Powerlifting

strength sport · competition · weightlifting

Three Main Lifts. Powerlifters compete by lifting the heaviest weight they can manage in just three exercises: the squat (where you lower yourself down and stand back up), the bench press (pushing weight away while lying on your back), and the deadlift (pulling weight up from the ground).

Three Attempts Per Lift. Each lifter gets three tries at each of the three lifts, just like in Olympic weightlifting, and they want to nail their heaviest possible weight on at least one attempt.

Evolved from Odd Lifts. Powerlifting started from a sport called 'odd lifts' that used to include lots of different kinds of lifts, similar to strongman competitions, but eventually got narrowed down to just these three lifts that are tested today.

Maximum Weight Goal. The whole point of powerlifting is to see how much weight one person can lift in a single effort, making it a pure test of raw strength rather than technique or speed.