Federation rules
USPF Rules
The USPF emerged in the early 1970s as a branch of the AAU and became fully independent in 1981; by its own account it is the oldest US federation devoted only to powerlifting still in operation. It was the US member federation of the IPF until 1997, a WPF affiliate from 1998 to 2017, and has run its own world-meet division, Superior World Powerlifting, since 2019. It contests four equipment divisions across the traditional kg weight classes and is untested. Best Lifter is scored on the Wilks formula, with the Revised McCulloch coefficient for masters.
- Independent; the US member federation of the IPF until USA Powerlifting took over the affiliation in 1997, then a WPF affiliate from 1998 to 2017
- Runs Superior World Powerlifting (SWP) as its own world-meet division since 2019
See the current USPF records →
Weight classes
Bodyweight categories the federation contests separately for record purposes.
Men
| Class (kg) | Class (lb) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | 114 | |
| 56 | 123 | |
| 60 | 132 | |
| 67.5 | 148 | |
| 75 | 165 | |
| 82.5 | 181 | |
| 90 | 198 | |
| 100 | 220 | |
| 110 | 242 | |
| 125 | 275 | |
| 140 | 308 | |
| 140+ | 308+ |
Women
| Class (kg) | Class (lb) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | 97 | |
| 48 | 105 | |
| 52 | 114 | |
| 56 | 123 | |
| 60 | 132 | |
| 67.5 | 148 | |
| 75 | 165 | |
| 82.5 | 181 | |
| 90 | 198 | |
| 90+ | 198+ |
Age divisions
Each division is its own record category at the federation level.
| Division | Age range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Preteen Raw | 9-10 and 11-12 | Raw only, with its own lighter weight-class set. |
| Teens | 13 through 19 | Contested in 13-15, 16-17, and 18-19 brackets. |
| Juniors | 20 through 23 | |
| Open | 13 and upwards | |
| Sub-Masters | 35 through 39 | |
| Masters | 40 and upwards | Five-year brackets from 40-44 through 75-79, then 80+. |
Equipment categories
Separate record lines are kept for each equipment category the federation tracks.
-
Single Ply (Division 1) · records tracked
A supportive single-ply suit and bench shirt, with knee wraps or sleeves and wrist wraps.
-
Multi Ply (Division 2) · records tracked
Multi-ply suits and shirts, knee wraps or sleeves, and elbow wraps in the squat. Band shirts have been permitted in this division since July 2024.
-
Raw KS (Division 3) · records tracked
A non-supportive singlet with belt, knee sleeves, and wrist wraps. No knee wraps and no bench shirt.
-
Raw KW (Division 4) · records tracked
As Raw KS, but knee wraps must be worn in place of sleeves. Offered for full power and single-lift squat only.
Drug-testing policy
The modern USPF is an untested federation: the current rulebook contains no drug-testing or banned-substance provisions. During its IPF era the federation did conduct doping control, beginning with men in 1986.
Records distinguish tested from untested: No.
A small share of historical USPF results carry a tested flag from the IPF era; the modern federation keeps a single untested record book.
Notable recent changes
Rule changes from the last decade across weight classes, age divisions, equipment, scoring, and eligibility.
- 2025-04-21 Eligibility
High School competition divisions added, with a parallel Raw / Single Ply / Multi Ply structure.
Source: USPF rules page
- 2024-07-05 Equipment
Band shirts allowed in the Multi Ply division.
Source: USPF rules page
- 2019 Affiliation
Created Superior World Powerlifting (SWP) as the federation's own world-meet division.
Source: USPF history page
- 1997 Affiliation
USA Powerlifting (then the ADFPA) replaced the USPF as the US member federation of the IPF.
The ADFPA joined the IPF in early 1997 and filed the USA Powerlifting trademark that January. The USPF's own history dates the end of its IPF era to 1998, then a WPF affiliation from 1998 to 2017.
Source: USPF history page
Reference materials
The federation's own published documents this page is sourced from.