Power the key word in lifting event

September 16, 2016 · 0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Highland Powerlifting Club hosted the third Annual Orangeville Open Powerlifting Championships at the Athlete Institute on Saturday, September 10.

Thirty-four competitors from powerlifting clubs from across Ontario turned out for the sanctioned event.

There are two separate competitions.

The bench press only event gives a competitor three attempts to determine his or her total.

In the three-lift event, competitors take part in the squat, bench press, and the deadlift.

The squat requires the lifter to first stand with a weighted barbell across the shoulders, then squat down until the hips are below the tops of the knees before standing back up.

The bench press requires the lifter to lower the barbell to the chest and hold it until the referee gives the command to press it back up to arm’s length.

The deadlift is exactly how it sounds.

The competitor picks up the dead weight and lifts until they stand completely upright with their shoulders back.

The sport takes a lot of training to be able to get in shape for competition.

“We have competitors from all over Southern and Eastern Ontario,” said event organizer James Newton. “This is an open event. We have everyone from novice to advance athletes. You have to be a member of the Ontario Powerlifting Association, as this is a sanctioned event. This is a sanctioned meet within the sport itself. We’ve got the bench only event, followed by the three-lift event that includes the squat, bench press and dead lift. You have at least one good lift in each of these events in order to qualify to have a total. Otherwise you’re a ‘did not finish.’ You have three attempts at each lift. You best left in each event determines your total.”

Competitors can qualify for more tournaments based on their performance.

“If competitors here today hit the standard set by the Ontario Powerlifting Association, that can qualify them for the Provincials.”

Powerlifting is a sport that tests entire body strength and combines that with mental focus and concentration.