Are elite IPF powerlifters getting younger? Temporal trends in peak performance age and age at first recorded competition using OpenIPF data

Abstract

Abstract Background Whether elite International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) classic powerlifters are becoming younger and whether this reflects earlier recorded competition or a younger active population is unclear. This study examined temporal patterns in age, performance and recorded intervals to elite performance. Methods Population and top-100 analyses covered 2013 to 2025 and Open World Championship podium analyses covered 2013 to 2026. Earlier OpenIPF records informed competition histories. Population-wide age-performance relationships were estimated using locally weighted scatterplot smoothing and profile-cluster bootstrapping. Trends in annual medians were evaluated using Theil-Sen slopes and Kendall tests. Intervals from first recorded eligible competition to first observed elite performance were calculated among profiles with eligible histories. Results The performance cohort comprised 431,476 entries from 161,073 profiles. The population-wide curve peaked at 26.0 years (95% confidence interval [CI]: 25.4–26.5). Active-profile median age ranged from 23.5 to 25.0 years and showed no clear trend (0.00 years/year; 95% CI: −0.10 to 0.00; Kendall p = 0.173). Population median age at first recorded eligible Raw three-lift competition declined slightly (− 0.097 years/year; 95% CI: −0.200 to 0.000; Kendall p = 0.0085). Among 1,303 yearly top-100 profile-years and 602 podium observations, median age slopes were − 0.20 years/year (95% CI: −0.29 to − 0.10; Kendall p = 0.002) and − 0.37 years/year (95% CI: −0.50 to − 0.19; Kendall p = 0.001), respectively. Median IPF Goodlift Points increased by 1.21 (95% CI: 1.08–1.43; Kendall p < 0.001) and 1.52 points/year (95% CI: 1.33–1.79; Kendall p < 0.001), respectively. Median age at first recorded eligible Raw or Single ply three-lift competition showed no clear trend among top-100 profiles (0.00 years/year; 95% CI: −0.05 to 0.00; Kendall p = 0.289) or podium profiles (− 0.05 years/year; 95% CI: −0.22 to 0.00; Kendall p = 0.121). Raw-only elite histories showed negative first-competition-age trends. Median recorded intervals were 3.58 years for top-100 profiles and 4.72 years for podium profiles, with no clear temporal shortening. Conclusions Median age in elite samples declined while performance increased, whereas active-profile median age showed no clear decline. These descriptive findings provide updated age and performance benchmarks without establishing individual peak ages or faster progression to elite performance.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. BMC Sports Science Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2026 · DOI ↗