What is Powerlifting Total?

What is Powerlifting Total?

A powerlifting total is the single number that sums a lifter's best performance across the sport's three competition lifts. Each competitor takes three attempts on the squat, three on the bench press, and three on the deadlift — nine lifts across a meet — and only the heaviest successful, properly judged attempt on each lift counts. Those three numbers are added together to produce the total, which determines placing within a weight class and division and is the figure used for meet records.

How it works

A panel of judges scores each attempt with a majority decision (typically three judges, two votes needed) for a successful ('white light') or failed ('red light') lift. Lifters and their coaches choose each attempt's weight strategically — usually opening conservatively and jumping based on how the previous attempt felt — because only made attempts count toward the total and a missed third attempt doesn't erase an earlier successful one. If a lifter misses all three attempts on any single lift, they receive no total for the meet at all, a result commonly called a 'bomb out.'

The formula

Total = best squat + best bench press + best deadlift

Only successful, judge-approved attempts count. A missed heavier attempt doesn't replace an earlier make, and missing all three attempts on one lift means no total for the meet.

Types

Worked example

Say an 83 kg raw lifter goes 9-for-9 at a meet. Here's how the total is built from the best attempt on each lift.

Total = 200 + 127.5 + 235 = 562.5 kg. Even though the third bench attempt missed, the second attempt (127.5 kg) still counts because it was the best successful lift on that exercise.

Total vs Wilks/DOTS score

A meet is placed first, within each weight class, by raw total; Best Lifter awards across all weight classes use a bodyweight-adjusted score like Wilks or DOTS.

By goal

• Raw lifters: Track your total and your Wilks/DOTS score together — total shows absolute strength on the day, the score shows how that compares across bodyweight.
• Lifters cutting or bulking between weight classes: A bodyweight-adjusted score matters more than the raw total when deciding whether a weight change is actually making you stronger, not just heavier.

Common misconceptions

• "The total is just squat + bench + deadlift, however the attempts go." Only your best successful, properly judged attempt at each lift counts — a lifter who misses their heaviest attempt still totals with the earlier make, and missing all three attempts on any one lift means no total for the meet at all ('bombing out').
• "A bigger total always means a stronger or better-placing lifter." Placing within a meet is by weight class, and 'Best Lifter' awards use bodyweight-adjusted formulas like Wilks or DOTS, so a smaller lifter with a lower raw total can outscore a heavier lifter with a bigger one.
• "Equipped and raw totals are directly comparable." Supportive squat, bench, and deadlift suits used in equipped lifting add substantial mechanical assistance, so equipped totals run far higher than raw totals for the same underlying strength — federations track them as separate categories.

Related terms

Powerlifting Total FAQ

What is a good powerlifting total for a beginner?

A reasonable early benchmark varies widely by bodyweight and sex, but a raw male lifter around 83 kg bodyweight commonly reaches roughly 300-350 kg total (squat+bench+deadlift) after 6-12 months of dedicated training; use a Wilks/DOTS calculator for a fairer comparison across bodyweights and sexes.

How is the powerlifting total calculated?

Add your single best successful attempt on the squat, your single best successful attempt on the bench press, and your single best successful attempt on the deadlift from the same competition; missed attempts simply don't count and don't subtract from the total.

What happens if I miss all three attempts on one lift?

You 'bomb out' on that lift and receive no total for the meet, even if your other two lifts were successful — a lifter needs at least one successful attempt on all three lifts to record a total.

What's the difference between total and Wilks score?

The total is the raw kilograms lifted across the three lifts, while the Wilks (or newer DOTS/IPF GL) score adjusts that total for bodyweight so lifters in different weight classes can be compared fairly for Best Lifter awards.

Do all powerlifting federations score the total the same way?

The core total (best squat + best bench + best deadlift) is universal, but equipment rules, weight classes, and which bodyweight formula is used for Best Lifter (Wilks, DOTS, or IPF GL points) vary by federation.

References

1. International Powerlifting Federation. IPF Technical Rules. powerlifting.sport
2. Powerlifting. Wikipedia
3. Ferland PM, Allard MO, Comtois AS. Efficiency of the Wilks and IPF Formulas at Comparing Maximal Strength Regardless of Bodyweight through Analysis of the Open Powerlifting Database. Int J Exerc Sci, 2020;13(4):567-582. PubMed 33042369
4. Ferland PM, Charron J, Brisebois-Boies M, et al. Body Composition and Maximal Strength of Powerlifters: A Descriptive Quantitative and Longitudinal Study. Int J Exerc Sci, 2023;16(4):828-845. PMC10449324