For your first meet — pick the closest local meet with the lowest barrier to entry. The federation matters less than just getting on the platform.
Once you've competed once, you'll know exactly which fed you want to stay in. Don't overthink it before you've experienced it.
The Main Federations (USA)
Drug tested only. IPF affiliate — the international standard. Strictest rules and equipment standards. Most competitive and most prestigious. Equipment must be on the IPF approved list. Great meets, great organization, a bit more serious atmosphere.
usapowerlifting.com →Tested and untested divisions. Very popular, lots of local meets. Less strict on equipment than USAPL. Good choice if you want flexibility on gear or aren't sure about the tested/untested question yet. Wide range of meet sizes.
uspa.net →More beginner friendly. Smaller feds with local meets, relaxed equipment rules, welcoming atmosphere. Good entry points if you just want to compete without dealing with strict equipment check. Less prestige, more accessibility.
Drug tested, natural focus. Lifetime drug-free federation with its own testing standards. Smaller and more community-oriented. Good if natural competition specifically is important to you.
nasa-sports.com →Before you buy gear. Before you register. Before you decide on openers. The rulebook tells you exactly what's legal — depth standards, approved equipment, commands, and every cause for a red light. Most first-meet problems are rulebook problems. Every federation publishes it for free on their website. There's no excuse not to know it cold by meet day.
How to Register
Find a local meet
Most feds list upcoming meets on their website. Search for meets in your state 8–12 weeks out. Give yourself enough time to prepare without rushing.
Create a membership account
Every federation requires an annual membership before you can register for a meet. Usually $30–60/year. Do this first — registration won't go through without it.
Register for the meet
Meet registration is separate from membership. Usually $75–120. Pay early — meets fill up and some have a max number of lifters.
Confirm your weight class
You register in a weight class based on your competition weight. Make sure you know which class you're in and roughly where your bodyweight will be on meet day.
Read the meet info packet
Every meet sends out an info sheet with the schedule, venue address, weigh-in time, and equipment rules. Read it. All of it. Most first-meet confusion comes from not reading this.
IPF / USAPL Weight Classes
| Men (kg) | Women (kg) |
|---|---|
| 59 kg (130 lbs) | 47 kg (103 lbs) |
| 66 kg (145 lbs) | 52 kg (114 lbs) |
| 74 kg (163 lbs) | 57 kg (125 lbs) |
| 83 kg (183 lbs) | 63 kg (138 lbs) |
| 93 kg (205 lbs) | 69 kg (152 lbs) |
| 105 kg (231 lbs) | 76 kg (167 lbs) |
| 120 kg (264 lbs) | 84 kg (185 lbs) |
| 120+ kg (SHW) | 84+ kg (SHW) |
Weight Classes Vary by Federation
USPA, RPS, and other feds sometimes use different weight class cutoffs. Always check the specific meet's rulebook. The weight classes listed above are IPF/USAPL standard.
Mandatory. Must be a one-piece lifting singlet — no shorts and shirt. In USAPL/IPF it must be on the approved equipment list. Buy it from a known brand (Titan, SBD, A7, Inzer) to be safe. Wear a t-shirt underneath — also required in most feds.
Mandatory. Your shins must be covered during the deadlift — protects the bar and your skin. Knee-high socks work. Some people use long socks, some wear compression sleeves. The rule is: shin must be covered at lockout.
Required but your choice. Squat: heeled squat shoes (Adidas Powerlift, Nike Romaleos) or flat shoes (Converse, Vans). Deadlift: flat and thin — deadlift slippers, Converse, or bare socks if allowed. Many people use one pair for everything.
Worn under the singlet. Must be plain or a generic brand — no offensive graphics. Short sleeve or sleeveless. Some feds have rules about collar style. When in doubt, plain white or black t-shirt, no logo.
Highly recommended. Must be a single-prong or lever belt — no double prong in IPF. Maximum 10cm width for IPF; check your fed's rules. Must be on the approved list for USAPL. Lever belts are faster to put on and take off between lifts — useful on meet day.
Neoprene sleeves are allowed in most raw divisions. IPF-approved only for USAPL. Maximum 7mm thickness. Provide warmth, support, and a small amount of bounce out of the hole. Not required — don't buy them just for your first meet if you haven't trained in them.
Allowed in most raw divisions. Maximum 1m length in IPF. Provide wrist support on the squat and bench. Only use them if you've trained in them — meet day is not the time to break in new gear.
Usually available at the meet, but bring your own block just in case. Used on the hands for deadlift and bench, sometimes on the back for squat. Check if liquid chalk is allowed — some venues restrict it.
Equipment Check — What to Expect
When you arrive at the meet, there's a designated equipment check area. Bring everything you plan to use — singlet, belt, sleeves, wraps, shoes. Officials will verify each item against the approved list and mark it with tape or a stamp. This happens once. After check, you're cleared to use that gear on the platform.
- Arrive early enough to get checked before the session starts
- Have your equipment easily accessible — don't bury it in your bag
- If you're competing in USAPL, verify every item against the IPF approved list before the meet
- When in doubt about a piece of gear, email the meet director in advance
Reduce volume significantly. Keep the weights similar but do far fewer sets. You're not building fitness this week — you're arriving fresh. No new exercises. No testing maxes. No grinding reps. The meet IS the test.
Lay out everything the night before. Singlet, t-shirt, socks, shoes, belt, sleeves, wraps, chalk, food bag, ID, membership card. Check that your singlet and belt are on the approved list. Do not do this the morning of.
Find the meet info sheet. What time is weigh-in? What time does lifting start? What flight are you in? Where is the venue? How long does it take to get there? Plan to arrive 15–20 minutes before weigh-in opens, not exactly at the cutoff.
Two nights before matters more than the night before. Nerves will keep most people up the night before the meet — that's normal and manageable. But going into the week sleep-deprived compounds everything. Prioritize it early.
Have your opening attempts decided before you walk into weigh-in. You'll be asked for them there. They should be weights you've hit easily, multiple times — not your best day numbers. Write them down in kilograms if the meet uses kg (most do).
Don't do anything different with food or water in the final days unless you're managing a small weight cut. Eat foods you know. Nothing new. Don't experiment with pre-workout or stimulants you haven't used before.
Two Types of Weigh-In
Weigh in the day before the meet or up to 24 hours before your session. Used at larger meets and most national-level competitions. Gives you time to rehydrate and refuel fully. If you cut weight, this is the format where it makes sense.
By far the most common at local and regional meets. You weigh in 2 hours before your session starts. You step on the scale, then you have 2 hours to eat, drink, and warm up. Most first meets use this format.
Show your ID
Bring a government-issued photo ID. You'll also need to show proof of federation membership — this is usually a card or a confirmation email on your phone.
Step on the scale
You weigh in with minimal clothing — singlet only or less, depending on how close to the cutoff you are. The official records your weight. If you're over, you have until weigh-in closes to come back and make weight.
Submit your opening attempts
Right there at the table, you'll be asked for your opening squat, bench, and deadlift. Give them a number in kilograms. Have these decided in advance. You can change them later before the lift starts — but have a number ready now.
Get your rack heights recorded
You'll be asked for your squat rack height and bench rack height. Know these numbers from your training gym. If you're unsure, you can ask to go try the competition platform before the session starts — most meets allow this.
Eat, drink, and settle in
You've made weight. Now eat your first real meal of the day, drink water, find your spot, and get organized. You have time. Don't rush into warming up immediately — let the food settle first.
How Attempts Work
You get 3 attempts per lift — squat, bench, deadlift. Your best successful attempt on each lift counts toward your total. If you miss an attempt, you can repeat it or increase it on the next attempt — you cannot go down from an attempt you've already taken.
After each lift, you have a short window (usually 1 minute) to submit your next attempt. If you don't submit, it automatically goes up by a small increment. Have your next attempt ready before you step off the platform.
The Numbers
85–90% of your true max at most. Ideally something you've hit for a triple in training. The goal of your opener is to get on the board, settle your nerves, and confirm you're in the meet. Do not open with a PR.
A solid, achievable lift. Usually 95–97% of your true max — something you've hit cleanly. This is where you set your competitive best. If your opener felt great, be conservative. If it felt hard, be very conservative.
Now you can chase a PR — but only if your second felt smooth. If your second was a grinder, repeat or add minimally. A meet PR is 3 white lights on any weight you haven't hit before. Even 0.5kg over your best counts.
How the Order Works
Lifters Go from Lightest to Heaviest Weight on the Bar
All lifters in your flight do their first squat attempt. The bar starts at the lowest weight anyone has submitted and goes up. When it reaches your weight, you lift. Once everyone finishes their first attempt, the bar resets to the lowest second-attempt weight and goes up again.
If you and another lifter submit the same weight, the lifter with the lower lot number (drawn at weigh-in) goes first. This matters for timing your warm-ups — know roughly what number you are in the order.
How Timing Works
The Rule of Thumb: Last Warm-Up 3–4 Lifters Before You
You want to finish your last warm-up set and walk to the platform with enough time to not cool down but not so much time that you've been standing around for 10 minutes. A good target is finishing your heaviest warm-up when there are about 3–4 lifters ahead of you in the order.
Someone needs to watch the scoreboard or the attempt board and count down for you. That's the job of a handler. If you don't have one, ask a friend to help or check the board yourself between sets.
Warm-Up Progression
Empty bar — movement prep
Get the pattern in. No rush here. Do this well before your first attempt is close.
Pyramid up to ~80% of your opener
Take 2–3 warm-up sets working up to roughly 75–80% of your opening weight. These should feel smooth, not hard.
One set at your opener or just below
Last warm-up: one single at or within 10–15kg of your opener. This should feel easy. If it doesn't, something is wrong with your opener — address it now, not on the platform.
Walk to staging
Put your belt on, put your sleeves on, chalk up, and walk toward the platform when you're called. Don't sit back down in the warm-up room after your last warm-up.
Warm-Up Room Tips
- Be polite and communicate — everyone is sharing equipment. Ask to work in, don't just take a rack.
- Warm up in your competition gear — belt, sleeves, shoes. The feel should be identical to the platform.
- Keep a small notebook or your phone with your planned warm-up weights. Brain fog is real on meet day.
- Don't warm up too early — if you finish 15 minutes before your first attempt, you'll cool down completely.
- Drink water between sets. Keep something small to snack on nearby.
The Commands — Know These Cold
The Lights
You need at least 2 out of 3 white lights to have the lift count. Three judges, each with a white and red light. Two or three whites = the lift is good.
Two or three red lights = the attempt doesn't count. You can repeat the weight or increase it on your next attempt — you cannot go lower than what you already attempted.
Common Reasons for Red Lights
- Not reaching depth — hip crease must break parallel to the top of the knee
- Moving the bar before the "squat" command
- Re-racking before the "rack" command
- Stepping forward or backward after unracking
- Not pausing the bar on your chest — any movement before "press"
- Pressing before the command
- Feet coming off the floor
- Butt leaving the bench
- Uneven lockout
- Re-racking before "rack"
- Not fully locking out — hips not fully through, knees not locked
- Lowering the bar before the "down" command
- Hitching — using your thigh to rest/re-grip the bar on the way up
- Dropping the bar instead of lowering it under control
What to Bring
- Rice cakes with peanut butter or honey
- Bananas, grapes, easy fruit
- Sandwiches — something you know sits well
- Protein bars
- Gummy bears or simple sugar for quick energy
- Water — bring more than you think
- Electrolyte drink (especially if you cut weight)
Right after you make weight, eat a proper meal. Not a snack — a real meal with carbs and protein. You have 2 hours before lifting starts. Eat early in that window, not 20 minutes before you squat.
Fine to use if you train with it. Don't change your usual routine. Some people do well with it between squat and bench — some don't. Know your own response. Don't drink so much that you're jittery on the platform.
What NOT to Do
- Don't try new foods or drinks on meet day
- Don't eat a huge meal right before a flight — you'll feel heavy and slow
- Don't skip eating between flights — you'll run out of energy by the deadlift
- Don't rely on venue food — most meets have limited options or nothing available
Coached Meet Prep
If you want someone to handle attempt selection, warm-up timing, and everything in between — that's what a meet-day handler does. Online coaching with full meet prep support. St. Louis based, worldwide remote.