So-you-want-to-compete

How to compete in a strength sport

First things first, get stronger every day. If one want to compete in a strength sport the motivation must be to see where you stand against other strength athletes. It is easy to be stronger than most athletes. If strength is important to you compare yourself to strength athletes. Strength sports are powerlifting, weightlifting, and field events in track and field. The world’s strongest man/woman events are also strength sports. Strength events involve one repetition at a time. Running a marathon is influenced directly by strength but is not a strength sport as many other factors contribute to success.

Powerlifting

Powerlifting involves the squat, bench press, and deadlift in competition. One must complete one of three attempts in each event successfully to complete the competition or meet. The smallest attempts precede the greater attempts. In powerlifting there is a flight system. What this means is each lifter attempts their weight and then the heavier attempts are done. First attempts are completed, by all lifters, before second attempts are done. Weightlifting does this differently.

In general, one’s first attempt should be relatively easy. When I competed some told me the opener should be a weight you have done a triple with. There is science on this depending on how well you want to compete. Some are focused on making a certain weight. Others may want to go nine for nine and reach a certain total. My advice is make your first attempt and get in the competition. Go for a competition record on your second attempt. If you make the record go for broke on the third attempt. This way if you miss the second attempt you can go after it again on your third. One of my coaches told me to break people’s heart on my openers. Make them understand that they are battling for second place as soon as you have lifted. He was a sports psychologist.

Squats are technical. After weigh-ins the rack height is set. While you are on the platform choose a focal landmark on the wall opposite the platform. Fix your gaze on this landmark during each squat. This point will be different for deadlifts. Lifters take the weight from the rack and move out to the position safest for lifter and spotters. Clear of the racks. The head judge gives the squat signal indicating you have displayed control of the weight and the lifter may descend. Once the squat signal has been given do not move your feet or allow the bar to go unbalanced. They may disallow the lift.  The depth of the squat is the position with the

Squat deeply!

crease of the hips below the top of the knees. Do not stop in this position. Once the lifter has achieved depth ascend immediately and powerfully to the standing position in one continuous movement. The most important advice I give anyone is display control of the weight at all times. If you stop on the way up the judges may disallow the lift. Stand strong just as you will in life. Once standing fully erect, with the hips under the shoulders, wait for the rack signal from the judge. Then place the weight back in the rack. Each lifter is allowed three attempts on the squat. Choosing attempts is strategic. I may want to change my attempts and disrupt another lifters preparations. Have your coach choose your attempts.

Bench pressing is technical also. Rack height is set after weigh in also. Get someone competent to help with a lift off from the rack. Do not take the weight out of the rack alone. The shoulders will certainly not be set suitably. This should be covered in training. Once you have displayed control of the weight the press signal is given. Do not move your hips, feet, head or upper back once this signal has been given. Lower the weight to the chest and come to a complete stop, always displaying control. Some federations give a press signal on the chest and some do not. Either way, have someone qualified give a press signal and do not press until you have displayed control on the chest. Press the weight to arms-length and wait for a rack signal. Place the bar back in the rack and stand up.

The deadlift is relatively simple technically. I have seen some terrible lifts passed in competitions.  The bar is on the platform. The lifter is allowed to lift after their name has been called. There is no start or lift signal. Stand up with the weight, continually, until fully erect. The shoulders are directly over the hips and the

shoulders are back. Once again, display control of the weight. Do not put the weight down until the head judge gives the down signal audibly and with the hand.

Powerlifting was born of the assistance movements for weightlifting. Since they separated rules have changed from one sport to the other. Weight classes are similar. Order is expected. A lifter’s total will determine where they finish. Awards are given to the top three lifters in each weight class. A best lifter is given to the lifter with the best total relative to their body weight. The coefficients used to determine best lifter are in favor of heavier lifters. Compete to out-perform your best lifts. Be happy when you finish a competition. Most first time lifters miss a lift for some reason or another. Be happy and learn.

Weightlifting

Weightlifting is often called Olympic style weightlifting. It involves two lifts, the snatch (one part), then the clean and jerk (two parts). Like powerlifting lifters are allowed three attempts on each discipline. The timing is similar for competitions. The approach is more similar than most weightlifting coaches appreciate. Display control of the weight. In weightlifting the small weights are completed before the heavier weight are even loaded. If my third attempt is 100, and the eventual class winner is opening at 120, I will be done on that lift before he starts. This is different than the flights in powerlifting. Either way the bar starts on the platform and finishes overhead for “both lifts”.

Attempts should be made with regard to one’s philosophy. Once again, there is science regarding attempts. Use the science or not. It is your choice. Weightlifters typically make smaller increases from one attempt to the next than powerlifters. One of my athletes once wanted to make a certain weight on his third attempt. I gave the number to the judge and he looked at me and asked if I was sure. He made a seven kilogram increase from the second to third attempt. He made the lift. This is out of the ordinary for weightlifters. Weightlifting is more technical than powerlifting. Do not allow anyone to tell you differently.

The snatch starts on the platform. The lifter approaches the weight. In weightlifting, if the bar has not passed

the knees the attempt has not started. The clock has started and will not stop until the lift is started as the bar passes the knees. If a lifter has not done something ritualistically enough and does not pass the knees they may set it down, reorganize, and continue, time permitting. Once the bar is loaded and the clock begins lifters have one minute to start the lift. The bar travels from the platform to arm’s length overhead in one continuous movement. The arms may not bend after the weight has been received. This is called a press out. The best snatches are received in a full squat. Above the powerlifting squat depth is considered a power snatch. There

is someone online stating that a power snatch is from a hang position and a snatch is from the floor. This is incorrect. The snatch is received, or caught, in a full squat. The power snatch is received in an above parallel squat. The power snatch is legal in competition. The muscle snatch is not legal in competition. The lifter must squat to receive the weight overhead. There are no rules regarding the depth of this squat. A change of direction is required. A power snatch is not as efficient but it is legal. Once caught at arm’s length the lifter stands and displays control of the weight until the down signal is given. Hold the bar until the bar passes your chest, now. It used to be until the weight passed your waist. This is how I coach the lift. Bumper plates are expensive and they will last longer if we control them more on the way down.

The clean and jerk is a two part lift. The clean starts with the weight on the platform and ends with the bar on the front of the shoulders. Until 1964 the bar had to travel to the shoulders “cleanly” not touching the lifter en route. This rule was changed and all of the records have changed as a result. The bar is now allowed to “brush the thighs” on the way up. Biomechanically this is great. It keeps the weight closer to the center of the system. It also gives lifters a few milliseconds to “rest” the bar on the thighs. Both factors are favorable for lifting heavier weights.

Once the bar has been secured on the shoulders the lifter jerks the weight to arm’s length. The dip and drive motivates the weight off of the shoulders. The weight may not be oscillated on the shoulders. This means there is no repetitive bouncing the weight before it leaves the shoulders. Standing erect the lifter descends briefly and reverses powerfully motivating the weight. Once the bar is travelling lifters rearrange the feet and catch the bar at arm’s length re-bending the knees to secure the weight. Some squat and some split the feet in a lunge-like position. This is actually where the lungs, as an exercise, was born. Most people split the feet. One foot forward of the other. There are no depth requirements just a re-bending of the knees.  Once the bar is secured overhead the lifter must return the feet to parallel with one another, side by side.  Wait for the down signal and lower the weight to the platform, holding until past the chest or hips, and only after receiving the signal.

Field events

I am not a shot putter. I am not a long jumper. I have never coached these movements aside from a middle school physical education class. The motivation is the same as weightlifting and powerlifting events. Produce a maximal force in the correct position and the greatest resultant value wins. Strength built in the weight room will improve performances if coaches are communicating amongst departments.

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