A. Junior - Any registerd athlete who has not reached their 20th birthday.
B. Senior - Any registered athlete who has reached their 20th birthday.
C. Master - Any registered athlete who has reached their 40th birthday.

A. A lifter's age is actual age on the date of the competition.

1. In case of multi-day competition, the lifter's age is the age on the first day of the competition.

B. For Juniors - 13 and under, 14-15, 16-17, 18-19.
C. For Masters - Five year age groups, beginning at 40-44, 45-49, etc. to infinity.

A. Records set on following days will be established in the weight class in which the athlete actually weighs on the day of the lift.

A. 20.0 kilograms or 45 lbs in weight.
B. Length of the bar shall be 2,200 millimeters (86.6 inches)
C. Diameter of the bar is 28 millimeters (1.1 inches).
D. Diameter of the sleeve is 50 millimeters (1.96 inches).
E. Distance between the inside collars is 1,1310 millimeters (51.6 inches).
F. Width of the inside collars including the collar of the sleeve must be 30 millimeters (1.2 inches).
G. There shall be knurling on the bar 245 millimeters (9.6 inches) from the inside collars towards the center of the bar.
H. There shall be a center knurling of 120 millimeters (4.7 inches) located in the exact center of the bar.

A. 50.0, 25.0, 20.0, 15.0, 10.0, 5.0, 2.5, 1.25, 0.5 and .25 kilograms. If avoirdupois weights (lbs) are used the weights in pounds shall be; 100, 45, 35, 25, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25, 1, and 0.5.
B. Diameter of the largest disc shall be 450 millimeters (18 inches).
C. All discs must be marked with a clear indication of their weight.
D. The center bore hole shall be 50 millimeters (1.96 inches).
E. Disc composition shall be of metal, rubber, rubber and metal, wood, or wood composition.

A. Total length of the rod may not exceed 61 centimeters or 24 inches.
B. Diameter of the rod shall be 28 millimeters (1.1 inches) unless the lift requires a different diameter.
C. Weights may be fixed or changeable.
D. Spacing between the discs shall be determined by the manner of the lift. However, the spacing shall be determined in advance of a competition.
E. Dumbbell discs shall not exceed 381 millimeters (15 inches) in diameter.
F. All discs shall have the weight clearly marked.

A. The platform height shall be between 50 and 150 millimeters (2-6 inches).

A. If no such system is available, a visible hand system will be used.

A. If such a device is not available, the timer will keep the time in an acceptable manner and verbally announce each minute.

A. A scale certificate not older than 30 days must accompany the scale at a world championship.
B. A scale certificate accompanying scales at a regional, national, or any other competition or exhibition in which a world record is established must not be older than one year.

A. The judgement of the officials is final. There shall be no appeal of their judgment.
B. At national, continental, or world championships, a protest board of three non-adjudicating officials will be established prior to the competition and will decide only on matters regarding interpretations of the rules.

A. At NGB championships, only one official per club may adjudicate in any category.

A. There shall be two categories of officials:

1. National: Those officials capable of officiating competitions within an NGB.
2. International: Those officials capable of approving world records and officiating at continental or world championships or in competitions between nations.

B. The General Secretary shall maintain a list of the international officials.
C. The IAWA shall develop and revise a system of approval for international officials, not later than the date set forth in General Rule VII, No. 1 of the constitution.

A. Each lifter may weigh nude or in briefs.

1. Females may weigh nude only in the presence of female officials.

a. They may weigh in undergarments and lifting suit with an adjustment of 0.5 kilograms (1 lb) for clothing.

B. The lifter may be accompanied at the weigh-in by one coach.
C. The lifter may weigh as often as he/she desires to make a weight category once the entire entry list for his/her category has been weighed and within the time allotted.
D. In exhibitions, weigh-ins must be completed prior to the exhibition, if records are to be submitted.

A. The competitor will supply the speaker with his/her beginning weight in each movement upon completion of the prior movement. The competitor will supply the speaker with his/her beginning weight for the first movement upon proper weighing.
B. Each competitor shall be allowed three attempts in each movement within the competition. A fourth attempt will be allowed for record purposes only.
C. The bar shall be loaded progressively. The weight of the bar must always be multiples of 1.25 kilograms (2.5 lbs), except for a record attempt when an increase of 0.5 kilograms (1 lb) is permissible.
D. The progression between the first and second attempts must be a minimum of 1.25 kilograms (2.5 lbs).

1. The required increase must be added to each dumbbell in movements in which more than one dumbbell is used.
2. In case a bar is improperly loaded, and the competitor is allowed to lift, the competitor may acept the results of the lift, if successful, or he/she may refuse it and be granted a replacement attempt.

a. If the improper lift is unsuccessful, the lifter will receive a replacement lift.

E. Two minutes will be allowed for each competitor between the calling of his/her name and the beginning of the attempt. The lifter shall be warned at the end of the first minute. If the lift has not begurn at the end of the two minutes, it shall be ruled "no lift".

1. An attempt begins when the lifter makes an obvious attempt to move the weight.

F. When a competitor attempts two lifts in succession, he/she will be allowed three minutes for the succeeding attempt. The lifter will be warned at the end of each minute and the lift is not successful if it has not been started at the end of three minutes.

G. The time for a fourth attempt will be three minutes.

H. To increase or decrease a weight originally selected, the lifter or his/her coach must notify the officials prior to the final call (one minute).

1. A maximum of two changes is allowed between attempts.
2. If a lifter succeeds himself/herself after the change, the clock will be stopped to allow for the change and started to continue the allotted time.

I. In a match between two individuals, the competitors may lift alternately with the competitor taking the lighter weight, lifting first.

J. The order of the call takes into consideration:

1. Weight of barbell - lightest first.
2. Number of attempts - least first.
3. Lot number - lowest number first.
4. Progression - Lot number not used after first attempt.

K. Awards should be commensurate with the level of the competition.

A. Once a bar is moved, it may not be lowered. It may hesitate as long as it continues upward.
B. The lift may not be completed in uneven fashion.
C. Neither the body nor equipment may support a weight in a manner to gain advantage.
D. Hooking is permitted. Hooking is overgripping the thumbs by the fingers or finger.
E. Uneven loading of the bar is not permitted except for specified movements in which hackhang is permitted.
F. Heels or toes may rise in some movements, but foot placement may not change once designated.
G. Hand placing may not change once designated.
H. Weight may not be returned to the rack or floor prior to an official's signal.
I. Many lifts may not begin until the referee's signal to do so.
J. Not straightening the arms or legs fully or unlocking either once straight is normally a disqualification.
K. Pressing out in quick lifts is not permissible.
L. Dropping the bar is not permitted. The bar must be controlled to it's original position.
M. Touching the platform with parts of the body not defined in the rules of the movement is forbidden.
N. A lifter may not leave the platform during a lift.
O. Beginning the second movement of a lift a second time, a second jerk attempt, for instance, is not allowed.
P. Disrespect for officials is a disqualification.

1. The lifter may use a grip in which palms are opposed if so desired.
2. The bar may be uneven during the ascent, but it must finish evenly.
3. The bar may touch the legs during ascent, but may not be rested or bounced on the legs.
4. No substance of any kind may be applied to the legs.
5. The bar must not be bounced or hitched or lowered at any time during the lift.
6. The bar must be returned to the platform under the lifter's control for the lift to be completed.
7. Heels and toes may rise during the lift, but foot placing may not change.
8. The lift is completed when the legs are straight, the arms are straight, the shoulders are erect, and the bar motionless for two seconds.

1) Acting at start or finish of lift without the referee's command.
2) Any unlocking of the lifting arm during the lift.
3) Any part of the barbell or discs making contact with the lifting surface during the lift.
4) Not being in proper control of the barbell at any point during the lift.
5) Barbell not parallel to the lifting surface during the lift or not parallel to the lifter's body at the completion of the lift.