Where does your powerlifting total rank?
NoviceIntermediateAdvancedElite
Quick answer
  • The median powerlifting total for equipped men at 74 kg is 970 lb (440 kg). Beat that and you out-lift half the class.
  • Top 20%: 1,192 lb (540.5 kg). Top 10%: 1,323 lb (600 kg). Top 1%: 1,620 lb (735 kg).
  • A 1,000 lb total (about 455 kg) is the classic milestone for men; 10× bodyweight is a strong total in almost any class.

Powerlifting Total Percentiles — 74 kg Equipped Men

The 74 kg class covers men weighing 66–74 kg (146–163 lb). These percentiles are computed from 88,600 equipped (single-ply or multi-ply suits and bench shirts) competition results in the OpenPowerlifting database. Remember that everyone in this dataset trained hard enough to enter a meet, so the 20th percentile here is already well above the average gym-goer.

PercentileLbsKgBand
5th percentile639 lb290 kgNovice
10th percentile700 lb317.5 kgNovice
20th percentile780 lb353.8 kgIntermediate
30th percentile845 lb383.3 kgIntermediate
40th percentile905 lb410.5 kgIntermediate
50th percentile970 lb440 kgAdvanced
60th percentile1,035 lb469.5 kgAdvanced
70th percentile1,105 lb501.2 kgAdvanced
80th percentile1,192 lb540.5 kgElite
85th percentile1,246 lb565 kgElite
90th percentile1,323 lb600 kgElite
95th percentile1,422 lb645 kgWorld Class
97.5th percentile1,510 lb685 kgWorld Class
99th percentile1,620 lb735 kgWorld Class

Novice = below the 20th percentile of competitors. Intermediate = 20th–50th. Advanced = 50th–80th. Elite = 80th–95th. World Class = top 5%. Percentiles are calculated on the best powerlifting total from each meet entry, so a lifter with ten meets appears ten times; this weights the data toward experienced competitors.

How to Improve Your Powerlifting Total

A total moves when the weakest lift moves. Compare your percentile on each individual lift in the same weight class — the lift furthest below your total's percentile is where the cheapest kilos are. Beyond that, totals grow with meet experience: lifters who bomb out or miss thirds leave 5–10% on the platform. Use the meet attempt selector to plan conservative openers and the peaking guide to arrive at the meet fresh.

Competing soon? The cheapest kilos at your first meet come from a belt, shoes, wraps, and chalk, not from a new program. See the first-meet gear checklist for what actually matters and what to skip.

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Frequently Asked

What is a good powerlifting total for men in the 74 kg equipped class?

The median competition powerlifting total in this class is 970 lb (440 kg). Anything above that beats half of all equipped men who have competed at 74 kg. 1,192 lb (540.5 kg) puts you in the top 20%, and 1,422 lb (645 kg) in the top 5%.

What powerlifting total do you need to be elite at 74 kg?

Using the top-10% line as the elite threshold, that is 1,323 lb (600 kg) for equipped men at 74 kg. The top 1% of the class has lifted 1,620 lb (735 kg) or more.

Where does this data come from?

Every number on this page is computed from 88,600 competition results in the OpenPowerlifting database for equipped men in the 74 kg class, and is regenerated automatically as new meets are added (last update 2026-09-02). These are lifts done in competition under referees, not gym numbers or self-reported maxes.

Want your full percentile? Enter squat, bench, and deadlift into the rankings calculator for your total's standing, estimate a max from a recent set with the 1RM calculator, or load the bar with the plate calculator.