I want to ask the specialists about this question. I can’t find a exact answer anywhere. How is powerlifting scored? Do they ever go by percent difference in body weight and weight on the exercise they preform?
If so what is considered a “good” percent lift related to body weight and weight lifted? I want to get into it due to I find I have a good amount of strength for my weight.
Thanks
For each weight class they do by total weight…for best lifter they will go by wilkes formula
Total weight for 3 lifts correct me if I am wrong bench, deadlift, and squat?
[quote]Fuzzyapple wrote:
I want to ask the specialists about this question. I can’t find a exact answer anywhere. How is powerlifting scored? Do they ever go by percent difference in body weight and weight on the exercise they preform?
If so what is considered a “good” percent lift related to body weight and weight lifted? I want to get into it due to I find I have a good amount of strength for my weight.
Thanks[/quote]
It’s weight lifted in whatever weight class you are in. For an overall lifter wilks is generally what they use.
http://usapowerlifting.com/lifterscorner/wilks-lbs-men.shtml
Wilks compensates for larger guys not lifting as much per bodyweight.
You can find qualifying totals/wilks numbers for higher level comps. The lower level stuff is open.
I would suggest you estimate your totals and see what classification of lifter it would make you for a basic reference for where you are.
If you are lifting raw:
http://www.rawpowerlifting.com/pdf/RAWClassificationStandards.pdf
Also, if you lift the exact same as someone in your class, the lifter with the lower body weight will place higher. If the bodyweights are identical, the person who was drawn earlier in the lots determining weigh in time will place higher.
This happened to my coach at USAPL Men’s Nationals last summer - identical lifts and body weights, and he lost because the other guy (who was much younger) had a lower lot number.
Can people “cut” weight before weigh in (water wegiht)?
eg. weigh in 170lbs but lifts at 190lbs?
[quote]Fuzzyapple wrote:
Can people “cut” weight before weigh in (water wegiht)?
eg. weigh in 170lbs but lifts at 190lbs? [/quote]
yes
[quote]Fuzzyapple wrote:
Can people “cut” weight before weigh in (water wegiht)?
eg. weigh in 170lbs but lifts at 190lbs? [/quote]
Some federations have a 24 hour weigh in; others have a 2 hour weigh in. This will affect how much you can cut.
[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
This happened to my coach at USAPL Men’s Nationals last summer - identical lifts and body weights, and he lost because the other guy (who was much younger) had a lower lot number.[/quote]
That has to suck.
[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
Some federations have a 24 hour weigh in; others have a 2 hour weigh in. This will affect how much you can cut.[/quote]
Can you explain a little more? 
This is very interesting I’m intrigued with this information
[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:
pushmepullme wrote:
This happened to my coach at USAPL Men’s Nationals last summer - identical lifts and body weights, and he lost because the other guy (who was much younger) had a lower lot number.
That has to suck.[/quote]
Yeah, totally. Even though he was lifting in the Open division, you’d think they would add the Wilks coefficient for age in there when it gets to that point. The coach would’ve toasted the guy if they had age added in.
I should also add, for the OP, that different federations might have different tie-breaking rules.
[quote]Fuzzyapple wrote:
pushmepullme wrote:
Some federations have a 24 hour weigh in; others have a 2 hour weigh in. This will affect how much you can cut.
Can you explain a little more?
This is very interesting I’m intrigued with this information [/quote]
I weigh in at 8:00, lifting starts at 10. That means I have two hours to rehydrate, eat, replace anything that I had to lose to make weight, and still be settled enough to lift and not puke.
If I weigh in the day before, I have a full 24 hours to rehydrate, eat, etc. I can easily gain 10lbs of water and food in that period, and be rested and digested and ready to lift.
Check my log (Spin the Black Circle) over in Powerful Women to see how badly having to cut for a two hour weigh in affected me.
So these suits you wear help you lift more?
Your blog is very informative for sure thanks. I’m trying to expand my knowledge of weight training to other categories :)Thanks
Hey, from that table I could compete at Class 1 in the 181 weight class…if I were
female.
I take it class IV as a guy classifies me as puny!
[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
ouroboro_s wrote:
pushmepullme wrote:
This happened to my coach at USAPL Men’s Nationals last summer - identical lifts and body weights, and he lost because the other guy (who was much younger) had a lower lot number.
That has to suck.
Yeah, totally. Even though he was lifting in the Open division, you’d think they would add the Wilks coefficient for age in there when it gets to that point. The coach would’ve toasted the guy if they had age added in.
I should also add, for the OP, that different federations might have different tie-breaking rules.[/quote]
wouldnt you be stronger the older you are? assuming most people get into powerlifting near same age youd have accumulated more years training which should make you closer to your strength cieling.
isnt that the whole idea behind “old man strength”?
[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
pushmepullme wrote:
ouroboro_s wrote:
pushmepullme wrote:
This happened to my coach at USAPL Men’s Nationals last summer - identical lifts and body weights, and he lost because the other guy (who was much younger) had a lower lot number.
That has to suck.
Yeah, totally. Even though he was lifting in the Open division, you’d think they would add the Wilks coefficient for age in there when it gets to that point. The coach would’ve toasted the guy if they had age added in.
I should also add, for the OP, that different federations might have different tie-breaking rules.
wouldnt you be stronger the older you are? assuming most people get into powerlifting near same age youd have accumulated more years training which should make you closer to your strength cieling.
isnt that the whole idea behind “old man strength”?[/quote]
I’ve heard you hit your peak in your 30s, but I don’t know for sure. He’s 47, the other guy was something like 28. The Wilks formula accounts for age when you get above 35 or 40-ish.
I do call him “old man” sometimes. I don’t think he likes it. 
No necessarily genetics can come into play with lifting. If weight its the same limb length and height can come into play. When your taller you have a tough time lifting heavy due to the fact the weight has to travel father for complete range of motion.
The older you are doesn’t, again, necessarily mean your stronger than some one who is younger with less training/experience. “Old man strength” is a phenomena of as you get older your muscles gets more dense.
[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
pushmepullme wrote:
ouroboro_s wrote:
pushmepullme wrote:
This happened to my coach at USAPL Men’s Nationals last summer - identical lifts and body weights, and he lost because the other guy (who was much younger) had a lower lot number.
That has to suck.
Yeah, totally. Even though he was lifting in the Open division, you’d think they would add the Wilks coefficient for age in there when it gets to that point. The coach would’ve toasted the guy if they had age added in.
I should also add, for the OP, that different federations might have different tie-breaking rules.
wouldnt you be stronger the older you are? assuming most people get into powerlifting near same age youd have accumulated more years training which should make you closer to your strength cieling.
isnt that the whole idea behind “old man strength”?
I’ve heard you hit your peak in your 30s, but I don’t know for sure. He’s 47, the other guy was something like 28. The Wilks formula accounts for age when you get above 35 or 40-ish.
I do call him “old man” sometimes. I don’t think he likes it. ;-)[/quote]
I can’t find any allowance for age when calculating the Wilks formula. You better believe that I’d be taking advantage of it.
My observation has been that the older men and women seem stronger. That may only be because they are the ones that I typically watch more closely. The women I watch for competitive reasons. The men, of course, because I’m hot for them
I wonder if anyone has done a quantifiable study on it.
Here ya go, ouroboro:
I don’t know what federations use it, in what situations, but I have seen it listed in results columns before…
If we were the same weight and lifted the same weight, but you were 44 (no idea of your age off hand, love) and I were 29, it multiplies you by 1.043, so your score would be 396.9391 and mine would be 380.5744.
[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
Here ya go, ouroboro:
I don’t know what federations use it, in what situations, but I have seen it listed in results columns before…
If we were the same weight and lifted the same weight, but you were 44 (no idea of your age off hand, love) and I were 29, it multiplies you by 1.043, so your score would be 396.9391 and mine would be 380.5744.
[/quote]
Thanks. I’ve never seen that before. That’s what I love about the forums. Lot’s of good information. Good guess on the age.