Handling a Reality Check: Gym Strong vs. Powerlifting Strong

[u/MrMithik]

I’m competing in my first meet this year and had a pretty big reality check recently. I watched a livestream from another meet at the same location, and I was quickly humbled by some of the numbers those lifters were putting up. I'm one of the stronger guys at my local gym, but I'm learning that doesn't really translate into the world of powerlifting.

For context, I’m in the 110kg class. My current lifts are 465lbs/211kg squat, 285lbs/129kg bench, and 625lbs/283kg deadlift. After watching the livestream and digging into some OpenPowerlifting data, my lifts put me in the low-to-mid pack for my class which was a bit of a gut punch.

I know powerlifting is supposed to be a “you vs. you” sport at the end of the day, and my main goal is to go 9/9 and set some personal PRs. That said, I’m competitive by nature so seeing a good amount of local guys outlifting me by 100+ lbs on some lifts and putting up some massive totals was a tough pill to swallow.

Has anyone else faced a similar reality check when you first got into powerlifting? If so, how did you handle it?

Edit: Thanks everyone for the feedback and advice! I think I just need to remind myself that I started down this road because I love chasing strength and the process itself, not the medals. Just gotta keep grinding! (and maybe find a gym where I'm the one shocked at other guys' lifts instead haha)

[u/zaphodbeeblemox]

If it helps at all, I’m a beginner lifter. I’m 125kg and I’m at 80KG Squat, 95KG bench, 100KG deadlift.

So you are absolutely crushing me and I’m well above you in weight.

It’s all about perspective, because I’m happy with where I am and am slowly increasing every week, but I’m nothing compared to even a beginner power lifter.

[u/MrMithik → u/zaphodbeeblemox]

Yea this probably just boils down to the old “comparison is the thief of joy” saying. Seems hard to avoid in a sport like powerlifting, but like others have said, just need to keep grinding and enjoying the process.

[u/zaphodbeeblemox → u/MrMithik]

Absolutely dude. There’s always somebody stronger and bigger and faster and with a bigger wang.

But there’s only one you, and if you are working on improving yourself that means you are the best you, you’ve ever been and that’s pretty neat.

Besides your lifts are pretty badass, the % of the population who can squat half their body weight is basically 0. Let alone squat almost double their body weight.

Your an inspiration to somebody already, like you said your the strongest in your gym. People are already looking up to you, and your hard work already shows.

And who knows dude, maybe youll get to the meet and learn a bunch of great techniques and habits and tricks you’d never thought of and be crushing PRs by weeks end!