Training Type or Fun Type?

[Mike Pelosi]

I see alot of people doing contests "for fun". I, for one, can not do this. I like to have at least two, preferrably three months of training.

Do you all prefer the layed out, methodical, contest plan down on paper appraoch to training or do you prefer to pick a contest off the NAS website thats, say a month away, and do it?

I also don't get how people do shows month, after month, or even two in a month. Thats a very admirable quality to have the stuff to do that, something I don't think I could do. And do well in it is a whole different story.

[Alex Klotz]

Right now I have no real chance of winning a contest, so I just try to find the ones that are A. close and B. doable and have fun in those.

[Justin Warren]

The way I see it, aside from the adrenaline, excitement, nerves, etc. that go along with competing, an event training day is much harder than a contest. You generally go heavier than contest weight, and do far more sets, though not usually as many events. Also, you are never at 100% going into an event day (or any training day for that matter) and still manage to set PRs. Using this logic I competed seven times this year between April and Nationals. The first and last of these were the only two that I took any serious down time for. The rest I just thought of as "training days" and would train hard up until Wednesday, skip my Friday workout, compete Saturday, skip events Sunday and resume training Monday or Tuesday.
I do this for a few reasons. First, I have a blast every time I go to a show and always enjoy seeing the competitors from the area that I wouldn't otherwise see. Next, my first couple of shows were plagued with stupid mistakes that I attribute to lack of experience and nerves. Obviously competing more often gives you the experience, and at this point I'm comfortable enough that I'm not having a panic attack before every event(except farmers). The more you have under your belt, the better you will do. Competing also breaks up the monotony of training, and gets me pumped up to work harder. I also like to support the local scene. If more people compete the shows will get bigger, better and more frequent.

Mike, I think that you're thinking about it too much like PLing where you really have to peak before an event, and I have not found that to be the case. Also keep in mind that everything I just said is totally hypocritical because I am not competing in Paxton tomorrow due to the fact that I just did Nationals and feel totally spent.

[Billy Wolt]

if people like me, who had no chance of winning, didn't do contests, there would be alot less contests, and a lot less people entering.

I'll compete to be competitive when i'm ready to be competitive.

[Brandon Campbell]

I try and pick 4-5 contest a year Three pro ams and 1-2 local shows and Most pro ams are spaced out by 3months so i train for one Do it rest start training for the next. Any local shows we put on i count as a training day. I take them seriously but also try and have fun. Its how approached every sport i did, i train hard and train in a fun manner most the time and its always worked and kept stress and injuries down.

[Chris Hickson]

I think Its hard not to have fun...thats just me though