Lesson 4- Bring Certain Items with You
We all have certain things we use and consume to get us ready for competition. For guys cutting weight it’s often some form of electrolyte enhancer for re-hydration and specific foods to help create energy for the platform. I have some very specific things I like to eat and drink when I compete in big meets. Don’t expect that where you are going will garner you access to those items. Bring them with you! Plus it’s just easier to not have to go find those items when you land and you can rest in your hotel room instead. Some of the items I was warned about ahead of time I planned for. Other items I had to be sure to find and that was a bit of a pain. Here’s some examples.
- Pedialyte. I knew that would not be easy to find. I brought that in my check bag.
- Pellegrino mineral water. Just a weird thing I always drink when I compete. I doubted they had that as well and brought it.
- Taping Spray. I use a tape spray on my thumbs to hold the tape in place. I didn’t know for sure if the medical staff would have some so I checked my own can of that as well.
- Snacks. Certain snacks like protein bars and pistachios are a go to for me in competition. To save on having to go find them I just brought them with me.
- Chalk. I was warned that often the chalk outside of the USA feels different and feels oily. That was the case at Chiang Mai. Having my own chalk block was not only helpful to me but to the rest of the team as a whole.
- Essentials. The basics need to come with you just in case like nail clippers, athletic tape, etc.
There are however certain items you can only buy after you land. Things like food for right after you weigh (unless you’re a baby food guy), coffee, fruit, etc. My advice on these things are to plan ahead before the day of on how you are going to get them at the venue. I arranged a box lunch for after I weighed in, we had an awesome local Crossfit guy handle grabbing some coffee for me (and he was gracious enough to help which was HUGE), and I bought some fruit and sandwich stuff the day before.
The lesson however is that if you can bring it with you, do it! The less you have to worry about buying on site, the better. It just makes your time more restful and less hectic.