What to wear at a USAWA meet

In this installment of the “USAWA 101” series, I’d like to talk about what we wear at competitions—our clothing and our equipment. If you’ve competed in weightlifting, powerlifting, or strongman, some of this may be familiar, but a few of our rules might be a bit different from what you’re used to.

The “lifting uniform”

6 year old Daphne Lansdown demonstrates proper use of a singlet, athletic shoes, and no wraps or other supportive equipment. Her socks do not extend above the knee, she is not wearing any headgear, and she has no tape on her hands.

You have two options for what to wear on your body. Either a singlet, or a shirt and shorts. 

A singlet, if you’re not familiar, is a one-piece garment, usually form-fitting, that is shaped like shorts on the bottom, and continues up the torso, where it has straps that go over the shoulders. It looks like an old-timey swimsuit, or a wrestling outfit. In fact, if you need a cheap singlet quick, search for “wrestling singlet.” You can get one off Amazon for under $20. (The nice ones, from a company like Virus or SBD, cost more and may fit better. But they’re the same basic thing.) You may wear a shirt under your singlet if you like, but it’s not required.

Your other option is to wear a shirt and shorts. The shirt can be a T-shirt or a tank top. (We used to have a rule forbidding tank tops, but that was repealed at the 2024 national meeting.) 

Whether it’s one piece or two, your lifting uniform must leave your knees and elbows exposed. That means no long sleeves, and no leggings under the singlet. 

If you’re thinking “Can I wear ANYTHING that complies with these rules?” the answer is almost yes. There is a rule that states: 

Lifting attire which contains inappropriate language or images, is too revealing, sloppy in appearance, or deemed otherwise inappropriate by the weigh-in official or Meet Director is a violation of the USAWA dress code.

I’ve never seen anyone get dress-coded for sloppy, revealing, or offensive clothing. But in theory, it could happen. 

You must also wear “suitable” shoes. Most people wear sneakers of some sort, or weightlifting shoes. Deadlift slippers are also OK. You can’t lift barefoot, sorry.

Allowable equipment

Before we get into what you can’t use, I’ll just say what you can: 

  • A belt, any kind, up to 12 cm (4.75 inches) in width. 
  • Wrist wraps, not to exceed 1 meter in length. (They may be a maximum of 10 cm/4 inches wide, and 1 millimeter thick.) 
  • Dry chalk on your hands

On three specific lifts, knee sleeves or knee wraps may be worn, up to 2 meters in length. These lifts are the Front Squat, 12” Base Squat, and Anderson Squat. You may wear knee sleeves on these lifts instead, if you like. No other lifts allow knee wraps or sleeves. 

What you cannot wear or use

I’m very sorry to anyone who is used to using these items, but they are not allowed: 

  • Wraps on any other part of the body (elbows, etc) except as mentioned above.
  • Headgear such as hats or headbands, unless it is for religious purposes. (Your hijab or yarmulke is fine.)
  • Gloves
  • Straps
  • Braces or supports, including knee and elbow sleeves (except as noted above for knee sleeves). If you have a doctor’s note stating that an item is medically necessary, the officials can make an exception.
  • Over-the-knee socks
  • Chalk or any substances on any part of the body other than the hands (no baby powder on the thighs)
  • On the hands, any substances other than chalk. No tacky, rosin, chewing gum, etc.
  • Tape, unless it’s covering an open wound or an injury (in which case it needs to be OK’d by the officials.) So, no, you cannot tape your thumbs for hook grip lifts. 

Where to learn more

The full language of the rules about clothing and equipment is in the section of the Rulebook labeled VI. Equipment. 

For any specific meet, if you want to know if your T-shirt is inappropriate or if your medically-necessary knee brace will be accepted, get in touch with the meet organizer and/or ask the head official. 

For example, I recently refereed a meet where I was asked, ahead of time, whether a lifter would be able to use their doctor-prescribed compression stockings. My answer was yes. On the other hand, when I compete in USA Weightlifting events, I like to wear leggings and knee sleeves. But when I compete with USAWA I leave those items at home. 

Ultimately we want everybody to be safe and healthy and have fun lifting more or less like the old-timers did. 

A note on knee sleeves

The question of knee sleeves comes up from time to time—why doesn’t the USAWA allow them? The membership appears to be divided on the question, according to several votes and surveys over the years. 

One side argues that knee sleeves don’t seem to give much if any mechanical advantage, and most strength sports allow them, so we should allow them too. On the other hand, some members see them as too modern for an organization that is trying to respect historical tradition, and the possibility that they may aid in lifting is enough reason to be cautious. 

There was a lively debate on the topic at the 2024 National Meeting, and in the end knee sleeves remained banned (except for the three lifts that also allow knee wraps). 

Vacancy on the executive board

The executive board’s at-large member, Abe Smith, has chosen to step down. He has done a great job and we thank him for his work. This leaves a vacancy in the board which cannot be filled through an election until next year’s National Meeting—meaning the board needs to appoint somebody in his place for the remainder of the term.

The board is now seeking nominations, including self-nominations. There are no special qualifications to become an At-large board member; the whole idea is that they are a “regular” member, who serves alongside the officers (President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer) to ensure broad representation of the membership.

The most significant duty of an At-large board member is to participate in discussions and votes about USAWA business, typically over email. Board members should also plan to attend the National Meeting (held in conjunction with the National Championships) when possible.

ARTICLE 12 – DUTIES OF THE AT LARGE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
A. Attend the National Meeting and meetings of the executive board.
B. Represent the USAWA at meetings of the IAWA.
C. Serve on the executive board.

If you are interested in being considered for the At-large executive board seat, please contact the Secretary (me) at bethskw@gmail.com. I’m also happy to answer questions about the position.

USAWA (Age Adjusted) Lynch Factor – Part IV and V

by Sanjiv Gupta

In Part I and Part II, I presented my understanding of age and weight correction history. Part III
explored the categories of lifts and whether Age Adjusted Lynch Factor totals could reasonably
compare heavy lifts and special equipment lifts being contested in the same event.
Part IV will take a look at a gender adjustment to compare the entire field, and then Part V will conclude the series with a satirical look at other potential correction factors such as
height, training age, limb lengths and hand size.

Until recently, women and men competed in USAWA in separate fields. In small events, women often find
themselves without another competitor and unable to enjoy an exciting competition. Could women and men compete in a combined field with only the (Age Adjusted) Lynch Factor?

I would argue that depending on the lift, women and men could compete fairly in a combined
field without an additional multiplier. However, lifts that are driven by upper body muscle mass, women should receive an additional multiplier.

From a laypersons perspective I also see the following:

  • Women 13 and under would not need a correction.
  • Master’s women would need a larger correction than 1.33 to compete with master’s
    men.
  • Junior women 14-18 and senior women have the strongest case for a flat multiplier.

IAWA uses a 1.33 gender multiplier to increase the adjusted total for a lift
performed by a woman and can then compare total adjusted poundage to crown an overall
winner. This 1.33 was adopted by the USAWA in 2024 and I am curious to see how the addition
to official scoring will affect meets. The obvious hope is that participation in all around increases
and we have more exciting competitions.

USAWA (Age Adjusted) Lynch Factor – Part V

Part V concludes the series with some potential correction factors that would make the lives of
meet directors absolutely miserable.

What about height? Shorter athletes could have an advantage in abdominal raises and the
Allen lift with the shorter lever being activated by the abdominals.

What about training age? Should USAWA offer novice categories? Strongman competitions
often have novice categories with lighter weights to attract new athletes while they are still
learning the movement.

What about limb lengths? The best deadlifters would have short legs and long arms. It is only
fair to provide a multiplier for athletes with long legs and short arms.

What about hand size? The Fulton barbell would feel tiny to an athlete with 9 inch hands and
that athlete should receive a reductive multiplier.

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