Federation rules
SPF Rules
The SPF is an independent US federation that contests raw and equipped lifting. It publishes two separate rulebooks, one for its drug-tested divisions and one for its non-tested divisions, and keeps separate records for each. Equipped lifting is split by the number of supportive layers a garment may have.
- Independent US federation
- Publishes separate tested and untested rulebooks
Weight classes
Bodyweight categories the federation contests separately for record purposes.
Men
| Class (kg) | Class (lb) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | 115 | |
| 56 | 123 | |
| 60 | 132 | |
| 67.5 | 149 | |
| 75 | 165 | |
| 82.5 | 182 | |
| 90 | 198 | |
| 100 | 220 | |
| 110 | 243 | |
| 125 | 276 | |
| 140 | 309 | |
| 140+ | 309+ |
Women
| Class (kg) | Class (lb) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | 97 | |
| 48 | 106 | |
| 52 | 115 | |
| 56 | 123 | |
| 60 | 132 | |
| 67.5 | 149 | |
| 75 | 165 | |
| 82.5 | 182 | |
| 90 | 198 | |
| 90+ | 198+ |
Age divisions
Each division is its own record category at the federation level.
| Division | Age range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Teen 1 | 13 through 15 | |
| Teen 2 | 16 through 17 | |
| Teen 3 | 18 through 19 | |
| Junior | 20 through 23 | |
| Open | No age restriction | |
| Submaster | 35 through 39 | |
| Masters | 40 and upwards | Contested in 5-year bands (40-44, 45-49, and so on). |
Equipment categories
Separate record lines are kept for each equipment category the federation tracks.
-
Raw · records tracked
A non-supportive singlet with a t-shirt and belt; no supportive suit, shirt, or knee wraps.
-
Raw with Wraps · records tracked
The same as Raw, with knee wraps (up to 3 m) added. "Gripper" shirts are permitted in this division only, effective 1 June 2025.
-
Single-layer · records tracked
Supportive gear built from a single layer of cotton, denim, or polyester: one squat suit, one bench shirt, one deadlift suit, and one pair of briefs, each a single whole piece.
-
Multi-layer · records tracked
Supportive gear built from up to three layers of cotton, denim, polyester, canvas, or a combination. The most permissive equipment division.
Drug-testing policy
The SPF runs both tested and untested competition and publishes a separate rulebook for each, along with separate meet waivers. The specific banned-substance list and testing method are set out in the Drug-Tested Division rulebook on the federation's Resources page.
Records distinguish tested from untested: Yes.
Tested and untested divisions keep separate records. The federation is primarily untested, with the tested track run under its own rulebook.
Notable recent changes
Rule changes from the last decade across weight classes, age divisions, equipment, scoring, and eligibility.
- 2025-06-01 Equipment
"Gripper" shirts permitted in the Raw with Wraps division only.
The allowance is limited to the Raw with Wraps division; other raw and equipped divisions are unchanged.
Source: SPF Official Rule Book (v25.4)
Reference materials
The federation's own published documents this page is sourced from.
- SPF Official Rule Book (v25.4), Age Divisions and Bodyweight Categories, Equipment · retrieved 2026-05-29
- SPF Resources (tested and non-tested rulebooks, records) · retrieved 2026-05-29