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PowerliftingWatch.com is a great website that details everything from upcoming meets

and lifter rankings to general powerlifting information. If you’re searching for a
competition, PowerliftingWatch.com is going to be your most valuable resource.

Choosing a federation: So how do you know which federation to compete in? If you

peruse the forums, you’ll inevitably find lengthy arguments over which federations are
supposedly the “best” or “worst.” Of course, everyone on the internet is a self-proclaimed
expert, so no one can agree on anything. Unavoidably, this just brings us right back to
where we started, and we’re still clueless as to which federation is best.

In my opinion, it doesn’t matter. Find a federation or two that host regular competitions
in your area and start competing. As you gain more experience, you’ll probably begin to
favor some federations over others, but at least initially, it’s inconsequential. I should
note that throughout my career, I’ve competed in five different federations and, in no

particular order, the SPF, IPA, and IPF are my top three.

Choosing a weight class: This should be the least of your worries. Unless you’re going
to set a new world record, I don’t see the point in cutting weight. If you could stand to

lose some fat, by all means clean up your diet and drop the extra pounds, but don’t cut
weight and dehydrate yourself just because you think you’ll be more competitive at a
lower weight.
The great thing about powerlifting is that each competition is, first and foremost, a

competition against yourself. It’s an accurate way to gauge how much you’ve improved
since the previous competition and to see if your training routine was actually effective.
Regardless of whether you place first or twelfth, if you don’t make progress from your
previous competition, something isn’t right. Choose a weight class in which you feel

most comfortable and focus on breaking your own personal records.

Geared or raw: What’s better—geared or raw? Is geared cheating? Is raw for pansies?
Is geared lifting the only way to succeed in powerlifting? Do raw lifters train harder? You

name it, and I’ve heard it. Every lifter and their mother has an opinion on geared versus
raw powerlifting and neither side wants to give the other the time of day.
Well, I say malarkey. As a competitive powerlifter in both raw and geared divisions, each
has pros and cons. Neither option is inherently better than the other, and what “works”

for one person might not “work” for someone else. That being said, in the early stages of
training, I think it’s important to stick to raw lifting. Spend time developing
form/technique, take advantage of newbie gains, and get used to the competition