Powerlifting competitions are often centered around how much weight an athlete can lift in the squat, deadlift, and bench press. However, measuring performance solely based on the absolute weight lifted does not provide a fair or comprehensive understanding of strength. Some factors to consider include:
By relying solely on absolute weight lifted, we miss these nuances in evaluating strength. This is why we need a more intelligent way to measure strength.
The Powerlifting Score (PLS) is a relative strength measure that adjusts for body weight, gender, and sometimes age. This method provides a more accurate reflection of an athlete’s true strength by normalizing the total weight lifted relative to their body size.
The PLS calculation typically involves the following components:
The goal is to give a single, composite score that reflects the lifter’s relative strength, beyond just how much weight they can move.
A Powerlifting Score provides several key advantages over traditional methods of assessing strength:
The PLS evaluates strength relative to body weight, giving a more accurate comparison of strength levels across different athletes. It allows for a fairer comparison between lifters of different body sizes.
The PLS adjusts for body weight, gender, and sometimes age, ensuring that athletes of all demographics are compared on an equal footing. This provides a more accurate view of strength across various groups.
Rather than focusing on just adding more weight to the bar, the PLS helps lifters track their progress in relative strength. A higher score over time reflects improvements in strength and body composition.
Calculating your Powerlifting Score involves several steps. Here’s a breakdown:
Start by adding up the best lifts from each of the three disciplines:
Total Weight Lifted = Best Squat + Best Bench Press + Best Deadlift
Next, divide your total weight lifted by your body weight to get a bodyweight ratio:
Bodyweight Ratio = Total Weight Lifted / Body Weight
Some systems apply gender and age coefficients to adjust for physiological differences. For example, men and women typically have different strength potentials, so this adjustment ensures fairness in comparison.
After these adjustments, you can calculate the final Powerlifting Score, which reflects your relative strength.
Once you understand how the Powerlifting Score works, you can use it to test your strength score and track your progress:
The PLS allows you to compare your strength against athletes of different weight classes, genders, and age groups. It gives a more equitable way to test your relative strength compared to others.
By focusing on improving your Powerlifting Score, you can better monitor your progress and identify areas for improvement, such as increasing your strength-to-weight ratio.
The PLS enables you to set specific goals that focus on both strength and body composition, offering a more comprehensive way to improve your lifting performance.
The Powerlifting Score (PLS) offers a smarter, more accurate way to evaluate strength, especially when compared to traditional methods that focus solely on total weight lifted. By adjusting for body weight, gender, and age, the PLS provides a fairer and more equitable measure of an athlete’s strength.
Whether you're training for competition or simply tracking progress, testing your strength score with the PLS can help you set more meaningful goals, track your improvements, and gain a deeper understanding of your relative strength.
Ready to test your strength? Calculate your Powerlifting Score today and see where you stand!