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Entering your first meet? Get the lowdown and details of what you need to know before ever going!
A must read for all lifters!
[FAQ Section]
What you need to know for entering a meet....
Here's an overview for first time lifters on what is needed for your first meet. This will be breif, but hopefully helpful and is aimed at those who want to compete, but just never have done it.
First and foremost, the USAPL is a drug tested lifting federation. It was originally known as the ADFPA and was founded in the early 1980's as an alternative to meets that did not test for stregnth enhancing drugs. We do test at our meets, a minumum of 10% are urin tested. So you must be steroid free, the rules state for 3 years. There are other drugs that will cause a positive test. The entire Andro family are also illegal and will cause a positive as well. As the meet gets closer (2-3 days away), you will want to refrain from any cold medicines that contain psuedo-ephedrines, which is nearly all of them. These are stimulants that when taken in large amounts and in conjunction with caffeine can give the lifter quite a boost. The stimulant ban also includes substances such as Ma Haung, Gurana & Ephedrines, which are often found in fat burners and many energy drinks. So the test covers strength enchancing drugs, prohormones and stimulants. (caffeine is legal since it is in most all drinks).
Next, be sure to get your entry form well in advance and get all the info you need. If need be, call or e-mail the meet director, they are always glad to hear from you. When you are sure you are lifting, mail it in so the meet director can plan for the meet! You would not believe the stress it causes when you put a thousand or two thousand dollars into an event and you have 3 entries a day before he deadline.
As for lifting gear, the two biggest requirements are a lifting suit and a lifting t-shirt. The suit can be a simple wrestling singlet or an actual squat suit, but it must be single ply and have no velcro. The t-shirt must be lifting related or plain solid color. No Nike, Budweiser, NFL, etc., and no cutoffs. The idea is to keep a clean, professional looking appearance on the platform. Also, no spandex, compression shorts or Body Armour may be worn. Sports bras are ok.
Aside from the suit and shirt, the lifter must compete in a sport shoe, which means boots are out. Lifting shoes, wrestling shoes, and even regular athletic shoes are ok. Gymnastic slippers also work well for the deadlift.
If you choose to use a belt, it must be no wider than 13 cm (aprox 4 inches.), and can have no velcro or padding on it. Power belts work best, but the traditional thin leather belts also work.
Wraps are allowed on the knees and wrists. The knee wraps can be no longer than 2 meters and have no velcro on them. Wrist wraps can be no longer than 1 meter and velcro is ok here. Some wristwraps have a thumbloop, be sure to take it off the thumb before doing the lift.
Tight lifting suits & shirts are legal as long as they are single ply, contain no velcro, no canvas and no denim. The shirts must also be closed back.
A USAPL card is required and can be bought at the meet. They are $40 for a full year from ate of purchase for Adults. For High School kids they are $30 unless you are lifting in a designated High School competition that falls before May 31st. In this case High School lifters can purchase a H.S. seasonal membership for $15 that expires on May 31st. They have the option of renewing at any meet after May 31st for an additional $15.
Condensed Rules
Rules for the squat:
Squats must break parallel; top of thigh at hip joint must be below top of knee. Make sure you squat deep enough.
Lifter must wait for verbal "squat" and "rack it" commands.
No lateral foot movement after "squat" command.
No lateral hand movement after "squat" command.
Lifter must make an effort to return bar to rack.
Lifter must start and end the lift with knees locked and torso erect.
No rolling the bar on the back during the squat.
No intentional dumping of the bar.
No downward movement of the bar while coming up.
Rules for the benchpress:
Bar must come to a complete pause on chest. NO BOUNCING!
No uneven extension of the arms.
Lifter must wait for verbal "start" and "rack it" commands.
Feet must remain flat.
Hips and head must remain on bench.
Lifter must start and end the lift arms locked
No downward movement of the bar while coming up.
Rules for the deadlift:
Lifter must wait for verbal "down" signal before lowering bar.
No lateral foot movement.
No hitching or jerking bar.
No supporting the bar on the thighs, or re-bending during pull.
Lifter must stand erect with knees locked.
No downward movement of the bar while coming up.
Some Recommendations:
Train by the above rules! It's easier to do it in the meet when you have already been training by the rules. When setting openers, open light, because once you've attempted your first lift, you cannot go down! If you fail to make at leat one attempt in each event, you bomb out. That means you need at least one squat, one benchpress and one deadlift to complete the meet. This is the one rule that has remained constant at every powerlifting meet in the USA. So open light with something you can do 3-5 resp with and then make a bigger jump.
If not setting a State or American record, weigh in the day before. Get acclimated to where the meet is at and register early. This also makes the paperwork go smoother when everyone registers the day before. It allows us to process your openers and get closer to starting on time once weigh-ins are done on Saturday.
While at the meet, seek the advice of better, more expereinced lifters and ask questions....! They too were once new and knew very little and are almost always willing to pass on info and tips that will help you.
If possible, bring a coach or person to handle you. This person should know what you need when getting ready. They should be able to roll wraps, put on suits, pull up straps and pull your belt tight. They should help with loading the bar for each warmup. They also should have an idea of your capabilites and help with picking/turning in your attempts.
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FAQ Section
Here are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions we get at USAPLNationals.com
Q: What is Powerlifting?
A: Powerlifting is a strength sport comprised of three lifts; the squat, the bench press, and the deadlift. In a full competition there is a combination of lifts. There are also single lift competitions featuring just one event.
Q: If I'm having a bad day, can I lower my attempt after I've taken my opener?
A: No. Attempts cannot be lowered. You take the same weight if you miss a lift, or you can always go up.
Q: Do I need a lifting suit, or can I just lift in shorts.
A: Lifting suits or wrestlign singlets are required. Baggy shorts make it hard for referees to judge the lift.
Q: What supplements are illegal to take?
A: It would be easier to name what ingredients to avoid. Avoid anything with Andro or the Andro family. DHEA seems to be falling by the wayside, but it will also cause a positive. Any of the fatburner type supplements that contain Ma Haung/Guarana or Ephedrine will cause a positive due to it beign a super strong stimulant. A little known fact here is that over the counter cold medicine will also cause a positive, due to the psuedo-ephedrine stimulants in it . Refrain from using the OTC cold medication 3-4 days before the meet. Buyer beware when using supplements that are cheaper and that could be spiked without your knowledge or being on the label.
Q: What do I need to know before I compete?
A: Before you compete you need to know the rules. The sport is not as easy as you might think the rules are strict and if you don't understand them you lose. Different federations have different rules.
Q: What's the difference between the federations and why should I care?
A: The federations in powerlifting today are too numerous to name. The USAPL
was founded out of the need for drug testing in powerlifing and were the pioneers in
this end of the sport. Along with that, the USAPL provides a structured set of rules, records
and competitions that allow the use of some powerlifting gear without taking the
sport away from being what it was meant to be in the beginning: A true test of strength.
The Missouri USAPL and the USAPL as a whole, will not compromise the above values on drug testing.
Q: I'm a great bencher, can't I just do that?
A: Yes, most all Missouri USAPL meets have a bench press only division of the contest.
Q: What does a competition look like?
A: A typical meet may have more than one platform. A platform is composed of three judges sitting around the lifting area. The different equipment is set up depending on which lift is being performed. A timer will either be at the platform or the head table. The judges will press a button hooked up to a light bar. White means the lift is good, red means it is not, you need two whites by the judges in order to make the lift count.
Q: What are the weight classes?
A:
Womens: 97, 105, 114, 123, 132, 148, 165, 181, 198, 198+
Mens: 114, 123, 148, 165, 181, 198, 220, 242, 275, 275+
Q: What lifting equipment is required?
A: A simple wrestling singlet or one piece, single ply lifting suit is required. Supportive squat suits and benchpress shirts are allwoed, but must be single ply, contain no velcro, denim or canvas.
Q: Can I wear weight lifting gloves?
A: Gloves are not allowed in sanctioned powerlifting competitions.
Q: How do I know when I lift in the meet?
A: The lifters are split up into groups called flights. The flights are based on the number of lifters and usually have no more than 15 lifters per flight. Here is a sample of how the flights could be broken down:
Flight A - Women through Men 165 lbs.
Flight B - Men 181 through Men 220 lbs.
Flight C - Men 242 & up
Flight A lifters perform all three attempts in the squats; then Flight B; followed by Flight C. Once the squats are completed, the order is repeated for the benchpress, and then the deadlift.
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