PRESENTATION THE SPORT OF IBSA POWERLIFTING
IBSA Powerlifting is a strength sport, consisting 3 lifts :
1- Squat 2- Bench Press 3- Deadlift
Powerlifting resembles the sport of Olympic Weightlifting, as both disciplines involve lifting weights in three attempts.
A powerlifting competition takes place as follows:
Each competitor is allowed three attempts on each lift . The lifter’s best valid attempt on each lift counts toward his competition total. If two or more lifters achieve the same total, the lighter lifter ranks above the heavier lifter.
Competitors are judged against other lifters of the same gender, weight classes, and age categories.
THE THREE POWERLIFTS
1- Squat
The lift starts with the lifter standing erect and the bar loaded with weights resting on the lifter's shoulders. At the referee's command the lift begins. The lifter bends his knees and lowers himself into a squatting position with the hips slightly below parallel position. The lifter returns to an erect position. At the referees command the bar is returned to the rack and the lift is completed.
2- Bench Press:
With his or her back resting on the bench, the lifter takes the loaded bar at arm's length. At the referee's command the powerlifter lowers the bar to the chest. On the chest there must be a one second pause. Afterwards the powerlifter pushes the weight up until the arms are straight and the elbows locked. Then the referee will call 'Rack' and the lift is completed as the weight is retuned to the rack.
3- Deadlift :
In the deadlift the athlete grasps the loaded bar which is resting on the platform floor. The powerlifter pulls the weights off the floor and assumes an erect position. The knees must be locked and the shoulders back, with the weight held in the lifters's grip. At the referees command the bar will be returned to the floor under the control of the lifter.
CAUSES FOR DISQUALIFUICATION OF A SQUAT
1-Failure to observe the Chief Referee’s signals at the commencement or completion of a lift.
2-Double bouncing at the bottom of the lift, or any downward movement during the ascent.
3-Failure to assume an upright position with the knees locked at the commencement or completion of the lift.
4-Stepping backward or forward although lateral movement of the sole and rocking the feet between the ball and heel is permitted.
5-Failure to bend the knees and lower the body until the top surface of the legs at the hip joint are lower than the top of the knees, as in the diagram.
6-Any movement of the bar on the back more than the diameter / thickness of the bar below its starting position.
7-Contact with the bar or the lifter by the spotter / loaders between the Chief Referee’s signals in order to make the lift easier.
8- Contact of the elbows or upper arms with the legs. Slight contact is permitted if there is no supporting that might aid the lifter.
9- Any dropping or dumping of the bar after completion of the lift.
10- Failure to comply with any of the items outlined under Rules of Performance for the squat.
CAUSES FOR DISQUALIFUICATION OF A BENCH PRESS
1. Failure to observe the Chief Referee’s signals at the commencement, during, or completion of the lift.
2. Any change in the elected lifting position during the lift proper i.e. any raising movement of the head, shoulders, or buttocks, from the bench, or movement of the feet on the floor / blocks / plates / or lateral movement of hands on the bar.
3. Heaving, or sinking the bar into the chest after it is motionless in such a way as to make the lift easier.
4. Any pronounced / exaggerated uneven extension of the arms during the lift.
5. Any downward movement of the bar in the course of being pressed out.
6. Failure to press the bar to full extension of the arms at the completion of the lift.
7. Contact with the bar or the lifter by the spotter / loaders between the Chief Referee’s signals, in order to make the lift easier.
8. Any contact of the lifter’s feet with the bench or its supports.
9. Deliberate contact between the bar and the bar rests support.
10. Failure to comply with any of the items outlined under the Rules of Performance.
CAUSES FOR DISQUALIFUICATION OF A DEADLIFT
1-Any downward movement of the bar before it reaches the final position.
2- Failure to stand erect with the shoulders back.
3- Failure to lock the knees straight at the completion of the lift.
4-Supporting the bar on the thighs during the performance of the lift. If the bar edges up the thigh but is not supported this is not reason for disqualification. The lifter should benefit in all decisions of doubt made by the referee.
5-Stepping backward or forward, although lateral movement of the feet or rocking of the feet between ball and heel is permitted.
6-Lowering the bar before receiving the Chief Referee’s signal.
7-Allowing the bar to return to the platform without maintaining control with both hands, i.e. : releasing the bar from the palms of the hand.
8- Failure to comply with any of the items outlined under Rules of Performance.
WEIGHING IN
1. Weighing in of the competitors must take place no earlier than two hours before the start of the competition for a particular category/categories. All lifters in the category/categories must attend the weigh in, which will be carried out in the presence of two/three appointed referees. Weight categories may be combined in a single lifting session.
2. If not already done, lots will be drawn to establish the order of weigh in. The lots drawn also establish the order of lifting throughout the competition when lifters require the same weights for their attempts.
3. The weigh in period will last one and a half hours.
4. The weigh in for each competitor will be carried out in a room with the door closed, with only the competitor, his coach or manager and the two/three referees present. For reason of hygiene the lifter should wear socks / paper towel on scales platform.for reason of hygine ,the lifter should wear socks/paper towel on scale plateform.
5- Lifters may be weighed nude or in underwear.
ORDER OF COMPETITION
At the weigh in, the lifter or his coach must declare a starting weight for all three lifts. These must be entered on the appropriate first attempt card.
Each lifter will take his first attempt in the first round, his second attempt in the second round and his third attempt in the third round.
Where 10 or more lifters are competing in a session, groups may be formed consisting of approximately equal numbers of lifters. However, groups must be formed when 15 or more lifters are competing in the same session
Grouping shall be determined by examining the lifters’ best totals achieved at national or international level during the previous twelve months. The lifters with the lowest totals will form the first group to lift with progressively higher totals forming further groups as necessary.
IBSA Powerlifting sub-committee with co-operation and assistance of the organizer will appoint the following officials:
(a) Speaker/Announcer, preferably an international referee
(b) Technical Secretary: an International Referee
(c) Time Keeper
(d) Marshals/Expeditors
(e) Scorering manager.
(f) Spotters/Loaders
REFEREES
The referees shall be three in number, the Chief Referee or Center Referee and two side referees.
The Chief Referee is responsible for giving the necessary signals for all three lifts.
Once the bar has been replaced in the racks or on the platform at the
completion of the lift, the referees will announce their decisions by means of the lights: white for
a “good lift” and red for “no lift”. The cards will then be raised to indicate the reason for the “no
lift”.
BRIEF HISTORY OF POWERLIFTING
Powerlifting started in the mid 1950s in the USA and Great Britain .
In those early days the lifts were the Biceps curl, Bench Press and Squat in that order.
The Rules were lax and different slightly between the two nations.
Around 1968 , the biceps curl was replaced by the dead lift and the order of competitions was
changed to that used today : squat , Bench Press and dead lift.
The first of the world team championships took place in America in 1971, but they were not
officially recognized until 1973, when the International Powerlifting Federation was formed.
In 1977 came the formation of the European Powerlifting Federation and since 1979 women
have competed at all levels.
BLIND POWERLIFTING HISTORY
§ Powerlifting competitions for the Blind began in early 1980’s in Australia, Canada, Great Britain and the USA.
§ Competitions in these countries were held with National results and records exchanged between the four participating countries.
§ On April 16th 1988,the first world Cup of Powerlifting was staged in Ottawa Canada. Fourty one (41) lifters participated in this meet with men’s and women’s open , masters category competitions taking place under international Powerlifting Federation (IPF) rules.
§ On April 6th & 7th 1990 ,The second World Cup of Powerlifting was held in Riverside, California, USA.
§ The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) hosted this competition.The third World Championship was Staged in Perth ,Australia on April 11th & 12th 1992.
§ In following years,World Championships were held under auspices of an independent International Blind Powerlifting Federation (IBPF),in association with the IPF.
§ They were held as follows : 1993 Ottawa ,Canada;1994 Marbella, Spain;1995 Colorado springs,USA;1996Edmonton ,Canada;1997 Colorado Springs, USA; and in 1999 Kitchener, Canada.
§ With new millennium came a shift from a separate Blind Powerlifting Federation, to being a technical sub-committee of International Blind sports association (IBSA).
§ As such .there have been World Championships held as follows :
§ 2000 Arnhem Netherlands
§ 2002 Ceske Budejovice,Czech Republic
§ 2003 Quebec ,Canada (IBSA World Games)
§ 2005 Ceske Budejovice,Czech Republic
§ 2007 Sao Paulo,Brazil (IBSA World Games)
§ 2007 IBSA World Bench-Press championship - Budejovice,Czech Republic
§ 2008 IBSA World Powerlifting & Bench-Press cahmpionships– Miami, USA
§ 2009 IBSA World Powerlifting & Bench-Press cahmpionships– Miami, USA