What is Powerlifting: How Does it Differ from Olympic Lifting and CrossFit, and How to Prepare for a Meet?

‍How are CrossFit, Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting different?

CrossFit

CrossFit has only been around since 2000. It’s by far the youngest of these three sports. It takes the best of cardio, gymnastics, powerlifting, weightlifting, and body weight exercises to create a well-rounded athlete. The hope is that through following CrossFit methods individuals will become as fit as they are able in these modalities so they can achieve a long-term goal of being strong and independent well into their elder years. CrossFit programming includes movements from each of these modalities every week.  The variety of movements lead to a well-rounded athlete who is pretty good at all the sports and modalities CrossFit uses, but is a master of none. The overall goal of CrossFit is health and longevity. 

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Olympic Weightlifting

Olympic Weightlifting is one element of CrossFit. Like the name entails, it’s an Olympic sport in and of itself. The sport as we mostly know it today has been around for over a hundred years. The only lifts are the Clean and Jerk and the Snatch. There are of course countless variations of these movements that are practiced both in CrossFit and in training for weightlifting specifically. The goal of this sport at the competition level is to lift the most weight. Simple as that. CrossFit uses weightlifting to help with strength, explosiveness and mobility. They are dynamic, speedy and powerful movements. 

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Powerlifting

Powerlifting as an official sport is around seventy years old. Younger than Olympic lifting, but older than CrossFit. The movements are back squat, bench press and deadlift. These are basic human movements that have been performed as long as people have been around. The sport has perfected techniques in order to achieve the most power and strength in each of the lifts. Like Olympic lifting, the goal of powerlifting is to lift the most weight. You may opt to compete in Bench only meets, Deadlift only meets or total meets with all 3 lifts. There are many federations with different rules, procedures and regulations. This is why it is not an Olympic sport. There are drug tested and non-tested federations. Each federation may have movement standards for each lift that differ from others. Weight classes can vary and are not universal to all powerlifting federations. Allowed equipment may also vary. Within each federation it can get even more complicated with the choice of competing in Raw or equipped divisions.

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Mock Powerlifting Meet at Titan on October 18^th

A mock meet is a practice meet that is as close to a real sanctioned meet as realistically possible. The meet will follow standards and rules of USA Powerlifting. The sign up for ours is on the front desk. Lifting will begin at 9am on 10/18. Come early to warm up, mobilize, ask questions and submit your first attempts for each lift. Please submit your first attempts and rack heights by 8:30. This meet may be done just for fun or as a testing day following the powerlifting strength cycle. If participating in the mock meet you only need to pay attention to numbers 5-10 in How to prepare for a Powerlifting meet below.

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How to prepare for a USA Powerlifting meet?

 (5-10 will apply to our mock meet)

1. Follow a program
   
   1. No, really, actually adhere to and follow the program

Make powerlifting your focus. In other words, if you want to do your best in a powerlifting meet, all your fitness decisions need to revolve around making sure you complete your program with the sets, reps and intensity programmed. This means other fitness is only done to support the program and not take away from it. It might mean decreasing the frequency and intensity of activities outside of the program.

2. Learn what gear is and is not allowed. Use your competition gear during practice. We don’t need to worry about this for our mock meet.
3. Familiarize yourself with weight classes and which one you might fall into.
4. Learn kilograms! Kilos are multiplied by 2.2 to achieve the pound equivalents. 
5. Understand the movement standards and practice them EVERY time you train. All lifts are not counted once the bar starts descending after the lift has begun.
   
   1. Squats- back squat only. must start at lockout, the depth of the squat is counted when the hip crease falls below the top of the knee. Must fully stand and lockout for squat to count. The feet may not step forward, back, or sideways during the lift, but weight shift from heel to toes is allowed.
   2. Bench- any grip width is permitted. The bar must touch the body. Lift begins and ends with lockout of elbows. Both feet, including heels must remain unmoving on the floor. Butt, head and shoulders must not leave the bench
   3. Deadlift- Conventional or Sumo are both permitted. The simplest of standards. Stand up with the bar to full lockout. Feet may not move during lift. You may not rest the bar on any part of your body. You may not drop the bar.
6. Familiarize yourself with meet day procedures. 
   
   1. Weigh-ins- USA Powerlifting begins weigh-ins 2 hours before the start of lifting. 
   2. lifting order- starts with the athlete lifting the lightest weight. Lifting order may change during the meet depending how athletes choose to jump in weight. 
   3. Judges and spotters- Every lift has 3 judges. Squat and bench have 2-5 spotters.
   4. Judge commands- the central judge gives commands. You must adhere to these commands or the lift will not count. Your lift will also not count if 2 or more judges red light you for not following movement standards. Every attempt you enter the platform after the judge yells” bar is loaded”
      
      1. Squat-unrack your bar, when you are locked out the judge says, “squat”. After you squat, your judge will say “rack” then you may put your bar back in the rack
      2. Bench- you unrack the bar. After the bar is stable, feet are flat on the ground and your butt is on the bench, the judge will say ”start”. You lower the bar to touch the chest. When motionless the judge will say “press”. After pressing and motionless again the judge will say “rack”
      3. Deadlift- approach and complete the deadlift. After lockout the judge will say “down”.
7. submitting lifting attempts and rack heights. The first attempts will be recorded at the time of weigh in. record rack heights for squat and bench at this time as well. The second and third attempts must be submitted and initialled no longer than 1 minute after the completion of the previous attempts. Minimum of 2.5kg/5lb jumps should be made. A table to the side of the platform is there to submit attempts after your lift is done. 
8. How winners are chosen. - the largest total in the age and weight class wins. In meets where you are the only one in your division, sometimes a DOTS score and age coefficient is used to more accurately compare lifters in all divisions.
9. The evening before should be as restful as possible
10. Do not ingest anything you don’t regularly eat or drink the morning of your meet. You don’t want a dip in energy or tummy troubles while you are on the platform.