TL; DR: Pull For Pride is a deadlift-only event. All registered athletes get three attempts at the deadlift. Athletes are also encoraged to raise $1 for every pound they plan to lift for the nonprofit their event is benefiting.

Traditional Powerlifting Meets

Pull For Pride is run differently than traditional powerlifting meets. If you are already familiar with how meets typically run, we recommend skipping this section!

Powerlifting meets are an opportunity for athletes to express their physical strength on the platform in three different lifts: squat, bench, deadlift. In traditional meets, there are several ways that athletes are categorized and their attempts organized during the run of the meet: weight class, flight, and attempt weight.

As an athlete, you will be grouped into your weight class, inside of a flight of lifters, who will lift their attempts in the order of heaviest to lightest.

Each athlete is given three “attempts” (a single rep) at each of the lifts. So, they will squat three times, bench three times, and deadlift three times. The heaviest of their attempts for each lift counts towards their total (the number calculated from the combination of their heaviest squat, bench, and deadlift).

For example, if an athlete squats 80lbs on their first attempt, 90lbs on their second attempt, and 100lbs on their third attempt, only that third attempt of 100lbs will be added to their heaviest bench and deadlift to determine their total. Conversely, if an athlete squats 80lbs on their first attempt, 90lbs on their second attempt, but fails to complete the 100lb squat third attempt, only the second attempt of 90lbs will go towards the athlete’s total.

In a traditional powerlifting meet, athletes are divided into weight classes according to how much they weigh, and whether or not they select “male” or “female” when registering. For example, if you identify as a female and you weigh 135lbs, you will be in placed in a predetermined weight class designated for females that all weigh within a certain range, close to your weight.

International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) weight classes:

Women: 47kg, 52kg, 57kg, 63kg, 72kg, 84kg, 84kg+

Men: 59kg, 66kg, 74kg, 83kg, 93kg, 105kg, 120kg, 120kg+
These weight classes are for a range of weights. For instance, the women’s 47kg class is for all women who weigh 47kg and under. The women’s 52kg class is for all women who weigh between 47kg and 52kg. In the above example, our 135lbs athlete would be in the 63kg (138lb) class, since they weigh in between 57kg and 63kg.

This weight class is who you will be competing with, and you will be grouped with your weight class into a flight to complete your lifts. Other weight classes may join you in this flight. The flight order and size will be determined by how many people are in your class and whose attempts are the heaviest.

Example run of traditional meet:

Women’s:

Flight One: 47kg, 52kg

Flight Two: 57kg, 63kg

Flight Three: 72kg, 84kg, 84kg+

Example run of flights within a meet:

Flight One, Squats:

First Attempts → 47kg squat attempt one, 52kg squat attempt one

Second Attempts →  47kg squat attempt two, 52kg squat attempt two,

Third Attempts → 47kg squat attempt three, 52kg squat attempt three

Flight Two, Squats:

First Attempts → 57kg squat attempt one, 63kg squat attempt one

Second Attempts →  57kg squat attempt two, 63kg squat attempt two,

Third Attempts → 57kg squat attempt three, 63kg squat attempt three

Flight Three, Squats:

First Attempts → 72kg squat attempt one, 84kg squat attempt one, 84kg+ squat attempt one

Second Attempts →  72kg squat attempt two, 84kg squat attempt two, 84kg+ squat attempt one

Third Attempts → 72kg squat attempt three, 84kg squat attempt three, 84kg+ squat attempt one

After a 5-10 minute break, bench attempts would be completed. Then, after a 5-10 minute break, deadlift attempts would be completed.

This weight class will complete all of their attempts in an order determined by who is lifting the most weight. So, if athlete A’s first squat attempt is 80lbs and athlete B’s first squat attempt is 90lbs, athlete A will their squat first in the weight class, etc, always going from lightest attempt within a weight class to heaviest attempt within a weight class, but not mixing the weight classes together

Additionally, each athlete is given 1 minute to complete every attempt. Each squat attempt gets 1 minute, each bench attempt gets 1 minute, and each deadlift attempt gets 1 minute. For that reason, event organizers typically create flights of no more than 12 (to 15, where necessary) lifters, so that athletes stay warm for all of their attempt selections, and do not have to wait a long period of time between attempts that could negatively impact performance.

Pull For Pride

Pull For Pride is a deadlift-only event. Flights will also be organized by lightest to attempt to heaviest attempt, however, Pull For Pride has eliminated weight classes and gender categorizations. All of the flights will simply be grouped together with around 12-14 people lifting similar weights, in order of attempt selection. All gender identities and all weight classes lift together.

Example run of Pull For Pride:

Flight One: Athletes lifting between 50 – 200lbs

Flight Two: Athletes lifting between 201lbs – 300lbs

Flight Three: Athletes lifting 300lbs+

How Are Winners Determined?

Pull For Pride is a fundraiser, not a traditional competition. No “winners” are officially determined, however all athletes receive free entry into the raffle.

While this is a fun event, not a traditional competition, there are a few standard ground rules to ensure event continuity.  These rules will be reviewed the day of the event before each flight begins.

1. Do not drop the barbell
2. Athletes can pull conventional or sumo
3. No hitching (hitching is when a lifter bends their knees and positions the barbell on their thighs in order to use their thighs as a ramp, to pull the weight up)

You must follow the commands of the head ref, who will be positioned in front of the bar.

1. Approach the bar.
2. Lift the weight and fully “lock out”: full extension of the knees and hips, with shoulders stacked over hips.
3. Stand with the weight locked out until the head ref commands you to lower the weight:
4. The head ref will give the command for you to lower the weight.
   • Keep your hands on the bar as you lower the weight down
   • Do not drop the weight

What About Prizes For Athletes?

Unlike traditional powerlifting meets, athletes are not organized in their flights by weight class or gender. Instead, athletes are sorted by the pounds they will lift on the bar. No one “wins” Pull For Pride by Wilks Coefficient. In order to provide a great experience for athletes, Pull For Pride utilizes two raffles.

• Athlete-Only Raffle: 3-5 raffle items are designated “athlete only”. Spectators cannot enter to win these items.
• Spectator Raffle: 5-7 raffle items for spectators to enter to win. Unlike the Athlete-Only raffle, anyone (including athletes!) can enter to win these items.

How much do raffle tickets cost?

• All athletes receive 3 complimentary raffle tickets when they check-in
• Additional raffle tickets for athlete, or raffle tickets for spectators, cost:
  • 1 ticket = $3
  • 5 tickets = $5
  • 12 tickets = $10

Where does the raffle money go?

• Money raised at the raffle gets donated to the city’s benefiting nonprofit!