van den Hoek et al. 2024 (Powerlifting)
About this reference
Pooled competition data from global drug-tested unequipped powerlifting events, providing relative strength norms (weight lifted / bodyweight) by sex and age group for squat, bench press, and deadlift.
Known limitations
- Powerlifting population only — these are trained competitors, not general population norms. Values will be higher than for untrained individuals.
- P25 and P75 are taken from the authors' online calculator (thestrengthinitiative.com), which exposes the full distribution. P5 and P95 use P10 and P90 as proxies.
- Age brackets are broad UN age classifications (12-17, 18-35, 36-59, 60-79, 80+), not single-year or decade brackets.
- Small sample sizes for the 80+ age group (especially females: n=36-103 per lift) mean those estimates are less reliable.