Olympic Weightlifting - Warm ups, Attempts and Competition Strategy

As an athlete you train very hard and often very long towards a series of competitions throughout the calendar year.  These competitions can be weeks and even months apart from each other.  The outcome of a competition is crucial to an athlete’s ongoing enjoyment & success in Olympic Weightlifting.

It is therefore extremely important to plan towards this major milestone in your weightlifting career.  Every competition should be seen as a stepping stone towards your ultimate personal Olympic Weightlifting goal.

Without going into year planning and high level goal setting, as that is another topic altogether but is intrinsically related to each competition, lets consider the various facets of a competition that can be planned for.

 The Coach & The Manager
 Family & Other Distractions
 Event Location & Timing
 Travel & Accommodation
 Warm Up & Main Platform Environment
 Competition Programme
 Opposition / Competition
 Weigh-in & Nutrition
 Starting Attempts & Actual Attempts
 In Competition
 10 Minute Break
 Post Competition
 The Next Week & The Next Goal

Of course some of these relate to major international events but it is worth having a checklist that covers these than forgetting or overlooking something.  Are there others?

“Failing to plan is planning to fail” 

The Coach & The Manager 

Who is going to make the decisions – the athlete, the coach, jointly?
What role does each play before, during and after the comp?
Is your coach looking after other lifters?
Are you and your coach familiar with the rules especially as they affect a competition?

Family & Other Distractions 

How do you manage your friends and family before, during and after the comp?
How do you manage distractions like cellphones, babies crying, or other noises & interruptions before and during a comp and especially during an attempt on the platform?

Event Location & Timing 

What time of day is the comp?
Is there a time difference from home?
Is there a time difference between when you normally train and the competition time?
What day is the comp – is it different to a normal comp day or training day?
Are you used to lifting maximal lifts at this time or on this day of the week?
Is it outdoors or indoors?
Is it air-conditioned?
What is the local food like?
What is the availability of food and drink?

Travel & Accommodation 

Do you have to drive or fly to the event?
What time gap is there between arriving and competing?
Are you staying at home, with friends, in a motel/hotel, with a team?
What do you do in the lead up time to a comp – days before, hours before?

Warm Up & Main Platform Environment 

Are you familiar with the warm up & comp environment?
Is it the same venue for pre-comp training?

Competition Programme 

What format is the comp programme taking, i.e. each weight class has its own session or combined classes?

Opposition / Competition 

Who are you up against?
What are their best lifts?
What are their recent lifts?
What are their likely attempts & starting weights?
Have they had to lose weight?
Are they comfortable with the environment?

Weigh-in & Nutrition 

What is your body weight leading into the competition day?
Are you monitoring your weight?
Are you prepared for the pre comp and mid comp periods with food & drinks?

Starting Attempts & Actual Attempts 

What are your goals for the comp?
What are your proposed attempts?
What are you going to put as your start attempts?
What is your back up plan for attempts?
What is your strategy if you miss a lift?

Warm ups 

Do you have a plan of your warm ups for each lift?

In Competition 

Who is making the attempt calls?
Who is estimating time & number of attempts before your lifts?
Who is the official handling the attempt changes and where are they located?
Have you secured a platform for your warmups?
How far is that warmup platform to the main platform?
Is there a waiting area close to the main platform?
Are there any obstacles between the warm up area and the main platform?
Where is your opposition warming up?
Can you see the main platform?
Are there officials in the warm up area?

10 Minute Break 

What is your strategy in the break between snatch & clean and jerks?
Will you talk to friends & family?
Will you eat & drink and recover?
How will you remain focused or will you relax and then refocus?

Post Competition 

Are you ready to talk to others?
Do you have a post comp routine of stretching and recovery?

The Next Week & The Next Goal 

What is your strategy for training in the next week and thereafter?

There are a lot of questions to answer here and never take anything for granted as things always change.  Competitions are unique and every one is different from the previous one.  There will be factors you haven’t thought about and have to handle on the spot.

The relationship between athlete & coach is extremely important and the key is communication.  You never know what someone else is thinking so find out – ask!  Honesty is incredibly important on both sides so the best outcome can be achieved on the day.

Review, review and then review again.  Admit your mistakes.  You will learn something [many things?] from each competition as a coach and as an athlete.  If you don’t learn you won’t improve.

Richard Dryden
Olympic Weightlifting Coach