Exercise Explanation

What lifts are in this dataset?

This project uses a public powerlifting dataset with more than 50,000 observations. In those records, the main performance lifts are the squat, bench press, and deadlift. The total is simply the sum of those three best attempts in a meet.

These are the three competition lifts people were doing in the data, and they are the basis for the bodyweight and performance comparisons in this project.

Squat

The squat is the lift where the lifter stands with a barbell on their shoulders and lowers the body down before driving back up to standing position. It is a large lower-body movement that trains the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core.

In the dataset, each lifter has a recorded best squat, which is the maximum weight they successfully lifted in competition. This is the clearest measure of lower-body strength in the data.

Bench Press

The bench press is the lift where the lifter lies on a bench, lowers the bar to the chest, and presses it upward until the arms are straight. It is a primary upper-body strength movement and targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

In the dataset, each athlete also has a best bench press value. This column helps show how upper-body strength changes across bodyweight and sex in the full sample of lifters.

Deadlift

The deadlift is the lift where the lifter picks up a loaded barbell from the floor to a standing position. It is a major total-body pull that heavily involves the glutes, hamstrings, back, and grip.

In the data, the deadlift is recorded as the athlete’s best successful attempt in competition. It is one of the strongest indicators of overall pulling power and often changes a lot with bodyweight class.

Total

The total is the sum of the best squat, bench press, and deadlift for each lifter. It is the main overall metric used in the analysis because it captures the full competitive performance across all three lifts.

So, in plain terms, the 50,000 observations are mostly people competing in the same three powerlifting movements: squat, bench press, and deadlift, with total performance being the combined score.