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Numbers and scores

Powerlifting total

Also called the big three, big 3, SBD, squat bench deadlift, competition total

A powerlifting total is the sum of your best squat, best bench press and best deadlift, each a single rep.

kgSquat140Bench press100Deadlift180Total420
Total: 420 kg. Squat 140 kg, bench press 100 kg, deadlift 180 kg add up to a 420 kg total.

In plain words

The three lifts are the big three, or SBD. It is the score of the sport of powerlifting: the International Powerlifting Federation recognises the squat, bench press and deadlift, taken in the same order at every competition, and the total of them. Each lifter gets three attempts at each lift, and the best valid attempt counts towards the total. If two lifters tie, the lighter one ranks higher. One thing to know: a total on its own favours heavier lifters, which is why scores such as DOTS and Wilks turn a total into points that allow for bodyweight.

An example

Squat 140 kg, bench press 100 kg, deadlift 180 kg. Add them: 140 + 100 + 180 = 420 kg. That is the total, and in competition each number is the best of three attempts, loaded in multiples of 2.5 kg except for record attempts. Outside competition people add their gym bests the same way, but a total built from estimated maxes is not a competition total.

Often confused with

One-rep max A one-rep max is one lift; a total adds three of them.
Squat The squat is a lift in which you stand with a barbell across your upper back, bend your knees and hips to lower yourself, and stand back up.
Bench press The bench press is a lift done lying on a bench: you lower a barbell to your chest and press it back up until your arms are straight.
Deadlift The deadlift is a lift in which a barbell is picked up from the floor until you are standing straight.
DOTS DOTS is a points score from a weight lifted, usually a powerlifting total, and the lifter's bodyweight, so lifters of different sizes can be compared.
Wilks Wilks is a points score for a lift, usually a powerlifting total, multiplied by a coefficient that depends on the lifter's bodyweight and sex.
One-rep max A one-rep max, or 1RM, is the heaviest weight you can lift for one full rep of an exercise, and no more.

Sources

  1. International Powerlifting Federation, Technical Rulebook, effective 1 March 2026 (v3) Read

Updated . How these pages are researched and corrected: editorial policy. Every term in the glossary.