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Discussion with My AI Personal Trainer About Choosing a Powerlifting Contest

(Differences Between Federations and Other Factors to Consider)

Part Two

By Gary F. Zeolla

    This two-part article is continued from Discussion with My AI Personal Trainer About Choosing a Powerlifting Contest (Differences Between Federations and Other Factors to Consider) Part One.

Meta AI:

      This is all fantastic information for your article, Gary! It really highlights the multi-faceted decision-making process for lifters, especially those with specific needs and constraints.

Here’s how those two new points add to our understanding:

1.  **Monolift vs. Standard Squat Rack:** That’s a classic powerlifting debate, and you’ve hit on a key nuance. While the monolift certainly offers an advantage by eliminating the walkout, your consistent training in a power rack means you’re already conditioning yourself for a walkout. So, for you, it sounds like this is a “nice to have” rather than a “dealbreaker.” It’s a great point for your article, showing how individual training styles can mitigate equipment differences.

2.  **Cost and Travel Limitations:** This is huge and completely reframes why the local options are so critical right now. It’s not just about convenience; it’s a practical financial necessity. This limitation, combined with your MCS making air travel out of the question and your fibromyalgia eliminating long drives, severely restricts your available options. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes the best contest isn’t the one with the “best” rules or equipment, but simply the one you can realistically afford to get to and participate in without undue stress.

      These points truly round out the discussion and paint a much fuller picture of the complex decisions you’re facing. It makes perfect sense why finding a viable local meet is such a high priority.

      It sounds like your article will be incredibly insightful for other lifters navigating similar personal and logistical challenges!

ME:

      Two other minor points of difference are the IPA/RPS/APF allow a pocket on the T-shirt and use pounds at meets, while the USPA/USAPL do not allow a pocket and use kilograms.

      The first matters to me as I wear a mouthpiece when lifting. It is similar to the type of

mouth guard football players and boxers wear. The reason I wear it is I suffer from TMJ, which is a jaw joint problem. Grinding my teeth aggravates the condition. A dentist recommended I wear such a guard at night and when working out since I tend to grind my teeth at both times. But wearing it makes it difficult

to talk or eat, so I take it out when doing so. A pocket makes for a convenient place to put it, so I don’t have to stand there holding the salvia dripping mouthpiece and so that I don’t lose it.

      The second is just a matter of convenience. I train in pounds, and this is America after all, where we use pounds. When kilos are used, lifters have to carry around a kilo conversion chart or calculator. Of course, you can have both on your phone now. But it is just a pain to have to do the conversion. It also renders the contest less than audience friendly, as most Americans have little sense of what say 150 kilos is. But tell them it is 330 pounds, and the audience has a sense of how much the lifter is lifting.

Meta AI:

      These are definitely not minor points, Gary, especially for you! They highlight how deep the personal considerations go when choosing a contest.

1.  **T-shirt Pocket and Mouthpiece (TMJ):** This is a huge one. Having TMJ and needing to wear a mouthpiece for your lifts means that little pocket isn’t just a convenience; it’s a **necessity for hygiene and practicality**. Having to hold a saliva-dripping mouthpiece, or risking losing it, adds unnecessary stress and distraction during a meet. Federations that don’t allow a pocket are creating a direct logistical challenge for you that impacts focus and comfort. This moves from a “minor difference” to a “significant personal obstacle.”

2.  **Pounds vs. Kilograms:** I totally hear you on this. Training in pounds and then switching to kilos for a meet adds a layer of mental math and potential for error, even with a phone calculator. It’s an extra cognitive load you don’t need on meet day. And you’re spot on about audience engagement; reporting in pounds makes the lifts much more impactful and understandable for most American spectators. It might not affect your lift directly, but it certainly affects the overall meet experience and the seamlessness of your day.

So, to recap the USAPL/USPA cons (beyond the morning weigh-in for USAPL and the expo for USPA):

*   **No T-shirt pocket:** A real problem for your mouthpiece and TMJ.

*   **Kilograms:** An unnecessary mental hurdle and less audience-friendly.

*   **Restrictive wraps/no specialty bars:** Potential impact on your numbers.

      These latest points really underscore how the federations you prefer (IPA/RPS/APF) are better suited to your specific needs, even if they sometimes come with travel challenges. It’s a powerful argument for sticking with what works for *you*.

ME:

      That is why I am leaning towards just waiting for the RPS contest in June.

Meta AI:

      I totally get why you’re leaning that way, Gary. When you lay out all those factors—the weigh-in, the equipment rules, the T-shirt pocket for your mouthpiece, pounds vs. kilos, and especially avoiding those MCS triggers—the RPS contest in June really does stand out as the most supportive environment for *you*.

      It sounds like it minimizes external stressors and allows you to focus purely on your lifting, which is exactly what you need to hit those records. The drive is a hassle, but compared to the other variables, it seems like the most manageable trade-off.

      Let’s keep training with that June RPS contest in mind as the primary target for now. We'll continue to track your progress and make sure you’re peaking perfectly for it! 💪

ME:

      I’ll wait until early June and see where my lifts and bodyweight are to decide whether to go 114s or 123s.

Meta AI:

      That’s a super smart approach, Gary! Waiting until early June gives you plenty of time to see how your body responds to training, how those calorie adjustments are working out, and where your strength is truly sitting. It'll allow you to make the most informed decision about hitting 114s or sticking with 123s, based on real, current data. Perfect plan! 💪

Update:

      Just prior to this update, I pulled 380/2 in training (on 3/19, Th). That is good enough to break the all-time world record for 123s, raw + wraps, 65-69 age. In my workout log, I noted: I just hope I haven’t peaked too soon. I am planning on entering a contest in the next few weeks, I just haven’t decided for certain which one to enter. On the record see, Open Powerlifting. Two lifters hold the current record, one from Japan and one from the USA, but that meet was in Finland.

ME:

      The contest deadline for the April 18 USAPL contest was this past Wednesday (3/18). There were 33 registered lifters that morning, still not enough for two sessions, so I didn’t register. But today (Sa, 3/21), with the deadline passed, there must have been some late entries, as it is up to 37. I could still register. I just have to pay an extra $20 for late registration. If I do, that will make 38, and with a couple of more late entrants, enough for two sessions. I am debating on contacting the meet director to see what his plans are. But I hate to bug him again unless I am sure I want to enter it. Thoughts?

Meta AI:

      That’s a classic meet-director limbo—and with how run-down you’ve been, it’s smart that you’re pausing before you poke him again.

      Here’s how it looks from the outside:

### Where you’re at

- **Strength is there.** 380×2 on Thursday basically matches the 56 kg/123 lb 65–69 raw+wraps deadlift record. You don’t need to prove anything else in the gym; you’ve already shown the pull is in the right neighborhood.

- **Recovery isn’t.** You’ve said it plainly—sleep’s off, you’re missing rehab sessions to get work done, and even the bench day fell apart after the week caught up to you. That’s not a programming issue, it’s accumulated fatigue + life stress.

- **Timeline is tight.** April 18 is four weeks away (today’s 3/21). That’s enough time for a short peak/taper if you’re sleeping and recovering, but it’s not a lot of margin if the sleep problems linger another week.

### Reasons to go for it

- The strength is peaking now, and you’re motivated by that 380 double.

- Late fee is only $20; if the roster climbs to 38–40, they’ll likely run two sessions, which usually makes for a smoother day.

- You’ve been thinking about this record; actually putting it on the platform settles the “am I ready?” question.

### Reasons to hold off

- You’re explicitly “at my limit” with non-lifting stuff, and sleep has been broken for a while. Four weeks of poor recovery + a meet taper can dig the hole deeper.

- If you enter and then have to pull out, that’s more stress (and another email to the director). If you wait for a later meet (late spring/early summer), you can ride this strength, fix sleep, and peak on purpose rather than hoping it lines up.

- You didn’t like bugging the director before; if you’re not 100% sure, contacting him again might add pressure you don’t need right now.

### Middle path

- Give yourself a **48-hour checkpoint**: if you sleep decently tonight and tomorrow, get one solid training session next week where the 3–4 and 1–2 feel crisp (not grindy), then email him Monday. If sleep is still a mess or you feel flat, let this one go and target the next meet on the calendar.

- Or, email him now with a low-pressure question (“Are you still taking late entries and do you expect two sessions?”) without committing. That gets you info without locking you in.

      You’ve earned the option to choose. If you decide to sit this one out, it’s not a step back—your numbers say you’re right there. If you decide to jump in, you’re strong enough today to be competitive; just protect recovery like it’s part of the program.

      What’s your gut telling you after that deadlift session—does it feel like you’re ready to peak, or more like you need a few weeks to get healthy first?

ME:

      I think you’re correct. Wait a couple of days to email him. However, before it even starts, I know next week will be another rough week. Once again, I will have to have a plumber come to my home, and I will need to go out for a blood test and to get my picture taken to renew my driver’s license by my birthday (F, 3/27) when my current license expires.

Meta AI:

      Yeah, that makes sense—waiting a couple of days buys you time without committing, and you already know next week is loaded. Plumber, blood work, and the license photo/renewal before Friday 3/27 is a lot of out-and-about stress on top of the sleep issues you’re already fighting. That kind of week tends to make training feel heavier than it should, and it’s exactly the stuff that’s been derailing recovery lately.

      Given that, it’s reasonable to lean toward sitting this one out. Your strength is clearly there (that 380×2 proved it), but the runway to April 18 is short and you’d be trying to peak while running errands, dealing with the house, and not sleeping well. If you do email the director, keeping it low-pressure (“just checking if you’re still taking late entries / expecting two sessions—no commitment yet”) is the way to go, but don’t feel obligated to send it if you already know the next week will be rough.

      There will be other meets in late spring/early summer when you can line up a taper with a calmer schedule. If you do decide to jump in last-minute, the plan stays simple: keep sessions under 90 min, let the raw 7–8 be your gauge, and don’t grind the 1–2 in training. But protecting your health and getting that license renewed without extra pressure is a perfectly good call.

      How are you feeling about aiming for something in May or June instead, when you’ve got a cleaner stretch to sleep and train?

ME:

      The June 20 RPS meet is still probably the best option. I just hope Deadlifts don’t taper off and I can continue to improve and peak on Squats and Benches for then.

Meta AI:

      June 20 RPS is a solid target—gives you ~13 weeks, enough room to settle the life stuff, fix sleep, and peak on purpose instead of forcing it.

      You’re right to watch the deadlift: that 380×2 shows the strength is there, so the job now is to keep it from drifting while you bring squats and benches up.

      A few simple guardrails for the stretch to June:

- **Deadlift: maintain, don’t chase.** Keep the same structure (raw 7–8, then 3–4, then 1–2) but treat the top single/double as “crisp only.” If bar speed drops or you feel beat up, cap it at the 3–4 and leave the 1–2 for another day. The variation (floor vs deficit, or sumo 2-board) gives enough stimulus without having to push PRs every week.

- **Squat & bench: room to build.** Those have more headroom. You can nudge volume a bit (stay in your preferred 3–6 rep range, and keep the raw 7–8 as a governor), and still touch a heavy 1–2 when you feel good. If a session runs long or you’re dragging, cut the second geared set—keep it under 90 minutes.

- **Recovery first.** When sleep is off, skip the morning rehab and save energy for the main lift. The raw 7–8 is your daily check—if it feels unusually heavy, that’s your sign to keep the day conservative.

- **Mini-peak in late May/early June.** You don’t need a long taper; a couple of weeks where you keep the 3–4 work, hit a single or double only when it moves well, and trim accessories will have you fresh for June 20.

      If you stay healthy, the deadlift won’t disappear—you’ve already got the strength—and you’ve got time to bring squats and benches up to match. June looks like the right call.

ME:

      Another point worth considering about the USAPL April contest is the website already has posted plans for contests at the same location on July 25 and November 14 of this year. If I were to enter the April contest and it goes well, then I could plan on the November contest. Go 114s at one and 123s at the other. But if I wait until June to enter a contest, then it will probably be next year before I could enter another one.

      However, I just checked the website (Su, 3/22), and he already has the flights laid out, three of them for one session. I assume that means there will definitely not be a second session and that entries are closed, so that closes the door on that contest. But it is frustrating, if it was with any federation other than the USAPL, then its April and November contest could pretty much be my contest plans for the foreseeable future with them being virtually in my backyard. But it just has to be with the one federation that does not have weigh-ins the day before the contest and other restrictive rules that I do not like. Very frustrating.

Meta AI:

      That is frustrating—you mapped out a clean plan (April USAPL at 114, November USAPL at 123), and then the logistics close the door anyway. Seeing flights already posted for a single session basically says entries are locked, so April’s off the table without you having to make the call.

      The bigger annoyance is the federation piece: USAPL’s same-day weigh-ins and stricter rules don’t suit you, but they’re the ones running the local meets on the calendar you like (April, July 25, Nov 14 at the same venue). If it were RPS or another fed with 24-hour weigh-ins, you’d have April + November lined up and be set. Instead you’re stuck choosing between a meet you don’t love (USAPL) and a timeline that pushes your second meet into next year (RPS in June, then nothing close by until late fall/winter).

      Given that the April session is effectively closed, June 20 RPS still looks like the right move—even if it means the next one after that probably lands in 2026. You’ll lift under rules you prefer, with a weigh-in that lets you rehydrate and eat normally, and you won’t be cramming a peak into a chaotic week. It does stretch out the “two meets in a year” plan, but it keeps you in a federation you actually want to compete in, and you’ll have a solid 13-week runway to get squats/bench where you want them while maintaining that deadlift.

      If a late-summer/early-fall RPS or another fed pops up within driving distance, you could slot that in between—worth keeping an eye on as the calendar fills out. For now, the decision’s been made for you, which is irritating, but it also removes the pressure to force April.

ME:

      Slight correction. This is 2026. Next year would be 2027. There is always a contest in February in Ohio with the APF that I almost entered this year, but I wasn’t quite ready for it. Also, winter contests are always a bit tricky given weather concerns. This year, there ended up being a major snowstorm the week before the contest, then subzero temperatures the day of the contest. That would have made travel a bit difficult and potentially cold conditions at the contest, since the venue is the meet director’s gym in his backyard, which is a steel building. It was chilly there in the morning when I entered a contest in September a while back. I cannot imagine what it would be like in February.

Meta AI:

      Right, 2026—so next year’s 2027. Thanks for the correction.

      The February APF meet in Ohio would fill that gap on paper, but you’re spot on about winter: that snowstorm the week before plus subzero temps on meet day this year would’ve made travel miserable, and a steel building in a backyard gym is already chilly in September—February would be brutal. Weighing in the day before helps with recovery, but sitting around cold between attempts isn’t ideal when you’re managing recovery and you’re 64. It’s a backup option, not a great one.

      So June 20 RPS is still the cleaner choice: decent weather, rules you prefer, and a real runway to peak. If you want a second meet in 2026, you can watch for late-summer/early-fall RPS or another fed within driving distance once those calendars firm up; if nothing good pops up, February 2027 APF is there as a fallback—just with the caveat that you’d be hoping for a mild winter.

      You’ve got the strength now (that 380×2 proves it). Better to line up a meet you actually want to lift in, even if it means waiting a bit longer for the next one.

ME:

      That’s the plan. Time to stop stressing over this decision and to get back to work now and to focus on just working out later today. Note: I’ll be 65 in a few days.

Meta AI:

      Sounds good—decision’s made, no more mental loops. Get the work stuff handled, then later just show up and lift. Keep it under 90 minutes, let the raw 7–8 tell you how you’re feeling, and don’t grind the 1–2 if it’s not moving. You’ve got time until June.

ME:

      Note: I’ll be 65 in a few days.

Meta AI:

      Happy early birthday. That puts you at the top of the 65–69 class right when you’re pulling numbers that match the record. Pretty good timing. Hope the week smooths out enough that you can enjoy it a little, and that the workout later today feels solid.

ME:

      I’ll give you my full workout logs at the end of the week as usual. But I wanted to add to this discussion that today I did 270/4 for Squats with Sleeves. If I cut to 114s, 270 is what I need to break the all-time world record for raw + wraps, 65-69 age. And doing it for four reps means it would be my opener. I might do that, then switch to wraps for my second and third attempts. And doing some quick math, all I would need is my second attempt on either Squats or Deadlifts and my openers on the other two lifts to break the total record of 776. In other words, I could have a very bad day and only go 4/9 and still break it. With cutting, that could be the case. In fact, my main challenge would be making weight.

      For these records, see Open Powerlifting: Squats, Total.

      How’s this for an idea? Go 123s at the RPS contest June 20, where the more liberal rules would give me the best shot at breaking the more challenging 123s Squat and Deadlift records. Then cut to 114s for the July 25 USAPL contest. I could spend that month cutting weight and train to just maintain strength as much as possible. Then even with the more restrictive USAPL rules, I should still be able to break the 114s Squat, Deadlifts, and Total records. The entry deadline for the July 25 contest is June 25, so I can wait until after the RPS contest to decide.

Meta AI:

      That 270×4 in sleeves today is a big piece—if 270 is the 52 kg/114 lb class squat record (raw+wraps, 65–69), doing it for four means you’ve got a legit opener even after a cut. Same story as the deadlift: the strength is already there.

      Your two-meet idea makes a lot of sense:

**June 20 RPS at 123s** — more liberal rules (24-hour weigh-in, wraps, commands you like). Best shot at the tougher 123-lb class records for squat and deadlift, and you don’t have to worry about weight. You can peak properly over the next ~13 weeks.

**July 25 USAPL at 114s** — spend the ~5 weeks between meets focused on cutting while just maintaining strength. Even with USAPL’s same-day weigh-in and stricter calls, the 114 records are lower; as you said, you could go 4/9 (opener on two lifts, second attempt on the third) and still break the 776 total. Making weight is the main challenge, not the lifts.

      Deadlines line up: USAPL entry closes June 25, so you can lift at RPS, see how you feel, and decide after. If the cut feels too aggressive or recovery’s off, you’re not locked in.

      It’s a smart sequencing—hit the harder class where the conditions favor you, then drop to 114 where the records are more accessible even on a conservative day. Keep training the way you have (raw 7–8 as your gauge, 3–4 then 1–2 only when it moves well), protect sleep when you can, and the numbers will hold through the cut.

ME:

      Two final points. First, the page for the July 25 contest indicates two sessions, just like the one for the April contest did. But I am sure it will be the same. It will depend on whether there are sufficient entrants for two sessions. But with it being the summer, maybe there will be sufficient entrants.

      Second, if I do enter that contest, I would still have over six months to prepare for the APF contest, which will probably be on February 6, 2027. That means, I could be set with my contest schedule though then. I will go ahead and register for the RPS June contest, then take it from there for the next two contests.

Meta AI:

      Both good points. The July 25 page showing two sessions is just the default setup—like April, it’ll come down to how many actually sign up. Summer usually draws a bigger crowd, so two sessions is plausible, but you’re right not to count on it until entries are in.

      And yeah, if you do July USAPL, you’ve still got a clean six-month runway to Feb 6 2027 APF. That gives you a sensible arc: June RPS (123s, best conditions), July USAPL (114s, records within reach even on an off day), then a full off-season to build for APF next winter if you want it.

      Register for RPS June and reassess after—solid plan.

Powerlifting and Strength Training
Powerlifting and Strength Training: Powerlifting Competition