Blog by: Ricky Bakker

GAME ON (belong the video of my final squat 265kg and deadlift 275kg)

Earlier I tried to describe how my preparation went to my first equipped powerlifting meet. As you might have read, maybe not, it was bumpy. Well that bumpy has not changed during the rest of the preparation. But ain’t that a part of powerlifting. In the end, due to physical discomforts, it is not even really possible to have bench presses in the shirt. What I have been able to do is indeed very promising ?!

Then it was game day! It started well, was a little too heavy, I had to lose weight, I did not have to. The equipped meet was based on Wilkes. So eventually I weighed 93.1. Fine. This is where lesson 1 started, because Wim is not Wim when you get a lesson again. Because if I had simply used my mouth, I knew I did not have to take the trouble to lose the last grams.
Wim told me he could coach me because he had made the choice not to participate at the meet, so that was a stroke of luck.
When the Kensenhuis sisters came to help, I got a mug with GAME ON as a print. Well with so much power in my corner, you know. Only option is enjoy and lift.

What I noticed from the beginning is that there is a whole different atmosphere in the equipped lifters than in the classic lifters. Logical or not logical. One side is that you need each other, just look at the participants numbers. Otherwise, I still want to win everyone. But everyone helped everyone. Difficult to describe what that has loosened with me. But in this way I noticed that I could easily shift my head into positive thoughts, which made my whole game vibe ‘better’ than usual.

I lifterd a very good meet. 8 out of 8, yes because Wim has decided to skip the 3rd attempt bench. That is what a good coach does, look / feel / anticipate and respond to. Speaking of reacting. I still a kick under my ass from Wim. Yes!
At my first squat I got 1 red light and 2 times white lights (so as you know, a good lift). But I dared to ask why I got red light once. Simply put, I will never ask this question again (to Wim). More importantly, I have learned that focusing on the positive benefits my attitude.

Big difference with classic lifts is especially the knee wrapping. You simply wear sleeves, the whole meet, even during bench presses and deadlift if you want. Knee wrapping is a profession apart. Timing is important. So I learned that the hard way. The referees had something to debate about 1 attempt before I was allowed on the platform. I was fulling packed and ready. That means that all the stress was on it. Delicious!
I have done bench presses classic. Physical discomforts caused only 2 attempts.  Deadlift went very well. On a 3rd turn I got a choice in terms of kilos what I would like to lift. Of course I went for the highest, also because it was a good day. The consequence to this choice was that I had to make my first attempt wearing belt together with my deadlift suit. The rest is history, haha ​​I always wanted to say that.

To write a conclusion/ I found the road to the game quite difficult. Sometimes even annoying because of the trouble what it cost me to do the training. But the meet was a great experience, partly because of the good meet and nice coaching and all the help of everyone.

So my thanks especially to Ilrish and Iris, tough but honest aunts!
Sandra, for one of the best power lift lessons I have had!
And Wim, because he always does annoying. But it is very educational and understanding.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoE4PnPiZSy/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoE4no8ivDr/