Powerlifting

Powerlifting is a competitive strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. As in the sport of Olympic weightlifting, it involves the athlete attempting a maximal weight single-lift effort of a barbell loaded with weight plates. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as "odd lifts", which followed the same three-attempt format but used a wider variety of events, akin to strongman competition. Eventually, odd lifts became standardized to the current three.
In competition, lifts may be performed equipped or unequipped. Equipment in this context refers to a supportive bench shirt or squat/deadlift suit or briefs. In some federations, knee wraps are permitted in the equipped but not unequipped division; in others, they may be used in both equipped and unequipped lifting. Weightlifting belts, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and special footwear may also be used, but are not considered when distinguishing equipped from unequipped lifting.
Competitions take place across the world. Powerlifting has been a Paralympic sport since 1984 and, under the IPF, is also a World Games sport. Local, national and international competitions have also been sanctioned by other federations operating independently of the IPF.

History

Early history

The roots of powerlifting are found in traditions of strength training stretching back as far as the ancient Mayan civilizations and ancient Persian times. The idea of powerlifting originated in ancient Greece, as men lifted stones to prove their strength and manhood. The modern sport originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1950s. Previously, the weightlifting governing bodies in both countries had recognized various "odd lifts" for competition and record purposes. During the 1950s, Olympic weightlifting declined in the United States, while strength sports gained many new followers. People did not like the Olympic lifts clean and press, snatch and clean and jerk. In 1958, the National Weightlifting Committee of the Amateur Athletic Union decided to begin recognizing records for odd lifts. The first national competition was held in September 1964 under the auspices of the York Barbell Company. York Barbell owner Bob Hoffman had been a longtime adversary of the sport, but his company was now making powerlifting equipment to make up for the sales it had lost on Olympic equipment.
During the late 1950s, Hoffman's influence on Olympic lifting and his predominately Olympics-focused magazine Strength and Health were beginning to come under increasing pressure from Joe Weider's organization. In order to combat the growing influence of Weider, Hoffman started another magazine, Muscular Development, which would be focused more on bodybuilding and the fast-growing interest in odd lift competitions. The magazine's first editor was John Grimek. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, various odd lift events gradually developed into the specific lifts of the bench press, squat, and deadlift, and were lifted in that order. Hoffman became more and more influential in the development of this new lifting sport and organized the Weightlifting Tournament of America in 1964, effectively the first USA National championships. In 1965, the first named USA National Championships were held. During the same period, lifting in Britain also had factions. In the late 1950s, because members of the ruling body were only interested in the development of Olympic lifting, a breakaway organization called the Society of Amateur Weightlifters had been formed to cater for the interests of lifters who were not particularly interested in Olympic lifting.
Although at that time there were 42 recognized lifts, the "Strength Set" soon became the standard competition lifts, and both organizations held Championships on these lifts until 1965. In 1966, the Society of Amateur Weightlifters rejoined BAWLA. The bicep curl was replaced with the deadlift to fall in line with the American lifts. The first British Championship was held in 1966. During the late 1960s and at the beginning of the 1970s, various international contests were held. At the same time, in early November of each year and to commemorate Hoffman's birthday, a prestigious lifting contest was held. In 1971, it was decided to make this event the "World Weightlifting Championships". The event was held at 10 AM on 6 November 1971, in York, Pennsylvania. Most of the athletes were American lifters, since teams were not formed yet. There were also four British athletes, and one athlete from Jamaica. All of the referees were American. Weights were in pounds. The lifting order was "rising bar", and the first lift was the bench press. There was no such thing as a bench shirt or squat suit, and various interpretations were held regarding the use and length of knee wraps and weightlifting belts. The IPF rules system did not exist yet, nor had world records been established.
In 1972, the second AAU World Championships were held on 10 and 11 November. There were eight athletes from Great Britain, six from Canada, six from Puerto Rico, three from Zambia, and one from the West Indies. With 67 lifters in total, 47 athletes were Americans. Lifts were measured in pounds, and the bench press was the first lift.

IPF and after

The International Powerlifting Federation was formed in November of 1972. The inaugural IPF World Championships was held in York on November of 1973. There were 47 entrants: one Swedish athlete, one Puerto Rican athlete, two Canadian athletes, one West Indian athlete, eight British athletes, and 34 American athletes. 1974 was the first time that teams were selected in advance, as well as the inclusion of the 52 kilogram weight class. In 1975, the World Championships was held outside America for the first time, at the town hall in Birmingham, hosted by Vic Mercer.
The establishment of the IPF in 1973 spurred the establishment of the EPF in May 1977. Since it was closely associated with bodybuilding and women had been competing as bodybuilders for years, powerlifting was opened to them. The first U.S. national championships for women were held in 1978. The IPF added women's competition in 1980. In the US, the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 required that each Olympic or potential Olympic sport must have its own national governing body by November 1980. As a result, the AAU lost control of every amateur sport. The USPF was founded in 1980 as the new national governing body for American powerlifting. In 1981, the American Drug Free Powerlifting Association, led by Brother Bennett, became the first federation to break away from the USPF, citing the need to implement effective drug testing in the sport. In 1982, drug testing was introduced to the IPF, although the USPF championships that year did not have drug testing.
The IPF's push for drug testing was resisted by several American lifters. In 1982, Larry Pacifico and Ernie Frantz founded the American Powerlifting Federation, which advertised its categorical opposition to all drug testing.
In 1984, powerlifting was included into the Paralympic Games for men with spinal cord injuries. At the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, women were invited to participate in powerlifting. Both men and women are allowed to compete in 10 weight classes respectively.
In 1987, the American Powerlifting Association and World Powerlifting Alliance were formed by Scott Taylor. The APA offer both drug tested and untested categories in most of their competitions. As of 2024, the WPA has over 60 affiliate nations.
The USPF failed to conform to IPF demands and was expelled from the international body in 1997, with the ADFPA, now named USA Powerlifting, taking its place. Despite the trend towards federations, each with their own rules and standards of performance, some powerlifters have attempted to bring unity to the sport. For example, 100% RAW promoted unequipped competition and merged with another federation, Anti-Drug Athletes United, in 2013. The Revolution Powerlifting Syndicate, founded by Gene Rychlak in 2011, was considered a move towards unity, as the RPS breaks the tradition of charging lifters membership fees to a specific federation in addition to entry fees for each competition. Some meet promoters have sought to bring together top lifters from different federations, outside existing federations' hierarchy of local, regional, national and international meets; a prominent example of this is the Raw Unity Meet, held annually since 2007.

Developments in equipment and rules

As new equipment was developed, it came to distinguish powerlifting federations from one another. Weightlifting belts and knee wraps predated powerlifting, but in 1983 John Inzer invented the first piece of equipment distinct to powerlifters—the bench shirt. Bench shirts and squat/deadlift suits became ubiquitous in powerlifting, but only some federations adopted the latest and most supportive canvas, denim, and multiply polyester designs, while others such as the IPF maintained more restrictive rules on which supportive equipment could be used. The Monolift, a rack in which the bar catchers swing out and eliminate the walkout portion of the squat, was invented by Ray Madden and first used in competition in 1992. This innovation was adopted by some federations and forbidden in others. Other inventions included specialized squat bars and deadlift bars, moving away from the IPF standard of using the same bar for all three lifts.
The rules of powerlifting have also evolved and differentiated. For example, in ADFPA/USAPL competition, the "press" command on the bench press was used, not used, and then used again, following a 2006 IPF motion to reinstate this rule. IPF rules also mandate a "start" command at the beginning of the bench press. Many other federations, for example, the Natural Athlete Strength Association, have never used the "start" command. As a further example of diversifying rules of performance, in 2011 the Southern Powerlifting Federation eliminated the "squat" command at the beginning of the squat. Most federations also now allow the sumo deadlift, which the athletes foot position is outside their grip position. Many communities and federations do not class the sumo variation as a technical deadlift. Another rule change into effect from the IPF, is the bench press elbow depth rule, established in 2022 and into effect at the start of 2023. This rule, similar to squat depth, requires the bottom surface of the elbows to be in line with or below the top surface of the shoulder joint.