Powerlifting Cheat Sheet

The key takeaways for beginners – mastering the three big lifts, bracing correctly and understanding your first competition.

The three big lifts

Lift	Technique core
Squat	Bar low-bar on the rear delts, hip crease sinks below knee height – that's competition depth.
Bench press	Arch from the upper back, medium to wide grip, brief pause on the chest before the command.
Deadlift	Bar tight against the shins, pull the slack out before the pull, hips and chest rise together.

The 3 golden technique rules

Factor 1: Bracing protects your back

Concept: The lower back is the most common injury site in powerlifting – without bracing, your spine alone carries every heavy rep. Tip: Breathe deep into your belly, brace all the way around (360°) and hold the air for the heavy rep – a belt only reinforces this, it doesn't replace it.

Factor 2: Competition depth on the squat

Concept: The rep only counts in competition once the hip crease sinks below knee height – “knees over toes” is normal here, not an injury risk. Tip: Bend hip and knee at the same time, press through the whole foot until the hip crease is clearly below the knees – only then drive up explosively.

Factor 3: RPE instead of rigid percentages

Concept: Take every set to failure and you collect fatigue instead of strength – RPE 7–9 (1–3 reps in reserve) is enough for maximal strength. Tip: After every set, honestly estimate how many clean reps you had left, and adjust the load to match both good and bad days.

Getting started: the basics

Three lifts, one goal: Learn squat, bench and deadlift with clean technique first – add weight only after that.
Lift heavy, lift low reps: 1–5 reps above 85% of your best build maximal strength – not sets of 15 until it burns.
Each lift twice a week: A simple 3-day framework with a few assistance exercises is plenty to get started.
Log your progress: Write down every working set (load × reps) – without a log you can't see your progression.

Sumo or conventional?

Topic	In short
Conventional	Feet hip-width, hands outside the legs – longer bar path, 25–40% more mechanical work.
Sumo	Wide stance, hands inside the legs – shorter path, often easier on the lower back.
Choosing a style	Your hip structure decides, not your height – test both for a few months and compare.
Valid rep	Bar stays close to the body, back neutral, finish tall with hips and shoulders locked out.

Competition day

Run in rounds: All athletes lift attempt 1 per lift, then attempt 2 – order is squat, bench, deadlift.
Wait for the commands: “Squat/Rack”, “Start/Press/Rack”, just “Down” on the deadlift – moving too early makes the lift invalid.
Safe opener, bold third: Your first attempt is a guaranteed make (~90–92%), the third is your shot at a new best.
Taper before the meet: Cut volume 30–70% in the final week, keep intensity high and prioritise sleep.

Pro tip: Your 1RM isn't the number you brag about, it's the one you hit on meet day: train at RPE 7–9 and only max out at the end of a block – max every week and you train your nervous system tired instead of strong.