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Powerlifting vs Bodybuilding

Powerlifting picks a winner by the heaviest good squat, bench, and deadlift. Bodybuilding picks a winner by how the physique looks on stage.

Side by side

The rows below use the IPF rulebook, the IFBB judging page, and the Wikipedia summaries. Diet cells stay short because neither source publishes a required menu.

Contest differences. Body-fat numbers are not part of either rulebook.
PowerliftingBodybuilding
GoalBest total on three liftsMuscular bulk, balance, density, definition
AttemptsThree attempts per liftQuarter turns and compulsory poses
ClassesBody-weight classesHeight or weight classes set by the promoter
Training aimA heavy single on squat, bench, deadliftHypertrophy across muscle groups
Stage lookNot judgedJudged

If a powerlifter stepped on a bodybuilding stage

Ferland et al. 2023 measured men at 20.4% body fat and women at 27.0%, with high lean mass. IFBB judges are looking for definition as well as size. A lifter at that male mean would usually need to diet down before those judges would score definition. I do not have a count of lifters who actually switched sports, so this stays a reading of the two standards, not a case series.

The physique page holds the full DXA table. Weight classes for the lifting side are on weight classes.

FAQ

Do powerlifters and bodybuilders train the same way?

No. One sport practices three contest lifts. The other practices posing and muscle size. Overlap in the gym does not make the scorecards the same.

Are powerlifters fatter than bodybuilders?

The DXA mean for men in one 34-person powerlifting study was 20.4%. Stage bodybuilding is judged on definition. That is a different target, not a moral ranking.

Sources

How these sources are checked

Limitation: federation and division rules differ, and the cited study is not a comparison with competitive bodybuilders.