Powerlifting

Powerlifting is open to male and female athletes with a physical disability. It has no classification system save the minimal disability criteria and, like its able bodied counterpart, is divided into weight categories.

For men the weight bands start at 48kg and go up to +100kg and for women they start at 40kg and go up to +82.5kg.

Men and women compete in a horizontal lying position (on their backs) on a specially designed bench. An assistant gives the bar to the competitor at the level of his/her outstretched arms. The athlete then lowers the bar to their chest, holds it immobile for a short period and then lifts and holds it with locked elbows. The athlete must complete this sequence within 2 minutes for the lift to be valid.

Powerlifting is practiced in 60 countries.

The contact point for those wishing to take up Powerlifting is as follows:

British Weightlifting Association
119 Cavendish Hall
Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds
LS6 3QS
www.bwla.co.uk

To contact The British Weightlifting Association click on the logo