Photo by George Pagan III on Unsplash

Powerlifting is a sport that involves three lifts to be performed by the athlete. The three lifts are squat, bench, and deadlift. During a competition, you get three attempts at each lift and must get at least ⅓ attempts to not get disqualified. Typically an athlete would start with something they know they can for sure do, then something that is close to or matching their personal best, then with the last attempt go all out and try to hit a new personal best. The athletes work hard in the off-season doing workouts and training that are growing muscles or specifically targeting to improve the compound lifts (squat, bench, deadlift).

I am working towards and going to a regional competition for the western side of Canada. In early March I will travel to Saskatwen to compete at Westerns. To compete in powerlifting in Canada you are a part of the CPU Canadian Powerlifting Union, having a membership allows athletes to compete anywhere in Canada. Along with being a part of the CPU we are under the IPF International Powerlifting Federation that is the rules and standards to compete internationally and in Canada. The CPU follows the set rules by the IPF so that when athletes go to compete World Wide they are used to the standards that will be used at those competitions.