Guide to Competing

Competing for the first time can be scary and daunting, but rest assured, all of us at SP are a friendly bunch! If you’re ever stuck, ask someone for help or guidance, and they’ll be happy to help you or point you in the direction of someone who can.

This is a short guide about what to expect on competition day.

Before you compete

Check you are on the entry list, under the correct weight category.

Practice performing your lifts to commands - ask a friend, or say them to yourself while lifting.

Check which day and group you are in - are you lifting in the morning or afternoon?

Plan how to get to the venue.

The night before the competition, pack your bag. There is a packing list you can use to help you here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EDoc56euEGrFgtcfhhA9DXnkfuFGshSyncinKWOSTFg/edit?usp=share_link 

Prepare your food and water/drinks for the day. Bring adequate amounts, as you will not be able to leave the venue after you’ve weighed in. Stick to your normal foods, competition day is not the time to try that new mega spicy burrito recipe that you’ve been thinking about. People usually bring things like oats, cereal, yoghurt, fruit, sandwiches, protein bars, cereal bars, crisps, sweets. It’s important to eat enough to fuel your lifting.

Try and get as much sleep as possible, competitions can be a long day!

Clothing and equipment

The only clothing and equipment that MUST be worn when you are lifting are:

  • Singlet*
  • T Shirt - made of one material, with fitted sleeves that cover the shoulders
  • Shoes - sports shoe or lifting footwear
  • Knee high socks (for deadlifts)

You may also wear the following optional equipment:

  • Wrist wraps*
  • Lifting belt*
  • Knee sleeves*

Items marked with * must be on the IPF approved list, which can be found here: https://www.powerlifting.sport/rules/codes/info/approved-list 

Your t shirt, underwear, shoes and knee high socks must comply with the standards laid out in the Technical rules, available here: https://www.powerlifting.sport/rules/codes/info/technical-rules 

It’s also useful to bring comfy joggies and a hoodie to wear when you are not lifting, as some venues can be a bit chilly!

The day of the competition

Give yourself plenty of time in the morning to get ready. It is a good idea to estimate how long you’ll need to get ready, then add an extra half an hour so you don’t feel stressed and rushed.

If you’re within your weight class, have some breakfast and hydrate.

Leave in plenty of time to get to the venue in case of weather/traffic issues. Aim to arrive 20 minutes before weigh-in begins.

You can bring a coach/handler/friend with you to help on the day. Don’t worry if you don’t have one, it’s not difficult to handle yourself.

If you arrive and aren’t sure where to go next, look for a referee to ask. They will be wearing formal clothing (suit jacket, trousers/skirt, tie).

Weigh-in

Once you arrive at the venue, you will wait to be weighed in.

Weigh-ins commence 2 hours before lifting is due to start. For example:

Morning flight - 8am weigh-in for 10am start.

Afternoon flight - 12.30pm weigh-in for 2.30pm start.

You will queue up, and wait for your name to be called. There is usually a weigh-in order taped to the door, and it will also have been emailed to you with the flight information.

You’ll be taken into a private room with two referees of the same sex as you, who will check your name, membership number, ID, and ask you what you plan your opening lifts to be. These will be noted down on your Lifter Card, and passed to the table to be input into the spreadsheet for the running order. Your opening lifts can be changed once, up to 3 minutes before your group starts lifting.

You will then be weighed on competition calibrated scales, in your underwear or naked (whichever you prefer), and the referees will record your weight.

The referee will give you a bundle of attempt slips, and a paper wristband for your coach/handler. Attempt slips inform the table what you would like your next attempt to be - more information on that later. We use the paper wristbands to ensure that each competitor only has 1 person with them in the warm up area, to avoid it becoming too crowded.

If you don’t make weight at your chosen weight class in an open competition - you will be able to compete as a guest in the weight class you weigh in as. You just won’t be able to collect a shiny medal for placing!

If you don’t make weight at your chosen weight class in championship competition - you will not be permitted to compete.

If you would like to try again, you can weigh in again at the end once everyone has had their slot.

Weigh-in lasts for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Kit Check

After you weigh-in, you will need to get your clothing and equipment checked by a referee. This is to make sure all your kit is on the IPF approved list. If there is no obvious queue or line for kit check, ask a referee where it is taking place.

If any of your kit is not approved, then you will not be able to use it while lifting. You will have to do without that item, or source an alternative.

Rack Height

You will need to set your rack height for squats. When the platform and squat rack are assembled, walk up to the squat rack (there may be a queue of other lifters), and the platform crew will help you find the right height. The rack height setting will be noted against your name and passed to the Announcer’s table to be added to the lifting spreadsheet. Make sure you wear the shoes you will be squatting in!

There will also be an opportunity to check your rack height for bench - this will be announced when the bench has been set up. Again, wear the shoes you will be benching in.

After Weigh-in & Kit Check

Until you are due to lift, you have free time! Eat, read, chat, stretch. Ask around, there will likely be other first timers you could make pals with who will be lifting at the same time.

On your attempt slips, write your name clearly and sign all of them. This saves you time when you’re lifting.

You will likely want to start warming up around 30-40 mins before you are due to start lifting.

Once you have weighed in, you are NOT allowed to leave the venue without permission of the Doping Control Officer, or the senior referee if they are not there. There may be testing planned, and leaving randomly without telling anyone looks suspicious!

Warm Up

You will likely want to start warming up around half an hour before your group starts lifting.

For a 10am start this would mean Group A warms up around 9.30am.

If you are in Group B, you would start warming up once Group A has begun lifting.

It is extremely unlikely that there will be enough bars and racks for everyone to have a station to themselves - it is expected that competitors will share with each other. However, it is still good etiquette to ask politely to share a bar someone is already at, and check that they will be warming up to a similar weight to make loading easier. For example, if your opening deadlift is 150kg, and someone else is opening at 280kg, it may not be the most appropriate to share with them as you will likely have completely different sets, weights and timings. Similarly, large height differences will not be appropriate for squat and bench. Ask around to find out who is doing something similar to you, it’s also a great way to meet new people!

The Competition

The Table

All lifter information is entered into a special spreadsheet to ensure smooth running of the competition, and logical weight loading. This is run on a laptop on a table to the side of the lifting platform. There will be volunteers sitting at the table, who will take your attempt slips and input your selected next weight into the spreadsheet.

Attempt Slips

At weigh-in, you will have been given a booklet of attempt slips. This is how you communicate to the table what you would like your next attempt to be. They look something like this:

Your first attempt goes in the first box from left, second attempt in the second box and third attempt in the third box. Write your next attempt clearly and legibly.

The deadlift attempt slips look a little different, as you are able to change your last deadlift attempt twice right up until “Bar loaded” is called. At this stage, this is not something to worry about.

If you would like to change your opening weight, you have until 3 minutes before your group starts lifting to do so.  Announcements will be made regarding this. Write your new opening lift in the first box, and hand it to the table at the side of the lifting platform.

When you have finished a lift, you have ONE MINUTE for you or your friend/handler to get your next attempt to the table. The table has an automatic timer on the spreadsheet. If you miss the one minute deadline, your next attempt will automatically be +2.5kg, unless you failed the previous lift, then your next weight will be the same.

Running order

The competition day is organised by flights (i.e. morning and afternoon) and groups (e.g. Group A and B). For example:

Morning flight

Group A - 69kg, 76kg, 84kg, 84+

Group B - 47kg, 52kg, 57kg, 63kg

Afternoon flight

Group C - 59kg, 66kg, 74kg, 83kg

Group D - 93kg, 105kg, 120kg, 120+

The running order for the full day would then be:

Group A squats

Group B squats

Break to rearrange platform (10 minutes)

Group A benches

Group B benches

Break to rearrange platform (10 minutes)

Group A deadlifts

Group B deadlifts

Break (20 minutes)

Group C squats

Group D squats

Break to rearrange platform (10 minutes)

Group C benches

Group D benches

Break to rearrange platform (10 minutes)

Group C deadlifts

Group D deadlifts

Sometimes we run 3 groups in a session if numbers allow. The running order for the day would then look like:

Group A squats

Group B squats

Group C squats

Break to rearrange platform (10 minutes)

Group A benches

Group B benches

Group C benches

Break to rearrange platform (10 minutes)

Group A deadlifts

Group B deadlifts

Group C deadlifts

Warming up

It is sensible to start warming up around 30-40 minutes before your group is due on. For example, if you were in Group A, lifting at 10.30am, aim to start your warm up around 10am.

If you were in group B, you would start warming up once Group A have started lifting.

Lifting - General

There is a lifters’ area to the side of the platform – only stand there if your flight is currently lifting, and only have one person with you to coach/handle. The area gets very busy otherwise and lifters will have difficulty reaching the platform when their name is called.

Lifters are placed in order of their declared opening weight, e.g. 50kg squat first, then 60kg, then 75kg etc.

You will stand at the side of the platform and wait for your name to be called. Put on/adjust any equipment you wear here. The technical referee (who stands at the side of the platform) will indicate when you can go up to the bar. They may stand with their arm out, and lower it when it’s appropriate for you to go.

Your name will be called, the spotters will load your bar and change your rack height.

“Bar loaded” will be called by the centre referee, repeated by the Announcer/MC, and you will be allowed onto the platform. Once you are on the platform, the only piece of equipment you may adjust is your belt.

You have ONE MINUTE to get to the platform and be given the starting command for squat and bench. Deadlift has no starting command.

The centre referee will give you a series of commands to complete the lift – the easiest way to get these right is to simply LISTEN AND DO AS YOU’RE TOLD.

Once you have finished the lift, you have ONE MINUTE for you or your friend/handler to get your next attempt to the table. The table has an automatic timer on the spreadsheet. If you miss the one minute deadline, your next attempt will automatically be +2.5kg.

You have 3 attempts for each lift.

On the platform, you will be assisted by at least three spotters (one each side, one behind). If you are lifting 200kg+, there will be five spotters (two each side, one behind) They are there to keep you safe in case you fail a lift. They will follow the bar down and back up, without touching it, and guide you and the weights back into the rack. If you fail a lift, they will support you and the bar safely back into the rack. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING, OR FAIL A LIFT, THAT YOU DO NOT “DUMP” THE BAR OFF YOUR BACK. This is very dangerous for spotters, damages the equipment and will result in immediate disqualification from the competition.

The competition is adjudicated by ​three referees​. There are two side referees​ and a ​centre referee. Each referee will signal when they think the lifter is ready to start, and then will signal if they think the lift is successful or not. These signals might be a series of ​lights, flags or hand signals​. If you fail a lift, the referees will hold up coloured cards​ to indicate why they considered a lift was a failure​. Details of what these mean can be found in the Technical Rules:

https://www.powerlifting.sport/rules/codes/info/technical-rules 

You can also ask the referee immediately after your lift.

Squat

  • “Bar loaded” will be called.
  • Walk to the bar and unrack.
  • WAIT
  • Once you are standing upright and motionless, the centre ref will lower their arm and say “SQUAT”
  • Squat until your hip crease is below the top of your knees, then stand back up again.
  • WAIT
  • When you are motionless, the centre ref will say “RACK”
  • You then rack the bar, leave the platform from the back of the rack and wait to see if your lift passed by looking at the lights/flags/cards.
  • After the lift, write what you want your next attempt to be, and hand it in to the table within one minute.

Bench

  • “Bar loaded” will be called.
  • Walk to the bench, and let the spotters know if you would like a handoff, and how you would like this done (e.g. count down from three, centre or side handoff)
  • Lie down, with your head, shoulders and bum in contact with the bench.
  • Your feet must be flat, and suicide grip is not permitted.
  • Remove the bar from the rack, and WAIT with straight arms and locked elbows.
  • The centre ref will lower their arm and say “START”
  • Lower the bar to your chest, and hold it motionless.
  • Once motionless, the centre ref will say “PRESS”.
  • You then press the bar until your arms are straight and elbows locked.
  • WAIT
  • When you are motionless, the centre ref will say “RACK”
  • You then rack the bar, leave the platform and wait to see if your lift passed by looking at the lights/flags/cards.
  • After the lift, write what you want your next attempt to be, and hand it in to the table within one minute.

If you are struggling, and not able to make the lift, DO NOT LET GO OF THE BAR. This is extremely dangerous for you and the spotters. Stay with the bar and the spotters will assist so that you can rack the bar safely.

Deadlift

  • “Bar loaded” will be called.
  • Walk to the bar and get ready.
  • No command is given to commence the lift, so start when you are ready within one minute
  • Stand up with the bar in both hand and hold it at the top of the movement with knees locked and shoulders back
  • WAIT
  • The centre ref will move their arm downwards and say “DOWN”.
  • Return the bar to the floor in a controlled manner, keeping the bar gripped in both hands.
  • Leave the platform and wait to see if your lift passed by looking at the lights/flags/cards.
  • After the lift, write what you want your next attempt to be, and hand it in to the table within one minute.

Full details of the technical rules can be found here:

https://www.powerlifting.sport/rules/codes/info/technical-rules 

After lifting

After lifting has concluded, the table will verify the results.

There will then be a short medal presentation, where the winner of each weight class will be announced, and the best lifter awards presented.

Even if you haven’t won a medal, it’s good manners to stay for the medal presentation. Congratulate/applaud your new friends and give yourself a clap on the back – you’ve just competed in your first competition!