Recovery After a Powerlifting Competition

A powerlifting competition lasts one day, but athletes prepare for it for months. Nine maximal attempts in the squat, bench press and deadlift, often after cutting weight and hours of waiting, are a special kind of stress. The mistake of many athletes is either to completely “shut down” for a few weeks or to return to heavy training right away. The editorial team examined how to recover properly after the platform.

How a competition differs from training

In terms of volume, a competition is a very short day: nine attempts, a few warm-up sets. However, the intensity in it is maximal, often above training records. Such attempts require the utmost mobilization of the nervous system, a high level of arousal and concentration, and it is precisely this that makes competition day exhausting.

Before the start, most athletes go through a peak, or taper: they gradually reduce volume while maintaining high intensity. The review by Travis and co-authors (2020), devoted to the taper in powerlifting, describes how a correctly organized reduction of volume makes it possible to “shed” accumulated fatigue and reveal strength. After the competition the body, in essence, exits this special state.

An additional factor is cutting weight. Many lifters compete in a category below their usual weight and, before the weigh-in, restrict water, salt and carbohydrates. This adds stress, affects glycogen stores and hydration, and requires a separate stage of recovery.

Finally, the psychological component. Anticipation of the result, the adrenaline on the platform, the emotional high or the disappointment after a failed attempt — all of this affects sleep and well-being for several more days. A post-competition drop in motivation is a common phenomenon even after a successful showing.

The first day: weight, food, sleep

If the athlete cut weight, restoring the water-salt balance begins right after the weigh-in and continues after the competition. It is better to drink gradually, with electrolytes, rather than in one large volume. A quick return of a few kilograms of weight over the course of a day is a normal phenomenon linked to the return of water and glycogen.

In the evening after a competition the body needs energy and protein. The position of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (Jäger et al., 2017) recommends that athletes consume about 1.4–2.0 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, distributing it across several servings of 20–40 g. After a competition this recommendation applies just as on training days.

Sleep on the night after a competition is often disturbed: heightened arousal, the caffeine used before attempts, the late finish of the tournament. There is no need to worry about one bad night, but in the following days it is useful to restore a regular schedule and limit stimulants.

• gradual rehydration with electrolytes, especially after cutting weight;
• a full meal with carbohydrates and protein after the showing;
• limiting caffeine in the evening and the next day;
• a brief review of the condition of joints and back: whether there is acute pain;
• recording the results and notes on what went well and what did not.

As for alcohol: celebrating after a tournament is a tradition, but alcohol worsens sleep, hydration and muscle recovery. Moderation on this evening will help you return to a normal state faster.

The post-competition week

Complete inactivity for a week or two is not mandatory and not even the best option. Light movement improves well-being, maintains mobility and eases the return to training. At the same time, heavy attempts in the first days after a competition provide no benefit: strength has not yet recovered, and the risk of injury is higher.

A study by Morán-Navarro and co-authors (2017) showed that after strength training to failure, neuromuscular recovery takes longer than after work with a “reserve” of repetitions. Competition maximal attempts are close in nature to limit efforts, so it is sensible to give yourself a few days without heavy loads.

Training this week can be built on other exercises: variations of squats, presses and pulls, accessory movements, unilateral work. This gives a psychological rest from the competition movements and lets the joints rest from monotonous load.

The guideline is how you feel. If working weights feel unusually heavy, the morning pulse is elevated and sleep is poor, it is better to extend the light period by a few more days than to force the return.

Joints, back and minor injuries

During preparation, lifters often train “through” minor pain in the elbows, shoulders or lower back, putting it off for later. After a competition comes exactly the moment to honestly assess the condition and, if needed, see a sports physician or physiotherapist.

The most common problem areas in powerlifting are the lower back, shoulders, elbows and knees. The post-competition period is suitable for reducing the load on irritated structures, working on technique and adding exercises to strengthen weak links.

Acute pain, numbness or weakness in a limb, pain radiating into the leg, or a sensation of instability in a joint — this is not something to “endure”. Such symptoms require examination, since ignoring an injury can turn a week of rest into months of treatment.

It is also useful to review video of your attempts. Technical errors that showed up under maximal weight are a hint for planning the next cycle and preventing overload of individual joints.

The transition to a new cycle

After the post-competition week, most athletes move on to a preparatory stage with higher volume and moderate intensity. This is a time for work on muscle mass, weak links and technique, not for frequent maximal attempts.

It is important to analyze the showing: whether the first attempts were chosen correctly, how the taper worked, how cutting weight affected the result. If the weight came too hard, it may be worth considering a move to a higher category — one of the most common decisions that improves both results and health.

The frequency of competitions also matters. Too-frequent starts leave no time for a full preparatory stage and constantly keep the athlete in peaking mode. Most coaches plan two or three main starts a year.

As for nutrition, after a competition many people sharply relax their regimen. A small weight gain in the off-season is normal, but sharp fluctuations complicate the next weight cut. It is better to maintain structured nutrition with enough protein and to increase calories only moderately.

Editorial conclusions

A powerlifting competition has a small volume but maximal intensity and is often combined with cutting weight, so recovery after it is a separate stage of preparation.

The first day is devoted to rehydration, nutrition and sleep; the first week, to light training without maximal attempts.

The post-competition period is the best time to assess minor injuries, analyze the showing and plan a new cycle with higher volume and variation exercises.

We also recommend reading our materials on the signs of insufficient recovery, on DOMS and on stress and cortisol in the athlete.

References

1. Travis SK, Mujika I, Gentles JA, et al. Tapering and peaking maximal strength for powerlifting performance: a review. Sports (Basel). 2020;8(9):125.
2. Pritchard H, Keogh J, Barnes M, McGuigan M. Effects and mechanisms of tapering in maximizing muscular strength. Strength Cond J. 2015;37(2):72–83.
3. Morán-Navarro R, Pérez CE, Mora-Rodríguez R, et al. Time course of recovery following resistance training leading or not to failure. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2017;117(12):2387–2399.
4. Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20.
5. Kellmann M, Bertollo M, Bosquet L, et al. Recovery and performance in sport: consensus statement. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2018;13(2):240–245.
6. Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA. Hormonal responses and adaptations to resistance exercise and training. Sports Med. 2005;35(4):339–361.