Your first ever comp?

How did you get on?

What did you learn from it?

Did it influence your training post competition or did you carry on as before?

Did anything else about you change (diet/tactics/programming/rest periods/mentality)?

I deadlifted 200kg in my first PL comp two years ago.

I learnt that though it is an individual sport, everyone is so supportive and really will you on.

Yes definitely, after the competition I was buzzing to get back to training, it gave me real drive and direction.

Not sure about this one, the amount of food I ate went up and actually stuck to a couple of programs for more than a few weeks.

Good question.

Write up from my first comp: http://sugdenbarbell.co.uk/forum/bristols-strongest-man-novice...

What did I learn? Take my time before each event, make sure things are as I want them. Ensure I know the rules of each event fully.

Yes, made me do a lot more work with the equipment within my normal training. Also to cut a lot of the crap out from my routine.

Hopefully doing my first GBPF one in June, nervous as hell but the training is really coming along and it's made me more focused than ever.

my first comp was meltons strongest man
i learnt don't drive 200+ miles in an old banger that cost you £500;-)

Not really.

I won my first comp , midshires strongest man 2011 , it's all gone down hill from there lol

Dragons I

Came second behind the legend that is Kenny!

I learned that strongman somehow manages to combine extreme competitiveness with great sportsmanship and camaraderie.

Didn't change my training, just kept smashing Garden sessions with Tony and enjoying the ride.

I won

I learned that competition lifting is hugely different from training in a gym and much, much harder.

My training was influenced as I learnt the massive importance of confidence

First strongman comp: http://www.sugdenbarbell.co.uk/forum/Weakman-training-log-1374...

I sucked, not nearly strong enough.

I learned that I need to get stronger, practice events more, and be smarter.

I pretty much carried on as before, since I was already working on getting stronger and didn't have much access to implements.

I knew I could improve my tactics, but still made a few dumb mistakes in my second comp.

Cool responses from everyone.... thanks.

It's my first comp in 3 weeks at the Junction Gym. Carrying a few horrible injuries at the minute (including a slight recurrence of my lower disc herniation) but I'm determined to give it a good go and have some fun with it regardless.

If I see anyone there, feel free to say hi. Trying to make this a regular thing haha.

It seems that confidence is a major factor... and also that no amount of gym training really prepares you for the competition environment.

Will just go along for the famous Northern food I think?

Did my first comp at Fraserburgh in may 2011 having done absolutely no events training and thinking gym strength would get me through. Ended up coming dead last and learning the valuable lesson that events training is far more important than I thought, it also gave me a kick up the arse to train harder to make sure I didn't come last again. Happily this is the only time I have finished last in a comp so I must have improved my training as a result.

Shetlands Strongest Man 2002 3rd Place
Shetlands Strongest Man 2003 1st Place

And im still trying to get back into it after injury after injury Just had my long awaited Op on back so fingers crossed thats it sorted ...

Shetlands Strongest man 2005 cam last
Shetland Strongest man 2006, 7 & 8 cam first

what did i learn - some focus of the big three and working on the actual events more often helps and 12 wks before the comp more specific event training is required.