If you’re here, you probably already know that powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three main lifts: the squat, the bench press, and the deadlift - but powerlifting is a fairly recent sport, and evolving from the odd lifts and only really being standardised in the 1960s. The sport has its roots in the early 20th century, when weightlifting and bodybuilding were becoming increasingly popular. Over the last 50 years or so, powerlifting has become a competitive sport in its own right, with its own records, championships, and international bodies.
The earliest roots of powerlifting can be traced back to the early 1900s, when weightlifting was a popular form of physical culture. At the time, weightlifting competitions focused on the one-handed snatch and the two-handed clean and jerk (at one point growing to as many as five lifts). However, some weightlifters and bodybuilders began to focus on developing their strength in other lifts, a range of lifts called the odd lifts, which were trained by many lifters and recognised by weightlifting federations for record and competition purposes - including the lifts we know today as the power lifts, as well as other lifts. A common competition format at the time was what was known as the strength set, consisting of the bicep curl, bench press, and squat.
In the 1960s, powerlifting began to take on a more organised form. The first official powerlifting competition was held in March of 1964 at the York Barbell Company in York, Pennsylvania. This competition, known as the York Barbell Meet, featured the squat, bench press, and deadlift. This served to solidify the three lifts we recognise today as the basis for powerlifting. (York Barbell actually still runs meets today, in 2022.)
In absence of another governing body, the Amateur Athletics Union (AAU) took over the organisation of powerlifting in the USA in 1965, and ran the first National Championships that year. In 1966, the British Amateur Weight Lifter’s Association (BAWLA), an organisation previously dedicated to the development of weightlifting, became more interested in supporting non-Olympic lifts, and fell in line with the AAU definition of powerlifting.
The AAU ran “world championships” in both 1971 and 1972 - though the meets were almost entirely made up of American lifters. In 1971, there were 37 lifters (all male), all but 5 were American, and 5 bombed out. In the 1972 event, there were 67 lifters, all but 20 were American, and a whopping 10 bombed. At the time there was little standardisation of rules or equipment, all referees were American, and of course some disputes occured.
Immediately after the 1972 AAU World Championship The International Powerlifting Federation, the first truly international federation was formed. The IPF standardised the rules of powerlifting, added women’s divisions in 1979, and by 1982 had introduced drug testing at international powerlifting meets - effectively forming the IPF and the beginnings of powerlifting as we recognise it today.
Today, powerlifting is a popular sport with tens of thousands of participants around the world. Although new training methods appear, and the popularity of different equipment or styles of lifting wax and wane, it is still much the same as it was in 1980, and the core principles remain unchanged - to test an athlete's strength in the squat, bench press, and deadlift. The sport continues to provide an outlet for individuals to test their strength and push themselves to their limits.