Referee signals
This is a plain-English guide. The official IPF Technical Rules are the final word.
The chief referee gives the signals that start and end each lift. Miss a signal and the lift fails.
| Lift | To start | During | To finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | arm down + "Squat" | — | arm back + "Rack" |
| Bench press | arm down + "Start" | arm up + "Press" | arm back + "Rack" |
| Deadlift | no signal | — | arm down + "Down" |
The lights
After each lift, each referee shows a light at the same time: white for a good lift, red for a no lift. Two or more white lights means the lift counts. If the lights fail, referees use white or red flags on the command "Flags". They then raise a coloured card to show the reason for a fail. See what counts as a failed lift.