With our Catalina Strongman Mixer coming up this weekend, it seemed like a great time to share about packing for your competition! We have a printable comp day packing list on our LinkTree, and it is a helpful tool if you’re overwhelmed at the thought of packing your comp day bag! I wrote this thinking primarily about a strongman show, but most of this advice works for powerlifting meets as well.

Equipment

The easiest way to pack is to mentally run through each event, picture what you’re wearing for that event, and then gather all of those items up. I generally spread everything out on a floor, and sometimes will group items together as I picture each event to make sure I have everything. Consider any wraps, sleeves, straps, belts, special socks, shoe changes… Picturing yourself doing each event and thinking about what you like to wear for that event is the easiest way to make sure you don’t miss anything!

I also like to pack a few mobility/warm-up items, like a small foam roller and some bands that I can use to warm-up. Sometimes you show up to a comp and you’re in a well stocked gym with plenty of equipment for everyone to share, but sometimes, there’s not enough equipment for everyone to go around, so it’s good to pack a few things that will help you warm-up before your events.

Food & Drinks

We’ve shared about comp day nutrition before, so we’ll keep this brief! Here’s a few reminders:

• Overpack on food. You’d rather have a little too much than not enough, and it’s nice to have enough to share with friends.
• Don’t try anything new on comp day. Pack things that are familiar and that you know you’ll tolerate well.
• Bring your own water. Some venues don’t have adequate water and you don’t want to be without enough to drink!

Comfort Items & Seating

Packing a foldable camp chair is a great idea, because there’s often a lot of time between events. I also encourage packing some extra layers of clothing. You want to be comfortable during any waiting time. Packing extra clothes is a great idea. I’ll often have several extra shorts and socks in my comp bag, just in case. If it’s an outdoor event, having a little popup tent is great. Coordinate with some friends to share!

In general, I prefer to overpack rather than under-pack for a comp. I roll in looking like I’m planning to live there for the next week, and might have almost enough food to do just that. Laying everything out always helps me to visually confirm whether I have everything I need, and then it all goes into the bag… or maybe a couple bags. Good luck to our Catalina competitors this Saturday!