The framework (simple, repeatable, boring)
Your opener is not a test. It’s a ticket into the meet. Pick something you can hit on your worst day with commands—something you could confidently triple in training.
Your second attempt is where you start building the total: a weight that matches your current strength, not your all-time best. If the opener moves the way it should, the second should feel like work but never like a gamble.
Your third attempt is earned. If the second was clean and you’re in control, take the PR. If it was a grinder or something felt off, take the smaller jump and leave with a bigger total (and intact joints).
Warm-ups are information—use them
Meet-day warm-ups aren’t there to impress anyone. They’re there to tell you how today is going. Bar speed, tightness, and how commands feel should influence your jumps.
If something is weird—timing, rack height, rushed warm-ups—protect the total. A smart downshift on squat can keep your bench and deadlift alive.
Base everything on a conservative, recent max. If you haven’t touched a weight in the last 8–12 weeks, it’s not a meet-day baseline—it’s a memory.
Want help applying this?
Train with the crew, get eyes on your lifts, and make the small adjustments that add up fast.