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Several retrospective studies of strength sport athletes have reported strength adaptations over months to years; however, such adaptations are not linear.

We explored changes in strength over time in a large, retrospective sample of powerlifting (PL) athletes. Specifically, we examined the rate and magnitude of strength adaptation based on age category and weight class for PL competition total, and the squat, bench press, and deadlift, respectively. Mixed effects growth modelling was performed for each operationalised performance outcome (squat, bench press, deadlift, and total) as the dependent variables, with outcomes presented on both the raw, untransformed time scale and on the common logarithmic scale. Additionally, the fitted values were rescaled as a percentage.

Collectively, the greatest strength gains were in the earliest phase of PL participation (~ 7.5–12.5% increase in …