13. So you decided to compete in powerlifting.

That's it then. You've made up your mind.

You decided to officially become a part of this underground community. I say underground because no matter how many people show up it's still a fraction of the amount of people more popular sports attract. Athletes and/or attendees.

Don't let this short intro leave a bitter taste in your mouth. I see myself as somebody who's in love with powerlifting and strength sports. Obsessed even. In over a decade I've competed roughly 30 times:

. 24-25 powerlifting contests 

. 2 Static Monsters contests 

. 1 strongman contest 

. 2 grip contests 

Been a pretty long journey so far. And I'm not regretting it one bit. The good times and the bad times. 

But back to taking it to the next level. You've done the training, you've torn shirts and shorts, you've iced different areas of your body. You think you got what it takes? Much like most things, powerlifting is surrounded by effort. Your physical, emotional, financial and personal life status will be affected one way or another, guaranteed. 

Before I make this seem like a daunting experience, let's see the pros and cons of competing in powerlifting. Along with some pointers that can be helpful. I'm speaking from personal experience in this article. Buckle up, I intend to be transparent. 

PROS - THE BEAUTY OF IT 

1. Your lifts are now official. 

Regardless of your numbers, your squat, bench and deadlift attempts are now registered. Successful or not. If you made it, you can look at your best lifts and aspire to beat them. Anyone doubts you? You can show them your numbers on Open Powerlifting or possibly a different website. Contest organizers will have that information on paper, online etc. 

2. You have others to compare yourself to. 

I find it extremely important to have a goal number. Sometimes that number has been done by your competition. So now you know who you're trying to beat. It may be an individual sport but it can be extremely competitive. And if there's nobody better than you in your weight class, aim to beat your old numbers at the next meet. Long story short, you'll be chasing numbers until you stop competing. 

3. It builds confidence. 

Imagine demonstrating your utmost physical strain to dozens, sometimes hundreds of strangers, including the judges! I view it as a full physical and mental exposure to people that you've never seen before. Aside from your own who came to support, everybody else is staring at you waiting to see if you'll make the lift, or fail. It can help build confidence when dealing with something at work or in class like a presentation etc. It has definitely helped me develop a high level of noise and adrenaline tolerance. I see it as some kind of social numbness, at least momentarily, during the attempts. 

4. It helps sharpen your form. 

Knowing that you have to perform a lift as tight and clean as possible can help you better your form. And if you're smart you'll do that during your prep or in between contests. Technique in powerlifting in my opinion is number one. I've known athletes that could have done so much better simply had they made those few tweaks in their form before a contest. 

Of course good form will help prevent injuries and add years to your journey in general. But in terms of getting 3 white lights at a contest, you have to be as sharp as possible. 

5. You get to see other people strive. 

You see different people's approach to warm ups and weight selections as well as their attitude before an attempt. If you're an introvert you can see how others cope with victory and defeat. And compare them to yourself. This can help with the way you handle failure, or success. Failure can be a blessing if you can learn from it. 

I rather enjoy watching how other lifters  behave during warm ups etc. You can see who's nervous and who's not, who's confident going into their opening attempt etc. 

6. You build relationships. 

You're a part of a group of people who have one thing in common. Love for the iron. It literally is a barbell symposium if you think about it. You'll see complete strangers support your attempts in the crowd and behind the scenes. I've found this to be awesome. As I'm sure most people who compete. 

I've been lucky enough to have trained and competed in 2 different countries and the amount of good characters I met is quite astounding. Some of the best people I crossed paths with were in the gym or at a contest. So make sure you say hello and goodbye on your way in and out of a meet. 

7. You have a chance to exchange ideas.

Especially with people who you don't see often, if ever. That's priceless. There are veterans at meets that can change your life with just a few sentences. Not everybody in the crowd is there to cheer for their buddy. There are people who show up for the love of the sport. People who did it years ago and have tons (pun intended) of experience. And when you put your body at risk for your sport, experience and advice is invaluable. 

From what time to wake up to what you should eat before a contest, everything is up for discussion. As a newbie make sure to ask. Most times people will be more than happy to help. 

8. It can help grow your social media following. 

I can't believe I wrote that but it's true. As somebody who sells e-books, is present on FB, IG, Blogspot and has a YouTube channel, this is crucial. I'm not saying it should be the main reason for you to compete, by no means. But it definitely helps grow your online presence. If you're somebody who's trying to put your name out there, contests are a great mingling pool. Good things can happen like training collaborations, new clients, podcast interviews etc. 

9. It's a sport for all ages. 

Well... Nearly all ages. But you can start fairly young. I could be wrong but I think you can start as young as under 10 years old. Much like most sports, there's a physical and neural time period where your body and brain need to adjust. So in my opinion, a kid comes with their mom and she wants me to prep him/her, I'll work with them for a while before they get on the platform. 

As for middle aged people and/or older, it's great to have a hobby that keeps you occupied. Something that keeps you strong and in shape later in life. Nothing better than training (check my article on bone health and resistance training) when it comes to slowing down muscle wasting, osteoporosis and a stronger nervous/immune system. Competing also breaks the routine for people who've been working their whole life. It's a constructive escape full of excitement before next week comes and you're back to everyday life. 

You can be over 80 years old and compete! How awesome is that? 

10. You learn to register extreme emotion.

Swallowing bitterness and moving on is gigantic. It took me several years to learn how to deal with it. Of course taking your chances during training helps with that too but I very rarely fail in the gym (perhaps once or twice per year). Personally I'm always quite relaxed during competition and especially after it's over. 

There have been contests that really cost me mentally. How bad? You can read below. I managed somehow to accept defeat and keep going. I mean this with all my heart. Powerlifting has made me mentally stronger. And if you find ways to handle bitterness and self-loathing, you'll come out stronger too. 

CONS - THE UGLY SIDE OF IT 

1. It can cost a good amount of money. 

Powerlifting can be an expensive sport. Food, supplements, gym dues, lifting equipment like sling shots, wrist and knee wraps, knee sleeves, squat or deadlift shoes, belt and singlet. And if you're an equipped lifter? Single ply, multiply and now unlimited suits and shirts can cost a lot of money. 

Participating will set you back roughly 50-100 euro per contest. That's just for signing up. Not a huge amount per se but when you add it up it can be a serious commitment. 

The IPL world championship I competed at cost roughly 250 euro including a commemorative shirt. I competed raw cause that's where I qualified. So I also had to get knee sleeves (around 70 euro) which weren't top of the line but worked just fine. And I'm not complaining at all. I knew it was a big deal. So many people involved, big organization etc. Of course not all contests cost that much. It's just a reference to how high costs can rise. 

Also, keep in mind I lived roughly 80 km from the venue. Imagine so many athletes who traveled from abroad. Add plain tickets, accommodation for at least a few days plus food and rented vehicles or taxi to drive around. I can't imagine the amount of money these people spent. Massive respect to their dedication. 

2. It can be emotionally devastating. 

You've put your heart and soul into this prep. Training went well, last prep's weights felt like pillows. Your self esteem is high and you're the strongest you've ever been. You slept well, you show up and you're just not at your 100%.

As much as we want to brush off daily stress and responsibilities, the issues of life can accumulate and strike when we least expect it. Such impact can be small and it can be huge to the point where you hardly recognize yourself under the bar. Usually experience tends to minimize such effects but they're always around the corner. 

3. Judges can destroy your performance. 

And they have. I sincerely hope this doesn't happen to you but there's a chance it will. Aside from debating and paying a ridiculous amount to review your lift, you're most likely not getting their decision reversed. And I get it, it'll make them look bad. But if your lift was clean and you did the best you could, red lighting your attempt makes them look even worse. 

4. Not everybody is happy that you did good. 

I've been around long enough to know who means well and who doesn't at a contest. Some people won't even hide it. Not that it should mean anything to you. You're there for a reason. I'm just pointing out as many things as I can. 

Especially if you're doing well on a consistent basis, don't be shocked if you spot a few people staring at you with a long face. 

5. You can get injured. 

Adrenaline kicks in and you're all hyped up. Always keep in mind that an injury can happen. Aside from a few pulls or strains, I can't say I've been seriously hurt in competition. But that's because I make realistic weight jumps between attempts. Be VERY careful with the weights you select (more of that below). 

You have to remember, life goes on after the contest. Even if you're not working a physically demanding job or you're lucky enough to not have to work at all, make sure you stay in one piece. And if you're a totally devoted meathead only thinking about the next training session, keep in mind that an injury can cause serious delay on your progress. So try not to hurt yourself. 

6. You gotta work on Monday! 

Unless you're pretty sure you can get a PR, don't annihilate yourself on the platform. I'm not proud of it but there have been a few times where during deadlifts I knew that my body was shutting down (especially my lower back since it's been hurt for a decade). So I took a lighter 3rd attempt than the one I was aiming for. 

Don't get me wrong, I can't remember a third deadlift attempt where my eyes didn't nearly pop out of my skull. But at the same time I was able to finish the lift. You have to be certain that you can make your lifts unless you're going for a realistic PR. Your body can take up to a few weeks to recover after a meet. Especially if you're doing all 3 events. And waking up at 5 or 6 am for work the next morning can be brutal. Especially if you're 40 or older. 

Believe me nobody is going to treat you with empathy for competing the day before. 

7. One bad meet can cause you to quit. 

It's difficult not to compare yourself to others around you at a meet. You obviously want to succeed much like them. When it doesn't go your way it can be such a painful experience. Especially when they're doing well. I'm not saying you should be envious of them. But remember, the fact that you're competing at the same meet is the only thing you have in common. Everything else is individual. 

So if they succeeded and you didn't it isn't their fault. Don't waste energy thinking what did they do right? Start thinking what you did wrong instead. And if you're a complete newbie go talk to people. 

8. Strains and injuries tend to stick around. 

I've had so much treatment done on me that I should be feeling invincible. The truth is: if an injury didn't improve by the time it should have, it will most likely never go away. It can improve with time but since you chose to keep pushing your body for contests, it will at some point come back. It may come and go but chances are that issues like lower back, knee, elbow and wrist pain will not disappear so easily. And if you have tendinitis, there's a big chance it'll be an issue for years to come. 

9. Long meets can ruin your performance. 

Waiting for hours between events can be a serious problem. Most time I've spent at a meet was... 17 or 18 hrs. Can't remember exactly. Average time is around 7-8 hrs at least. You will find yourself wondering what to do in order to kill time when your squat, bench and deadlift are 2-3 hrs apart. 

Of course not every meet is a saga. But if you choose to do this for several years it will happen eventually. So be mentally prepared. 

10. So many things can go wrong. 

Very briefly and speaking from my own experience: lack of sleep, working schedule, car broke down, illness, extreme heat at the venue, dehydration or malnutrition if you were cutting weight in the last moment, stress, personal relationships, backstage equipment isn't comfortable to warm up with, too little/too much time between attempts, bad judging, injury etc. 

THINGS THAT MAY HELP YOU :

1. Be careful with your openers! More often than not I'll see people work up to a good 80-85% of their max before they go on the platform! I watched a dude work up to a heavy last warm up in the squat. He goes out, gets nailed to the floor, dumps the bar on the back spotter's biceps. Walks away. Not a word. I wanted to go grab the guy but didn't. Many people were mad at him. 

I will go as far as tell my spotters hey guys I'm not so sure about this. I literally have. In 2024 as I walked to the platform for my 3rd squat I said "guys I'm not feeling 100% so please be careful". I failed that lift just as I was coming out of the hole. Nobody was hurt. 

2. Pull your socks up! I took my deadlift opener at the Icelandic Nationals November of 2018 with my socks down, they notified me right after the lift and canceled it. The attempt was heavy so I took it again and failed. Twice. Essentially bombed out on deadlifts. Missed the National chip, didn't place on the total and deadlift. I was devastated. 

3. Respect the spotters/loaders, judges and organizers. They've handled so many people before and after your attempt. These are the unsung heroes in the powerlifting world. They make it so easy for us. Just think of the effort you put out to do a full lower body session like a deadlift. Carrying the plates around, setting up, loading/unloading the bar. 

It makes you appreciate the fact that all you have to do is show up and lift. Everything else is pretty much taken care of. These people move tons and tons of weight in an evening. So it's good to say thank you. 

4. Always remember, our strength can undulate by 5 -10 percent daily. Huge factor when things don't go exactly as planned at the meet. You can only do so much to fine-tune everything through your preparation. Aside from that, some luck is involved as well. 

5. Find a spot to leave your stuff and grab a chair! Regardless of your age, weight or level of excitement, it's good to regulate your energy if you'll be competing for several hours. You can move around of course. Mingle, joke with your friends. But I highly recommend that you have a personal spot where you can chill throughout the meet. 

6. Bring something to eat and drink! Most meets I've been to are not catered whatsoever. And I get it, it's not the World's Strongest Man. So have some stuff with you. I like to pack a few sandwiches and things like protein cookies, small candy bars, Powerade, water etc. Avoid super heavy food, deep fried stuff, too much butter. You want to sustain yourself without wasting energy on digesting big meals. Some fast carbs, electrolytes etc. 

Luckily these days there are many healthy options so you don't have to stuff your face with just chocolate and candy.  

7. Using straps during deadlift warm ups isn't "lame". If you have bicep/elbow tendinitis or any kind of hand injury, nerve damage etc you may want to save your hands for the official attempts. I haven't done it personally, but I always carry a pair of straps in my bag. And I've dealt with long term brachioradialis issues, even before I started lifting. It can affect your grip strength. 

8. If nobody's handling you, learn to wrap your knees by yourself! I've been on both sides of the coin. Rushing to wrap my knees because an athlete dropped out of his next attempt or just because there weren't many people squatting in the first place can create problems. I've literally skipped PR attempts simply because I wasn't recovering between lifts. I was gasping while wrapping my knees for the next one. Being a heavier athlete, this can cost you a lot during squats. 

And on the other side of the coin, my top 3-4 squats in competition happened while other people wrapped my knees. I don't think it's just the fact that my handlers were indeed very good at wrapping knees. I can wrap my legs pretty damn tight. But the luxury of leaning back and controlling your breathing while somebody else is taking care of it makes a huge difference. So even if the handler doesn't wrap me super tight, he still gave me a chance to catch my breath and collect myself. 

I could go on forever but then the article would be 5000 words and I don't want people to get tired. I hope that it can help you decide whether competition is for you, or not. 

Terry Eleftheriou for Conjugate Iron 

July 17th 2025 

https://linktr.ee/terryconjugateiron