Eligibility:
All contestants must comply with OHSAA rules governing academic eligibility. Middle School and High School students are eligible to compete. All contestants must be amateurs. Any contestant found to be ineligible will cause not only himself but also his entire team to be disqualified.
Registration and Fee:
Registration can be mailed using a registration form or by registering the day of the contest. The registration fee will be $15 per lifter.
Number of Participants and Coaches:
Each school can enter as many lifters as they choose. Each school will be allowed to have one non-paying coach for every six lifters. All others must pay the normal price of admission.
Conduct:
All contestants and coaches will conduct themselves as gentlemen/ladies. Profanity will not be tolerated and will lead to disqualification. Disrespectful behavior toward a judge or any other person in authority connected with the meet will lead to immediate disqualification for the meet. If a lifter is disqualified from the meet he/she will forfeit all awards.
Dress:
All contestants shall wear either a t-shirt and shorts combination or a standard lifting uniform. These items should be relatively tight fitting. Each judge will have the authority to instruct a lifter to change his/her costume if he thinks it is necessary. If a change is attire causes a lifter to miss his/her turn in the competition then he/she will not have an opportunity to make up the attempt. No sweats may be worn during the competition. All contestants must wear soled shoes. No wraps of any kind will be permitted. A knee brace used to protect a previous injury will be allowed. No straps or gloves may be worn. Lifting belts are required for the Squat and Dead lift. Lifters must provide their own belt.
Weigh Ins:
A contestant’s weight must not exceed the weights class limit. However his/her weight must be clearly over the limit to be in the next weight class. That is, if the contestant’s weight is within a fourth of a pound of the limit he/she will be considered to be in that weight class. The persons handling the weigh-ins should use fair judgment in these circumstances. Each contestant’s weight should be recorded to the nearest quarter pound since it can be determining facto in the case of ties.
Declaring weight classes and opening lifts:
Each lifter, at the time of weigh-in, will declare the weight class in which they wish to compete and declare their opening lifts in all three events.
Weight Classes:
There will be 13 weight classes divided into 3 categories. The lightweight division will be 155lbs., 125lbs., 135lbs., 145lbs., and the 155lbs. The middleweight division will be 165lbs., 175lbs., 185lbs., and the 195lbs. The heavyweight division will be 210lbs., 225lbs., 250lbs., and Unlimited.
Middle School Weight Classes:
Lightweight
Middleweight
Heavyweight
Actual weight breakdowns for middle school to be determined on the day of the meet based on the number of middle school lifters
Order and number of events:
The lifters will perform the events in the following order: squat bench press, and dead lift. Some classes could bench first and then squat, depending on the number of contestants. Each contestant will be allowed three attempts in each event, if a contestant has won his weight class and was successful on his third attempt, he/she may take a fourth attempt to set a record if they desire to do so. However, normal time limitations would still be in effect.
Warm Up
Sufficient warm-up time will be allotted preceding each mew event. Also, a lifter may warm-up at a weight, during competition after all competitors have attempted their lifts.
Individual and Team Competition
All contestants will compete for individual awards on an equal basis. That is, there will be no distinction between school, size, or sex.
A team will be composed of up to 12 members. Four members must be from the lightweight division, 4 must be from the middleweight division and 4 from the heavyweight division. Note that each of the twelve individual weight classes do not have to be represented. For example, it would be possible for a team to consist of four-145lb. Lifters; four 15lb. Lifters and four 225lb. Lifters. The team score is the total weight lifted by each of the 12 members. A school can enter more that 12 lifters but only12 will count toward the team score. The 12will not be designated before the contest. Our recorders will pick out the top 12 after the competition has ended.
Squat Rules:
The lifter will un-rack the bar and step back and remain in an upright motionless position until the judge gives his signal to begin the lift. The bar must be across the back of the shoulders, in a horizontal position, no more than 2 inches below the top of the deltoid. Hands must be gripping the bar and remain on the bar at all times.
After receiving the judge’s signal, the lifter shall bend his knees and lower body until the bottoms of the thighs (hamstrings) are at least parallel with the floor. Each contestant will have the choice of receiving a signal from the referee that indicates he has reached this position. The lifter will recover at will, without double bouncing, to an upright position, knees locked, and wait for the judge’s signal to rack the bar. The bottom of the thigh will be defined as the straight line extending from the back of the knee (the hamstrings tendon cords) to the point where the hamstrings reach the buttocks. This means that a lifter with a well defined hamstring (one that bulges) may appear to have to go below parallel during his squat. But in reality he will be going down only as far as anyone else.
Reasons for disqualification of lift include:
- Failure to wait for the judge’s signal.
- Taking hands off the bar during the lift.
- More than once recovery attempt.
- Failure to assume an upright position at the beginning or end of the lift.
- Failure to have the bottoms of the thighs reach parallel.
- Losing control of the bar so as to leave the platform.
- Any couching of the bar by spotters.
- Touching the legs with the arms or elbows during the lift.
Bench Press Rules:
The lifter will assume a supine position on the bench. He can elect either to have his feet on the floor or on plates. After receiving the judge’s signal, he can un-rack the weight (with the aid of a spotter if desired) and lower it slowly so that it just touches the chest. He will then raise the weight vertically to position where his arms are locked-out straight. When he receives the judge’s signal he can then rack the bar. The lifter way not use elbow wraps. He may shift his feet and head during the lift without being disqualified as long as his feet remain in contact with the floor. The bar may rise unevenly (that is, one side may be locked out before the other) so long as one side is not locked-out while the other has not even moved off the chest. It is permissible for the bar to touch the supporting racks of the bench. The upward motion the bar can stop once it starts back down the attempt will be disqualified. The start of the attempt will be defined as when the bar is taken off the rack.
Reasons for disqualification of lift include:
- raising the buttocks off the bench.
- Bouncing the bar off the chest
- Racking the bar before the arms are fully extended or before receiving the judge’s signal.
- Making more than one recovery attempt
- A foot comes off the floor.
- Raising a shoulder off the bench
- Touching of the bar by spotters
- Locking the feet around the bench feet.
Dead Lift Rules:
The lifter must raise the bar with two hands (type of grip is optional) from its original horizontal position on the platform to a position where he is standing erect. At the completion of the lift the knees must be locked and the shoulders thrust backward. After receiving the judge’s signal the lifter will slowly lower the weight to the floor. Both hands should still be in contact with the bar when it hits the floor. The lifter may use chalk. The bar can stop moving but may not start back down. The lifter must wear soled shoes. An attempt will be defined as any effort to raise the bar. Neither straps nor gloves may be used. Baby powder will not be permitted.
Reasons for disqualification of lift include:
1. Making a second recovery attempt.
2. Hitching.
3. Not locking the knees or thrusting the shoulders back.
4. Supporting weight on the thighs.
5. Dropping the bar to the floor without maintaining control with both hands.
6. Lifting with improper attire.
Spotting:
Spotting will be allowed in the squat and bench press only. During the bench press a contestant can have a spotter of his choice (e.g. a coach or teammate). The spotter can give the contestant a lift-off if he requests one. If the spotter touches the bar in any way while it is on its upward movement then the lift is disqualified. During the squat there should be spotters. One on the right, one on the left, and one standing behind. They can help the lifter rack and un-rack the bar when told to do so by the judge and can help the lifter recover from the attempt if he can not do so on his own and the judge has disqualified the lift.
Time Limits:
Upon being called to lift a contestant will have one minute to begin his attempt. No extra allowance will be made to put on wraps or other clothing. If a lifter follows himself then he will be allowed three minutes from the time the lift ends and the next attempt is to begin. At no time and under no circumstances will a lifter have to lift in an interval of less than three minutes Failure to begin a lift in the designated time limit will result in the disqualification of the attempt.
Declaring second and Third lifts:
Following a contestant first lift, the recorder will ask him for his next attempt. The contestant must either pass or give his next attempt before the next contestant begins or else he will loose his next attempt or his one pass. For example, if a contestant can not decide on his next attempt and the next lifter makes his attempt then he has the choice of losing a lift or giving up his pass. The same procedure will apply following the second attempt.
Note that a contestant can increase the weight on his second wand third lifts even if he failed on the previous lift.
Passing:
Each contestant will be allowed to pass per event. [Passes are not cumulative though, that is if a pass is not used in one event (e.g. the squat) it may not be saved and used in another event (e.g. bench press).
A contestant may pass on any attempt. The recorder will pull his card from the rotation and will not enter it back into the rotation until the contestant declares his next attempt. Note that a contestant must declare a weight that is either currently on the bar or a higher weight. The weight on the bar will never decrease unless a judge or recorder has made an error.
Ties:
When deciding winners and place finishers, body weight will be used to break ties. If two contestants tie, their pre-contest body weights (from weigh-ins) will decide the winner. The contestant with the lower body weight will be declared the winner. If a tie still exists, using the fewest misses will break it. Duplicate awards will be awarded if a tie still exists then.
Awards:
The top six finishers in each weight class based on total weight will receive a medal on a neck ribbon. The winner of each individual even in each weight class will receive a trophy. There will be a plaque awarded to the M.V.P. of the lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight division. The top four teams in the team totals will receive a trophy.
Grievance /Complaints:
Any complaints or grievances or protests will be handled by a three man committee made up of two coaches from competing teams and the meet director. The director will choose the two other coaches and each will have one vote. Their decision will be final. This procedure will only be for situations not covered in the rules and regulations. The judgment calls of judges can not be protested, only interpretation of the rules.