Powerlifting, a competitive strength sport, focuses on maximal lifts in the squat, bench press, and deadlift. The sport’s history is deeply intertwined with the evolution of strength training and competitive lifting. In this detailed overview, we’ll explore the origins, development, key milestones, influential figures, and the growth of powerlifting from its early days to the present.

From its ancient beginnings to its growth in the 50s and globalization in the 2000s, powerlifting has come a long way. What began as informal displays of strength eventually developed into an organized sport with standardized rules, weight classes, and judging criteria. As interest in strength training grew, local competitions expanded into national and international events. The formation of major powerlifting federations helped formalize the sport and promote fairness in competition. 

Today, powerlifting continues to grow worldwide, attracting athletes, coaches, and fans who appreciate the discipline, technique, and determination required to lift maximum weight.

Early Origins of Strength Training and Weightlifting (Pre-Powerlifting Era)

Powerlifting is not a modern concept. Strength training and physical culture have existed for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations celebrated feats of strength through lifting stones, carrying heavy objects, and testing physical endurance. These early displays of power helped shape the traditions that later influenced organized strength sports. By examining these historical practices, we can better understand how the foundations of modern powerlifting were formed and how the sport eventually developed into the structured competition we recognize today.

Ancient Civilizations and Strength Competitions

Physical competition, such as weightlifting and strength training, can be tied back to several ancient societies. In the Ancient Greek world, athletes used weights that were made of stone or metal. Milo of Croton, a Greek wrestler, was known for his strength and athletic prowess. He was said to have trained by carrying a calf on his shoulders every day until the calf grew.

Then we have China. In ancient China, strength training was an important part of martial arts training. Chinese warriors created exercises to help build their strength and speed. This was essential for honing their martial arts skills.

Egypt also shows evidence of weightlifting and strength training. A text written by Saint Jerome claimed that in the cities of Palestine, there was an ancient custom in which young people would use round stones to practice. These stones were lifted, some to the knees and others to the hip. A few lifted it to their shoulders or heads.

We might consider it rudimentary, but at the time, this was the best option for strength training. It’s notable to look back and see how much it has changed from using stones and rocks. 

During the Middle Ages, knights and soldiers used strength training for battle. The German knight and fencing master Joachim Meyer wrote a book titled “The Art of Combat” and emphasized that strength and fitness were important for success in battle. One of the exercises he recommended for building strength was weightlifting.

While these are a few small anecdotes from history, they prove that strength training in itself is not a modern concept. It has always existed, one way or another.
The earliest records of physical competition date back to ancient Greece, where events such as the “Panathenaic Games” featured feats of strength and were a precursor to the Olympic Games. Events such as stone lifting were common, and athletes were celebrated for their physical prowess. In ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, heavy lifting was also part of both military training and ceremonial rituals.

The Birth of Modern Weightlifting

In the 19th century, we started to see the emergence of modern weightlifting. As early as the middle of the century, strength-training clubs were emerging in Austria and Germany. Then, in 1891, the first Weightlifting World Championships were held in London, before they appeared at the 1896 Olympics.

Eugene Sandow, a bodybuilder often referred to as the father of modern bodybuilding, was one of the area’s top strength athletes. He was known for his physique and for weightlifting and strength training to build muscle. It was said he became interested in bodybuilding at the young age of ten. After spending some time in the circus, he actually studied under another strongman in the late 1880s.

From there, Sandow started entering strongman competitions. With his frequent appearances in strongman competitions and his creation of the world’s first major bodybuilding competition in 1901, it is no wonder he is known as the father of modern bodybuilding.

Weightlifting continued to make progress, formally becoming an Olympic sport in 1920. By 1928, lifts had become pretty standard and comprised only three two-handed lifts: the snatch, the clean and press, and the clean and jerk. It caught on in the US, making the country one of the most dominant participants in the sport.

Compared to powerlifting today, it looks very different, but it’s important to understand the sport’s foundation. Everything has to start somewhere, and powerlifting is no different. Without this beginning, powerlifting would not be the sport we know today.

The Emergence of Powerlifting (1950s–1960s)

It was in the mid-20th century that powerlifting began to emerge as a distinct sport. Strength athletes, in the U.S., began experimenting with different lifting techniques and training methods outside Olympic weightlifting competitions. During the 1950s, Olympic weightlifting started to decline. Olympic lifting simply didn’t appeal to everyone. The Olympic three, as they were called, were either not performed by strongmen for a variety of reasons. Some were unable or simply unwilling.

However, strength training was gaining significant traction and popularity. Around 1958, the AAU’s National Weightlifting Committee decided to begin recognizing records for lifts that were classified as odd. A group meet-up took place in 1964 under the watchful eye of the York Barbell Company.

The meetup featured three lifts recognized today as the basis for powerlifting: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. In the following year, the Amateur Athletic Union began organizing powerlifting competitions. They ran the first national championships that year. Then, in 1966, the British Amateur Weight Lifter’s Association, which was previously dedicated to weightlifting, became open to the idea of powerlifting and non-Olympic lifts.

Powerlifting began to make a national name for itself not only through increased recognition but also thanks to the people who paved the way in the 50s and 60s.

The Founding of Powerlifting

Several powerlifters emerged during this time period, paving the way for future powerlifters to make a name for themselves in the sport. In the USA, Terry Todd broke records with 700-plus-pound squats and a 500-plus-pound bench press. Ronnie Ray, also from the USA, was particularly known for his heavy benches.

This wasn’t just in the United States. In Canada, Doug Hepburn and Benoit Cote were two superheavies who became renowned for their heavy lifting. Cote, in particular, was the first to lift around 780 pounds. Hepburn was famous in his own right, becoming known as the world’s strongest man in the 1950s.

Paul Anderson, in particular, is someone who made history during the 50s for work in weightlifting. Known as the world’s strongest man in the 1950s, he won the 1956 Olympic gold medal in heavyweight weightlifting. At the Melbourne Olympics, he won the gold medal in weightlifting despite having a high fever of 104.

Paul Anderson is recognized as the pioneer of powerlifting for popularizing the squat. Everyone listed here played a part in popularizing the sport, bringing it closer and closer to the mainstream.

The Growth of Powerlifting (1970s–1980s)

When the 1970s came around, strength training started to become bigger. Bodybuilding competitions were very popular among the population. There was a bodybuilding boom in the 70s, which saw it go from a niche into something you saw in the mainstream.

Jack LaLanne’s TV show ran from 1953 to 1985. Jack, himself, was known as the godfather of fitness. But it was more than just Jack’s show.  The documentary Pumping Iron helped bring the sport into the public eye. This documentary, released in 1977, focused on the 1975 IFBB Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia competitions.

Directed by George Butler and Robert Fiore, it was originally a book. The documentary focused on the competition between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno for the Mr. Olympia title. Other bodybuilders during this time had featured segments or made appearances in the film.

All of these contributed to the bodybuilding boom that was inherently tied to strength training. While Pumping Iron wasn’t entirely about powerlifting, it grew in popularity among the public. 

At the same time, interest in raw strength sports grew alongside bodybuilding culture. Lifters who focused on the squat, bench press, and deadlift started organizing more formal competitions. This growing enthusiasm helped lay the groundwork for modern powerlifting federations and the structured competitions seen around the world today.

The First National Competitions

In the 1970s and 1980s, powerlifting began to solidify its identity, with competitions held more frequently and powerlifters gaining recognition. These decades also saw the creation of several powerlifting organizations and the professionalization of the sport.

During this time, standardized rules and weight classes became more widely accepted, helping create fairness and consistency across competitions. National and international championships expanded, attracting athletes from different countries and backgrounds. The rise of specialized training methods, equipment, and coaching also helped lifters push their limits and improve performance. 

The IPF, or the International Powerlifting Federation, was founded in November 1972. The first world championships were held in 1973 in Harrisburg, USA. From the beginning, a majority of those involved in the competition were Americans. It had always been big with Americans, but the competition highlighted this.

Then, in 1975, Birmingham, England, was the host city. This brought fresh overseas eyes to powerlifting and allowed British powerlifters to compete in their own backyard. In 1977, the world championships were moved to Perth, Australia, for that year, showing how fast Powerlifting was growing.

During that competition, the USA took six of the classes, while the other six went to England, Finland, and Japan. Following that success, the 1978 World Championships were held in Turku, Finland.

Before the International Powerlifting Federation was founded, the Amateur Athletic Union controlled Powerlifting. The IPF came in and was responsible for codifying rules and standards and structuring the competition. It formalized the big three (squat, bench press, and deadlift) while introducing strict regulations on personal equipment (lifting belts, knee wraps, and supportive suits).

Meanwhile, the Amateur Athletic Union was going through some changes. The United States Powerlifting Federation was originally a branch of the AAU. After the AAU relinquished governing rights to powerlifting in 1978, the USPF began to break away from the AAU. By 1981, it was its own separate entity.

This alone shows how the world of competition has changed.

The Rise of Legendary Athletes

The powerlifters themselves also played a part in revitalizing the sport. First, we had Larry Pacifico, considered one of the best powerlifters of all time. In the 70s, he won nine world titles alone. It was why he earned the title of Mr. Powerlifting amongst the public. At his height, he set 54 world records.

Ed Coan is another who has been regarded as the greatest powerlifter of all time. His career took off in the 80s, with 71 world records to his name. In 2015, his work was recognized with his induction into the International Sports Hall of Fame.

Bill Kazmaier set multiple records during his career. In the 80s, he became famous for his claim to be the strongest man who ever lived, backing it up by surpassing the feats of strength of famous strongmen. He set over 40 world records across powerlifting and strongman competitions.

Powerlifter Lamar Grant was well known for being the first person in human history to deadlift five times his body weight. He was ultimately inducted into the International Powerlifting Federation Hall of Fame in 1980.

This list is just a small fraction of people in the 70s and 80s who helped push powerlifting to the level of popularity it has today.

Evolution of Powerlifting (90s to 2000s)

By the time the 90s rolled around, powerlifting was going through an evolution. Advancements were made in training techniques, new lifting equipment was being developed, and new federations were emerging.

The Westside barbell is one example. Popularized by Louie Simmons, this training system was said to address and improve all sport-relevant strengths in athletes. It involves combining maximal effort through heavy lifting, dynamic effort through speed training, and then using repetition work in a 4-day weekly split. They called this the Conjugate Method.

This method focused on building strength through exercises and barbell variations.

New lifting equipment also made a splash during this period. Multi-ply equipment was introduced. Lifters were adding extra layers to suits by wearing more than one or modifying them in some way. Squat suits, bench press shirts, and deadlift suits were made from materials such as canvas, denim, and polyester and were designed to provide support and help lift heavier loads.  Knee wraps and belts were used for safety.

The Monolift, in particular, allowed squatters to lift the maximum weight without risking a complete energy drain. It gained traction in the 90s. Bars were also made thicker. Texas Power Bars were the go-to for power bars during this era.

Outside the main federation bodies, smaller federations began to emerge. The rise of raw vs. equipped powerlifting has led to even more popping up.

Equipped Powerlifting Vs. Raw Powerlifting

The divide in the 90s led to two categories of powerlifting: raw and equipped. Simply put, raw powerlifting means lifting without supportive equipment. While lifters may use minimal equipment for protection and support, they do so only to enhance their powerlifting performance moderately.

Raw powerlifting is used with little to no additional equipment. Protective equipment is where they draw the line. It forces the powerlifter to focus on brute strength, joint stability, and consistency in their movements.

There are many benefits of raw powerlifting. It is more accessible than equipped powerlifting, and its focus on the athlete’s natural strength can be appealing. However, progress may be slower compared to powerlifters who use equipment. Raw powerlifters are also more at risk for injury because of the lack of special equipment used to assist them.

On the flip side, there is equipped powerlifting. Equipped powerlifting involves specialized equipment that supports and protects the body. Its goal is to help them lift the most weight. Training can take longer because equipped powerlifters need to learn to use the equipment.

Benefits of powerlifting equipment include lifting attire that helps boost performance and high-tech materials that enhance support and stability. However, there can also be several drawbacks. Learning to use the equipment can take a lot of time. It can take away from weightlifting. There is also the fact that it can cause discomfort because of the specialized equipment and clothing. Finally, it is more costly to get into equipped powerlifting.

Both raw powerlifting and equipped powerlifting have their pros and cons. It simply depends on the athlete and their preference.

Professionalization and Globalization of Powerlifting

During the 1990s and 2000s, powerlifting also experienced a surge in global popularity. The rise of the internet and social media helped powerlifting expand worldwide, bringing new talent to the sport and making it more accessible to fans and competitors alike.

Federations such as the USPAPL, IPF, and others promoted standardized practices. They had rules for lifting and introduced drug testing. World championships and globalized competition helped professionalize the sport. However, other non-tested organizations started to pop up in response to this. It marked a divide.

Aside from Bill Kazmaier and Ed Coan, who continued to make a name for themselves into the 90s, other powerlifters started to emerge. Andy Bolton, a British powerlifter, was the first man to deadlift over 1000lbs in a single competition in 2006. Gene Rychlak, known as King of the Bench, was one of the first men to bench press over 900lbs and 1000lbs.

There were also Chuck Vogelpohl and George Halbert, who were known for specializing in Louie Simmons’s Westside Barbell. But it wasn’t just men. Amy Weisberger trained at Westside and made a name for herself, setting several records in the lighter weight classes. Cathy Millen, from New Zealand, won several international powerlifting championships.

Powerlifting in the Influencer Age (2010s to Present)

The past decade has seen continued growth in powerlifting, with more athletes entering the sport and significant improvements in technology and training methods. Social media platforms have helped lifters share knowledge, showcase competitions, and build supportive communities around the world. 

Access to online coaching, detailed programming, and performance-tracking tools has also improved the way athletes train. As a result, powerlifting has continued to expand globally, attracting new competitors and audiences while pushing the limits of human strength and performance in modern strength sports.

With increasing visibility through international competitions and online platforms, the sport shows no signs of slowing down. As training knowledge continues to evolve and communities grow stronger, powerlifting is likely to remain one of the most influential and rapidly expanding strength sports worldwide.

Social Media and Streaming

Whether you like it or not, social media is here to stay. Influencers have become an integral part of our society and are not going anywhere. Social media has led to powerlifters having an instant global audience on websites like Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch. With an instant audience, they’ve attracted a large following.

Fitness influencers can, in part, be credited with this. Whether they were powerlifting or doing CrossFit, they brought a fresh perspective to strength training. Monetization is very easy, allowing lifters to secure sponsorships and earn supplemental income. What was a hobby for some can become a career for anyone with the right physique, equipment, and a camera.

Social media, streaming, and influencers can be a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it brings more eyes to powerlifting. Amateurs can follow their favorite content creators online, learn from their lessons, and work to achieve their own powerlifting goals. No one can deny that participation in the sport has increased with all these extra eyes on it.

But there is a downside to social media. Misinformation has always been a problem on social media. Whether intentional or not, powerlifting influencers might spread misinformation or false ideas. Their viewers might act on this information, which could lead to injuries or worse.

On social media, the algorithm prioritizes sensationalism over evidence-based, consistent training. Common issues include a one-size-fits-all approach for whoever is watching, or complex programs in which products are pushed to their audience.

This is why viewers of this content should be encouraged to do their own research. It’s important to be able to spot misinformation from your favorite powerlifting influencers because not everyone has your best interests at heart.

• The first step is to question qualifications. Always check out the creator you are viewing and make sure they have professional, evidence-based qualifications. It’s not easy to say these are necessary, but it can go a long way toward ensuring the information you’re given is correct.
• Always keep in mind this phrase: If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is. A program that is promising instant results is unlikely to be true. You want to take their claims with a grain of salt to best protect yourself from misinformation that will come your way.
• Make sure that you look for consistency. Progress in powerlifting and strength training will come from serious training. It’s not going to be instant results or quick fixes. Hacks might sound nice, but they are not reliable in the long run.

Finally, remember that responsible training takes patience, discipline, and reliable information. Instead of chasing trends, focus on proven methods, credible coaches, and gradual progress. By approaching online advice critically and prioritizing evidence-based practices, lifters can avoid misinformation and build strength safely, sustainably, and effectively over the long term.

Increased Powerlifting popularity

Now in 2026, powerlifting had reached the pinnacle of popularity. We can’t deny that this is, in part, due to the internet and social media, which have given the sport more attention than it ever had before. But social media can only take it so far. It’s the faces of powerlifting and the lifters themselves who have helped bring more eyes to powerlifting.

Let’s take Larry Wheels, for example. He is a world-renowned powerlifter who has set multiple powerlifting records. On Instagram, he has over 5 million followers and shares content on powerlifting, bodybuilding, and strongman. Jeff Nippard, a Canadian natural bodybuilder and powerlifter, has over 8 million YouTube subscribers. There are also Russell Orhii, Alan Thrall, and many others who have used social media to their advantage.

Influencers have done a lot for powerlifters, but we also can’t discount the athletes who have continued to participate in powerlifting competitions. It is thanks to them that records continue to be set and interest in the sport continues outside social media.

Powerlifting federations continue to expand internationally, hosting larger meets and drawing new lifters every year. From local gyms to world championships, the sport keeps growing as new generations discover strength training and pursue records, community, competition, and strength.

In the 2020s, many athletes have made a name for themselves. Jesus Olivares holds the heaviest raw total in powerlifting history. He is the reigning world champion at the IPF World Classic Powerlifting championships, having won five competitions in total. Austin Perkins is a three-time gold medalist and one-time silver medalist who has extended his world records in 2025.

Then there is Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. Born in 1988, this Icelander has made quite a name for himself in the powerlifting world. He’s won 32 international titles, netted himself 60 wins, and has, alone, broken 129 world records. It makes him the most prolific world record breaker in strength sports.

Women also made strides during this modern era. Tiffany Chapon, born in 2001, is a powerlifter from France. She has broken the junior squat and total world record during her career. In 2025, when she moved to the open category, she bench pressed 102 kilograms to set an open world record. Eventually, she was surpassed.

One notable powerlifter and strongwoman from the USA is Tamara Walcott. From the Virgin Islands, she started powerlifting back in 2018, and by 2022, she had set the world record for the heaviest Elephant Bar Deadlift by a woman.

These are just a few people who have made a name for themselves in the modern era of powerlifting.

Final thoughts

Powerlifting has come a long way since its humble beginnings. From its roots in early strength competitions to its rise as a distinct sport with millions of followers worldwide, the evolution of powerlifting is a testament to the enduring human fascination with strength, discipline, and competition.

Over time, the sport has grown through organized federations, standardized rules, and global competitions, bringing together athletes from diverse backgrounds who share a passion for pushing physical limits and celebrating feats of pure strength. 

Today, powerlifting continues to evolve as new generations of athletes, coaches, and fans contribute to its growth. With expanding international competitions, improved training knowledge, and increasing visibility online, the sport remains one of the most accessible and respected strength disciplines.