Established 1987World Powerlifting Alliance60+ Nations
American Powerlifting AssociationCreated by the lifter.For the lifter.
APA has put athletes on the platform since our first events in 1986, and has stood as an established powerlifting federation since 1987. Raw and equipped. Tested and non-tested. Youth from age eight through masters past 80. Sanctioned meets nationwide, published rules you can hold us to, and records that follow your name for good.
1987
On the platform
since 1986
- Est. 1987
- Fully established federation, with first events held in 1986
- 60+ Nations
- International reach through the World Powerlifting Alliance
- $50/Year
- Adult membership · $25/year age 18 and under
- Free Certification
- Referee training and certification for adults age 18 and older
Why lifters trust APA
Trust built on visible
infrastructure
APA does not ask lifters to take its word for anything. The rulebook is published. The record categories are public. Every meet has a named director, every region has a named chair, and the Hall of Fame has been recording inductees since 1987. This is what a federation looks like when it has been running meets for nearly four decades.
- 01
Established 1987
First events held in 1986, fully established as a federation in 1987. Nearly four decades of putting lifters on the platform.
- 02
60+ Nations
The World Powerlifting Alliance is APA's international arm, spanning more than 60 nations and carrying world records alongside our national ones.
- 03
Affiliated Gym Network
Partner gyms are the backbone of our nationwide events, hosting meets and giving lifters, coaches and officials a place to train and meet.
- 04
Published Rulebook
The WPA and APA rulebook sets out recognised lifts, age and weight classes, divisions, equipment, weigh-ins, officials' duties and performance standards.
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Public Record Categories
State, national, military, veteran, police and fire, and WPA world records are published categories — open to check, and open to break.
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Hall of Fame Since 1987
Beginning with Mike Lambert in 1987, with at least one lifter added to the roster every passing year.
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Named Directors & Chairs
Every sanctioned meet has a named event director, and state and regional chairpersons give the federation a real presence on the ground.
- 08
Tested & Non-Tested
Drug-tested divisions run alongside non-tested competition, so lifters choose the standard they want to be measured against.
Who we are
A federation that started in a gym, not a boardroom
APA traces its roots to a small set of events held in 1986 and identifies 1987 as the year the federation became fully established. Founder Scott Taylor formed the American Powerlifting Association in a gym he owned in Sharon, Vermont, housed in a former school building. He served as president from the federation’s formation until his retirement in June 2022. The federation is led today by president Chris Pappillion.
Our mission is to promote the growth and development of powerlifting as both a sport and a lifestyle. That means treating the barbell as more than a scoreboard: the work builds physical strength, and with it the mental resilience and self-confidence that carry well beyond the platform. Beginners and seasoned athletes train toward the same standards and compete under the same rules.
Competition is how that mission shows up in practice. We publish a rulebook, maintain record categories, point lifters to documented meet results, list forthcoming meets, and support every event through a network of affiliated gyms, meet directors, referees and state or regional chairpersons.
“Created by the lifter and for the lifter.”
- Established
- 1987, Sharon, Vermont
- First events
- 1986
- Founder
- Scott Taylor
- President
- Chris Pappillion
- International arm
- World Powerlifting Alliance (WPA)
Meet day
What meet day actually looks like
Not a stock photo of a gym. These are APA lifters on APA platforms — the warm-up floor, the chalk, the walkout, the press, the pull, and the plaques at the end of it. Every one of them started by filling in a membership form.
01Warm-up floor
02Chalk and openers
03The walkout
04Depth
05Out of the hole
06The press
07The pull
08Plaques
Every APA meet runs to the same published standard, whether it is a local push/pull or a national platform. Find the one nearest you.
What APA offers
Everything a lifter needs, in one federation
Membership, sanctioned competition, published rules, record recognition and officiating education — run by people who compete themselves. Each card links straight through to the detail.
Why choose APA
Room for every lifter, standards for every lift
Whether you are eight years old at your first youth meet or a master lifter past 80, there is a place for you on this platform — and every division lifts to the same published standards.
What we run on
Strength
Physical strength built under the bar, and the mental resilience that comes with it.
Determination
The willingness to keep loading the bar when the last attempt did not go your way.
Perseverance
Long-term progress measured across seasons and careers, not a single meet day.
Education
A published rulebook and free referee certification so lifters understand the standards they are judged against.
Unity
A powerlifting family that spans gyms, states, and — through the WPA — more than 60 nations.
Personal Progress
Every lifter competes against the bar first. Records and rankings follow the work.
Where you fit
- Competition Formats
- Full Power · Squat Only · Push / Pull · Bench Press Only · Deadlift Only
- Age Divisions
- Youth (from age 8) · Teen · Junior · Open · Submaster · Masters through 80+
- Equipment & Testing
- Raw · Single-Ply · Multi-Ply · Unlimited · Tested · Non-Tested
- Service & Community
- Active-Duty Military · Military Veterans · Police · Firefighters · Special Olympics · Paralympic · Disability Accommodations
Named chairpersons across ten states, the Midwest, the Northeast and the U.S. military keep APA on the ground where you lift, backed by five affiliated partner gyms from Vermont to Florida.
How it works
From application to record certificate
The athlete journey at APA is the same whether it is your first meet or your fiftieth: five steps, published in advance, so there are no surprises on contest day.
- 01
Join APA
Complete the online membership application and pay the annual fee. Payment must be received within 7 days of applying, and your membership needs to be active on contest day.
- 02
Register for a Meet
Choose a sanctioned meet from the event schedule and complete its registration form — age, weight class, division, equipment category, tested or non-tested status, event and opening attempts.
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Weigh In
Attend your published weigh-in session with an active membership. Bring identification for age-restricted divisions; equipment checks, openers and rack heights are collected here.
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Compete on the Platform
After the rules briefing, lift in scheduled rounds or flights — squat, bench press and deadlift for full power, or your chosen single-lift event.
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Get It Certified
Set an APA state or national record and request your certificate by email. Digital PDF certificates are available worldwide; mailed standard certificates go to U.S. residents.
Ready for step one?
Membership is $50 a year for adults and $25 a year for lifters age 18 and under. That is everything standing between you and an APA platform.
Join us
Join the APA powerlifting family
Whether you are chasing a first total, a state record or a place in a Hall of Fame that has been recording lifters since 1987, the platform is open. Complete your membership, pick a sanctioned meet, and we will see you at weigh-in.
Membership $50/year · $25/year age 18 and under