Mettle Bender Powerlifting Competition January 2025.
FAQs.
What and when is the event?
This event is being run to give you an understanding of what it would be like to enter an official powerlifting competition. Now that The Engine House is affiliated with the BDFPA, we hope to encourage our members to take part in this event so that they may go on to enter divisional, national and international competitions with a good understanding of what to expect. Not only that, its a fantastic opportunity to set individual goals and benchmark your strength training progress!
The next competition will on the 26th January 2025 – registrations will open soon.
What event categories can I enter?
There are 2 event categories that you can enter:
Single Lift
Choose from deadlift, bench press or squat.
Full Power
Complete all 3 lifts (deadlift, bench press and squat)
Can juniors enter?
Yes, we’d love to see some young lifters enter the competition! Juniors need to be between 14 – 18 years of age on the day of the competitition. We do ask though that a parent / guardian signs the disclaimer form on behalf of the the competitor.
What information do I need to give you, and why?
We’ll need to know the following about you when you register:
- Email address (so we can send you information about the event)
- Full name
- Date of birth (so we can enter you in the right age category)
- Event entry (so we can enter you in the event category)
- Gender (so we can enter you in the right gender category)
- Your weight (so we can enter you in the right weight category)
- Opening lifts (what starting weights you’ll attempt for your opening lifts in each event)
- Rack heights (what position you’d like the rack set to for bench press and squat)
- Anything else (info we might need to know relating to your participation in the event)
Do my lifts have to meet any standards?
Yes! We want to give you the full experience of entering an official competition so you can get a taste of what to expect. You can find the rules of performance for each of the lifts here
Will I be told when to lift?
Yes! You’ll be given the following signals:
Squat
At the start of the lift
- Visual – downward movement of the arm
- Audible – the command “squat” will be given
At the end of the lift
- Visual – backward movement of the arm
- Audible – the command “rack” will be given
Bench press
At the start of the lift
- Audible – the command “start” will be given
When the bar is motionless on the lifters chest
- Audible – the command “press” will be given
At the end of the lift
- Audible – the command “rack” will be given
Deadlift
At the start of the lift
- No signal is required
At the end of the lift
- Visual – downward movement of the arm
- Audible – the command “down” will be given
What's the weigh in all about?
On the morning of the event, we’ll ask all competitors to weigh in at the gym. This is so we know what weight category to enter you into. This will take place no earlier than 3 hours before the start of the competition. Yes, you can be weighed nude, or wearing pants – the choice is yours! Weighing in will take place in a private room with an appropriate referee present.
What happens if I’m not the weight I entered on the registration form?
Don’t worry, we’ll sort it out on the day. Chill 🙂
Can I use any assits?
This competition is unequipped (or raw).
Use of a belt is recommended, but not compulsary for deadlift or squat.
Do I have to wear anything in particular?
For this event, not particularly. We would however recommend leggings or knee high socks if you’re taking part in the deadlift.
Footwear is mandatory. If you’ve got them, feel free to wear lifting shoes.
Probably best to leave the tap shoes, high heels and crocs at home, though.
How will the day be organised?
The running order of the day will look something like this, but it may vary depending on how many people are participating:
| Time | What’s occuring? |
| 10:00 | Weight in |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Competition Start |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Flight 1 |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Flight 2 |
| 14:00 – 15:00 | Flight 3 |
| 15:00 – 16:00 | Results! |
What’s a flight?
A flight is the group you are assigned to, depending on your gender and event category/lifts.
Who else will be there?
During the event, we’ll have lots of people floating around and helping out:
Referees
There will be 3 Referees. The Chief referee and 2 side referees. The Chief referee will give all signals for your lifts. The side referees ensure the bar is loaded correctly. The referees will have flags (red and white) to indicate if your lift has passed the correct standards to qualify.
Spotters & Loaders
Help to load and unload the bar and adjusting kit as required. Can alos help removing and replacing the bar from the rack as required.
How do I enter and what does it cost?
Registrations for the next competition on the 26th January 2025 will open soon.
The entry fees are as follows:
- New competitors £25
- Returning competitors £20
- Juniors (14-18) £10
Payment information is provided on the registration form.
Can I bring spectators?
Due to the limited space in the gym, we’d ask that you only bring along 1 spectator. Please let us know who will be attending with you.
Our Fantabulous Sponsors.
Clever Dent Repair
As you may know, we do love bending a bit of metal here at the gym which is why the Mettle Bender Powerlifing competition was set up – but this cracking event wouldn’t be bigger and better this time without the generous sponsorship of Clever Dent Repair.
So, if you find you’ve also bent some metal, perhaps on your motor, you couldn’t do better than checking out Clever Dent to smooth over your woes and get your car back up to tip-top condition. They’ll most likely save you a heap of cash on insurance excess charges as well as full on body shop repairs. PLUS they come to you – less faff all around!
Lusher Lawns
The crew at Lusher Lawns have very kindly (and generously!) sponsored us so we can bring you the best kit to test your mettle against in our January Event!
Lusher Lawns love tackling overgrown and unloved grass and transforming outdoor spaces with meticulous natural looking lawns that don’t need mowing and are kid and pet proof.
If you’d like to spend less time grappling with your grass, checkout the Lusher Lawns website here: lusherlawns.co.uk – or you can give them a call on 01865 803445.
Quentin Bevan Personal Training
Mr Bevan has undoubtably offered much of his time towards helping getting Mettle Bender up and running as well as a place to call home, so we’re very happy to say that he’s also ponied up some cash as well so that we can keep giving the competition more time, love and kit to make it the amazing event it’s become.
We can’t think of a better person to give you the upperhand if you want some 1-1 time mastering the barbell, either. Perhaps this sponsorship is just meant to be!
If you’d like some one to one time with Quentin, just give him a call on 07977 796870.