What Is Powerlifting? A Guide to Strength Sport, Competitions, and Records in Israel

Powerlifting is a competitive strength sport built around three lifts: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. In each lift, athletes aim to complete the heaviest successful attempt under competition rules and judges' decisions.

The three powerlifting lifts

• Squat — lowering with the bar on the back and returning to a full standing position.
• Bench press — pressing a barbell while lying down, including the competition pause and commands.
• Deadlift — lifting the barbell from the floor to a locked-out standing position.

How does a powerlifting competition work?

Each lifter normally has three attempts in each lift. Their best squat, bench press, and deadlift are added together for a total. Judges decide whether every lift meets the technical requirements, so a heavy bar is not enough: the lift must also be performed correctly.

Lifters compete in divisions based on sex, bodyweight, age, and equipment. Exact rules, divisions, and judging details vary across federations, but the three lifts and total are the core of the sport.

Powerlifting vs. Olympic weightlifting

Powerlifting is not Olympic weightlifting. Olympic weightlifting consists of the snatch and clean and jerk; powerlifting consists of the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Both sports require strength, technique, and consistent training, but they are distinct sports with different lifts and rules.

Powerlifting in Israel: results, rankings, and lifters

On the Powerlifting Israel rankings, you can search Israeli lifters, compare totals, view squat, bench press, and deadlift performances, and explore DOTS scores and competition results. Site data is based on OpenPowerlifting and covers Israeli lifters across all federations and equipment classes.

For local competition and community news, visit the updates page. If you are new here, you can also read about the Powerlifting Israel project and its goal of making the sport and Israeli community easier to follow.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to compete to train powerlifting?

No. You can train around the three lifts without competing. Competition is one way to test performance under standardized rules and conditions.

What is a powerlifting total?

A total is the sum of a lifter's best squat, bench press, and deadlift from the same competition.

What is a DOTS score?

DOTS is a score that helps compare powerlifting performances across different bodyweights. It does not replace the total; it provides additional context for comparison.