Powerlifting
Athletes in powerlifting compete in the squat, bench press, and deadlift to see who can lift as much weight as possible for 1 rep. Powerlifters have three attempts to reach their maximum weight and are ranked in body-weight and age categories. The winner is determined by who has the highest powerlifting total.
As you will read, powerlifting is a sport that tests maximal strength. We’ll cover the sport rules, how powerlifting technique differs from other activities, differences between raw powerlifting vs equipped, and who does powerlifting.
The Basics
The sport of powerlifting includes the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
Powerlifting is an individual sport where the goal is to lift the most amount of weight possible in the squat, bench press, and deadlift in a specific weight and age category.
Athletes have three attempts to reach their maximum capacity and must follow strict technique rules so that everyone is compared equally. For example, everyone must squat to a certain depth or else the lift doesn’t count (we’ll cover the powerlifting rules in more detail later).
The heaviest squat, bench press, and deadlift that are successfully lifted are added up to give athletes a “powerlifting total”. This total is what’s used to rank athletes amongst each other. So just because someone may have a strong bench press, doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be a good
Differences between bodyweight and age categories
Bodyweight & Age Categories
In powerlifting competition, athletes compete in a bodyweight and age category.
The bodyweight categories are:
For men: 59kg/130lbs, 66kg/145lbs, 74kg/163lbs, 83kg/183lbs, 93k/205lbs, 105kg/231lbs, 120kg/264lbs, 120+kg/264lbs+
For women: 47kg/103lbs, 52kg/114lbs, 57kg/125lbs, 63kg/139lbs, 72kg/158lbs, 84kg/185lbs, 84+kg/185lbs+
Note: If you are a sub-junior or junior athlete, then there is an additional bodyweight category you can compete – 53kg for men and 43kg for women.
The age categories are:
- Sub-Junior: 14-18 years old
- Junior: 19-23 years old
- Open: Anyone can compete
- Master 1: 40-49 years old
- Master 2: 50-59 years old
- Master 3: 60-69 years old
- Master 4: 70+
1. The Referee Commands
Powerlifting referees give commands to start and finish the lifts
In competition, the chief referee will tell you when you can start and finish the lift.
This is because the referees want to see you control the barbell on each side of the movement. They want you to assume a specific start position and ensure that when you finish the movement that you return to that exact same starting point.
While it might seem simple, many first-time powerlifters don’t register a successful lift because they fail to listen to the referee commands in competition.
2. The Movement Standards
The squat, bench press, and deadlift each of specific standards that lifters must follow.
These rules are in place so that lifters are all judged to the same standard and that no individual lifter is seen to have an advantage over another.
Some of the main rules include
Squat: the hip crease must drop below the plane of the knee and there needs to be a constant forward motion of the barbell (no dipping or bouncing)
Bench: the barbell must pause on the chest until it’s motionless, and the lifter must keep certain points of contact on the bench and floor, including the head, buttocks, and feet.
Deadlift: the barbell must not rest on the thigh during the lift, and the hips, knees, and shoulders need to be ‘erect’ in the lock-out position.
Even if you lift the weight from start to finish, if you don’t follow the technical standards then you won’t be granted a successful lift.
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