So You're Thinking of Entering a Powerlifting Competition?
I first wrote a version of this article in mid 2020. It is one of my most-read articles. With so many changes in the Australian Powerlifting landscape over the last two years, it is due for a refresh. This was revised and is current as at December 2022.
As a coach and lifter at The Strength Fortress, I am now a member of USAPL Australia. (For reference, historically we were affiliated with Powerlifting Australia). Now, we are competing in USAPL Aus meets and we are hosting USAPL Aus competitions.
So the crux of this article will be:
For newer lifters/competitors, a guide of things to know and consider if you’re thinking of entering your first powerlifting meet
For lifters that have competed with other powerlifting bodies in the past, a guide to the different rules that exist in USAPL competitions that you will need to be aware of.
First, a note for new competitors: this article was not written to replace the role of your coach in educating you on how to prepare and what to expect. My hope is that this article will give you a broad overview of how competitions run, what to expect, the costs involved and other things to consider in preparation.
Second, as above I am writing this article as a member of USAPL Australia. Any rules or requirements I mention will be specific to the rules of that federation specifically. There are other powerlifting bodies that host competitions with their own set of rules and regulations which you should familiarise yourself with if you are thinking of competing with them.
Third, and perhaps the most important point of this entire article: you do not need to be a fantastic lifter to enter a competition. In the same way there is no qualifying standard to join a social netball competition, there is no qualifying standard to enter a local powerlifting competition. If you wait until you are “strong enough” to get a first competition under your belt, you’ll probably never do it. Your expectations will rise alongside your ability.
If you’re reading this, chances are you are not gearing up to take on the reigning world champ. It’s more likely you’ve found joy in barbell training, enjoy the pursuit of strength and a competition would provide you with a challenge, a goal to strive for and a means of displaying your efforts and hard earned strength. You don’t need to be the strongest person in the room to do that. The majority of competitors at your local event will be amateur lifters who enjoy their training in the same way you do.
Now, what will be covered in this article?
Competition overview - how the day runs
Weighing in
The rules
The lifts
Apparel - required and optional
Weight classes
The costs involved
Overview of competition.
Powerlifting is comprised of three lifts: the squat, bench press and deadlift, performed in that order. Each lifter gets three attempts at each of the lifts. Their result will be the sum of their heaviest successful attempts achieved in each of the lifts aka their total.
Lifters compete in what’s known as “groups”. The group of lifters take turns lifting together. Each lifter in the group will do their first squat attempt one after the other. Only once everyone has made their first attempt will the second round of lifting start.
The order of lifting is in “ascending bar order”. This means that the lightest lift will be first, increasing up to the heaviest. If lifter A is attempting 60kg, lifter B is attempting 65kg and lifter C is attempting 70kg, they will have their attempts in that order.
Groups are often comprised of mixed genders and weight classes. That means a 60kg woman could be lifting in the same group as a 82.5kg man. This doesn’t affect either athlete in any way. The competition will proceed as above in ascending bar order.
Lifters and coaches get to choose the weights they want to attempt. The first attempt for each lift made by a lifter is typically a weight they are very confident with. Assuming each attempt was successful, the second and third attempts would each be a bit more of a stretch and more of a gamble, with the third really pushing their limits. Importantly, there is a rule that after your attempt, you cannot then choose a lower weight, even if you fail. That means if someone fails a 70kg lift on their second attempt, they can’t then request to lift 67.5kg on the third attempt.
So in a nutshell, there are three lifts, you get three attempts at each, your total is the sum of your heaviest successful attempt of each lift (squat + bench press + deadlift = total).
Weighing in.
Weigh in opens two hours prior to lifting commencing. You don’t want to miss weigh in so always arrive early. There is not too much to say here except that you will need to be weighed to determine your weight class and you will need to do so in your underwear at most, ie: bra, underwear and socks. I know this can be daunting for some, so a few notes:
Females will typically be weighed in by female referees and males will typically be weighed in by male referees.
You absolutely have permission to request the gender of the referee that you would feel most comfortable weighing you.
Referees will weigh in 20-60 people in a given day and they have so much paperwork to complete while you’re in the room, they rarely have the time, nor are they concerned with what you look like. While stripping down can be uncomfortable, know that nobody else scrutinises your body the way you do, and I beg that you don’t let this be something that holds you back from displaying your strength.
Realistically, if you are not competing at a national or international level, the weigh in is really a formality and your exact weight and weight class is of little importance.
The rules.
Importantly, a powerlifting competition is not the same as maxing out in the gym. It is a sporting competition with rules that govern it. I’m not going to rewrite the entire rule book here. If you would like to read it (and understandably, knowing the rules is important), you can find it at www.usapowerlifting.com/
The lifts - squat, bench press, deadlift.
That being said, I will cover some of the key points / rules governing the individual lifts.
Squat.
There are two referee commands in the squat: “squat” and “rack”. Upon the announcement of “bar loaded” the lifter has 60 seconds to unrack the bar, assume the correct starting position and receive the “squat” command. The starting position must see the lifter with the knees locked and a vertical torso. Upon receiving the squat command, the lifter will squat down until the hip joint passes below the knee joint then stand back up with the knees locked and the torso vertical as per the starting position. When the referee is happy with the final position, they will give the “rack” command. Starting your squat descent before the referee has said “squat” or returning the bar to the rack before they have given the instruction “rack” will result in a failed lift. In fact, failing to follow the referees calls at any time leads to a failed attempt.
Bench press.
There are three commands in the bench press: “start”, “press” and “rack". The referee will give the “start” command when they are satisfied that the lifter has assumed the correct start position: bar held at arms length, elbows locked, with the head and buttocks in contact with the bench and the entire foot in contact with the floor. The lifter will then lower the bar to the chest. When the referee is satisfied that the bar is completely motionless on the chest, they will give the “press”command. When the bar is at arms length and the lifter has completed the lift, the referee will give the “rack” command.
Deadlift.
There is only one command in the deadlift: “down”. Upon the announcement of bar loaded, the lifter has 60 second to commence the lift. There is no command from the referee to tell the lifter to begin (in contrast to the squat and bench press). When the lifter has completed the lift with the knees and hips locked and shoulders back, the referee will give the “down” command.
Failure to follow the referees commands or meet the criteria of each lift (explained in more detail in the rule book) will result in a “no lift” for the lifter. EG, the squat may be easy as hell, but if it wasn’t deep enough, no lift. The bench may have flown but if their butt came off the bench, no lift. If the deadlift bar felt like a feather but you beat the down command, no lift and so on. You absolutely must familiarise yourself with all the technical rules of each lift. Your coach will help with this.
Apparel.
There is not a whole heap of apparel actually required for competition. The following apparel is mandatory for each lift:
Squat and bench press: a suit, t-shirt, underwear and shoes
Deadlift: a suit, underwear, socks (mid-shin length) and shoes
The following apparel is optional:
Squat and bench press: belt, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, socks, bra and headband
Deadlift: belt, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, t-shirt, bra and headband
Muslim women are permitted to wear a hijab and a tight-fit, non-supportive full-body suit that covers the legs and the arms.
It’s worth knowing why lifters may choose to wear the optional apparel so you can decide for yourself. Importantly, you should never be trying a new item of equipment on competition day. Any item that you wear for competition should be something you have been using in training in the lead up.
Heeled shoes: a lifter may opt to wear heeled shoes for the squat or bench press. In the squat, a heeled shoe may help to keep the lifter more upright and / or may enable them to achieve more depth. In the bench press where the lifter must keep their feet flat on the ground, the heeled shoe enables the the lifter’s heel to be elevated off the ground while the shoe remains flat, which may help the lifter to get their feet closer to their body to enable greater spinal extension and a higher chest.
Flat shoes: a lifter may opt to wear a very flat shoe such as a slipper for the deadlift. A supportive running shoes absorbs much of the force the lifter exerts against the floor, which is advantageous when running but not so great when lifting when the goal is maximum force production. Removing any support beneath the foot enables more force to be exerted against the floor. You can wear a deadlift slipper but a very flat shoe such as a Converse Chuck Taylor do much the same thing. Note that some lifters prefer to wear very flat shoes for the squat and bench press too. Your coach will be able to help you decide what is best for you.
Belt: a belt can help the lifter with bracing to create a more rigid core and / or support the lower back, specifically in the squat and deadlift. This can enable the lifter to get through more training / lift heavier loads with less fatigue. Most lifters can get a few kgs out of a belt, however this isn’t the case for everyone so it is worth trying it out for yourself.
Knee sleeves: knee sleeves are typically worn for squatting and serve a number of purposes including providing extra support for the knee joint, keeping the knees warm, providing a little “pop” out of the bottom of the squat and can also aid proprioception (aka feeling how deep you are).
Wrist wraps: are typically used to support and reinforce the wrist in the bench press and the squat (particularly in the low bar position). A lifter may opt to use wrist wraps if they experience pain or discomfort in the wrists in either of the lifts.
Here’s some equipment I wear and / or recommend:
Titan Brahma belt - the belt I use. Titan have a huge range of belts.
Inzer belts - more affordable, do the job just fine, yes you can wear pink.
Nike heeled lifting shoes - there are many lifting shoes on the market, shop around, find what is both sassy + has an appropriate heel height.
If you’re not sure about a particular product, eg belt thickness / belt width / heel height / suit specs, ask your coach. You don’t want to show up on the day with apparel you’re not allowed to wear.
Weight classes.
Powerlifting is a weight class sport. There are 11 weight classes for women and 12 for men:
Female: 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 67.5, 75, 82.5, 90, 100, 100+
Male: 52, 56, 60, 67.5, 75, 82.5, 90, 100, 110, 125, 140, 140+
In your first competition, where it is not common that you’re gunning for records or a qualifying total for another competition, it is widely encouraged to compete in the weight class that you are already positioned in and that doesn’t require a weight cut to get there. There are a few reasons for this.
While you may have body weight goals and a weight class can add motivation to them, you need to ask yourself if you are willing to sacrifice displaying the hard work you’ve put in and the strength you’ve developed for the sake of weighing in a kilo or two lighter. Weight loss and / or the stress of getting your weight down in time to weigh in is very likely to have adverse effects on your strength and you need to consider that when choosing to lose weight for a competition. Just because you can lift X kilos at Y body weight, doesn’t mean you can do it 5kg lighter.
Remember, powerlifting is not the pursuit of being light, it is the pursuit of strength.
Costs.
There aren’t a huge number of fixed costs involved in powerlifting, however the “other costs” can add up. In terms of what you actually need to get on the competition platform, you need:
A USAPL membership - $65 USD for an open age lifter
Competition registration - varies but around $100 AUD
Mandatory equipment - an SBD soft suit retails at $140 AUD
+ your undies, socks, t-shirt, shoes.
A note on costs:
USAPL memberships are always quoted and billed in USD
Competition registration may be quoted in USD or AUD depending on how you register for the competition. If the competition registration is hosted by Lifting Cast, registration costs will most likely be quoted and billed in USD. If a competition director elects to collect registration fees privately (ie, via their own business website), they may do so in USD or AUD. Be sure to check the currency.
All equipment prices below are in AUD
If you don’t already own and are looking to kit yourself out in prep for your first competition, you may add in:
A belt - $100-350
Knee sleeves - $125
Wrist wraps - $65
Flat shoes for deadlifts - $5-100
Heeled shoes for squats / bench - $100-200
It’s also worthwhile factoring in:
Coaching in the lead up - varies
Food for on the day - varies
Spectator entry for your loved ones - usually ~$10
My two cents on costs: if you don’t want or need it, don’t buy it. But if training is something you pour hours into every week, is meaningful to you and is something you hope to continue for some time, investing in good quality equipment that supports your training is something that I would encourage if you have the means to do so.
In closing.
As I said, this is not an exhaustive guide, just some things to consider. And to reiterate, you do not need to be epic in your first competition. Just get up there, have a cracker of a time, put all of your efforts on display, make lifts, make mistakes, learn from them, get acquainted with the competition platform. Maybe you’ll love it, maybe you won’t, but I’ll bet you won’t regret it. Sport is such a huge part of childhood for so many of us, but as more and more responsibility piles on our plate, our own health and enjoyment gets pushed down and down of our list of priorities in adulthood. Setting and achieving a goal that demands a lot of you, that requires you to show up for yourself, do something hard and get right out of your comfort zone feels really damn good. Add in some personal wins, overcoming obstacles, some PBs, a supportive community and your loved ones around you — your first competition is a great day to remember :D
And finally, for LOLs, here’s a contrast between my first and last competition. I reviewed and updated this article in 2022, but I’ve kept the “most recent” comp video from 2019 for authenticity 😁
I did my first competition in May, 2015. I didn’t have a coach, I did a huge weight cut and weighed in super underweight, I didn’t know the rules or how the day ran, I beat the down command on my first deadlift and cried hysterically. Basically everything I could do wrong, I did, lmao. While the competition environment is still one that pushes me right out of my comfort zone, I am much more composed now, I feel relaxed and excited in the lead up and really enjoy every element of the preparation and the day. While I don’t have any competitive aspirations, the thrill of giving my all to a sport that I invest so much time and energy in to is something that lights me right up. I love getting to lay out all of my hard work on the platform and I bloody love that I get to share that. I hope that you will too :)