Is It Time to Add More Weight Classes for Women’s Powerlifting?

Is it time to add more weight classes for women’s powerlifting? According to The Main Event Project, the answer is yes! According to their recent Change.org petition, “Since powerlifting began, women’s weight classes have halted at 198lbs/90kg leaving any woman heavier than that to be categorized as a Super Heavy Weight (SHW)”.

Why Do We Need More Weight Classes for Women’s Powerlifting?

Women come in all shapes and sizes and that includes strong women. Women’s powerlifting faces a similar challenge to that faced by lighter UFC fighters prior to the expanded weight classes. Do you think Dustin Poirer would be a champion now if the UFC hadn’t added the lighter weight classes? Female powerlifters have the same issue. Imagine being a natural 198lb lifter and knowing that you’re going head to head with women who should be in the 242lb or even 275lb class. The reverse is true as well. “Imagine not having to cut to 198 as a light SHW in order to be competitive” The Main Event Project is urging federations to see the value in “allowing women lifters latitude and room to grow into new weight classes thus bolstering the competition within 220/242/275/308/308+”.

But Do We Really Need More Weight Classes?

Powerlifting federation officials who spoke off the record with me pointed out that there may not be a large enough number of competitors in weight classes beyond 198 to warrant more weight classes. In fact, they point out that having too many weight classes runs the risk of diluting medals and resulting in default first place medals being handed out because of having flights with only one or two competitors. However, a top lifter in one federation said while she’s competitive at the top of the 90kg/198lb weight class, she wouldn’t feel comfortable if she gained three pounds and then had to face women who potentially outweigh her by forty or more pounds.

Federations That Have Expanded Weight Classes

The Southern Powerlifting Federation, Revolution Powerlifting Syndicate and the United Powerlifting Association have all committed to expanded weight classes for female athletes beginning in 2022. The United States Powerlifting Committee, which already had the 220lb and 242lb classes for women is also on board. In a post on the official USPC Instagram account, the USPC said, “Last night, the executive committee of the @uspc.pl voted and we will be adding the additional 125kg, 140kg, and 140.1+kg classes to our already expanded weight classes for women”.

How You Can Help

Get involved by signing the Change.org petition or visit this link to read the actual petition for yourself. You can also follow @maineventproject on Instagram to stay up to date with the status of the project. We’re working on trying to get an interview with Main Event Project organizers and we’ll be posting that on YouTube as soon as possible.