Powerlifting 101 : Completing a Good Lift

It’s about time we really got into the action of Powerlifting! In this article I will describe each different lift in order of event. I will explain some of the technical details that judges are watching for, and how one completes a “good” lift. Then I will detail how scoring works before we wrap it up.

Squat

To complete a good lift a powerlifter has a whole list of technical things to keep in mind. It is a list of things that the judges will be watching for. I will not provide a complete list here, that can be found on the WHSPA website. Lets start with the squat event.

Among the list of things a powerlifter needs to always remember is to listen to the head judge. Most lifts begin when the head judge has determined that the powerlifter is set with the weight and ready to go.

When the head judge has given the “start” command for a squat the lifter then squats down. One requirement is that the hip joint of the lifter will need to be at 90 degrees(or farther) before the powerlifter can stand up. Most coaches make an effort to watch their lifters and yell “up” when they see the squat is low enough. As the powerlifter brings the weight back up and returns to the standing position, the judges are watching for the lifter to lock out their knees and remain in control of the weight. Only after the powerlifter has remained standing with locked knees will the head judge issue the “rack” command. The powerlifter must wait for that command.

Between the Lifts

After the powerlifter completes the first lift a coach will let the platform volunteers know the next weight the powerlifter will attempt. If the lift was good, that weight will get heavier. In most cases if the lift is failed the weight remains the same, however that is not always the case. A coach and powerlifter might feel confident enough in the strength of the lifter to up the weight after a failed lift. This is more common if the failure was in a technicality, not in the powerlifter’s ability to lift the weight.

As I said earlier each powerlifter gets three total attempts per event at a meet. If a powerlifter fails all three attempts they are disqualified from placing in the meet. Some meets will still allow the powerlifter to take part in the events after a disqualification, but they cannot qualify for state with their total, or earn a medal/trophy.

Bench Press

When a lifter is attempting a bench press they have an entirely different list of technicalities the judges are watching for. This is also not going to be a complete list. To start, some powerlifters prefer a “lift off.” This is when a coach or fellow athlete will help them take the weight off the rack and help them steady it before beginning the lift.

When the head judge has determined that the lifter is set and in control of the weight they will give the “start” command. The lifter will then bring the weight to their chest and pause. The head judge will give a “lift/up” command after they had determined the pause was long enough. Then the powerlifter pushes the weight up until their elbows are locked out. When the judge sees the lifter is done they will give a “rack” command. In the same way as squat, and the subsequent deadlift event, the powerlifter gets three attempts at bench press to lift as much as they are able. The weight can be raised in the same way as I described in the squat depending on whether the lift was a good lift. Lastly, the powerlifter can be disqualified if they fail all three bench press attempts.

Deadlift

As a powerlifter begins the deadlift they approach a bar with weight lying on the ground. There is no “lift” command from the head judge. The lifter will set themselves, and attempt to pick up the weight until they are in a standing position. As the lifter is lifting the weight the judges are looking for an upright shoulders/back position, and locked knees. In the deadlift there are a couple of additional actions that might determine whether a lift is good or failed. If a powerlifter changes their stance in such a way that allows them to use their thighs as a ramp that is not a good lift. A powerlifter cannot moved the weight up their legs in a choppy “hitching” motion that is not a good lift. If a powerlifter has locked their knees then bends them again during the lift that is not a good lift. When the head judge has decided that the lifter has completed the attempt they will give a “down” command. At that point the lifter needs to maintain control of the weight as they put the bar back on the floor. If a powerlifter fails all three deadlift attempts they will disqualify.

Winning

At the end of a weight class’s deadlifting event the host organization will begin calculating the scores and determining winners. This is a task made much easier by liftingcast.com. Meets can be found on the website by searching the name of the meet. This allows you to follow along as it is happening from anywhere with an internet connection. For meets using liftingcast the math is already done. In the event of a tie between two powerlifters in the same weight class the lifter that weighed in lighter is the winner. Team awards total one varsity lifter’s total per weight class on the team. Not all meets do this anymore.

I really hope these two articles helped you better understand the sport of Powerlifting! On a personal note, I am grateful for those who took the time to learn about this sport. It is very near to my heart for so many reasons. I may get into those in a subsequent article in this series. That’s right I’ve got five more weeks of articles to write! Next week I will detail some local powerlifting results from the Alek Hadley Memorial Powerlifting Meet held in Necedah on January 25th.

Looking to Catch Up?

Here is a link for part one in this series

This is a link for part two.