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Fitness journeys

Extreme-discipline journey: selection prep, gymnastics, powerlifting

Rule-bound progressions that end at a hard gate: a selection course, a skill or a meet.

Little BuffPublished Updated

All 20 sections on this page
  1. The journey, stage by stage
  2. Published selection standards, exact numbers
  3. A 12-week prep block
  4. Powerlifting meet basics
  5. Gymnastics: levels and who enters where
  6. Month by month: what to expect
  7. What it costs
  8. A sample day of eating for a 75 kg adult
  9. Your first week, step by step
  10. Who should check with a doctor first, and who this fits
  11. What it asks of your diet
  12. Energy, recovery, pain and mental demand
  13. What the selection studies say predicts passing
  14. Why candidates leave, and what happens to the body
  15. Does preparation reduce dropout?
  16. Gymnastics: injury rates depend on level and on how they are counted
  17. Powerlifting: how long progress lasts and how meets are scored
  18. What the evidence does not show
  19. Common mistakes
  20. Sources

Rule-bound progressions with a hard gate at the end: a selection course, a skill, or a meet. Relative strength and attrition management dominate.

The journey, stage by stage

1Base and preparationmonths (editorial)2Skill or load progressioneditorial3The gateselection, meet or skill test
Filled circle: duration from a cited source. Open circle: editorial estimate.
  1. Base and preparation months (editorial)
    Individual preparation advice cut fitness-related dropout to 29% (40 of 137) against a 42% historical average in Swiss special-forces candidates (Dössegger 2026).This stage is the 6 to 12 weeks before a selection date, a meet or a skills placement, run 5 days a week. The only complete published programme read for this page is the Army's Security Force Assistance Command 6-week assessment prep, which sets 5 training days a week plus an optional recovery day, starting with tests: a 3-rep max front squat and push press, a 2-mile pace, and a 4-mile ruck with 35 lb for time SFAC 2022. If you cannot yet finish that 4-mile ruck, spend weeks 1 to 6 (editorial) on easy running and walking with a pack, pull-ups and push-ups three days a week, and one longer ruck, then start the programme. A candidate group given individual preparation advice had 29% fitness-related dropout against 42% historically Dössegger 2026.
  2. Skill or load progression editorial
    Powerlifting training-age bands run 1 month, 6 months, 2 years and 5+ years (Strength Level, self-reported).Progression here means loading the specific test. For selection it is the ruck: the SFAC plan moves from 4 miles at 35 lb to 4 to 6 miles at 40 lb, 5 to 7 miles at 45 lb, then 45 lb at week-1 pace in week 5 SFAC 2022. For powerlifting it is a 12-week or longer build to a meet (editorial), with the opener chosen from weights you have made for 3 reps in training Powerlifting Technique. For gymnastics it is the level chart: a gymnast needs a 32.00 or 34.00 all-around at the current level before moving up USA Gymnastics 2026-27. Adults in a class move by skill placement (beginner, intermediate, advanced) rather than score 5280 Gymnastics.
  3. The gate selection, meet or skill test
    A selection course, a meet or a skill test. Meets are scored by bodyweight with DOTS or IPF GL.Each route ends in a published standard. Navy SEAL candidates need 500 yd swim in 12:30, 50 push-ups and 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes each, 10 pull-ups and a 1.5-mile run in 10:30 as minimums Navy.com 2026. Marine OCS inducts men at 11 pull-ups, plank over 2:30 and a 3-mile run in 24:00 plus a 235 PFT score MARADMIN 232/25. A USA Powerlifting meet costs $75 for the year's membership plus an entry fee such as $135 USA Powerlifting 2026 Holiday Classic listing. In all three, the week before is recovery: the SFAC plan makes it easy lifting and light conditioning only SFAC 2022.

Editorial, except the dropout figures and Strength Level's self-reported training-age bands.

The practical guide

What to do, what to buy, what it costs and what to expect.

Published selection standards, exact numbers

Four US gates with published numbers: Army AFT, Navy SEAL PST, Marine OCS, and the Army SFAC assessment. Special Forces assessment numbers could not be verified.

Army: the Army Fitness Test has five events (3-rep max deadlift, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, plank, 2-mile run). Passing is 300 points overall, or 350 for the 21 designated combat specialties, with at least 60 points in every event Army 2025. Task & Purpose reports the combat-soldier 60-point figures as a 150 lb deadlift, 15 hand-release push-ups (ages 17 to 21), 14 (ages 22 to 31) and a 2-mile run in 19:57 Task & Purpose 2025.

Navy SEAL Physical Screening Test (minimum and elevated), as listed by Navy.com on 2026-10-27
EventTime allowedMinimumElevated
500 yd swim (combat sidestroke)Unlimited, 10:00 rest12:309:30
Push-ups2:00, 2:00 rest5075
Sit-ups2:00, 2:00 rest5075
Pull-ups2:00, 2:00 rest1015
1.5 mile runUnlimited10:309:30

Sources: Navy.com 2026

Enlisted SEAL initial training is 56 weeks, which includes BUD/S, Parachute Jump School and SEAL Qualification Training; officers get 62 weeks Navy.com 2026. Elevated scores earn an enlistment bonus only if met on the 14-day shipping PST Navy.com 2026.

Marine Officer Candidates School induction minimums, MARADMIN 232/25 (OCC-250 onward)
GroupPull-upsPlank3-mile runAggregate PFT
OCC and PLC Seniors, men11Over 2:3024:00235
OCC and PLC Seniors, women4Over 2:3027:00235
PLC Juniors, men8Over 1:1024:00220
PLC Juniors, women1 to 4 by ageOver 1:1027:00220

Sources: MARADMIN 232/25

Push-ups are not permitted on any OCS PFT, and Seniors must score at least 235 on the final PFT to graduate MARADMIN 232/25. OCS lasts ten weeks USMC OCC guide. For the SFAC assessment, expect a 5-day course with an ACFT, height and weight screening, a road march with at least a 35 lb ruck, obstacles and psychological testing SFAC 2022. Numbers for Army Special Forces Assessment and Selection could not be confirmed from an official page, so none are given here.

A 12-week prep block

Weeks 1 to 6 are an editorial base; weeks 7 to 12 are the Army's published 6-week plan, 5 days a week, with the final week as recovery.

Weeks 1 to 6 (editorial base, built from the plan below): 3 easy runs of 20 to 40 minutes, 2 strength days with squat or deadlift, push press, pull-ups and push-ups, and 1 ruck a week that starts light and grows 1 mile every second week. No sourced swim volume was found, so none is prescribed here; add two pool sessions a week (editorial) because the SEAL test needs a 500 yd swim in 12:30 or faster Navy.com 2026.

Weeks 7 to 12: SFAC week-by-week ruck and test structure (week 1 of the published plan = your week 7)
Plan weekRuck (day 6)Other key sessions
14 mi, 35 lb, for time, all-outEstablish 3RM front squat and push press; 200/300/400 m intervals at 2-mile PR pace
24 to 6 mi, 40 lb, 1 min/mi slower than week 1Tempo run, 30 min at goal 5-mile pace; weighted push-up drop sets
35 to 7 mi, 45 lb, 45 s/mi slowerThreshold intervals just slower than 2-mile pace; 1.5 mi + 1 mi tempo
44 to 6 mi, 45 lb, 30 to 45 s/mi slowerStrength day RPE 8 to 9; tactical circuits
54 to 6 mi, 45 lb, at week-1 pace, RPE 10Front squat 3-5 sets of 3; standing long jumps
62 to 3 mi, 25 lb, 2 to 3 min/mi slower, easy10 x 200 m at 5 to 10% faster than 2-mile pace; new 3RMs if able

Sources: SFAC 2022

Weekly shape from the plan: Day 1 strength plus threshold intervals, Day 2 tactical circuit, Day 3 pull-ups (5 to 8 sets of 4 to 6) plus tempo run, Day 4 optional 20 to 40 min easy recovery, Day 5 strength plus circuit, Day 6 ruck, Day 7 optional recovery SFAC 2022. The week before assessment is recovery only SFAC 2022. Authors note the plan is not an official Army programme and say to consult a physician first SFAC 2022.

Powerlifting meet basics

Three lifts, three attempts each, a weigh-in under two hours before you lift, and a $75 membership plus roughly $135 entry.

IPF bodyweight classes (open), 2026 rulebook
Men (kg)Women (kg)
5947
6652
7457
8363
9369
10576
12084
120+84+

Sources: IPF Rulebook 2026

  • Each lifter gets three attempts on squat, bench press and deadlift; the best valid attempt on each counts toward the total IPF Rulebook 2026.
  • Weigh-in is no earlier than two hours before the start of the session and lasts one and a half hours IPF Rulebook 2026.
  • You may change your first attempt once; submit second and third attempts within one minute of the previous attempt's lights IPF Rulebook 2026.
  • Three referees each hold a white (good lift) and red (no lift) light IPF Rulebook 2026.
  • Equipment: belt up to 10 cm wide; knee sleeves single-ply neoprene up to 7 mm thick and 30 cm long; wrist wraps up to 1 m long and 8 cm wide; knee wraps only in equipped meets IPF Rulebook 2026.

Attempt selection is common coaching practice, not tested in trials: an opener you can make for about 3 reps (90 to 92% of your 1RM), a second at 96 to 98%, a third at 101 to 103%, and repeat the weight after a miss most of the time Powerlifting Technique.

Gymnastics: levels and who enters where

USA Gymnastics levels are set by age and scores; adults usually train in classes placed by skill and compete, if at all, in adult leagues.

Development Program (women's artistic) minimum ages and score to advance, 2026-27
LevelMinimum ageNeeded to enterScore to advance
14th birthdayNoneNone
36th birthdayNoneNone
47th birthdayNone34.00 AA at Level 4
57th birthday34.00 AA at Level 432.00 AA at Level 5
67th birthday32.00 AA at Level 532.00 AA at Level 6
88th birthday32.00 AA at Level 734.00 AA at Level 8 or 8.5 IES
109th birthday34.00 AA at Level 9None

Sources: USA Gymnastics 2026-27

Xcel divisions run Bronze (age 5) to Diamond (age 9) and Sapphire (age 12); Platinum and above need 32.00 AA in the division below or an 8.5 individual event score USA Gymnastics 2026-27. Levels 1 to 5 are compulsory and 6 to 10 optional USA Gymnastics 2026-27. These charts describe the youth competitive system; they are not an adult route.

Adult route: 5280 Gymnastics in Colorado runs beginner (floor, conditioning, basic tumbling), intermediate and advanced adult classes, 18 and up, plus an adult team in the NAIGC league; intermediate and advanced require specific skills for placement 5280 Gymnastics. Injury rates rise with level in precollegiate female gymnasts (1985 to 2005, not adults): 0.687 per 1,000 hours at novice level against 2.859 at elite Saluan 2015.

Month by month: what to expect

Markers are the published tests where one exists; later months are editorial and labeled.

Measurable markers by month
MonthSelection prepPowerliftingAdult gymnastics
1Record 4 mi/35 lb ruck time, 2-mile PR, 3RM front squatStrength Level 1-month self-reported bandClass placement by skills
3Finish the 6-week plan: week-5 ruck at 45 lb at week-1 paceMeet-ready 12+ week cycle (editorial)Intermediate placement only if skills met
6Retest SEAL PST minimums or OCS pull-upsStrength Level 6-month bandEditorial: consistent 1x/week attendance
12Repeat the block; assessment week is recoveryStrength Level 2-year band is the median lifterEditorial: adult team trial if offered

Sources: SFAC 2022, Strength Level, 5280 Gymnastics

Powerlifting performance peaked around age 27 and after 4 to 6 years of competing in 6,524 long-career IPF lifters Renner 2026. No source read gives a month-by-month timetable for any of the three routes.

What it costs

Gear and fees for each route, from retailer and federation pages and this site's US gym data, read 2026-10-26 and 2026-10-27.

Itemized costs (US dollars)
ItemCostBasis
GORUCK Rucker 5.0 pack$265.00Rogue, both sizes
One ruck plate$89.00Rogue; 30 lb plate (10 lb $59, 20 lb $79, 45 lb $125)
Rogue 7MM knee sleeves, pair$70.00Rogue
USAPL Open membership, year$75USA Powerlifting
One local meet entry$135Holiday Classic
Planet Fitness Classic, 12 months$229$15 x 12 + $49 annual fee (this site's US data)
YMCA adult, Lincoln NE, 12 months$613$49 x 12 + $25 join (this site's US data)
Adult gymnastics 1x/week, 12 months$1,320$110 x 12

Sources: Rogue 2026, Rogue 2026, USA Powerlifting 2026, Holiday Classic listing, 5280 Gymnastics

  • $354Selection ruck kit: pack plus a 30 lb plate ($390 with a 45 lb plate)Rogue 2026
  • $509Powerlifting year one, low: membership, one meet, sleeves, Planet Fitness (belt not priced)computed from the table
  • $2,196Adult gymnastics 2x/week for 12 months at $1835280 Gymnastics

Left out because not verified: coaching fees, a lifting belt price, shoes, and swim-pool fees. Check that a gym has a power rack and deadlift space before paying; this site's data does not list equipment.

A sample day of eating for a 75 kg adult

The Army prep plan suggests 15.9 to 22.7 kcal per lb a day, so a 75 kg adult eats 2,629 to 3,753 kcal; protein here totals 141 g for $4.63.

The SFAC plan gives 15.9 to 22.7 kcal/lb/day, protein 0.6 to 0.9 g/lb, carbohydrate about 50% of calories and fat 30% or less SFAC 2022. For 165 lb that is 2,629 to 3,753 kcal and 99 to 149 g protein (arithmetic). USDA FoodData Central energy values could not be retrieved (rate limit), so only protein from this site's US data is shown.

Protein foods and cost, this site's US data (read 2026-10-26)
FoodAmountProteinCost
Kroger large eggs, 18 ct $1.784 eggs24 g$0.40
Kroger plain nonfat Greek yogurt cup1 cup, 150 g15 g$0.89
Frozen boneless chicken breast, 3 lb $9.492 servings, 224 g46 g$1.58
Kroger dry brown lentils, $2.192 servings, 70 g18 g$0.34
Kroger peanut butter, $2.292 servings, 64 g14 g$0.33
Costco Gold Standard whey, $86.99/801 serving, 32 g24 g$1.09
Total141 g$4.62

141 g is 1.88 g/kg, inside the ISSN 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg range ISSN position stand. Fill the rest of the energy with rice, oats and fruit; this site holds no prices for them.

Your first week, step by step

Eight actions that make the first seven days concrete.

  • Pick the gate and its date: SEAL PST, OCS induction, a USAPL meet, or an adult class placement.
  • Write the minimums for that gate on paper using the tables above Navy.com 2026 MARADMIN 232/25.
  • Day 1: test what you can do: max pull-ups, max push-ups in 2 minutes, a timed 1.5 mile or 2 mile run.
  • Day 2: load a pack to 35 lb and walk 4 miles at a pace you can hold; record the time SFAC 2022.
  • Day 3: squat or deadlift to a hard set of 3 with good form; write the weight SFAC 2022.
  • Day 4: a 20 to 40 minute easy bike, hike or row SFAC 2022.
  • For powerlifting: find a USAPL meet 12 or more weeks away and a gym with a rack; join USAPL ($75) only when you commit USA Powerlifting 2026.
  • For gymnastics: book one adult beginner class ($30 drop-in) before buying a month 5280 Gymnastics.

Who should check with a doctor first, and who this fits

These routes carry real injury and dropout risk; get cleared if you have any heart, joint or medical history.

The SFAC plan states to consult a physician before starting SFAC 2022, and Marine OCS entry includes a physical exam USMC OCC guide. Selection dropout was linked to poor preparedness and injury: 25.8% of 1,006 Marine candidates did not finish a 10-week course Forse 2025. Powerlifting injuries run 1.0 to 4.4 per 1,000 training hours Lifting injuries 2024.

This fits you if you want a fixed, measurable target and can train 5 days a week for 6 to 12 weeks. It does not fit if you cannot yet walk 4 miles, or cannot afford several hundred dollars in kit, dues and fees. Sources do not give a safe starting threshold, so cleared and gradual is the only advice here.

The evidence

What the studies say about food, recovery and risk.

What it asks of your diet

  • Protein

    No route-specific figure found. The ISSN stand gives 1.4-2.0 g/kg/day.

    Sources: ISSN position stand

  • Energy

    Powerlifters often manage bodyweight around weigh-ins. No sourced surplus or deficit figure was found.

    No source found

For a 75 kg adult, 1.4-2 g/kg is 105-150 g of protein a day: $1.73-$2.47 at the lowest US cost per 100 g ($1.65, Grade A Large White Eggs at Kroger.com, read Oct 26, 2026). Use the protein per dollar table or the protein calculator for your own weight and budget.

Energy, recovery, pain and mental demand

Pain and injury

Powerlifting injury incidence is 1.0-4.4 per 1,000 training hours, with a 70% point prevalence of painful conditions in one report. A systematic review found pelvic-floor dysfunction in about half of female weightlifters and powerlifters in the underlying data, against 9.3% of male. No military injury rate was found.

Sources: Lifting injuries 2024

Mental demand

High. Selection dropout is well documented and often linked to poor preparedness and injuries (Dössegger 2026).

Sources: Dössegger 2026

What the body looks like, and why

Relative-strength regimens favour strength per kilogram over maximal mass: heavier athletes lift more in total but less per kilogram (see the strength-to-weight page). Powerlifters and weightlifters grow type II fibres preferentially.

Sources: Fry 2004

Meets are scored relative to bodyweight. Try the strength-to-weight calculator to see DOTS and IPF GL for any total, and the myth check for what the lifting data says about big claims.

The research behind it

Deeper findings, with sample sizes and limits.

What the selection studies say predicts passing

Aerobic fitness, pull-ups, push-ups and marching ability line up with passing. The pooled evidence is graded low to very low.

A systematic review pooled 23 studies of special operations courses from 10 nations, with 11 to 1,138 people per study and courses lasting 5 days to 12 months. VO2max, pull-ups, push-ups and marching performance were positively associated with passing. Body fat percentage and sit-ups were not consistently associated. Tourinho 2026

The authors rated the certainty of that evidence low to very low. That means the direction is believable, but the size of any effect is not something to plan a program around.

Selection samples differ a lot, so pass rates do not transfer between them
StudyWhoCourseResult
Forse 20251,006 Marine officer candidates, 79.5% male, mean age 24.710 weeks260 (25.8%) did not finish; most discharges in week 5
Dössegger 2026137 Swiss special-forces and police candidates, all maleMulti-stage selection40 (29%) fitness-related dropouts
Orr 201832 male police officers, mean age 29.58-day coursePull-ups, push-ups and lift-and-carry speed correlated with selection
Uphill 202693 Australian male candidates recruited, mean age 28Special forces selection course21 provided post-course follow-up data

Sources: Forse 2025, Dössegger 2026, Orr 2018, Uphill 2026

Why candidates leave, and what happens to the body

In the Marine sample, injury was the largest single reason for leaving. One selection course cut jump height by about 28% and took roughly three weeks to recover.

In the Officer Candidate School sample, the reported reasons for attrition were musculoskeletal injury (30%), other medical causes (21.5%) and voluntary withdrawal (19.6%). A model using Combat Fitness Test score and psychological resilience was the final predictor set. Forse 2025

Among Special Forces Assessment and Selection candidates followed for two years (n=792), slower road march times were linked to 25% to 66% higher odds of injury, mental or behavioral illness, sleep disorder and leaving service. More resistance training, better sleep and higher protein intake were linked to 18% to 45% lower odds of injury. These are associations in an observational cohort, not tested interventions. Beckner 2026

  • -28%countermovement jump height right after an Australian selection course (mean, n=21 analyzed)Uphill 2026
  • -16%isometric mid-thigh pull peak force right after the courseUphill 2026
  • 1 to 3 wktime for jump variables to return to baselineUphill 2026
  • 25.8%of 1,006 Marine candidates did not finish a 10-week courseForse 2025

Does preparation reduce dropout?

One observational study found fitness-related dropout of 29% against a 42% historical average, but it was not a randomized trial.

Swiss candidates received individual training recommendations during a preparation phase. Fitness-related dropout was 29% (40 of 137), against a 42% historical average. The authors report a 91.6% posterior probability that the true rate was lower, using a Bayesian comparison with historical data. Dössegger 2026

  • The comparison group is historical, not concurrent, so changes in candidate pool or course could explain part of the gap.
  • Only male candidates were studied, and the program was individualized, so no single weekly volume can be read from it.
  • No review read here gives a proven hours-per-week target for selection prep.

Gymnastics: injury rates depend on level and on how they are counted

Reported rates run from 0.7 to 14.7 injuries per 1,000 hours because studies count different things. Compare within a study, not across them.

In a 21-year record from one US facility (1,452,574 exposure hours, 3,681 injuries, precollegiate girls), the rate was 2.155 per 1,000 hours overall. It rose with level: 0.687 for novice, 1.667 intermediate, 2.820 high-level and 2.859 elite. Saluan 2015

In French high-level women's artistic gymnastics (43 gymnasts, 111 gymnast-seasons), the rate was 1.8 per 1,000 hours and 91.4% of gymnasts had at least one injury per season. Charpy 2023 A Danish TeamGym cohort (n=474, ages 10 to 30, mean 6.0 hours a week) reported 14.7 per 1,000 hours when every complaint counted, but 3.3 per 1,000 hours for injuries causing time loss. Anker-Petersen 2025

Same sport family, very different headline rates
StudySampleCounting ruleRate per 1,000 h
Saluan 2015Girls, one US facility, 21 yearsInjuries evaluated2.155 overall
Charpy 202343 elite French womenInjuries recorded1.8
Anker-Petersen 2025474 TeamGym gymnastsAny injury14.7
Anker-Petersen 2025Same cohortTime-loss only3.3

Sources: Saluan 2015, Charpy 2023, Anker-Petersen 2025

A systematic review of 65 studies (7,782 young aesthetic and acrobatic athletes) found that gymnastics training was linked to better bone health before puberty, while injury risk to bone rose around puberty. Later menarche, low energy intake and flexibility-strength imbalance were among the proposed contributors. Fitch 2026

Powerlifting: how long progress lasts and how meets are scored

In 6,524 long-career IPF lifters, performance peaked around age 27 and after 4 to 6 years of competing, with yearly gains shrinking.

The sample was lifters with at least 10 competitions, so it excludes people who quit early. Gains per year generally shrank with time in the sport, individual peaks came after 4 to 6 years (around the 10th meet), and IPF GL points and age at the first meet were the strongest predictors of peak performance. More frequent competing changed the pace, not the height of the peak. Renner 2026

A separate model built on 54,064 observations from 8,907 European classic lifters predicted future results with R-squared of 0.90 to 0.94, using sex, age, bodyweight, first-meet strength and meet history. It is a benchmarking tool, not a promise for any one person. Ferrari 2025

On scoring, a drug-tested analysis of 457,471 lifters found the strength-to-bodyweight scaling exponent fell from 0.55 (men) and 0.50 (women) in the general pool to 0.47 and 0.41 among the all-time top 20 per class. A simple allometric model matched IPF GL for elite men, which suggests extra polynomial complexity may add little. Montenegro 2026

What the evidence does not show

Powerlifting research is growing but thin on injury mechanisms and female lifters, and burnout data are not specific to these routes.

A scoping review of 218 powerlifting studies found 18 on injury, 8 on psychology and only 7 focused solely on female athletes. Many did not report competition level, division or age category. Silverthorne 2025

A 2026 meta-analysis of 133 burnout measurements across 35,059 athletes, coaches and referees found notable heterogeneity and signs of publication bias in some subscales. It does not isolate selection candidates, gymnasts or lifters. Viego 2026

  • No source read here gives a validated weekly training-hours target for selection prep, gymnastics or powerlifting.
  • Powerlifting injury incidence of 1.0 to 4.4 per 1,000 hours rests on few reports, with differing injury definitions. Lifting injuries 2024
  • Selection pass rates in the studies above describe their own courses and cannot be applied to another unit.
  • Predictors such as pull-ups and VO2max are associations; the reviews do not show that raising them causes a pass.

Common mistakes

  1. Leaving preparation unplanned: dropout was 42% historically against 29% with individual advice.
  2. Comparing raw totals across weight classes; Wilks, DOTS and IPF GL exist for that and still carry some bias.
Sources: Dössegger 2026, Vanderburgh 1999, Ferland 2020

How this route compares

  • Mental demand: High
  • Energy-deficit pressure: Moderate thin basis
  • Muscle-size emphasis: Moderate
  • Documented injury burden: High

Editorial, 1 to 4, not measurements. The basis for each rating, and the other routes.

Extreme discipline: common questions

Does individual preparation reduce selection dropout?

In 137 Swiss special-forces candidates, fitness-related dropout was 29% with individual training advice against a 42% historical average (Dössegger 2026). It was observational, so it does not prove cause. Estimate prep-block food costs with the protein per dollar table.

What do DOTS and IPF GL do?

Both adjust a powerlifting total for bodyweight so weight classes can be compared; coefficients and checks are on the strength-to-weight calculator page (OpenPowerlifting, IPF GL 2020).

Why not just compare raw totals?

Heavier lifters lift more in total but less per kilogram, and a validation study found even Wilks was biased towards heavier lifters in the deadlift (Vanderburgh 1999). The myth check puts numbers on it.

Sources

38 sources read for this page
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  2. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise… Open-access full text; accessed
  3. Strength Level: strength standards and dataset description Community lift database; accessed
  4. Injuries in weightlifting and powerlifting: an updated systematic review (2024) accessed
  5. Fry et al. 2004: The role of resistance exercise intensity on muscle fibre… accessed
  6. Vanderburgh et al. 1999: Validation of the Wilks powerlifting formula accessed
  7. Ferland et al. 2020: Efficiency of the Wilks and IPF Formulas at Comparing… accessed
  8. OpenPowerlifting data export (database file dated 2026-10-24) Public competition results; accessed
  9. DOTS calculator and coefficient listing Calculator page; accessed
  10. IPF GL coefficients 2020 (PDF) Federation document; accessed
  11. Prediction Factors Associated with Success in Military Special Operations… Journal article or official page; accessed
  12. Low psychological resilience and physical fitness predict attrition from US… Journal article or official page; accessed
  13. Selecting the Best of the Best: Associations between Anthropometric and Fitness… Journal article or official page; accessed
  14. Neuromuscular Performance Changes in Response to the Australian Special Forces… Journal article or official page; accessed
  15. Comprehensive Health Predictors of Injury, Illness, and Separation From Service… Journal article or official page; accessed
  16. Injury Types and Incidence Rates in Precollegiate Female Gymnasts: A 21-Year… Journal article or official page; accessed
  17. Epidemiology of injuries in elite Women's Artistic Gymnastics: a retrospective… Journal article or official page; accessed
  18. Full-Season Injury Epidemiology in TeamGym: A Prospective Cohort Study… Journal article or official page; accessed
  19. Key Factors Impacting Performance Health During Growth and Maturation in… Journal article or official page; accessed
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  21. Predicting Future Performance in Powerlifting: A Machine Learning Approach Journal article or official page; accessed
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  23. The Applied Sport Science and Medicine of Powerlifting and Para Powerlifting: A… Journal article or official page; accessed
  24. Burnout Syndrome in Sport-Related Jobs: A Meta-analysis of Recent Evidence Journal article or official page; accessed
  25. Army introduces new fitness test for 2025 Journal article or official page; accessed
  26. Army fitness test scoring tables (60-point figures for combat soldiers) Journal article or official page; accessed
  27. Navy SEAL career page: Physical Screening Test minimum and elevated standards Journal article or official page; accessed
  28. MARADMIN 232/25: Officer Candidates School PFT induction and graduation… Journal article or official page; accessed
  29. Commissioning as a Marine Corps Officer: Officer Candidates Course (ten-week… Journal article or official page; accessed
  30. Security Force Assistance Command: 6-Week Assessment and Selection Preparation… Journal article or official page; accessed
  31. IPF Technical Rulebook, effective 1 March 2026, v3 Journal article or official page; accessed
  32. How to pick attempts for powerlifting (coaching article) Journal article or official page; accessed
  33. USA Powerlifting: Join (membership options and prices; read via Internet… Journal article or official page; accessed
  34. 2026 USA Powerlifting 24th Annual Holiday Classic, Woodinville WA, 12 Dec 2026… Journal article or official page; accessed
  35. USA Gymnastics 2026-2027 Rules and Policies (Development Program and Xcel age… Journal article or official page; accessed
  36. 5280 Gymnastics adult programs and pricing (Wheat Ridge and Littleton, Colorado) Journal article or official page; accessed
  37. GORUCK Rucker 5.0 and ruck plates at Rogue Fitness Journal article or official page; accessed
  38. Rogue 7MM Knee Sleeve, pair Journal article or official page; accessed

Abstracts read through Europe PMC on Oct 26, 2026; full texts were not read unless noted.

Not medical advice. Published research, summarised for general information. Speak to a doctor or qualified coach before changing training, food or weight.

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Topics: Fitness journeysStrengthInjury