Way back in 2017, I competed in my first powerlifting competition, Tattooed & Strong. It was in equal terms exhilarating, terrifying, and reinforced the community feel I have with powerlifting.
In that year following, I entered six more competitions, to give me an experience within the three federations, the difference between push pull (deadlift and bench) versus full power (all three lifts, squat, bench and deadlift).
Tattooed & Strong was, and still is an absolute event. It takes place at Event City, as part of the Tattoo Tea Party, and is attended by lifters from all over the country. People travel to compete at this event, not only for the atmosphere, and the chance to catch up with mates from all over the place. But because every year there is an extra element to it. King and Queen of the Deadlift.
It’s been three years since I competed at this competition, so hearing it may be the last (the site is marked for redevelopment as a ‘tropical paradise’ resort) I had to go back. So whilst it may come back next year (nothing is ever certain), here’s what happened this year.
As ever, for me, everything begins on the Friday.
For the lifters at least. I was competing on the Saturday (women and men under 90kg on Saturday, men over 90kg on the Sunday). So it was weigh in Friday morning, prep and bag pack the Friday afternoon.
Weigh in done, my prep is pretty simple. I mean, everything you’ve done in the weeks before is all the actual lifting preparation you can do. After that, it’s purely cosmetic. Get my nails filed right down (I’ve had three experiences where I was denied a lift because my nails caught in my singlet and it looked like I hitched it), and get them painted. Eat. Hydrate. Pack snacks, water and caffeine. Get an early night.
And then make sure I get there in plenty of time for lift off the next day.
You can always hear Tattooed & Strong before you see it.
I mean, there’ll be a buzz from the tattooists around you, and music playing, but you’ll hear the shouts of ‘UP!’ and cheers for whoever is on the platform long before you arrive. You’ll almost feel it. The atmosphere. Another reason why people come back year on year.
I was, somehow, a little late. I’m not sure how, but it didn’t matter matter. Surrounded by familiar faces, I was kind of at home. And for some reason I seem to bench better when I’m flustered. I did a rushed warm up, even accidentally benched my opener, 60kg, before we were called through.
Bench went pretty well. 60kg, was a certainly, and though it took me two goes to get the 62.5kg, it still went, the sticking point was still half way up, meaning my coach knows what we need to work on going forward.
I was in a big flight too, which meant I could watch plenty of lifters myself, and see some big numbers fly on bench, including a record or two.
A break before deadlifts, and we had plenty of time to warm up. Even if it was a little…. Unusual.
I don’t think I’ve ever used a bumper car set up for warm up before.
Onto deadlift and I was… Not quite on fire. During the last round of training I’ve somehow forgotten part of my set up. Which is unhelpful, particularly as I lift sumo (wide legged). Set up, technique in sumo, is everything. So whilst my 115kg was beautiful, and moved like a knife through soft butter…
My 120kg, was not to be. For some reason (as I mentioned, I’ve been doing it in the gym too), I’ve started trying to lift it too far away from me, just 1cm or so, but it’s enough to mean I just can’t pick it up. Talking with coach afterwards, I’m going to look at a new set up, a new little cue for me to use. And I think I might just have it. But that’s for another day. And another competition.
Oh, and if you recognise that there’s the same music on all of my lifts, there’s a bloody good reason for that. At Tattooed & Strong, when I say it’s an event, it really is. And you can pick the music you walk out to. I chose a particular favourite, Thunder Thighs by Miss Eaves.
Kinda apt, right?
