Powerlifting Federations
Compare rules, records, and statistics across 200+ federations. Find the right organization for your next meet based on drug testing, equipment rules, and competition activity.
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Quick Comparison - Top Federations
| Tested | Equipment | Weight Classes (Men) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THSPA | Unknown |
|
- | 6,580 | 123,269 |
| USAPL | Tested |
Raw
Single-ply
|
59, 66, 74, 83, 93, 105, 120, 120+ | 5,522 | 131,361 |
| THSWPA | Unknown |
|
- | 4,993 | 61,340 |
| USPA | Untested |
Raw
Single-ply
Multi-ply
|
52, 56, 60, 67.5, 75, 82.5, 90, 100, 110, 125, 140, 140+ | 4,022 | 78,016 |
| NSF | Tested |
Raw
Single-ply
|
59, 66, 74, 83, 93, 105, 120, 120+ | 3,501 | 4,759 |
| USPF | Unknown |
|
- | 2,622 | 59,890 |
| FPR | Unknown |
|
- | 1,971 | 49,890 |
| CPU | Tested |
Raw
Single-ply
|
59, 66, 74, 83, 93, 105, 120, 120+ | 1,571 | 20,794 |
| SVNL | Unknown |
|
- | 1,445 | 5,152 |
| APF | Untested |
Raw
Single-ply
Multi-ply
|
52, 56, 60, 67.5, 75, 82.5, 90, 100, 110, 125, 140, 140+ | 1,240 | 28,171 |
| PA | Tested |
Raw
Single-ply
|
59, 66, 74, 83, 93, 105, 120, 120+ | 1,078 | 9,603 |
| FFForce | Unknown |
|
- | 1,043 | 7,874 |
| SSF | Tested |
Raw
Single-ply
|
59, 66, 74, 83, 93, 105, 120, 120+ | 1,002 | 3,995 |
| EPA | Unknown |
|
- | 909 | 16,569 |
| BVDK | Unknown |
|
- | 882 | 7,334 |
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What Are Powerlifting Federations?
Powerlifting federations are the governing bodies that organize and sanction competitive powerlifting meets. Unlike many sports where a single organization controls all competition, powerlifting has over 200 active federations worldwide, each with its own ruleset, drug testing policies, and equipment standards. This variety means that almost every lifter can find a federation that matches their preferences and competitive goals.
Key Differences Between Federations
The most significant distinction between federations is drug testing policy. Tested federations like the IPF, USAPL, and CPU require athletes to pass drug tests (urinalysis, polygraph, or both) to compete. Untested federations like the USPA, WRPF, and RPS do not test for performance-enhancing substances. Some federations, like the USPA, offer both tested and untested divisions within the same organization.
Equipment rules also vary substantially. "Raw" lifting typically allows a belt, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves. "Single-ply" permits one layer of supportive material in a squat suit, bench shirt, or deadlift suit. "Multi-ply" allows multiple layers, which can add hundreds of pounds to competition totals. The IPF and its affiliates only permit Raw and Single-ply, while many other federations allow all three equipment categories.
How to Choose a Federation
When selecting a federation, consider your stance on drug testing, your preferred equipment category, and the availability of meets in your area. If you want to compete internationally, the IPF is the only federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee. For lifters seeking a relaxed, high-frequency competition schedule, federations like the USPA and RPS run meets nearly every weekend. Use the filters above to narrow down federations by testing status and equipment rules, or explore individual federation pages for detailed statistics and recent meet activity.
Explore our Wilks Calculator and DOTS Calculator to compare your strength across weight classes, or search for any lifter in the full database of 1,000,000+ competition athletes.