Data & Methods
This page explains where the data used on this site is coming from and how it is manipulated to arrive at the results presented.
Should you have questions or concerns, it's best to contact me on Instagram @powerliftingdata.
IPF Records
The record data comes from goodlift.info. This data is not transformed and just mirrors the data GoodLift reports. This means the records might be slightly out of date. They will be updated only after they were updated on GoodLift.
Powerlifting Results
The powerlifting competition results come from openpowerlifting.org. There's a few steps of filtering and transforming data:
DOTS
A scoring system used to compare performances across weight classes. The formula differs for Men and Women, but does not take into account equipment, event or age class. Relative scoring is used in some competitions to give an award to the "Best Lifter". DOTS is the relative scoring system of choice for multiple federations, including some IPF affiliates.
GL Points
Another relative scoring system. Takes into account bodyweight, sex, equipment and event, but does not account for age classes. Just like DOTS, GL Points are used in some competitions to reward the "Best Lifter", most notably in international IPF competitions.
Percentiles
Percentiles give an insight into how a value compares to other values in a dataset. If a value is said to be the n-th percentile, that value is higher or equal to n% of the values in the dataset. The 50-th percentile (known as "median") is the value which has the same number of values above it as it has values below it.
Percentiles are calculated from the IPF results explained above. Percentiles are calculated for the squat, bench press, deadlift and total for every valid combination of sex, event, equipment, age class and weight class, so only IPF competition entries conforming to this exact division are used to calculate the percentiles for that division. Only integer percentiles are calculated at this time, from 0 to 100 (including both ends, so 101 values in total).
CDF
A cumulative distribution function (CDF) describes the distribution of values in a dataset. It shows how many values in the dataset are below or equal to a given value. This makes it closely related to the percentiles explained above. CDF(x) = 0.5 for the x that is the 50-th percentile. The graph of the CDF gives an insight into how close the values for each percentile are. The steeper the climb of the function, the closer the percentiles and the less would you need to increase the value to make it to the next percentile. The position of the climb on the x-axis shows where most of the values lie. Since the function is cumulative (it shows the amount of numbers equal to or below the given value) it is right-monotonous, meaning the graph can never fall.
Sheffield Qualifying Total
The Sheffield Powerlifting Championship is an event hosted by SBD and the IPF. Achieving the Sheffield Qualifying Total at an international competition is part of the qualification process. To find out more, visit here. The qualifying total is 95% of the world record in that weight class, not including records set at or after the IPF World Championships before the next Sheffield Championships. Since the Sheffield Championships are held exclusively as SBD Open Classic competitions, the Sheffield Qualifying Totals only exist for these divisions.
This page explains where the data used on this site is coming from and how it is manipulated to arrive at the results presented.
Should you have questions or concerns, it's best to contact me on Instagram @powerliftingdata.
IPF Records
The record data comes from goodlift.info. This data is not transformed and just mirrors the data GoodLift reports. This means the records might be slightly out of date. They will be updated only after they were updated on GoodLift.
Powerlifting Results
The powerlifting competition results come from openpowerlifting.org. There's a few steps of filtering and transforming data:
- • Filter out entries which are not from an IPF-affiliated competition. The IPF affiliation data listed here is used to identify these competitions.
- • Convert and fill in OpenPowerlifting's
birthyear_classcolumn to the classes "Subjunior", "Junior", "Open", "Master 1", "Master 2", "Master 3" and "Master 4" following these steps:- - the respective class is chosen if OpenPowerlifting's
divisioncolumn matches some known classes ("Juniors", "Open" etc.) - - the respective IPF class is chosen if OpenPowerlifting's
birthyear_classcolumn contains "14-18", "19-23", "24-39", "40-49", "50-59", "60-69" or "70-999" - - the class is calculated from OpenPowerlifting's
agecolumn if thebirthyear_classis empty - - no class is chosen if no age is given or if it is below 14
- This approach can lead to age classes in the database not correctly reflecting which class a competitor actually entered, as all competitors can choose to enter the Open class instead.
- - the respective class is chosen if OpenPowerlifting's
- • Convert OpenPowerlifting's weight classes to the current IPF weight classes (explicitly: "-43kg", "-47kg", "-52kg", "-57kg", "-63kg", "-69kg", "-76kg", "-84kg" "84+kg", "-53kg", "-59kg", "-66kg", "-74kg", "-83kg", "-93kg", "-105kg", "-120kg", "120+kg") following these steps:
- - the weight class given in OpenPowerlifting's
weightclasskgcolumn is used if it corresponds to one of the current IPF classes - - the weight class is calculated using the competitors sex, age class and bodyweight otherwise
- The Men's 53kg and the Women's 43kg are only valid for Subjunior or Junior competitors.
- This approach leads to some competitors being sorted into weight classes they did not originally compete in if the competition used a reduced number of weight classes (like the World Games) or the competition was held at a time there were different weight classes in the IPF (most recently, the -72kg Women's class being split into -69kg and -76kg)
- - the weight class given in OpenPowerlifting's
DOTS
A scoring system used to compare performances across weight classes. The formula differs for Men and Women, but does not take into account equipment, event or age class. Relative scoring is used in some competitions to give an award to the "Best Lifter". DOTS is the relative scoring system of choice for multiple federations, including some IPF affiliates.
GL Points
Another relative scoring system. Takes into account bodyweight, sex, equipment and event, but does not account for age classes. Just like DOTS, GL Points are used in some competitions to reward the "Best Lifter", most notably in international IPF competitions.
Percentiles
Percentiles give an insight into how a value compares to other values in a dataset. If a value is said to be the n-th percentile, that value is higher or equal to n% of the values in the dataset. The 50-th percentile (known as "median") is the value which has the same number of values above it as it has values below it.
Percentiles are calculated from the IPF results explained above. Percentiles are calculated for the squat, bench press, deadlift and total for every valid combination of sex, event, equipment, age class and weight class, so only IPF competition entries conforming to this exact division are used to calculate the percentiles for that division. Only integer percentiles are calculated at this time, from 0 to 100 (including both ends, so 101 values in total).
CDF
A cumulative distribution function (CDF) describes the distribution of values in a dataset. It shows how many values in the dataset are below or equal to a given value. This makes it closely related to the percentiles explained above. CDF(x) = 0.5 for the x that is the 50-th percentile. The graph of the CDF gives an insight into how close the values for each percentile are. The steeper the climb of the function, the closer the percentiles and the less would you need to increase the value to make it to the next percentile. The position of the climb on the x-axis shows where most of the values lie. Since the function is cumulative (it shows the amount of numbers equal to or below the given value) it is right-monotonous, meaning the graph can never fall.
Sheffield Qualifying Total
The Sheffield Powerlifting Championship is an event hosted by SBD and the IPF. Achieving the Sheffield Qualifying Total at an international competition is part of the qualification process. To find out more, visit here. The qualifying total is 95% of the world record in that weight class, not including records set at or after the IPF World Championships before the next Sheffield Championships. Since the Sheffield Championships are held exclusively as SBD Open Classic competitions, the Sheffield Qualifying Totals only exist for these divisions.