2.2.8 Powerlifting |
---|
Powerlifting is an excellent sport for blind and visually impaired athletes looking to compete against able-bodied individuals as the
adaptations are minimal for the sport. Also, athletes can begin training at any local gym or even at home with the proper equipment.
Unlike weightlifting, powerlifting involves three separate lifts: bench press, dead lift and squat. In competitions against other blind and visually impaired powerlifters, sanctioned by USABA or the International Blind Sports Association, there are as many as 95 total categories allowing for participation by athletes of a variety of ages and sizes as follows: |
Men - Age Categories
Adaptations Allowances are made for the lifter's coach to mount the platform with the lifter and help position him in relationship to the bar, including the positioning of hands and feet as well as bar placement. For the actual lift, the coach must leave the platform & return to the coach's designated area. For the referee commands, the visual hand commands are augmented with audible commands. Coaching of blind and visually impaired powerlifters is similar to that of sighted athletes; however, when demonstrating a lift or correcting an athlete's technique, the coach should make sure to either show the athlete the technique at close range or use a hands-on approach in which the coach performs the lift and the athlete feels the proper placement as the coach describes the motions he is using. |