Combine Bench Press Competition - Fall 2025

• Flat or incline barbell bench press is permitted.
• Bar must be lowered to the chest and pressed upwards until elbows are straightened for each rep.
  • Most common reason for DQ is partial reps. You are better off doing 1-2 less reps in total, but ensuring full range of motion to guarantee counted repetitions.
• Butt must always remain in contact with the bench, no periods where contact is completely lost is allowed.
• If a spotter is utilized, the spotter will not touch the bar in an assistive capacity after the liftoff.
• No excessive rebounding of the bar off of the chest.
• No excessive arching that results in either a significant portion of the glutes not being in contact with the bench OR the elbow joint remaining above the shoulder joint at the bottom of the lift.
• The attempt ends when the lifter racks the bar or fails a rep.

• Allowed
  • Wrist supports, elbow sleeves, and belt.
  • Straight barbell or buffalo barbell.
• Not allowed
  • Elbow wraps, bench suits, Sling Shot, or other assistive gear.
  • Multi-grip bars, dumbbells, or machines.

• Continuous Video:
  • The entire lift must be recorded in one unedited take.
  • Any cuts, transitions, or edits will result in disqualification.
• Camera view:
  • Position the camera so the full barbell, plates, and lifter are clearly visible at all times.
  • Angle should allow judges to confirm lockout, bar path, and form standards.
• Code Phrase Display:
  • The current code phrase must be clearly visible in the video before the attempt begins or displayed clearly during the attempt.
• Upload
  • You may directly upload your video or paste a link if it’s already uploaded somewhere.
  • If using a link, ensure your video is set to public.

• The competition will open at 12am EST on Sep 8, 2025 and close at midnight (EST) on Sep 28, 2025.

• Each participant may submit one entry and one resubmission during the event window. Your resubmission will replace your original entry and will be considered final. All entries, including resubmissions, must be received by 11:59 PM EST on September 28, 2025.

• Entries in pounds or kilograms are both accepted. In the event of a tie, imperial lifts (225 lb / 135 lb) will rank higher than metric lifts (100 kg / 60 kg).

• Additional proof of bodyweight, barbell load, or lift integrity may be requested at the discretion of our judges to ensure fairness and consistency across all entries.

• Winners selected for prizes will be notified by email within 7 days of the competition closing to provide shipping details.

  • If a sponsor cannot ship a prize outside of the U.S., we will provide a digital gift card or alternate prize at our discretion to international winners.

• All judging is done in good faith and to the best of our ability. Judging may involve some subjectivity, and the decisions of judges are final.

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