Why I Pack 2 Singlets for a Powerlifting Meet

How to spend a ton of money to get to a World Powerlifting Championship and almost miss out on competing

This week, I’m coaching at Nationals in Vancouver, BC and it got me thinking back to some of my biggest faux pas from past competitions.

Here’s why I always pack an extra singlet whenever I’m coaching or competing at a meet.

The first time I competed at Worlds was back in 2014. It was in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and was held in Las  Vegas, NV

This was my first time flying to get to a competition. Up until this point, every competition I had done, I’d been able to drive to by car.

I had packed everything (or so I thought) two nights before and was working some pretty hectic hours beforehand all the way up to the day before my flight.

I arrived in Vegas the afternoon before I was set to compete. Being a 1 hour time difference from where I was living at the time, it wasn’t much of an adjustment and frankly, it was nice to see some sun after a few weeks of straight RAIN in Vancouver, BC.

I got to the Flamingo Hotel on the strip where I was staying and unpacked my bag to prep everything for the next morning where I’d be weighing in and competing. It was about a 20 minute walk to the venue from there.

Frantically I started searching for my blue Inzer Designs Singlet. Ever since mid 2014, it was the only singlet I had been using… and also the only one i thought I had packed with me.

Well, turns out I managed to leave it in my apartment back home in my fatigued haze of getting to the airport on time and now was going to have to figure out how I was going to compete without a singlet!

Now, if you’ve ever competed before, you’d know that singlets aren’t exactly something you can go to Target and buy, especially a powerlifting grade one.

I called my friend who I was travelling with. He was in the same hotel as me, luckily.

Lo and behold, he had had an experience like this before and brought a second singlet with him for these exact types of scenarios. This completely saved my butt and let me compete the next day.

All that stress probably wasn’t the best thing for my nerves the day before the biggest comp I’d done so far but we got it done.

Now, it wasn’t pretty and I’ll advise you to maybe put on some sunglasses so your eyes aren’t burned out when you look at this picture below… but the singlet was competition-approved and I was able to compete the next day.

At the end of the competition, I actually took best overall lifter and first place in my class which was mens 82kg in the Junior age division at the time.

Feast your eyes on my fashion-forward meet attire.

Have you ever had some embarrassing meet moments or close calls? I’d love to hear about them and have a chuckle with you in the comments below.

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