First time meet? Here are a few things to consider as you prepare:

TIMING!

• REGISTRATION: You will check in with the registration table, present your Photo ID and your USA Powerlifting Card. You will then get a Lifter Card, you will take this card with you to weigh-ins.  (Note, you can’t weigh in until you have this card, therefore registration begins 30 minutes prior to weigh-ins).
• RACK HEIGHTS: While waiting to weigh in, get your rack heights for both squat and bench.  You will want to have this written on your Lifter Card
• OPENING ATTEMPTS: In PENCIL write your opening attempts on your card in KILOS (remember, opening attempts can be changed up to 3 minutes prior to the start of your flight if needed)
  • When converting your pounds to kilos, kilo weights must be in 2.5kg increments, so be prepared to round up or down. (i.e., want to open with 160lbs?  You will need to either put down 72.5kg or round down to 70kg or up to 75kg)
• WEIGH-INS: Bring your Photo ID and Lifter Card.  Wear something easy to take off for weigh-ins, there are lifters waiting, so the quicker you (and your fellow competitors) can get in and out of the weigh-ins, the faster you can eat and prepare for your competition.
• GEAR CHECK: Your lifting gear (singlets, t-shirts, knee sleeves, etc.) will be inspected and approved prior to the start of the competition

PERSONAL EQUIPMENT:

• Singlet
• T-shirt (either blank or with an approved logo, like Titan, Inzer, SBD) – Bring an extra
• Underwear
• Lifting belt
• Knee sleeves
• Knee socks
• Lifting shoes (Squat and Deadlift)
• Wrist wraps
• Chalk (provided, but it’s good to have your own)
• Baby powder (deadlifts)
• Towel

MISCELLANEOUS:

• **USA Powerlifting MEMBERSHIP CARD** (print it, sign it, and bring it to the meet – You can show it on your SmartPhone too)
• Photo ID
• Opening Attempts (in kilos)
• iPod/music
• Food/drinks
  • Bring snacks for the entire day. You will want to eat between disciplines, keep fueling the body.
• Lbs. to kg table (Kilo Conversion Chart)

REVIEW THE RULEBOOK!

• Knowledge is power! Take some time to read through the USA Powerlifting Technical Rules, this only benefits you as a lifter to know what you can and can’t do!
• Review (and practice) commands for each lift:
• Squat: Squat/Rack
• Bench: Start/Press/Rack
• Dead: Down
• Attempts: You will turn in your next attempt immediately following your exit from the platform.  Remember, you can go up, stay the same (in the event you missed an attempt) or decline another attempt).  You cannot go ‘down’ if you miss an attempt (open confident!)
• Lifting: You have 60 seconds to get the Start command once the bar is loaded, be ready!

END OF MEET:

• We drug test! Do not leave the meet until an announcement has been made that the athletes have been selected for testing.  Failure to be present when requested will be considered a failure.  If you have to leave, please check in with the meet director first.
• Did you set an American Record? We need a copy of your Photo ID and for you to sign your Record Claim Form.
• Awards are given at the end of the day! Stick around for your individual award, best lifter awards and the group photo at the end.

TOOLS:

• Meet DayTips (PDF version)
• From a lifter’s perspective: My Very First Powerlifting Meet
• Attempt Spreadsheet Template: http://carolinapowerlifting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/MEET-CARD-TEMPLATE.xls