coaching
Website: www.sophiaellis.co.uk