Powerlifting Series: What It Is and How Competitions Work

May is gearing up to be a big month for our Resilient Fitness (RF) Powerlifting Team as they prepare to compete at the 2026 USPA Ultra Nationals in Anaheim, CA later this month.  Our four athletes have been training hard and are getting closer to showcasing their skills on a national stage.  But what exactly is the sport of powerlifting?  Is powerlifting done recreationally or do you have to compete?  And what goes into a competition anyway?  Let’s break it down!

WHAT IS POWERLIFTING?

Powerlifting is a strength sport centered around three barbell lifts:

1. Squat

2. Bench Press

3. Deadlift

   
   

The goal is simple: lift the heaviest possible weight for one repetition in each lift. Your best successful attempt in each lift gets added together for a final total.  Unlike bodybuilding, powerlifting is not judged on appearance or muscle definition. It’s about measurable strength, technical execution, and consistency under pressure.  Powerlifting is practiced recreationally by many people who never compete, but it’s also a highly organized competitive sport with local meets all the way up to international championships.  

HOW DOES COMPETITIVE POWERLIFTING WORK?

To compete in powerlifting, athletes must first register with a weightlifting federation.  While there are various weightlifting federations, the RF Powerlifting Team are members of the United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) and participate in meets organized and hosted by USPA-approved gyms. Athletes are then divided into separate categories depending on:

• Raw or full-power: “Raw” powerlifting means you are using minimal personal equipment for support (such as weightlifting belts, knee/elbow sleeves, and wrist wraps). “Full power” powerlifting allows for more supportive personal equipment options, such as knee wraps, bench shirts, or compressive suits. 

• Tested or untested: In “tested” competitions, athletes agree to adhere to drug-free standards and may be subjected to random drug testing if they set any local, national, or international records. “Untested” divisions do not perform or require drug-testing.

• Age-Groups or open: Athletes can select to compete against only others in their age group and/or in an “open” division, meaning they are competing against everyone in their weight class regardless of age. Athletes can choose to compete in BOTH age-group and open categories.   

• Weight class: ALL athletes must select a weight class to compete in; all the athletes in one weight class compete against each other for the greatest total weight lifted. USPA weight classes range from 52kg - 140.1+kg for men and 44kg - 110+kg for women. The athlete’s total weight lifted will be compared to their body weight for an overall score. 

  
  

Athletes then have three attempts per each barbell lift with the heaviest successful lift in each counted towards the total amount lifted for the day.  Athletes begin with three squat attempts, then three bench attempts, and finally end with three deadlift attempts.  Each lift has slightly different requirements and commands to count as a “legal” lift.  The lifter MUST wait for the commands or the lift does not count; any movement that happens outside of the commands can disqualify an attempt.  These are:

• For Squats: For the squat to count as legal, the lifter must squat low enough that their hip crease is at the same depth as the knee crease. The lifter must listen for two commands: “squat” to begin the movement and “rack” to return the bar to the barbell rack.

• For Bench Press: Lifters can request a “lift off” (literally lifting the bar off of the rack and into the athlete’s hands) from their own personal coach to start the bench press.  The athlete’s butt, shoulders, and feet must remain in contact with the bench/ground throughout the lift. Lifters must then listen for the commands: “start” to begin, “press” once the bar makes contact with the chest, and “rack” to return the bar to the barbell rack.

• For Deadlifts: Lifters only receive one command for the deadlift: “down” at the top of the movement. Referees must see that the lifter is completely locked out at the top portion of the deadlift before they will give the “down” command.

  
  

Athletes are monitored during each lift by referees who are watching them from three separate angles: one in front and one on either side of the lifting platform. If a lift is legal from the referee’s perspective, they will give a white light.  If the lift is illegal, they will give a red light.  Lifters need at least two out of three white lights from the referees in order for the lift to count. The athlete must complete at least one attempt in each powerlift in order to move on in the competition. So, for example, if an athlete fails all three of their squat attempts, they are eliminated from the competition and do not compete in bench press or deadlifts. 

Local meets are where most powerlifters start their competition journeys.  Because the amount of athletes competing at each meet varies, athletes are often broken up into flights of 8-14 lifters each.  Women's flights will always be first, followed by mixed gender and men's flights.  Flights are broken up according to gender and weight class, with lighter weight classes and women competing first.  Additionally, some local competitions are qualifiers for larger regional or national competitions.  The upcoming USPA Nationals are filled with athletes who have earned specific totals during local competitions that have qualified them to participate in a National competition. 

After all the lifts are completed for the day, the judges take the top heaviest attempt in each lift, add up the total, and give each lifter a Dynamic Objective Team Scoring (DOTS) Score that relates to the athlete’s bodyweight.  A DOTS score is a formula used in powerlifting to compare lifters of different bodyweights more fairly.  Without a formula like DOTS, heavier lifters would almost always win because larger people can generally lift more absolute weight. DOTS adjusts for bodyweight so a lighter lifter with exceptional relative strength can compete meaningfully against a heavier lifter.  In practical terms, it answers this question:  “How impressive is this total relative to the lifter’s bodyweight?”  At the end of the competition, medals are awarded to the athletes who have the highest DOTS score in their respective age and weight classes. 

HAVE OUR ATHLETES DONE ALL THAT?

The short answer: YES!  The longer answer: YES, multiple times! 

All four of our athletes going to Nationals– Annette Acuna, Marc Robinson, Marcy Gonzales, and Emma LaPointe– have all competed in local competitions and earned DOTS scores high enough to qualify for Nationals. Annette, Marc, and Emma are competing at Nationals for the second year in a row while Marcy joins the team this year for her first National competition.  Our athletes have been consistently training and preparing for months and the time is finally here to show off.  We encourage our community to rally behind our RF Powerlifting Team as they represent RF on a national stage. 

Stay tuned for news about an upcoming fundraiser and ways you can show your support for our four dedicated lifters!