Promoted by Calloso Powerlifting

ATTENTION ATHLETES

Please read below for updates on the roster, parking, live stream link, spectator and coach passes, and tips for first time competitors.

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LIVE STREAM

We are proud to announce that our sponsor, Gym Life Media, will be live streaming and commentating this event! Be sure to fill out your athlete bio with the link below for Joe to have some extra things to brag about for your friends and family to watch at home.

AND WE HAVE SOME EXCITING NEWS! Gym Life Media wants to thank their loyal viewers by offering a $22 all access live stream pass for ALL of the USAPL Michigan meets in 2023! That's about $2 per meet, which is a smokin' deal compared to the normal $10 charge per meet. To take advantage of this, go to GymLifeLive.com and create an account, so you can access the live streams and of course, log back in later to play them back when the meet is over!

SPECTATOR & COACH PASSES

Our presale form has been deactivated so we can prepare for the meet tomorrow. If you purchased a pass, you can claim them at the admission table. Passes will also be sold at the door, so no worries if you weren't able to purchase one before today.

LIVE SCORING

Scoring can be tracked live right on your phone! Just go to liftingcast.com and click on 2023 USA Powerlifting Michigan High School & Collegiate Open. You will be taken to the results page automatically. To view the order of lifters, choose "Board" from the sidebar menu.

TIPS FOR FIRST TIME COMPETITORS

If this is your first time competing, you are not alone! Your first powerlifting meet is a huge learning experience, but if you are well prepared, you can still have the time of your life despite any curveballs that come your way. Here are the most common rookie mistakes that we see that you may want to prepare for.

• NOT HAVING THE RIGHT GEAR. Whether you're competing in the Equipped, Raw with Wraps, or the Raw (Most Common) division, you absolutely will need a SINGLET, a CREW NECK T-SHIRT (you can even wear the one we give you!), ATHLETIC SHOES, and KNEE HIGH SOCKS during the deadlift. These items are non-negotiable. Some optional gear include wrist wraps (not straps), knee sleeves, and a belt. You MUST have all of your gear approved at Equipment Check.

• MISSING WEIGH-INS. We don't mean missing weigh-ins completely, but we too often see lifters miss their name called for weigh-ins. Then they are sad and hungry when they find out they have been moved to the end of the line. Lifters will be called for weigh-ins in order by their lot number, which can be found in the roster. As a rule of thumb, remember that Flight A weighs in before Flight B, then Flight C, then Flight D. Names will begin being called at 7:00am sharp, so if you are in Flight A, be ready!

• MESSING UP YOUR OPENERS. Your first attempts, or "openers", are arguably more important than any of your other attempts. This is because you cannot decrease the weight for your next attempt, so if the weight is too heavy, you're stuck with it for 2 more tries. Ideally, you would want to choose a weight that is easy enough for you to do 2 or 3 easy reps. That way, if something goes wrong and you have to adapt, you know you have that weight in you no matter what. You can only change your openers once, and you have until 3 minutes before your flight starts lifting to do it. So if warm ups feel like hot trash or you're second guessing yourself, don't hesitate to go change your opener! It's always better to get the first attempt out of the way easily so you can move on to bigger and better things for your 2nd and 3rd. There are so many variables at play when it comes to your first meet, so it's much smarter to focus on getting successful attempts rather than hitting PRs, which leads us to the final rookie mistake...



• BOMBING OUT. By far the most soul-crushing thing to happen to a lifter during a competition is to miss all 3 attempts of a lift, ultimately disqualifying them from achieving awards or posting a total. Any powerlifting who has experienced this (even myself!) can tell you how much this sucks. It's not just a rookie mistake, it happens to everybody. But oftentimes, when it happens to a rookie, it could have been so easily prevented. In Rookie Mistake Number 3, we talked about how choosing too high of an opener can mess you up because you'll be stuck at the same weight for all 3 attempts. If you miss all 3, you bombed out. Easy enough to remember, right? But the unique rookie way of bombing out that we so often see is not because of an opener that is too high - it is because a lifter increased the weight for their 2nd attempt after missing the 1st. This happens SO often, and it's mostly because the lifter missed their opener because they missed a command, didn't squat deep enough, or any other infraction that cost them the lift despite the weight moving easily. That's okay, I'm gonna go up because that moved so easily anyway. This is the ultimate rookie mistake that almost NEVER works out in the lifter's favor. It is most likely that the 2nd lift will be harder than expected once the correction is made to get the good lift, but I've also seen lifters get an entirely different infraction on their 2nd, and go up again for their 3rd... well you get the point. As much as you may REALLY want that PR, repeating the same weight for your 2nd attempt will get you much better results and hopefully keep you from bombing out. But if you do bomb out, don't be too hard on yourself. We've ALL been there. We recommend you finish out the meet anyway, and you will feel much better than if you bombed out and went home because you didn't achieve a total.

Everything below this spot is the same from previous emails. Feel free to refresh your memory if necessary!

SCHEDULE

6:30am - Doors Open for Check-In

6:30-8:30am – Equipment Check & Rack Heights

7:00-8:30am – Weigh-Ins

(In order by Lot Number)

8:30am – MANDATORY Rules Meeting

9:00am – Lifting Begins

5:00pm - Awards Ceremony

PLEASE STAY FOR AWARDS IF YOU CAN. We will ask you to pay for shipping if you request your medal to be mailed. If you do request this, please keep in mind that mailing awards is not a top priority immediately following a meet. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

Weigh-Ins begin promptly at 7:00am and will be done in order by Lot Number. Have your ID and 1st attempts in kilograms ready. If you are not present when your name is called, you will be called again after all other athletes have weighed in.

Rack Heights are important! We will help you find the correct rack height for squat & bench press (with foot blocks if necessary) so you are comfortable on the platform.

Equipment Check is imperative. We need to see everything you'll be wearing on the platform.

BE PREPARED. LEARN THE RULES.

READ THE LIFTER'S HANDBOOK.

Don't forget your absolute necessities. You need a singlet, t-shirt, and knee high socks for deadlift. You may also use wrist wraps, a belt, and knee sleeves. Respond to this email if you have any questions about your equipment... AFTER you read the lifter's handbook. Your equipment DOES NOT have to be on the IPF approved list. We are no longer a member of the IPF. Your equipment MUST however, fit the specifications in the lifter's handbook.

This may be your very first time stepping on a USA Powerlifting platform. Even if it is not, you need to be prepared. If you think you know all of the USA Powerlifting rules... you don't. But you can start with the basics in the Lifter's Handbook. As an athlete, it is your responsibility to learn the technical rules of competition and ensure that your equipment is approved. This also includes following anti-doping/drug testing guidelines. Rules & By-Laws and Drug Testing information can be accessed at usapowerlifting.com.

We drug test 10% of our athletes by urinalysis. If you need to leave early or you need to skip the award ceremony, please do not do so without checking in with myself (Gina Hensley).

It is also a great idea to stay hydrated (hint!) so we can start the award ceremony as soon as possible!

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