Full power in powerlifting refers to a competition where all three lifts are performed: the squat, bench press, and deadlift, in that order. Your total score is the sum of your best successful attempt across all three lifts. This distinguishes a full power meet from single-lift or push-pull competitions, where lifters only compete in one or two of the events.
The Three Lifts in Order
Every full power meet follows the same sequence. Squats go first, bench press second, and deadlifts last. You get three attempts at each lift, and only your heaviest successful attempt for each lift counts toward your total. So if you hit 150 kg, 160 kg, and missed 170 kg on squats, your squat contribution to your total is 160 kg.
The order exists partly for safety and fatigue management. Squats demand the most full-body coordination and are performed when lifters are freshest. Bench press sits in the middle as a less systemically taxing lift. Deadlifts come last because they’re the simplest to execute under fatigue, even though they often produce the heaviest numbers.
How Your Total Is Calculated
Your total is simply your best squat plus your best bench press plus your best deadlift. If you bomb out on any lift (fail all three attempts), you don’t receive a total for the meet. This is one reason full power is considered the definitive test of powerlifting strength: you can’t hide a weak lift.
To compare lifters across different weight classes, federations apply a formula that adjusts the raw total based on bodyweight. The most widely known is the Wilks formula, though an IPF evaluation found that the Goodlift (GL) formula performs best statistically, with the DOTS formula ranking second. Which formula your meet uses depends on the federation.
Full Power vs. Other Competition Formats
Not every powerlifting competition is full power. A push-pull meet includes only bench press and deadlift, skipping the squat entirely. Single-lift meets let you compete in just one event, like a bench-only or deadlift-only competition. These formats are popular with newer lifters or those rehabbing injuries, but they don’t produce a powerlifting total.
When someone says they competed in a “full meet” or a “full power meet,” they’re specifying that all three lifts were contested. This is the standard format for national and international championships.
Equipment Divisions
Full power meets are further divided by equipment. In a raw (unequipped) division, you lift in a singlet with minimal support gear. USA Powerlifting defines raw lifting as allowing a belt, wrist wraps, knee sleeves (single-ply neoprene without Velcro or straps), and basic clothing like a T-shirt and socks. That’s it.
A “raw with wraps” division swaps knee sleeves for knee wraps, which store elastic energy and can add significant pounds to your squat. Then there are equipped divisions, where lifters wear supportive suits and shirts made of single-ply or multi-ply material. These stiff, tight-fitting garments act like springs, letting lifters handle substantially more weight than they could without them. The full power format applies equally to all these divisions.
How Judging Works
Three referees watch every attempt. Each one gives a white light for a good lift or a red light for a failed lift. You need at least two white lights for the attempt to count toward your total. The lights display immediately after each attempt so you know the result right away.
Common reasons for red lights vary by lift. On squats, the most frequent call is not hitting proper depth (the hip crease must drop below the top of the knee). On bench press, the bar must touch the chest, pause on command, and be pressed to lockout. On deadlifts, hitching the bar up your thighs or failing to lock out your knees and hips will get the lift turned down. Rules differ slightly between federations. For example, USA Powerlifting requires all fingers wrapped around the bar on bench press, while the USPA allows an open (thumbless) grip.
What a Full Power Meet Day Looks Like
Full power meets are long. You’ll weigh in either two hours or 24 hours before lifting, depending on the federation and competition level. A 24-hour weigh-in gives lifters more time to rehydrate and eat if they’ve cut weight, while a two-hour weigh-in means you’re stepping on the platform shortly after making weight. Most local meets use two-hour weigh-ins.
Lifters are divided into flights, usually groups of 8 to 15 people who rotate through their attempts together. You complete all three squat attempts before anyone moves to bench press. Between lifts, there’s typically a 10-minute break while volunteers reconfigure the platform. After you finish an attempt, you have one minute to submit your next attempt weight at the scoring table.
For lifters in the first flight, the breaks between lifts are shorter because warm-ups for the next lift overlap with later flights still squatting. For those in later flights, the gaps are longer. Either way, expect the full day to run anywhere from four to eight hours depending on the number of lifters. Packing food, staying hydrated, and managing energy between lifts is as much a skill as the lifting itself.
Weight Classes
Full power competitions are organized by weight class so lifters compete against others of similar size. The specific classes vary by federation, but the principle is the same everywhere. You weigh in at or below the limit for your class, then lift.
Many competitive lifters cut water weight to squeeze into a lighter class, sometimes dropping 5 to 10 percent of their bodyweight through water manipulation in the days before a meet. After weighing in, the priority shifts to rehydrating, typically starting with a mix of water and electrolyte drinks, then eating calorie-dense meals before the platform opens. How aggressively you cut depends largely on whether you have 2 hours or 24 hours to recover before lifting.