USA Powerlifting Arizona · Sanction AZ-2027-02

High Desert Classic

Life Link Church, Gilbert, Arizona

The meet

One meet, two sessions. First-time lifters open the day in the rookie session, then the strongest, experienced lifters in Arizona close it out in primetime.

Session 1 · First-time lifters

Rookie

For first-time competitors. Welcoming and low‑pressure, with the rules explained along the way.

Who
For lifters who have never competed in a powerlifting meet
Entry
$120 entry fee
Membership
USAPL membership active by check-in on meet day
Support
Extra help in the warm-up room
Before
Read the USAPL rulebook before meet day
Register

Session 2 · By invitation

Primetime

The best lifters in Arizona by DOTS, in the second session, under the lights.

Entry
Invitation required
Invites
Invitations go out by email
Questions
Questions about your invitation: [email protected]

Invited lifters accept from the personal link in their invitation email.

Ask about an invitation

The primer

New to powerlifting?

Powerlifting is a test of raw strength in three lifts. Each lifter gets three attempts at every lift, and the best successful attempt from each counts toward the total. Three referees judge every attempt, and two of the three must pass it for the lift to count.

How a call works

Two white lights out of three and the lift counts. A red light means that referee saw a miss.

Squat

With the bar on your back, sit down until your hip crease is below the top of your knee, then stand back up tall.

  • Squat
  • Rack

Referee commands: Squat to start, Rack to finish.

Common misses

  • Not deep enough
  • Bar dips or bounces twice on the way up
  • Feet move or you step
  • Starting or racking before the command

Bench press

Lower the bar to your chest, hold it still until the referee says press, then push to straight arms.

  • Start
  • Press
  • Rack

Referee commands: Start, Press, then Rack.

Common misses

  • Pressing before the Press command
  • Hips, head or shoulders come off the bench
  • Bar sinks into the chest or dips on the way up
  • Elbows not locked out at the top

Deadlift

Lift the bar from the floor until you stand tall, knees locked and shoulders back.

  • Down

Referee command: Down when the lift is done.

Common misses

  • Knees not locked or shoulders not back
  • Bar resting on the thighs to help it up
  • Bar goes down before you finish
  • Lowering before Down, or dropping the bar
  • Your callYou choose the weight for each attempt, so open with a weight you know you can hit.
  • Weigh-inLifters compete in weight classes and age divisions, and weigh in before they lift.
  • DOTSThe DOTS score adjusts a lifter's total for bodyweight, so lifters of different sizes can be compared fairly.

Every rule in full: USAPL rulebook