SPORTS ACADEMY

BELGRADE
SUBJECT: English 2
TERM PAPER TITLE: POWERLIFTING
STUDENT: Milo!i" Al#s$n%$&
INDE' NUMBER: ()

Powerlifting
Powerlifting is a strength sport, more specifically an absolute strength sport. Its roots
are in the traditions of strength training that strech back to the Roman and Greek times.
Since the beginning of time, people have tried to lift heavy objects, so powerlifting is
something natural it is in the nature of humans to aim to be big and strong, and display
their strength, it!s something primal. In this essay we will talk about the history of
powerlifting and it!s rules.
Powerlifting as a sport was established in the "nited States in #$%&s, as an evolution
from an activity 'it wasn!t really a sport( called )odd lifts*. +dd lifts, as the name says,
are some uncommon e,ercises that aren!t seen too often. It was something similar to
today!s sport called )strongman*. -here was a lot of lifts in the original odd lifts
competitions, and each of them had a record weight in over #& weight classes, which
were all tracked. It was complicated to track that much lifts, since there was over twenty,
so they standardised it to the main three lifts, and that is how the sport of powerlifting
was born. -here are people that still compete in the odd lifts, and there is even an
association, )+dd .ifts Strength /ssociation*, which currently tracks 0% odd lifts.
1odern powerlifting consists of three e,ercises2lifts3the s4uat, the bench press, and
the deadlift./n athlete chooses the weights he2she will try to lift and gets three attempts
at every lift and even a fourth if it!s a world record attempt.-he best lifts are added up to
form a total, which is the final number that determines the success of the lifter. If they
don!t complete any of the three lifts in three attempts, they are dis4uallified, and in
powerlifting slang, it!s called )bombing out*. So it!s important to be well rounded and
stong in all three lifts.
-here are a lot of weight categories3 for men it!s %$2552672892$92#&%2#0&2#0&: kg
classes, and for women it!s 762%02%6259260287287: kg classes.
-here are over fifteen powerlifting federations, and that is not good, since every
federation has different rules, and that!s the major problem of powerlifting, this lack of
standardi;ation is the main problem of powerlifting. <ecause of that, powerlifting can!t
4ualify to be an +lympic event, and as it is at the moment. Powerlifting is currently
divided into two categories3 raw or classic powerlifting and e4uipped powerlifting.

In true raw powerlifting no supportive gear is allowed. -his means no belts, no knee
wraps, only clothes and shoes. =owever, there comes the standardi;ation problem. /
lot of raw powerlifting federations allow belts, some of them even allow knee wraps,

which help the lifter a lot./ lifting belt and wraps can add up to #&& kilograms to a
person!s s4uat. -herefore, the true definition of raw lifting remains unclear.
In e4uipped powerlifting, the lifters are allowed to wear full supportive e4uipment that
help them a lot. -here are the s4uat suits, deadlift suits and bench shirts, which add a
lot of weight to a person!s lifts. >4uipped powerlifting has been an object of arguments
since it!s beginning. Raw powerlifters think of e4uipped lifting as cheating, since the
gear helps a lot, a good s4uat suit adds #&& kilograms. -he deadlift suit can range from
0& ? %& kilograms, bench shirts up to #&& kilograms. I personally don!t think that way,
because e4uipment adds a whole new dimension of skill to powerlifting. It takes years to
learn how to get the ma,imum out of e4uipment. It re4uires an e,treme techni4ue, a lot
more than lifting without the gear. If lifting with the gear were easy, every champion raw
lifter could gear up and become a champion in e4uipped powerlifting, but that is not the
case. It should be classified as two different sports, since as I have e,plained it re4uires
different aproach to training. -he lifts are the only standardi;ed thing, in every
federation. =ere are the rules3
The squat:
-he lift starts with the lifter standing erect and the bar loaded with weights resting on the
lifter@s shoulders. /t the referee@s command, the lift begins. -he lifter creates a break in
the hips, bends his knees, and drops into a s4uatting position with the hip crease 'the
top surface of the leg at the hip crease( below the top of the knee. -he lifter then returns
to an erect position. /t the referee@s command, the bar is returned to the rack and the lift
is completed.
The bench press:
Aith her or his back and glutes resting on the bench, the lifter takes the loaded bar at
his2hers arm@s length. -he lifter lowers the bar to the chest. Ahen the bar
becomes motionless on the chest, the referee gives a press command. -hen the
referee will call @Rack@ and the lift is completed as the weight is returned to the
rack.
The deadlift:
In the deadlift, the athlete grasps the loaded bar which is resting on the platform floor.
-he lifter pulls the weights off the floor and assumes an erect position. -he knees must

be locked and the shoulders back, with the weight held in the lifter@s grip. /t the
referee@s command the bar returnes to the floor under the control of the lifter.
/s you can see, powerlifting is a very complicated sport. /ll those weight classes,
divisions, and rules discourage people to get into powerlifting. -hat!s why powerlifting is
not mainstream and it is considered a bit of an underground sport. -here is a lot of
steroid abuse too, and that doesn!t help the sport either.
<ut friendships between us powerlifters are very strong and you could say we are a
big family and we always support our friends even if we compete against each other.
Powerlifting glossary3
Bompetition ? takmiCenje
Aeight class ? teDinska kategorija
Supportive e4uippment ? pomoEna oprema
<elt ? pojas
Fnee wraps ? ;avoji ;a kolena
S4uat ? CuCanj
<ench press ? potisak sa klupe
Geadlift ? mrtvo di;anje
Aeight rack ? stalak ;a tegove
Referee ? sudija
References3
http322en.wikipedia.org2wiki2Powerlifting
Sites about powerlifting and strength sports in general3
http322www.elitefts.net2
http322www.powerliftingHipf.com2

http322www.powerliftingwatch.com2
http322www.westsideHbarbell.com2