The USA Powerlifting Open & Masters Bench Bash at the Arnold Sports Festival delivered a showcase of elite bench pressing across age groups and equipment divisions, with multiple all-time records falling and outstanding performances in both raw and equipped competitions.
The USA Powerlifting competition at the 2026 Arnold Sports Festival concluded Sunday with the Battle of the Regions, a full-power showdown that brought together top lifters from across the country.
The 2026 Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio is happening this week, and powerlifting fans are in for an incredible showcase of strength. This year’s powerlifting events promise fierce competition and a chance to see some of the world’s strongest athletes go after big attempts and big totals.
From the very first squat command to the final deadlift attempt, the 2026 Alaska State Championship delivered everything you want in a state-level showdown: junior phenoms, masters strength, high school battles, national qualifying totals, and strong pulls that brought the house to its feet.
The 2026 RPS Jim Phillips Memorial Classic delivered exactly what lifters expect from a winter meet: heavy attempts, crowded warm-up rooms, and totals earned the hard way. From teenagers stepping onto the platform for the first time to seasoned competitors chasing another strong day under the bar, the meet progressed with steady momentum and very little distraction.
The 2026 USPA Ultra Nationals are shaping up to be one of the most ambitious powerlifting events the federation has ever hosted. Taking place May 25–30, 2026 at the Hilton Anaheim in Anaheim, California, this meet is designed to be bigger in scope, broader in participation, and more immersive than a traditional Nationals meet.
On January 10, 2026, strength athletes from across divisions descended on Colorado for the 2026 USAPL Barbell Blitzkrieg, USA Powerlifting event that showcased raw strength, rising talent, and a few unexpected turns.
The 2026 APO New Year’s Classic, held January 3 in South Windsor, Connecticut, brought together a wide range of lifters across age groups, weight classes, and equipment divisions, producing several standout performances both in absolute strength and strength relative to bodyweight.
The platform was busy and the energy high at the USPA Tested & Open 2025 StrengthX Grand Prix, as lifters from across the region packed into Farmington to close out the year with heavy attempts and tight battles across weight classes. The meet featured raw, classic-raw, single-ply, multi-ply, full-power, bench-only, deadlift-only, along with tested and open divisions, giving all athletes a chance to shine.
At the Warrior Games 2025, adaptive powerlifting offered one of the clearest demonstrations of discipline, resilience, and community found anywhere in competitive sport. The event, held in Colorado Springs, brought forward soldiers whose stories extend far beyond the platform. They competed not simply for medals but for momentum, identity, and the renewed sense of purpose that strength training so often delivers.
