30 Seconds SummaryWhat is Strong? (How to Get Strong, Part 2)
- Despite the rapid growth of powerlifting, the average strength of competitors hasn't significantly improved over recent years.
- Women respond to strength training as effectively as men, reducing the gender strength gap when normalized to body size.
- Strength standards from powerlifting data don't change dramatically over time, suggesting consistent performance levels across years and that increases in top records likely result from a larger pool of lifters.
- This analysis is based on a large dataset from the USAPL, providing a detailed look at trends in powerlifting performances from both male and female competitors.
- Allometric scaling is preferred over traditional strength to bodyweight ratios for assessing relative strength due to its more accurate representation of strength normalized to body size.
- The strength gap between men and women powerlifters remains consistent, even as both genders improve, showing about a 50% relative strength difference favoring men.
- Performance in individual lifts like squat, bench, and deadlift does not predict overall success in powerlifting; success is more about balanced strength across all lifts.
- Data suggests that elite lifters have a balanced proficiency in all lifts, debunking the myth that success in one lift could disproportionately determine overall powerlifting success.
Stronger By Science
Greg Nuckols
