Every sport has its own performance benchmarks. For football, it's getting to the Superbowl. For running, it's breaking a specific mile time or distance.
If you're a weight lifter, there's no better benchmark for testing your strength than qualifying for O2's Lift Club!
Never heard of this elite club before? Click here to learn more about the challenge.
Ready to put your strength to the test and join the club? Keep reading to learn the details for competing, and start getting ready for our next club challenge!
This is not considered an official powerlifting event. Although the challenge is based on real USPA (United States Powerlifting Association) rules, there is slightly more flexibility in the rules to make it more friendly to members and guests trying to step out of their comfort zone and push themselves to try something new at the gym!
In spirit, yes! Each lifter must declare what target they are attempting to hit when registering (500lb or 1000lb.) If a lifter falls short of the 1000lb club at the end of the challenge, they will not get a 500lb shirt at the event.
Wrist wraps, knee sleeves, belts, chalks, salts, and headphones ARE allowed at this event. However, wrist STRAPS will not be allowed while performing your lifts for this challenge.
At the event, there will be individual stations for each lift so that there can be three people lifting at the same time (one squatting, one deadlifting, and one bench pressing.) There is no specific order that you will be required to follow. If you have a preference for the order you would like to perform the lifts, the event host may have the flexibility to allow an order request.
You get 3 chances on each lift (squat, bench press, and deadlift.) You ARE allowed to adjust the weight if you fail on the first or second lift.
Yes, you will have a spotter for all lifts. Depending on the weight, you will have one spotter for your bench press attempt, one spotter for your deadlift attempt, and 2 to 3 spotters for your squat. (For any weight under 315 lbs for your squat, there will be 2 side spotters. For any weight over that, you will have 2 side spotters and a back spot.)
Spotters will be instructed on how to properly cradle a spot should a lifter fail during a squat.
By USPA standards, this means the crease of the hip must drop below the knee. But for this event, we will also accept as high as the quad muscle being parallel to the floor. This allows for a slight amount of wiggle room while attempting your squat than the standard USPA rules.
For your bench press attempt to count, the bar must touch the chest before being pushed up to the starting position. Standard, close, snatch, or suicide grips are all acceptable during your lift, but the bar must hit the chest.
Lifters are allowed to grind it out and take their time pushing the bar up since there is no tempo requirement, but once the bar starts to drop back down, the spotter must take it, and the attempt ends.
A good lift consists of a full lockout. At the apex, you should have your shoulders back, hips locked out forward, and your knees locked with a brief pause at the top of the lift to show strength. Then a slow, controlled descent of the bar to the starting position.
You should not let go of the bar until it is on the ground. Letting go of the bar at any point during the lift is a "no lift," and the attempt will not count.
Do you still have questions about this event? Comment them below!