Weight Classes & Scoring

Why weight classes?

Powerlifting and weightlifting rank athletes within bodyweight brackets so a 148 lb lifter isn't competing directly against a 275 lb lifter. Each class has a minimum and maximum bodyweight; athletes weigh in before a meet and are assigned to the class that covers their weight.

Boys and girls compete in separate class sets, but the same ranking mechanic applies: highest total in a class wins the class.

Classes in use at this site

LandingSports doesn't prescribe a fixed class list - each meet defines its own classes (IPF, USAPL, federation-specific, or custom). Below are the classes that have appeared in recent meets here.

What is a "total"?

A total is the sum of an athlete's best successful attempt in each lift. For a full-power powerlifting meet, that's the best squat + best bench press + best deadlift. For a weightlifting meet, it's best snatch + best clean & jerk.

Each athlete gets three attempts per lift. Attempts go up in weight; a missed lift doesn't drop a lifter from the meet, it just means their next attempt has to be at least as heavy. The best successful weight at any attempt counts toward the total.

How meets are scored

Individual: highest total in a weight class wins the class. Ties on total are broken by bodyweight (lighter lifter wins).

Team: place finishes in each class earn points (1st = more points, 2nd = fewer, etc. - exact point table is configured per meet). A team's score is the sum of its athletes' class points. See the Season page for cumulative team standings across a year.