How do powerlifting competitions work?

Squatsandbench

Hello,

Can anyone explain to me how powerlifting competitions work? Is it the same in the UK as it is in the USA? How do you get into them? What are qualifiying totals?

I am doing a bit of research but it is a bit confusing.

usmcmp

I've never been to a meet in the UK, but I've done a few in the US.

A qualifying total means you've done a prior meet and for your weight class hit a certain number for each lift or a certain total. Meets with qualifiers are often national or world meets.

Typically for a competition you pay the meet fees and join the federation (pay the fed fees). You weigh in the day before or morning of the meet and give them numbers for your opening lift. The set up a schedule to let you know which "flight" or group you are lifting in. Each flight rotates through the lifters for the first lift (squat). Each time you complete a lift you tell them the next weight you want to attempt, it has to be the same or higher than your first it can't go down. You get three attempts at each lift. After everyone has finished with their three attempts at the first lift (usually squat) they move to the second (bench), then the third (deadlift). If you are at or pass state/national/world records sometimes you get a fourth attempt.

Chieflrg

Your how do they work is a bit vague because each federation has it own set of rules and type of lifts.

Here in the USA, there are literally dozens of federations for those who compete either drug free or untested, and many more that geared more towards recreational lifters.

I'm in the USAPL which is part of the IPF.

You can sign up online.

You wouldn't have to worry about qualifying for most. Pick a meet, read the rules and info if there is a age, gender, lift specific for the individual meet, or what kind of meet it is etc...and ask the meet director what questions you have from there.

Squatsandbench

Thanks for the responses. Little bit more clear.

deputy_randolph

If you can go watch a local one at a local gym, that's a good place to start.

There are a lot of different federations (at least in the US). My gym hosts pl competitions, I just signed up, paid entrance fee, federation fee, and competed. The qualifying totals were necessary to move onto the National Level comp. You might be able to find a local event through social media.

trigden1991

1) Pick things up
2) Put them down

Squatsandbench

trigden1991 wrote: »

1) Pick things up
2) Put them down

Well no. That's lifting in general... Sorry was my post not clear? I didn't alter for SEN or EAL.

sgt1372

deputy_randolph wrote: »

If you can go watch a local one at a local gym, that's a good place to start.

There are a lot of different federations (at least in the US). My gym hosts pl competitions, I just signed up, paid entrance fee, federation fee, and competed. The qualifying totals were necessary to move onto the National Level comp. You might be able to find a local event through social media.

At local level, pretty much just this.

No special qualifications. Just sign up, pay the fees, show up and lift.

I visited a local PL meet in my area once. Wide range of competitors in terms of ability. Everyone seemed very supportive of the competitors, even those less qualified, as long as they showed that they were making an effort.

Seems like the gym owner uses the meets as a way to promote his business but you don't have to be a member of the gym to compete.