Wondering why people can lift more in training then in competition

[brihead301]

This may be a really stupid question, but I was just wondering why people have big 3 totals for training and big 3 totals for competition. Usually the competition lifts are lower then in training. Why can't they lift as much during competition?

My guess is that in a competition you don't get the same warm-up, and you're more fatigued towards the end. For instance, the deadlift happens last in a competition, so you're all tired from the squat and the bench. When training for the deadlift, you can focus all your energy into just that one lift.

I don't really know much about competitions, but I was always just wondering why this was.

[Stumprrp]

sometimes its just really nerve wracking and your form has to be strict too in comp unlike training.

[RedSpikeyThing]

A lot of gym numbers are touch and go, whereas comp numbers would be paused with a judge staring at you.

[brihead301]

Really, your form has to be perfect for a lift to count in competition? So if your back happens to round during a squat or something like that it wouldn't count even if you went below parallel?

[Uncle Fester]

I'm the opposite, I usually hit PR's in competition. I try not to get "too" fired up during training, but in a meet, I'm ready to kill people.

Last meet, I did a PR in my squat and deadlift, and the only reason I didn't get one on the bench was I didn't wait for the "rack" command.

[Chubrock]

If you think about it, the Squat, Bench and DL are almost NEVER performed in the same day during training, certainly never worked up to a 1RM in the same day. The CNS fatigue along with being in your briefs and suit for 8hrs can beat the hell out of you.

[brihead301]

If you think about it, the Squat, Bench and DL are almost NEVER performed in the same day during training, certainly never worked up to a 1RM in the same day. The CNS fatigue along with being in your briefs and suit for 8hrs can beat the hell out of you.

Ya, that's what I was thinking was the main reason too.

[Sensei]

Nerves, depth/pause/lockout, equipment, length of competition, peaking properly, etc. are all reasons why some people have better training numbers.

Also, there can be a world of difference between being ready to lift when you choose to be and being ready to lift when someone else says go. Some people thrive on that, others don't, others it doesn't matter.

[brihead301]

All these reasons make lots of sense. I get it now. I was just wondering though.

[smokinHawk]

Really, your form has to be perfect for a lift to count in competition? So if your back happens to round during a squat or something like that it wouldn't count even if you went below parallel?

not so much of rounding of the back but look at this vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szUtT....com/node/6620
looks like a good lift, but not according to the judges as he stepped out before the official gave the rack command.

[brihead301]

Damn, that looked like a good lift to me. That sux that it didn't count

[Guido]

It's also depends on how conservative you are when picking your attempts at a meet. Some people are confident they've peaked so go for a PR on their second or even first attempt, while others play it very safe and only go for meet PR's as opposed to all-time PR's.

[Sensei]

Damn, that looked like a good lift to me. That sux that it didn't count

He stumbled at the top which invalidates the lift. It depends on the federation, of course, but when it's a high-level meet like that and the lifter is going for records, the judging tends to be stricter - something like that could be passed for a lesser lifter at a local meet.