Powerlifting weight classes are set in kilograms, and you compete in the lightest class whose limit is at or above your weigh-in bodyweight. A 90 kg lifter in the IPF competes in the -93 kg class. Different federations use different class lists, so your class can change depending on where you enter.
Enter your bodyweight and federation below to find your class, how much room you have under the limit, and what you’d need to cut to drop a class.
Enter your sex, bodyweight, and federation to find your weight class, how much room you have under the limit, and how much you’d cut to drop a class. Class limits are in kilograms. The IPF classes are shown below.
| Men | Women |
|---|---|
| -59, -66, -74, -83 | -47, -52, -57, -63 |
| -93, -105, -120, 120+ | -69, -76, -84, 84+ |
USPA, IPL, and WRPF use a different set of classes (-52, -56, -60, -67.5, -75, -82.5, -90, and up), so check the federation you’re competing in.
Table of Contents
IPF Weight Classes
The IPF has used these classes since 2019, and Powerlifting America (the IPF’s US affiliate) uses them too. Sub-Junior and Junior lifters get one extra lighter class, -53 kg for men and -43 kg for women. USA Powerlifting (USAPL) split from the IPF in 2021 and now runs its own old-style class list.
| Men (kg) | Women (kg) |
|---|---|
| -59 | -47 |
| -66 | -52 |
| -74 | -57 |
| -83 | -63 |
| -93 | -69 |
| -105 | -76 |
| -120 | -84 |
| 120+ | 84+ |
USPA, IPL, and WRPF Weight Classes
The USPA (and the IPL, its international parent) uses the older-style class list with more classes and finer steps. The WRPF men’s classes match the USPA exactly. WRPF women top out at 90+ in the standard list, while USPA women continue up to 110+.
| Men (kg) | Women (kg) |
|---|---|
| -52, -56, -60 | -44, -48, -52 |
| -67.5, -75, -82.5 | -56, -60, -67.5 |
| -90, -100, -110 | -75, -82.5, -90 |
| -125, -140, 140+ | -100, -110, 110+ (USPA) |
At the same bodyweight, your class number differs by federation. A 91 kg man is a -93 lifter in the IPF and a -100 lifter in the USPA.
Should You Cut to a Lower Class?
For your first meet, no. Compete at your walking-around weight, learn how a meet works, and set a total. Cutting adds stress and costs strength, and there’s no prize money on the line at a local meet.
Once you’re competitive, the question is whether the strength you keep at a lower bodyweight beats the class you leave. See the strength standards for your class to gauge the competition, and check your DOTS score at both bodyweights to see whether the cut actually improves your relative standing. Small cuts of 2 to 3% of bodyweight over a normal 2-hour weigh-in are manageable. Bigger cuts need a real plan and a 24-hour weigh-in.
Sources
Class limits from the IPF Technical Rules and the USPA weight class limits.
