Tag Archive: powerlifting

What Do You Do? Part 2: Powerlifting

A lot of people hear I’m a powerlifter and think I do what they see on the Olympics. Powerlifting is a competition involving The Big Three – Squat, Bench and Deadlift. Athletes are separated based on weight, age, gender and if they’re using special equipment or not to compete. For the sake of this conversation, I’m only going to talk about “raw” powerlifting. This is what I compete in.

Raw powerlifting involves the use of a weight belt, knee sleeves or knee wraps, and wrist wraps. Some federations have two types of raw powerlifting, which allow or disallow the use of knee wraps. It comes down to the individual lifter as to what equipment they want to use. I compete in knee wraps and with a belt. “Geared” or “equipped” powerlifting involves special suits that help a lifter complete each move.

Before each competition an athlete will weigh in on a scale in front of a judge, where they’ll be sorted into a weight class. This is important for a lot of lifters because the less you weigh, the more impressive your lifts are. This can be a catch-22 because the means through which the person tried to lose the weight can damage their lifting. Some people go weeks without carbohydrates, others don’t drink any water and sit in a sauna for hours – that will hurt their lifts if they don’t rehydrate appropriately.

The Squat

The squat is the first move performed in an event. The lifter has 3 tries to hit the heaviest weight they can do. It’s not simply the act of squatting, there’s more to it. A lifter will take the bar off the rack and step away from the rack. The judge sitting in front of them will tell them to start the lift. The lifter will then lower into a squat – depth depends on the federation. For most federations you just need your femur (thigh bone) to be parallel to the ground. Others require the crease of your hip to be lower than your knee. Make sure you look up your federation to see which is required. The lifter will complete the lift and wait for the judge to tell them to re-rack the weight. If the lifter executed the lift to completeness, a scoreboard to the side will light up with 3 white lights. Each judge has one “vote” – either white (good) or red (bad). They each evaluate different parts of the lift to make sure it was completed appropriately. The lifter will wait their turn for their second and third attempts. A lifter does not attempt all 3 in a row, they are given time to rest.

Bench Press

Bench press is one of the most well known lifts, so I’ll keep this brief. The main differences between the competition lift and the average joe involves the commands. The lifter will unrack the bar from the rack and, depending on the federation, wait for the cue to start. The lifter lowers the bar to their chest (actually touching the chest) and waits for the command to “press.” At this time the lifter will press the bar off their chest. There is no bounce, the bar must be paused on the chest. The judge will then tell them to re-rack. You miss a lift if one arm locks out before the other, or if the bar comes down then back up.

Deadlift

A deadlift is exactly what it sounds like – lifting dead weight from the ground. A lifter will lift the bar off the ground, lock it out, and wait for the command to lower it back to the ground. You cannot just drop the bar on the ground – if you see people let the bar go from the lock out they’re not powerlifting. They’re picking up a heavy weight and then dropping it on the ground. Part of the execution of the lift is keeping your hands on the bar the entire lift. While this lift has less commands, it can be much harder to complete for various reasons. If the bar travels downwards before completion of the lift it’s no good. If the lifter hitches the bar, the lift is no good. If the lifter’s grip slips and the bar comes out of their hand, no lift.

Every athlete gets 3 attempts at each lift. Some federations allow a 4th attempt if it’s for a world or national record. At the end of the meet lifters are awarded based on how much they lifted vs. their body weight. Different federations use different calculators, but The Wilks Score is the most popular one. Some use calculators that take age into consideration as well, since sometimes a 25 year old man and a 15 year old man will be in the same weight class. Awards are also given to best overall lifter, which will compare the 300 pound person to the 140 pound person.

If you’re interested in powerlifting, go to powerliftingwatch.com and find a gym or a coach, or even go to a meet!

That 300# Squat!

I’ve started training for figure (my first show is August 16th in Tupelo, Mississippi for this year) but that’s no excuse to neglect my heavy lifts. After all, they’re why I look the way I do. I’ve always been amazed at the aversion to heavy weights among competitors looking to gain muscle. Genetics have a huge play on if you gain adequate muscle mass or not but progressive overload is a great way to combat that. For example, I’ve always had a noodle upper body and I’ve held my weight in my legs my whole life. They used to be the bane of my existence. I’ve learned to love them for what they DO for me, rather than how they LOOK. Anyway, I finally powered out that 300 pound squat I’ve been chasing for awhile. I was hesitant to try it at APA Raw Nats, just because you never know, but I’m confident in the ease of this lift. 300+ next meet, for sure!

300 Pound Squat!

APA Raw Nationals Results – 2014

In April I competed in the APA Raw Nationals in Defuniak Springs, Florida for my first major event. It was my first meet where I had more than 2 other women, though none in my weight class. Due to the morning of weigh ins (we got to Florida at about midnight) I weighed into the 165# class, which was fine by me. I knew I wouldn’t set any national records, but I did set 4 state records for Mississippi. I also won my class, which was a really cool feeling. I ended with a 297 squat, a 325 deadlift and a 136 bench press.

APA Raw Nationals 2014 165# 1st Place

Pretty awesome medal, if I do say so myself!

Where have you BEEN?

I know, I know, it’s been awhile since you’ve heard from me. My life, like the lives of all 20-something year olds in professional school, has been one crazy thing after another.

First, in February, I competed in my first powerlifting competition! During which I set 4 state records and came in as the second female overall, barely losing to the overall female by 2 points.

Second, I finished my second year of veterinary school. The last month (well, weeks really) marked a lot of huge changes in my life. I lost a classmate and friend during finals week and found myself single for the first time in two years. These two events together made me realize that life is too short and too beautiful for negativity. Instead of being angry at how I was treated, I decided to use that energy for positivity. That brings me to…

Third, I competed in powerlifting AGAIN and smashed my previous lift numbers in April. I set 4 more state records and made a lot of friends. Around this time I decided to try something new. I do love powerlifting, but I’ve always wanted to step on stage in a bikini and show off all my hard work. So, you guessed it…

Fourth – I’m competing in figure! My competition is mid August and I’ve been working with a coach for my nutrition, while still doing some serious powerlifting for my workouts. I know I’ll return to powerlifting (I miss Poptarts and cake daily) but for now this a fun foray into an aspect of fitness I’ve never experienced before.

This summer I’m working at an emergency clinic to get some more experience before I start clinical rotations in July. Look for more content this summer, from articles on fasted cardio to check ins as I embark on my first figure competition. Yes, this is a science blog, but first and foremost it’s my blog. Get ready to see my face a lot!