At a powerlifting meet, only good lifts count. Three referees judge every lift and show with a white or red light whether it’s good. With at least two white lights, your attempt counts. Below you can read what they look for on each lift, which weight classes there are and what you can and can’t wear.
The meet in short
- First all the squats, then all the bench presses, then all the deadlifts.
- You get three attempts per lift. Your heaviest good attempt counts.
- After an attempt, you hand in your next weight within 60 seconds. It can’t be lower than your previous attempt.
- Your total is the sum of your best squat, bench and deadlift. Miss all three attempts on one lift and you don’t get a total.
Squat
You take the bar out of the rack and wait for the head referee to give the “squat” command. Then you go down until the top of your legs at the hip is lower than the top of your knees. After that you come back up, without a double bounce, until you’re standing upright. Only on the “rack” command do you put the bar back.
Bench press
You lie on the bench with your head, shoulders and glutes on the bench and your feet flat on the floor. After the “start” command you lower the bar to your chest. You hold it still until you hear “press”, then press it up until your arms are locked out. On “rack” you put it back.
Deadlift
There’s no start command on the deadlift. You lift the bar off the floor in one movement until you’re standing upright with your knees locked and your shoulders back. The bar can’t drop on the way up and you can’t rest it on your thighs. On “down” you lower it under control, with your hands on the bar.
Weight classes
You lift in the class that matches your bodyweight at the weigh-in. The weigh-in is on the day of the meet, usually two hours before the start. These are the IPF classes:
Men
| Class | Bodyweight |
|---|---|
| -53 kg | up to and including 53 kg (sub-juniors and juniors only) |
| -59 kg | up to and including 59 kg |
| -66 kg | 59.01 up to and including 66 kg |
| -74 kg | 66.01 up to and including 74 kg |
| -83 kg | 74.01 up to and including 83 kg |
| -93 kg | 83.01 up to and including 93 kg |
| -105 kg | 93.01 up to and including 105 kg |
| -120 kg | 105.01 up to and including 120 kg |
| +120 kg | from 120.01 kg |
Women
| Class | Bodyweight |
|---|---|
| -43 kg | up to and including 43 kg (sub-juniors and juniors only) |
| -47 kg | up to and including 47 kg |
| -52 kg | 47.01 up to and including 52 kg |
| -57 kg | 52.01 up to and including 57 kg |
| -63 kg | 57.01 up to and including 63 kg |
| -69 kg | 63.01 up to and including 69 kg |
| -76 kg | 69.01 up to and including 76 kg |
| -84 kg | 76.01 up to and including 84 kg |
| +84 kg | from 84.01 kg |
Source: IPF Technical Rule Book. Which classes apply at a given meet is listed with the meet itself.
Age categories
These categories apply at Dutch national championships:
- Sub-juniors: from your 14th birthday up to and including the year you turn 18.
- Juniors: from the year you turn 19 up to and including the year you turn 23.
- Open: everyone, no age limit.
- Students: aged 17 to 24 inclusive on 1 January of the competition year, with student status.
- Masters: for older lifters, in age groups set by the IPF rules.
Classic or equipped
In classic (also called raw) you lift without supportive gear. You can use a belt, neoprene knee sleeves and wrist wraps. In equipped you can also wear a squat suit, a bench shirt and knee wraps. They give extra support, so the weights are higher. In the Netherlands, classic is by far the most popular.
All the kit you wear at an IPF meet has to be on the IPF’s approved list. Check that before you buy a new belt or new sleeves.
What to wear at a meet
At an official meet you wear a singlet, a crew-neck T-shirt underneath, socks and indoor sports shoes. Knee-high socks are compulsory for the deadlift. Beginner meets are a bit more relaxed: a singlet isn’t required there. Want to know exactly what a referee does? Our articles cover the referee’s role in more detail.
Doping
Powerlifting in the KNKF and the IPF is drug-free. In the Netherlands, the Doping Authority (Dopingautoriteit) does the testing, and that can happen at any meet. Before you compete, you complete the Doping Authority’s free e-learning. If you use medication that’s on the doping list, you apply for an exemption in advance.
Sources: IPF Technical Rule Book, KNKF beginners’ handbook and KNKF anti-doping. When in doubt, the official rule book always takes precedence.