Powerlifting Federations Guide

If you want to compete, you need to know which federation you are lifting in. They have different rules, different equipment standards, and different scoring systems.

The IPF (International Powerlifting Federation)

The IPF is the premier international governing body for powerlifting. It is drug-tested and strict about equipment. In 2020, they introduced IPF GL Points to replace the Wilks score. If you compete in the IPF (or its national affiliates like USAPL in the USA or BP in the UK), you should use our IPF GL Calculator.

USAPL (USA Powerlifting)

The premier drug-tested federation in the United States and an IPF affiliate. They use IPF rules and IPF GL scoring.

USPA (United States Powerlifting Association)

A large, non-IPF federation in the US. They offer both drug-tested and untested divisions, and use DOTS for their scoring and records.

WRPF (World Raw Powerlifting Federation)

A massive international federation known for allowing untested lifters. They also use DOTS for scoring.

Raw vs. Equipped

Raw: You may use a belt, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves. (This is what 95% of our calculators assume).
Equipped: You may use a squat suit, bench shirt, and deadlift suit. Equipped lifters can lift significantly more weight, which is why scoring systems like Wilks and IPF GL have separate coefficients for equipped lifting.