Sport
Powerlifting is the squat, bench press and deadlift, each lifted to a referee's standard, with three attempts at each and a total that decides the winner in each weight class. You can start with a barbell, a rack and a bench, and you don't need to be strong to enter a novice meet. Per hour of training, injuries are about as common as in other non-contact strength sports, but aches that affect training are common, so how you build up matters.
This guide covers the competition rules in plain words, classic and equipped lifting, how to train for strength, tapering and choosing openers, weight classes and weight cuts, drug testing, the injuries that happen and who should check with a GP first. Technique is in our squat, bench press and deadlift guides. There are two workouts with 3D demos of every move: a beginner's session for the three lifts and a mock meet. We're not connected with any federation.
Your best squat, bench press and deadlift add up to a total, and you compete in a weight class and an age category; if totals tie, the lighter lifter places higher. Classic lifting, often called raw, allows a belt, knee sleeves and wrist wraps. Equipped lifting adds supportive suits, bench shirts and knee wraps.
Studies count about 1 to 4 injuries per 1,000 hours of powerlifting training, like other non-contact strength sports. Counted as pain that affects training, though, 70% of 104 Swedish lifters had an injury at the time, and few of them had stopped training.
No study has tested a way to prevent powerlifting injuries. Only 3 of 38 published injury reports blamed technique, and heavy loads and fatigue came up too, so the way you build up matters as much as form.
Planned, varied programmes raised one-rep maxima a little more than unplanned ones, mostly in trained lifters. Heavy loads, a few sets and at least two sessions a week build strength.
Experienced lifters cut their training volume by about 40 to 60% over the last 1 to 2 weeks before a meet and keep the weights heavy. Most cut weight before weigh-ins, often feeling tired, anxious or low, and a 2025 review says it shouldn't be a standard preparation.
In 5 experienced bodybuilders, blood pressure measured in an artery averaged 320/250 mmHg at the top of a heavy leg press, and a brief breath-hold is unavoidable near maximal effort. With high blood pressure, heart disease or a hernia, or in pregnancy, check with your doctor or midwife first.
Each lift is done to the head referee's commands: "Squat" and "Rack" for the squat, "Start", "Press" and "Rack" for the bench press, and "Down" at the top of the deadlift. What separates competition lifting from gym lifting is the standard: depth in the squat, a still pause on the chest in the bench press, and a full lockout in the deadlift, judged by three referees. Our squat, bench press and deadlift guides teach the technique.
British Powerlifting says the kit allowed in classic lifting "offers some support but does not significantly aid the lifter". Equipped lifters' squat suits, bench shirts and knee wraps store elastic energy and let them lift more: in one study knee wraps raised power by about 10% and changed how lifters squatted, and a bench shirt changed the path of the bar.
Each attempt is a single maximal effort of a few seconds, and a lifter has a minute to start once the bar is loaded. A meet takes most of the day. The Compendium of Physical Activities rates "power lifting or body building, vigorous effort" at 6.0 metabolic equivalents (METs), and squats and deadlifts at 5.0.
In elite powerlifters, muscle mass was closely tied to how much they lifted. Classic lifters who competed for years kept improving for a long time, peaking at about 27 years of age after 4 to 6 years of competing. These are associations.
The lower back and pelvis, the shoulders and elbows (mostly from the bench press), and the hips and knees. The chest and triceps tendons take heavy loads in the bench press. In women especially, so does the pelvic floor, with leaking most often during the deadlift.
In 5 experienced bodybuilders, blood pressure measured directly in an artery averaged 320/250 mmHg at the top of a double-leg press done to failure, and one passed 480/350. The rise depends on how hard you're working rather than on the weight, and a brief breath-hold (the Valsalva manoeuvre) is unavoidable above about 80% of maximal effort. In 9 elite power athletes, blood flow speed in a main brain artery fell during maximal lifts. That's why our high blood pressure and heart disease guides limit maximal lifts until treatment has things under control.
Studies counted injuries in different ways, as injuries per 1,000 hours of training, per lifter per year, or as any pain that affects training, so figures in different lines aren't comparable. Most were surveys asking lifters to remember their injuries.
The numbers, by group:
The commonest site: 31% of powerlifting injuries across 5 reports, and in Swedish lifters the commonest in men. In a 1981 survey of 71 teenage powerlifters, half of their 98 injuries were to the lower back. In one survey, lifters who wore belts had more lower back injuries, which could be because lifters with sore backs reach for a belt. Our back pain, herniated disc, back spasm and sciatica guides cover these.
20% of powerlifting injuries, and the commonest in one study of elite powerlifters. Injuries that began in bench press training went with current injury in Swedish lifters, and lifters over 40 had more arm injuries. Wide grips and very heavy bench loads are suspected, not shown. Our shoulder pain, shoulder impingement, rotator cuff tear and AC joint guides cover these, and the AC joint guide explains weightlifter's shoulder.
The bench press is the commonest cause of a torn chest muscle (pectoralis major). Of 365 published cases, 48% happened during weight training, and all 104 people in one surgical series were men. In 20 athletes, those who had surgery kept more of their strength than those who didn't. Our pulled chest muscle and torn pec guide covers this, and a sudden pop at the front of the armpit or chest needs a same-day check.
The elbow and upper arm took 8% of injuries. Of 4 published cases of triceps tendon tears in bench pressers, 3 followed oral steroid use and earlier elbow pain. The hip was among the three commonest sites in Swedish lifters, case reports describe the tendons above both kneecaps tearing during heavy squats, and women had more hand and wrist injuries. Our elbow pain, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, distal biceps, hip pain, hip impingement, knee pain, kneecap tendon tear and wrist pain guides cover these.
Half of women powerlifters and weightlifters in a Norwegian survey leaked urine, against 9% of men, and in a review of 5 studies, 41% to 49% of women powerlifters did, most often during the deadlift. It's common, and it's a reason to see our pelvic floor guide, not to stop lifting.
Dropped weights, crushed fingers and pinches bring people to emergency departments: in US data, a dropped weight caused 23% of lower body injuries, and the deadlift was the exercise named most often.
Some headaches are more common in people who lift heavy, including headaches that come on with exertion. The National Health Service (NHS) asks for an urgent GP appointment or a call to NHS 111 for a headache brought on by exercise, and a 999 call for one that starts suddenly and is extremely painful. We don't have a guide to these headaches; the warning signs below give the NHS's advice.
No prevention programme has been tested in powerlifting. What follows comes from associations in surveys, the federations' rules and their advice, each graded on its own evidence.
A 2025 review of the science of powerlifting found 218 studies, of which 18 were about injuries and none tested a way to prevent them.
Source 6
Only 3 of 38 published injury reports blamed suboptimal technique, and those also named heavy loads and fatigue. In Swedish lifters, training more often and a bigger deadlift went with current injury, which may only reflect more time spent lifting. Our reading: build volume and weight gradually, as our progressive overload and deload guides explain, and treat pain that lasts, or changes how you lift, as a reason to change the plan.
British Powerlifting: "it's better to train often while leaving some reps in the tank than to go 100% every session". Our reps in reserve guide uses 2 to 3 reps in reserve on big lifts. No study has tested this against injuries.
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British Powerlifting: "Set safety bars at an appropriate height for squatting, use collars to secure plates, and consider having a spotter for bench pressing." Dropped equipment causes about 12% to 19% of the weight training injuries seen in US emergency departments.
No study shows that belts prevent or cause injuries. In one survey, lifters who wore belts had more lower back injuries, which may be because lifters with sore backs reach for one. Our squat guide covers what belts do for performance.
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The International Powerlifting Federation's (IPF) change explanations, dated 1 March 2026, bring in a thumb-around grip on the bench press, "aimed at enhancing safety", require the squat bar to sit above the shoulder blades "to protect Sub-Junior and Junior lifters from increased risk of lower back injuries", and require shoelaces to be tied. Knee wraps, which changed squat technique in a way the researchers thought might strain the knee, are allowed only in equipped competitions.
The bench press causes most torn pecs. In 20 athletes, those who had surgery lost much less strength (about 14% against 54%). A sudden pop or tearing pain at the front of the armpit or chest during a heavy press, especially with bruising or a change in the shape of your chest, needs a same-day check, as our bench press guide says.
In a pilot of 3 powerlifters and weightlifters who leaked, pelvic floor muscle training gave mixed results. In a trial in women doing CrossFit-style training, our pelvic floor guide explains, daily pelvic floor exercises for 16 weeks helped most of them. A pelvic health physiotherapist can help.
The American Heart Association calls strength training safe and effective for adults with and without heart disease. A brief breath-hold is unavoidable near maximal effort, so with high blood pressure, heart disease, a hernia or glaucoma, or in pregnancy, breathe out on the effort and stay well short of maximal lifts, as our guides advise. Our high blood pressure guide adds: with untreated readings of 160/100 or higher, save heavy or maximal efforts until treatment has it under control.
Measures without good evidence in powerlifting:
Across 18 studies, periodised (planned and varied) programmes raised one-rep maxima more than unvaried ones, with a small to moderate effect that was bigger in untrained people. With the total work matched, periodisation still helped strength a little but not muscle size, and changing the load and volume every day or week (undulating) did better than changing them steadily over the programme (linear) in trained lifters, though not in untrained people. The American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM) 2026 overview found periodisation didn't consistently change results. Our deload guide says the same.
In 18 powerlifters, a week ordered hypertrophy, then power, then strength days raised bench press maxima more than hypertrophy, strength, then power. Letting 25 trained men choose the day's session worked as well as a fixed order. Both trials were small.
With the same total work, 3 and 6 sessions a week gave similar strength gains in 28 trained men, but across studies strength rose with more frequent training, with diminishing returns. In trained men, even single sets 1 to 3 times a week raised one-rep maxima, by about 12 kg across 5 studies. Interviews, surveys and two small trials in powerlifters put the minimum for steady gains at about 3 to 6 hard working sets of 1 to 5 reps per lift each week, spread over 1 to 3 sessions, above 80% of your one-rep max. The ACSM: heavy loads, a full range, 2 to 3 sets and at least 2 sessions a week. British Powerlifting: many lifters train "at least 2-3 times per week".
Setting loads by rating of perceived exertion (RPE) did slightly better than fixed percentages in 21 trained men, a meta-analysis found no clear difference, and another found adjusting loads to the day helped athletes. In a small pilot, "daily max" training, one heavy single a session, helped some beginner and intermediate powerlifters and not others. Our RPE and reps in reserve guide teaches the scale.
Muscle mass was closely tied to powerlifting totals, and a review of classic powerlifting suggests a week of muscle-building, power and strength days, in that order, three times a week. Our how-to-build-muscle guide covers the muscle-building side. The same review found that low-bar squats and a wider bench grip generally move more weight within the rules.
Neoprene knee sleeves raised squat maxima from 161 to 166 kg in 15 trained men, without changing other measures. Knee wraps raised power by about 10% but changed technique, and the researchers advised against them in training. Squat suits and bench shirts change force, speed and the path of the bar.
British Powerlifting suggests 7 to 9 hours' sleep and protein of about 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of body weight a day, with enough carbohydrate and fat, the same protein range as our how-to-build-muscle guide. In 9 natural male powerlifters, lower body training volume fell by 75% in the weeks before a major meet, and strength, body composition and health markers held steady.
First months: 2 or 3 sessions a week with a day between, the squat and bench press every session and the deadlift once or twice, in sets of 5 with 2 to 3 reps in reserve, adding a little weight while every rep meets the standard. Our beginner powerlifting workout and beginner strength programme do this.
After that: 3 or 4 sessions a week, each competition lift 2 or 3 times, with heavier and lighter days, plus back, shoulder and trunk work, and a lighter week every 4 to 6 weeks. Before a meet, plan backwards from the taper, with one mock meet about 7 to 10 days out.
The IPF updates its rules every year, and national federations add their own. Check the current rulebook with your federation before a meet.
In the IPF's rulebook:
Source 1
The IPF's change explanations, dated 1 March 2026, add a thumb-around grip on the bench press "aimed at enhancing safety", place the squat bar above the shoulder blades to protect young lifters' backs, allow minimal clothing at weigh-in, and make clear that heaving or moving your body to start the bar off your chest after "Press" isn't allowed.
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In the rulebook, a belt can be at most 10 cm wide and 13 mm thick, knee sleeves at most 7 mm thick and 30 cm long, and wrist wraps at most 1 metre long and 8 cm wide. Knee wraps, squat suits and bench shirts are for equipped competitions only. British Powerlifting allows some leniency at novice and divisional level, but at English national level and above all kit must be on the IPF's approved list.
In the IPF's rulebook:
British Powerlifting runs full powerlifting, bench press only, and push-pull (bench press and deadlift) competitions, and says the shorter formats "are particularly valuable for lifters who may have health or mobility issues". Novice competitions have "relaxed equipment checks, patient officials" and no qualifying totals, and you need British Powerlifting membership to enter. Para powerlifting is run in the UK by British Weight Lifting.
In 11 elite New Zealand lifters, training volume peaked about 5 weeks out and intensity about 2 weeks out; they then cut volume by 59% while keeping the weights heavy, and trained for the last time about 4 days before the meet. Croatian champions cut volume by about half and trained last 3 days before. In 364 North American raw lifters, most used a 7 to 10-day taper, cutting volume by 41% to 50%; the last heavy squats and deadlifts, at 90% to 92.5% of their maximum, came 7 to 10 days out, the last heavy bench press under 7 days out, and all training stopped about 3 days before. A review of 7 surveys agrees: tapers of 5 to 9 days, with 1.5 to 4 days off at the end.
In 8 trained men, 3.5 or 5.5 days off after 4 weeks of training kept or slightly improved jump height and an isometric bench press test, and in 11 men a higher-intensity taper tended to do better than a lower-intensity one. In 12 powerlifters, 2 days off after a week's step taper gave small gains in the bench press and total, while 4 days off gave a deadlift gain and a bench press loss. The trials are small and short.
British Powerlifting: most lifters use the first attempt "as a confidence-builder with a weight they're certain they can complete". In 10,672 Australian competition entries, openers averaged 92% of the day's best squat, 93.5% of lifters went on to lift more, and winners opened heavier and made their opener. In 93,333 IPF lifters, moderate jumps between attempts succeeded more often than big ones, especially on third attempts. These are associations.
In a survey of 321 powerlifters, 86% had lost weight quickly to make their class, most often by restricting fluids. Of 69 British IPF lifters, 97% had, and most of their comments described tiredness, anxiety, low mood or irritability. At IPF World Championships, bigger cuts went with worse stress and recovery scores. A 2025 best-practice review says short-term weight manipulation "should not be regarded as a standard preparation method", and that rehydrating and refuelling after weigh-in are critical. Diuretics are banned at all times. Our suggestion: compete in a class you're already in.
In 6,524 classic lifters with 10 or more meets, totals kept rising for years and peaked after about 4 to 6 years of competing; competing more often didn't raise the peak. Fixed body-weight targets, such as a "double body weight" deadlift, are harder to reach in heavier classes, so compare yourself with lifters of your own class and sex.
British Powerlifting says it strictly follows the IPF's rules and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code. International lifters are in the IPF's testing pool, and lifters entering the British Championships fill in a whereabouts form so they can be tested out of competition. Testing differs between federations, so check a federation's anti-doping rules before you enter (our suggestion).
Under strict liability, you're responsible for any banned substance found in your body, however it got there. British Powerlifting advises athletes to avoid supplements, the biggest cause of accidental doping in the UK, or to use only batch-tested ones, and to check medicines with Global DRO. UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) gives the same advice.
WADA's 2026 list bans anabolic steroids and other anabolic agents, including SARMs (selective androgen receptor modulators), and diuretics, at all times. The NHS says steroid misuse can cause heart attacks and strokes, liver and kidney problems and infertility, and that "Anabolic steroids are addictive". In 62 Finnish championship powerlifters from 1977 to 1982, suspected of steroid use, 12.9% died within 12 years, against 3.1% of men from the general population. Our bodybuilding guide covers the harms in more detail.
The IPF's youngest category starts at 14, and under-14s compete only nationally. British Powerlifting: "There's no strict minimum, but juniors usually begin in their early teens. With proper coaching and supervision, the sport is safe for young people." The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) says a properly designed and supervised programme is relatively safe for young people, and that injury to the growth plates "has not been reported in any prospective youth resistance training research study"; past injuries came from poor technique, maximal lifts or no qualified supervision. A 1981 survey of teenage powerlifters, with 98 injuries in 71 lifters, fits that warning.
British Powerlifting's masters categories start at 40, and it calls the sport "safe and highly beneficial for older athletes" with proper technique and programming. In one survey, lifters over 40 had more injuries to their arms. Build up gradually, as our older adults guide advises.
Built on the site's warm-up guide and British Powerlifting's example of a ramp (editorial): no warm-up has been tested on powerlifting injuries. The doses come from the site's technique workouts and routines.
Loading the 3D figure…
The movement on the figure: Barbell back squat
The competition lifts, common variations that train their weak points, and back and trunk work. Sumo deadlifts are allowed in competition. Each has a 3D demo.
3D demoBarbell back squatAdvanced · A barbell
3D demoBarbell bench pressIntermediate · A barbell + A bench or box
3D demoBarbell deadliftAdvanced · A barbell
3D demoPowerlifting bench pressIntermediate · A barbell + A bench or box
3D demoSumo deadliftAdvanced · A barbell
3D demoBarbell box squatIntermediate · A barbell
3D demoPin pressIntermediate · A barbell + A bench or box
3D demoDeficit deadliftAdvanced · A barbell + Weight plates
3D demoBarbell Romanian deadliftIntermediate · A barbell
3D demoBarbell good morningIntermediate · A barbell
3D demoBent-over barbell rowAdvanced · A barbell
3D demoDead bugBeginner · No equipment
3D demoSide plankIntermediate · No equipment
3D demoFarmer's carryBeginner · A dumbbell + A kettlebellThe first two are new: a beginner's session for the three lifts and a mock meet. The others teach the lifts, add rows, trunk, hip and shoulder work, and the pelvic floor.
A 75-minute beginner session for the three powerlifting lifts: squats to depth, paused bench presses and deadlifts in sets of 5, then rows and trunk work.
75 minBeginner12 movesCardio machine, A wallA 90-minute meet rehearsal: a general warm-up, then a warm-up ladder to one opener in the squat, bench press and deadlift, taken to the referee's commands.
90 minIntermediate10 movesCardio machine, A wallA 25-minute practice session for the squat: find your depth on a chair, groove the bodyweight squat with pauses, then load it with a slow goblet squat.
25 minBeginner8 movesA wall, A bench or boxA 30-minute practice session for the bench press: shoulder blade work, push-ups and dumbbell presses, then the empty bar with the safety arms set.
30 minBeginner7 movesA band, A dumbbellA 30-minute session from the hip hinge to your first deadlift: hinge practice, kettlebell deadlifts, slow Romanian deadlifts, a light bar and a carry.
30 minBeginner9 movesA kettlebell, A dumbbellBarbell strength workout A: back squats and bench presses in sets of five, plus rows. Workout B (squat, overhead press, deadlift) is a separate session.
40 minBeginner6 movesA band, A barbellWorkout B of the beginner strength program: back squats, overhead presses and deadlifts in sets of five, plus chin-ups, with the safety pins set.
55 minBeginner10 movesA band, A barbellLearn how many reps you really have left: machine sets where you call out your reps in reserve, then keep going to check, in about 30 minutes.
30 minBeginner7 movesCardio machine, A bandThe McGill big three for the core: curl-ups, side planks and bird dogs, each held for 10 seconds at a time in falling sets of 5, 3 and 1 reps.
12 minBeginner3 movesNo equipmentA 15-minute hip opener: 90/90 switches, windshield wipers, CARs, Cossack squats, frog and pigeon.
15 minIntermediate8 movesA wallA 25-minute band routine for healthy shoulders: move the shoulder and upper back through their range, then strengthen the rotator cuff and shoulder blades.
25 minBeginner12 movesA wall, A bandA 5-minute daily pelvic floor workout for women and men: slow holds and quick squeezes, three times a day, with how to find the right muscles.
5 minBeginner2 movesNo equipmentA 10-minute cool-down for after a run, a class or a gym session: a few minutes of easy movement, stretches for the muscles you used, then slow breathing.
10 minBeginner9 movesCardio machine, A wallThe beginner strength programme uses the same 3 sets of 5 as the beginner powerlifting workout.
A 12-week beginner barbell program: squat every session, alternate bench and row with press and deadlift, and add weight each time until it stalls.
3 training days50 minBeginner3 days a weekA beginner gym plan: three full-body sessions a week, alternating workouts A and B, with sets, reps, rest and an 8-week progression.
3 training days45 minBeginner4 days a weekA 4-day upper/lower split: two upper body and two lower body gym days, each muscle trained twice a week, with sets, reps and progression.
4 training days50 minIntermediate3 days a weekFor after about 8 weeks of a beginner plan: three full-body sessions a week, one heavy, one moderate and one light, in a gym or at home, for 12 weeks.
3 training days50 minIntermediate3 days a weekA 3-day strength plan for men over 40 with power and bone work, two cardio days and mobility, built on research on ageing muscle.
3 training days45 minBeginner3 days a weekA weekly plan for women over 50: strength, bone-loading and balance on 3 days plus walking, built on UK osteoporosis consensus advice.
3 training days45 minBeginnerThe PAR-Q+ (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone) asks about a heart condition or high blood pressure, chest pain, dizziness or losing consciousness, other long-term conditions and their medicines, a bone or joint problem that activity could make worse, and being told to exercise only under supervision. If you answer yes to any, check with your doctor or a qualified exercise professional first. The NHS counts lifting heavy weights as very vigorous activity, and asks you to speak to your GP first if you haven't exercised for some time or have a health condition.
Blood pressure soars in heavy lifts. Our high blood pressure guide: with readings of 180/100 or higher, speak to your GP first; at 200/110 or higher, start nothing new; and with untreated readings of 160/100 or higher, no heavy or maximal efforts until treatment has it under control. The NHS suggests a blood pressure check if you're 40 or over and haven't had one for 5 years.
In 31 people whose main artery (the aorta) tore during severe exertion, mostly weightlifting, its average width was 4.63 cm, and 32% died. If you have heart disease, a known widened aorta, Marfan syndrome or a family history of a torn aorta, ask your cardiologist before heavy or maximal lifting. Our heart disease guide: never hold your breath when you lift, and avoid heavy weights with heart failure.
Our hernia guide: maximal lifts and straining against a held breath are the most likely to push on a hernia, so leave them out until it's repaired. Get help from NHS 111 if a hernia becomes painful or you feel sick.
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The NHS says strength training at a gym is fine in pregnancy "if you do this already". In a survey of 679 women who kept lifting heavy in pregnancy, they reported typical pregnancy and pelvic floor outcomes, but the women chose to take part and there was no comparison group. Talk to your midwife, and see our pregnancy, postpartum and pelvic floor guides.
Eye pressure rises during heavy lifts, so with glaucoma ask your eye specialist and breathe out on the effort, as our squat guide advises. With osteoporosis, heavy lifting under supervision has been studied, but avoid deep, repeated rounding of your back with weight, and learn the lifts with a physiotherapist or qualified instructor, as our osteoporosis and older adults guides explain.
Fine with qualified coaching and supervision, and no maximal lifts until technique is consistent. The IPF's youngest category starts at 14.
Injuries are common and often trained around, so rehabilitate first, as our pain guides explain. Weight-class sports carry a higher risk of disordered eating, so if you've had an eating disorder, don't cut weight, and talk to your treatment team first; our eating disorders guide explains why.
The NHS says to call 999 if someone fainted while exercising. Stop the session.
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Call 999 for a headache that "started suddenly and is extremely painful", or a headache with weakness in the face, arm or one side of the body, trouble speaking, or loss of vision. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 for a headache "triggered or made worse by coughing, sneezing, bending down or exercising".
Call 999 for sudden pain or discomfort in your chest that doesn't go away, pain that spreads to your arms, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or chest pain with sweating, feeling sick, light-headedness or breathlessness.
Call 999 or go to A&E (accident and emergency) for back pain with pain, tingling, weakness or numbness in both legs, loss of feeling around your genitals or bottom, or changes in your bladder or bowels.
A sudden pop or tearing pain at the front of the armpit or chest needs a same-day check. Call 999 or go to A&E if you heard a crack or the injured part "has changed shape or is pointing at an odd angle". Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 for sudden or very bad shoulder pain, or if you can't move your arm, and call 111 for a knee that's badly swollen, locks or gives way.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if you feel unusually tired, dizzy when you stand up and it doesn't go away, or have dark yellow pee. Call 999 for confusion, cold or blotchy skin, or fast breathing.
Source 93
Per hour of training, powerlifting has about 1 to 4 injuries per 1,000 hours, similar to other non-contact strength sports and lower than contact sports. Aches that affect training are common, though, so build up gradually.
Only 3 of 38 published injury reports blamed technique, and heavy loads and fatigue came up too. Technique matters for the rules; managing load matters for injuries.
Source 7
No study shows it. Lifters who wore belts had more lower back injuries in one survey, cause unclear. A belt helps some lifters lift more, as our squat guide explains.
Source 24
No growth plate injury has been reported in prospective studies of supervised youth strength training; past injuries came from poor technique, maximal lifts or no qualified supervision. Anabolic steroids, on the other hand, can stunt growth in teenagers.
Strength rose with modest weekly doses in trained lifters, and the ACSM's advice is heavy loads for 2 to 3 sets, at least twice a week, not frequent maximum attempts.
Most powerlifters do it, but bigger cuts go with worse recovery, and a best-practice review says it shouldn't be a standard preparation.
Classic, or raw, describes the kit rules. Whether lifters are tested depends on the federation: British Powerlifting tests under IPF and WADA rules.
It's common, half of women lifters in one survey, but you don't have to put up with it: pelvic floor training helped most women in a trial of CrossFit-style training, as our pelvic floor guide explains, though in lifters there's only a small pilot.
For most people, yes: powerlifting has about 1 to 4 injuries per 1,000 hours of training, similar to other non-contact strength sports. Aches that affect training are common, though, so build up gradually, use safety pins and collars, and leave a few reps in reserve most of the time.
Learn the three lifts with light weights, then train each one two or three times a week in sets of about 5, stopping with 2 or 3 reps in reserve and adding a little weight when every rep is clean. You don't need a coach to start, though one helps, and you don't need a qualifying total for a novice meet.
Under IPF rules, until the top surface of your legs at the hip joint is lower than the top of your knees, then you stand back up without bouncing twice. Our squat guide shows how to find and practise that depth.
Your head, shoulders and buttocks stay on the bench and your feet flat on the floor, and you hold the bar still on your chest until the "Press" command. Under the rulebook, your elbows must come level with or below your shoulders, and since 1 March 2026 the IPF requires a thumb-around grip. Rules change each year, so check the current rulebook.
Classic, often called raw, lifters may use a belt, neoprene knee sleeves and wrist wraps. Equipped lifters also wear supportive suits, bench shirts and knee wraps, which let them lift more.
In the IPF, men lift in classes from 59 to 120+ kg and women from 47 to 84+ kg, with an extra lighter class for Sub-Juniors and Juniors. Weigh-in starts no earlier than 2 hours before you lift.
Open with a weight you're certain you can lift, even on a bad day. In Australian meets, openers averaged about 92% of lifters' best squat on the day, and moderate jumps between attempts succeeded more often than big ones.
Most experienced lifters cut their training volume by about 40 to 60% over the last 1 to 2 weeks while keeping the weights heavy. They do their last heavy squat and deadlift 7 to 10 days out, and rest for 2 to 4 days before lifting.
Most powerlifters do, but many describe tiredness, anxiety and low mood, and bigger cuts go with worse recovery. A best-practice review says it shouldn't be a standard preparation, so choose a class you're already in.
British Powerlifting tests under IPF and World Anti-Doping Agency rules, and you're responsible for anything found in your system, including from supplements. Testing differs between federations, so check before you enter.
Exercise education for people who play sport, not a personal prescription or a diagnosis, and clinical review of these pages is pending. Check with a GP or physiotherapist before hard training if you have a heart condition, chest pain, dizziness or an injury that isn't settling, and stop for sharp or increasing pain. Health disclaimer.
