Abstract
We aimed to identify and describe the evolution of normative strength values in unequipped, drug-tested powerlifting athletes this century, and provide recommendations for the frequency of future normative data updates. Competition data were sourced from openpowerlifting.org for athletes aged ≥12 years competing in unequipped, drug-tested events between 2000 and 2024. Absolute and relative strength values (squat, bench press, deadlift, and summative total) were analyzed by sex and United Nations age classifications. Spearman's rho was used to assess trends in median strength values over time. The sample comprised 850,972 entries (mean [SD] age: 30.3 [13.3] years, body mass 82.4 [21.2] kg). From 2000 to 2024, median male squat increased from 185 to 200 kg (ρ = 0.130), and female deadlift from 114 to 142.5 kg (ρ = 0.199). Weak-to-moderate increases in absolute and relative strength were observed in squat and deadlift performance across most age categories, with the most pronounced improvements occurring among adolescents and young adults. Bench press strength showed minimal change for males (129–125 kg to 127.5 kg; ρ = −0.041, p < 0.001) and weak improvements for females (50–55 kg to 65 kg; ρ = 0.131, p < 0.001). Comparison with earlier pooled norms revealed that current medians frequently exceed historical values. For squat and deadlift, median values typically increase by 2.5–7.5 kg within a 5-year period, representing a minimally important performance difference for competitive outcomes. Therefore, we recommend normative data be updated at 5-year intervals to reflect current performance benchmarks in these lifts.