DefiPlate Games '27

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DefiPlate™ Games ’27

Deficit Deadlift + 5K Hybrid Competition

Event Overview

Athletes compete in two equally weighted events:

1-Rep Max Deficit Deadlift — DefiPlate™ plates + 29 mm stiff bar (bar type subject to change with sponsorships)
5K Run — USATF-measured course at Hudson Mills Metropark
Final placement is determined by combined placement in both events. Strength and speed are weighted equally.

1. Deficit Deadlift Rules

Equipment: DefiPlate™ 45 lb plates create a 4” deficit (5" starting bar height). Deadlifts will be performed on 29 mm stiff power bars with collars.

Attempts: Each athlete receives 3 attempts. The minimum increase between successful attempts is 10 lb. Opening attempts must be submitted at registration.

Starting Position: All conventional and sumo stances and grips are permitted.

Lift Command: Athletes may begin their attempt after receiving the judge’s signal.

Completion: The athlete must reach a clearly established standing lockout with knees and hips extended and demonstrate control of the weight before receiving the down command*

*you may hold a completed deadlift for as long as you like at the top. This is great for our photographers. 
 

Anything-Goes Deadlift Standard

DefiPlate Games rewards completed maximal effort.

New 2027 Rule: Hitching and grinding are permitted. A lift will not be disqualified simply because the bar stalls, the athlete hitches the weight, or the repetition is unconventional.

The athlete’s job is simple: get the weight from the floor to a controlled standing lockout.

A lift will be disqualified for:

Failure to achieve lockout
Dropping or releasing the bar before the down command
Receiving physical assistance during the attempt
Any action deemed unsafe by event officials
Lifting Gear: Belts and chalk are permitted. Straps, tacky, and other grip aids are not permitted. Multiply deadlift suits are not permitted.

Rain Contingency

Straps will be provided if it is raining during the deadlift. This is to ensure lifts will remain successful even when wet conditions inhibit grip. 

Event officials reserve the right to pause, modify, postpone, or cancel competition because of lightning, severe weather, unsafe surfaces, or other hazardous conditions.

2. 5K Run Rules

Course: USATF-measured 5,000 m course at Hudson Mills Metropark.

Start: Mass start with chip timing.

No pacers or outside assistance are permitted, with reasonable accommodations made for athletes with disabilities.

Athletes must complete the entire designated course and cross the finish line under their own power.

The 5K will generally proceed in rain. The race may be delayed, modified, or canceled if weather or course conditions are deemed unsafe.

3. Scoring

The deadlift and 5K contribute equally to the final result.

Athletes are ranked within their division in each event. Points are awarded based on placement, with first place receiving points equal to the number of athletes in the division, second place receiving one fewer point, and so on.

Example — 50 athletes:

1st = 50 points

2nd = 49 points

3rd = 48 points

…

50th = 1 point

Points from the deadlift and 5K are added together. The athlete with the highest combined score wins.
 

Tiebreaker

If two athletes finish with identical combined scores, the athlete with the heavier successful deadlift receives the higher overall placement.

Special Recognition

In addition to overall and divisional placements, special recognition will be given to:

Fastest Division 5K: The fastest 5K time in each division
Heaviest Division Deadlift: The heaviest successful deadlift in each division
These recognitions are separate from combined-event scoring and do not affect overall placement.

4. Divisions

Open Men
Open Women
Masters Men — 50+
Masters Women — 50+
 

Gender-diverse and trans athletes may register in the division they feel most comfortable.

There are no weight classes.

The challenge of DefiPlate™ Games is to demonstrate competence across two fundamentally different physical qualities: maximum strength and running performance.

Competition Philosophy

DefiPlate™ Games is a competition, but it is also a community.

Athletes are here to encourage one another, make friends, and challenge their limits. We all have things we are working on and comfort zones we have yet to push.

Help the people next to you so you can become a better version of yourself. Better competition pushes everyone up.

Lift the most weight you can.

Run 5 kilometers as fast as you can.

Challenge yourself, support the people around you, and have fun.