PROGRAM GOAL:
The goal of the Columbus Forward and YMCA bench press club is to provide youngsters with an opportunity to participate in an exciting fitness program and competition to engender health and fitness consciousness from childhood to adulthood.
RULES:
The rules apply to all levels of competition. Each competitor is allowed three attempts on each lift. The lifter's best valid attempt, on each lift, counts toward his or her competition total. The winner of a category shall be the lifter who achieves the highest total. The remaining lifters shall be ranked in descending order of total. Lifters failing to achieve a total are eliminated from the competition. If two or more lifters achieve the same total, the lighter lifter ranks above the heavier lifter.
Only the round system shall be utilized. Each lifter takes his or her first attempt in the first round. The lifter takes his or her second and third attempt in the respective rounds even though any of these may have been unsuccessful in the previous rounds. If the lifter misses an attempt due to a missed loaded bar or error of a spotter provided by the meet director, the lifter will be granted another attempt at the same weight at the end of the current round. The bar must be loaded on a progressive basis during a round from lightest to heaviest. The lifter is never allowed to take a lower attempt on his or her next lift in the following round.
Lifting order is determined by the weight on the bar. Each lifter must give starting weights for all three lifts at the weigh-in. The lifter is allowed to change, "but only once", the first attempt for each lift. If he or she is in the first group this weight may be changed up to 5 minutes before the first round for that lift. If he or she is lifting in the following group, the weight may be changed up until the time when not less than 5 attempts remain for the previous group.
Permitted weight use competitions at any level may be conducted in either pound or kilo sets.
Lifters in the competitions/divisions may wear shorts and tee shirt instead of the standard one piece lifting suit.
Lifters must compete in their own specific age categories or the open division. An exception to this rule is a master lifter may compete in lower master age brackets if he/she wishes to compete against younger master athletes but may not set records outside of their age division.
* Lifters at age 5 will have 20 seconds to lift a 2lb bar as many repetitions possible.
* The senior judge will determine the base weight amount for ages 6 – 10 during the first round.
* The first lifter for ages 11 & Up will establish the base weight amount for the first round.
