Why open at only 90 percent?

Your opener should be a weight you could hit even on a bad day, because three failed openers means you bomb out with no total. Around 90 percent of your true max is a smart, near-guaranteed first attempt that gets you on the board.

How should I pick my second attempt?

The second attempt, near 96 percent, should be a heavy but reliable single that sets up a personal record on the third. Adjust it on the platform based on how fast and clean the opener moved.

Is the third attempt a personal record?

Usually yes. At roughly 101 percent of your estimated max it is a slight PR attempt — the lift you came to make. Coaches fine-tune it in the moment depending on how the second attempt looked.

Why round to 2.5 kilograms?

Competition bars load in fixed plate increments, most commonly 2.5 kilograms per side change of 1.25. Rounding attempts to the available increment means the loaders can actually set the weight you call.

Does this guarantee a big total?

No tool can promise a lift. This gives a proven attempt strategy, but your actual numbers depend on training, recovery, and meet-day execution. Use a coach or handler to make live adjustments between attempts.

Powerlifting Attempt Selector

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Choosing meet attempts is strategy, not guesswork. Open too heavy and you risk bombing out; open too light and you leave kilos on the platform. This selector applies the conventional opener, second, and third attempt percentages used by competitive powerlifters and rounds every number to a loadable weight.

How it works

From your estimated competition one-rep max for each lift, the tool applies the standard attempt ramp and rounds to your chosen bar increment:

opener  = 90%  of 1RM   (safe, get on the board)
second  = 96%  of 1RM   (heavy, sets up the PR)
third   = 101% of 1RM   (PR-range attempt)

Each result is rounded to the nearest selectable increment (1.25, 2.5, or 5 kg), and the projected total sums the three third attempts.

Tips and notes

Be honest about your estimated max — these percentages only work if the input reflects a real, recent single. On meet day, treat the table as a starting plan, not a script: if your opener flies up, bump the second; if it grinds, hold or drop it. The cardinal rule is never to miss your opener, so when in doubt, open lighter than the 90 percent suggestion. Loaders need a callable weight, which is why every attempt is snapped to your bar increment.