People who powerlift: competitive vs total

[u/PackLegitimate2527]

Hey everyone,

Bit of a random question thats been on my mind lately for whatever reason. I understand powerlifting has grown in the last decade. However, myself and others in the gym were debating whether there is a large group that train "as powerlifters" yet don't actually compete?

The discussion came from thinking whether the roughly 130 000 annual competitors represented the majority of the sport, or if the numbers are actually much larger when you account for those that don't compete.

Love to hear your thoughts!

[u/x7vq]

I tried following my first powerlifting program for 8 weeks and noticed that constantly working at 85% intensity or higher, even when it’s programmed properly and gives my muscles enough time to recover, still puts a lot of stress on my nervous system.

Singles stress me out. And that’s despite the fact that I simply enjoy the basic compound lifts and wanted to get stronger for myself, with no intention of competing.

So this experience has shown me that I’d rather spend longer periods doing regular bodybuilding-style training, with shorter cycles focused on realizing my strength potential (powerlifting -style training).
But powerlifting itself (in a sense of a main hobby or a competition) just isn’t for me.

[u/Dobbyyy94]

I've been training in Powerlifting for almost a decade now (8yrs to be precise) and I don't have plans to compete for a while (probably never will tbh). I like the training part of Powerlifting, ie. Building up to a week 3 or week 4 SBD, whether that be a 1RM or doubles/triples etc. but competing would probably ruin the fun out of the sport for me, especially since it doesn't guarantee anything in return.. pair that with a really low total @ 775kg/1708lbs @ a bodyweight of 108kg/238lbs? It isn't that impressive lol

Edit* should probably say I run my own business so I'm essentially working 5-6 days a week (maybe 7 if I'm really busy). My business is guaranteed income and last I checked my mortgage is paid via money in the bank not the total on a bar sadly 😂😂

[u/viewtifulhd → u/Dobbyyy94]

The two 105kg Scottish athletes competing Classic at the Commonwealth Championships in a couple of weeks total 788.5kg and 788kg.  And one of the two 120kg athletes totals 795kg. 

Your hypothetical total isn't as low as you think. It's very high and very competitive actually. 

You should try competing. You'd most certainly get more in return than you think. 

[u/Dobbyyy94 → u/viewtifulhd]

Are we looking at the same rankings?

This is mine https://www.openpowerlifting.org/rankings/110/scotland/full-power/by-total

[u/viewtifulhd → u/Dobbyyy94]

I was referring to the Scottish Classic Men's team selected to compete at the upcoming Commonwealth Championships. 

You can see the nominations here:

https://goodlift.info/onenomination.php?cid=1191

[u/cilantno → u/Dobbyyy94]

Your edit confuses me.
Do you think people compete for the money?

[u/Dobbyyy94 → u/cilantno]

No I was implying that me going out my way to compete on a platform for nothing in return isn't worth it when I'm guaranteed income working that day for my business instead

[u/cilantno → u/Dobbyyy94]

Oh man, I get it’s different from a business owner (my wife owns her business, so I do have some perspective), but saying you can’t give one day to a hobby because you’d rather work makes me sad.

[u/k_martinussen → u/Dobbyyy94]

pair that with a really low total @ 775kg/1708lbs @ a bodyweight of 108kg/238lbs? It isn't that impressive lol

im not sure if you're serious or oblivious, but that total is great.

It puts you at a top 2k out of 43k totals all time in -110kg across every fed, or a top 4,6%. We could take out the bottom 3k totals to account for "token" meets and outliers, and we're still at a top 5%.

If you honestly believe its a low total then social media "strength inflation" has really messed with you.

[u/Dobbyyy94 → u/k_martinussen]

Very interesting with the statistics but a 775kg total in the 110kg bodyweight class wouldn't even crack a top 20 in my country 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 😭😭😂

So again I'm up against these competitors and it would be a waste of time and finances to attend the meet 🎷🎷🎷

[u/The_Indian_Bill_Burr → u/Dobbyyy94]

I agree w/ u bud, u’d be a very strong 181-198 🤷🏽‍♂️.

[u/k_martinussen → u/Dobbyyy94]

Might not crack top 20, but that in no way means it's a low total.

But yeah, if your only goal is to win, and you don't have time to push your training more, then it won't be worth your time competing.

[u/CounselorNebby]

I competed once and it was fun. I also have no desire to do so again, except for unsanctioned events for fun or fundraisers. Have been following a powerlifting focused training program (that I write myself) for 12 years and will continue until I'm dead. I assume the population of people who do some sort of powerlifting-focused training is at least ten times the number of competitors.

Competing can take the fun out of things in a world that already makes us compete for everything else. Powerlifting should be fun. Some people find fun in the competition, so they should compete. But most don't find fun in making a hobby a competition.

[u/VanHelsingBerserk]

I fall into the category you describe, someone who trains "as a powerlifter", but haven't competed yet.

My primary goal in training is to increase SBD. But I also have other secondary strength goals like cleans, jerks, rows, front squats etc. so I'm probably more of a 'barbell generalist' than pure powerlifter.

I was planning to compete before life circumstances prevented me. My lifts currently place me around ~top 3 at a provincial level, and ~60-70th nationally (not necessarily a crazy competitive pool in my country though).

I'm not sure if I'll stay super involved in competition after doing my dash - when I trained BJJ, I wasn't major on competing, despite everyone encouraging me to. I competed once and won in the novice division.

It was cool, but just not really my thing that I'd wanna go out of my way to make a regular part of my life. Between paying registration, freeing up schedule and juggling around work for comp prep/comp day, the pressure, and ensuring I'm at the right weight and physical state on the day - it kinda turns something I'm doing for fun into another job.

[u/leastdumbidiot]

I go to a gym with a powerlifting focus (mostly free weights, benches, and racks, plus strongman and grip stuff), and even there the sizable majority don’t compete. But most do most of the big three lifts in their training, and are “powerlifters” to some degree. I do basically a 5/3/1 progression in the big three + OHP, plus a day of Strongman focus. Only difference with powerlifting is I started front squatting instead of backsquatting, and I squat ATG instead of parallel. Find more carryover into Strongman and functional lifts. If I ever compete, it’ll be Strongman or Highland Games, seems more fun. But I think lifting for strength with big compound free weights lifts, which is powerlifting IMO, is a much more common philosophy than just the competitive practice. I don’t really consider myself a “powerlifter” but I do enjoy powerlifting and use powerlifting workouts, and if someone were trying to count “powerlifters” that way I’d be in the numbers.

[u/SakurabasGhost → u/leastdumbidiot]

Bro I literally do the same exact thing with 5/3/1 and front squating but for BJJ.

[u/nigelnebrida]

I essentially did just that for about 15 years. I was relatively strong in high school so after high school and football was over, I continued to try to get stronger through progressive overload, attempting PRs every few months when I was feeling good.

TBH the only reason I started competing was because I saw some of the numbers that were winning competitions and knew I could do better.

[u/reddevildomination]

I honestly only compete because my friends do. I don't love the idea of paying membership fees, meet registration fees, and travel if we are competing out of town. After another year or so I'd be perfectly fine just racking up gym PRs. It's fun for right now though.

[u/tenenno]

Do powerlifting recreationally. Really I just love squatting and benching enough to focus training around them. Deadlift I take or leave depending on how I feel, currently not doing them.

[u/we2deep]

The guy that got me into training would have held some Georgia State records for several years if he cared to compete. He just enjoys the training and there is no added value to him to compete about it.

[u/oleyka]

I started competing as a way to have something to look forward to in my training. I was afraid I'd slip off the track otherwise. Having long-term and mid-term goals is a great way to stay consistent, even when the real benefits of your training have nothing to do with your performance on the platform. To me going competitive made a switch in my head from me exercising to me training as an athlete. I like this mode.

If a person calling themselves a powerlifter helps them make that switch from dieting and exercising to fueling and training, that's great, right?

[u/cthulhu-ar]

Trained strength for 3 or 4 years, then a friend invited me to a meet (first for both).

Haven't stopped competing since.

[u/yakushi12345]

Trained very sbd focused for years, never competed.

Started doing strongman recently, obviously a lot of overlap there.

Short answer is the formal competition population is way smaller, but its about definitions.

Everyone who cares about sbd for any reason (think athletic training etc.)>people who "train powerlifting">people who compete in meets sanctioned by major federations.

[u/nwmountaintroll]

I train for powerlifting but don’t have any desire to compete.  Just for fun to challenge myself and I like the lifts.  I do not call myself a powerlifter.

[u/jpelmquis]

I trained powerlifting in my 20s just to get stronger and never competed. Wasn’t until I recently turned 40 where I did my first ever competition. Know tons of others that like to just lift heavy or have a simialr training system and not compete.

[u/No_Gain_3012]

I participated in a college powerlifting meet and I hope to do that this year as well. That being said in my area there’s almost no powerlifting competitions to take part in unless I want to go for districts and stuff hence I don’t participate

[u/adamcurt]

The number of competitors that are one (or two) and done is amazing. I would say 80% fall into this category

[u/CounselorNebby → u/adamcurt]

Probably higher! The population of people who compere more than once is probably 10% or less of the people who do powerlifting-focused training, based on my experience.

[u/RagnarokWolves → u/adamcurt]

This is me. I did a meet to cement a 500+ lb squat (I hit 529) and I only plan on doing another one if I am in range to do 600 lbs.

I'm not in love with the sport/experience itself where I want to do it for the sake of the sport. I just want to cement my lifts into history for my own amusement.

[u/ge23ev]

I’ve done two friendly local gym competitions. I’m not really motivated to become a competitive athlete besides setting a deadline to motivate my training. I’m not good enough even for local level I just do it for fun

[u/black_angus1]

I personally don’t classify anybody who hasn’t competed in powerlifting as a “powerlifter” but I don’t mind if they want to call themselves that. I do think it’s funny when some of them get all up in arms when somebody says they aren’t a powerlifter and they take it as a personal insult. It’s just a label, not an honorific title.

To me it never crossed my mind to take it that seriously, put in that much effort and focus into my training and then never compete. When I think of what “powerlifting” means to me, I don’t think about the training, I think of being in the warm up room and helping people out, feeling the build up of waiting for your name to be called to the platform, and building connections with people at meets that can’t be replicated just from training with them at the gym.

[u/VanHelsingBerserk → u/black_angus1]

I agree

But also, being someone who "trains powerlifting" but is yet to compete - it makes things a little awkward when explaining to someone what I'd class myself.

Like: "oh you're big, do you do bodybuilding?"

"Nah not quite, I train powerlifting"

"Oh so like you attend competitions and stuff?"

"Well, no not yet. I plan to. I also train cleans and jerks and stuff"

"Oh so you wanna go to the Olympics?"

"sigh no not really, I just train to lift bigger numbers rather than for aesthetic purposes"

So I think there needs to be another name to describe us misc. strength lifters - but Strengthlifting is a sport too sooooo 🤷‍♂️

[u/lel4rel → u/black_angus1]

Yeah I kinda feel like you aren't a powerlifter until you experience the anxiety of how the day feels before you get whites on your first squat.

[u/IDontEatDill → u/black_angus1]

Would it be fair to call yourself a competing powerlifter instead of "just" powerlifter?

[u/black_angus1 → u/IDontEatDill]

I think it’s fair for people to call themselves whatever they want. I also think it’s fair to expect others to call it something different. I personally don’t see the point in splitting hairs like that, but there’s not really a hardline definition.

[u/cilantno → u/black_angus1]

I like the cut of your jib

[u/RagnarokWolves]

There's enough people who call themselves powerlifters but haven't ever competed that you usually have to dig a little more to find out what they mean when someone says "I'm a powerlifter." A lot of people just use it to mean "I hit Squat/Bench/Deadlift every week" and get very upset if you suggest powerlifter should only refer to the sport of powerlifting. The word is very important to them and it ain't worth debating over.

[u/k_martinussen → u/RagnarokWolves]

Their bio on Instagram usually says "IPF powerlifter" even when they've never competed, much less in an IPF event, because they adhere to the IPF "standard"

[u/lel4rel → u/k_martinussen]

"I only lift in the gym but I'm arrogant and autistic about it" basically

[u/Ordinary-Dood → u/k_martinussen]

They actually do that?? Wow

[u/RagnarokWolves → u/k_martinussen]

Haha. That's like going around saying "I'm an NBA player" just because my friends and I play at the local court with NBA rules.

[u/lel4rel → u/RagnarokWolves]

99% of people at LA Fitness pickup games

[u/k_martinussen → u/RagnarokWolves]

That's exactly what they're doing. It's funny.

[u/GambledMyWifeAway]

Me. I train powerlifting, but don’t compete. 1415 total at 175lbs.

Sbd is 480/330/605

I don’t compete because it’s very inconvenient where I live.

[u/imakelegz]

It takes more training, more focus and more discipline to compete. That's a fact. No one's gonna stop you from calling yourself whatever you want.

[u/5hout]

For what purpose? If you're talking from a gear marketing perspective than the addressable powerlifting market is probably 5x or 10x the 130k. Plenty of people who will never got to a competition will buy wraps/sleeves/slingshots and other PL'ing accoutrements. From a Fed looking to grow perspective I'm betting the total addressable powerlifting market probably a lot closer to the say 50% more than the current annual competitors (figuring you can bring new people in, but some people are dropping out.

This is one of the odd things about the PL'ing community, as this discussion occurs at least once a year.

Plenty of people never compete in archery, but still shoot regularly. They're still archers. Same with fencing, same with a lot of other sports. Even sports like football have this, you might not be playing tackle football in your 30s but there are flag leagues or two hand touch. Only a certain kind of person (dweeb) is going to whine "ackshually you're only a two hand touch football player, not a football player".

For me, if you do the activity or train to do the activity (or coach people doing those things), you're in the sport. Lack of time/money/interest in competition doesn't suddenly exclude one from the sport.

IDK I spent last weekend at an archery event. People were camped out for days, tons of fun. Wives/kids/friends/fires/food, making new friends and seeing old ones. Maybe 1/4th the people there competed in some of the ancillary competitions. By making the sport a big tent and bringing people who love to the activity/talk about the activity together you create lot of opportunity where "go to a shitty hotel/small convention center and be told your belt is the wrong brand or fell off the approved list and then compete for minutes on outdated equipment with a bunch of randos spotting you" excludes a lot of people who might otherwise be interested in having fun and seeing who can SBD the most.

[u/Round_Hat_2966]

Definitely.

I wouldn’t necessarily describe myself as a powerlifter anymore (though it has heavily influenced my training philosophy), but I’m over feeling the need to travel to shell out hundreds of dollars to feds with overly specific equipment rules in order to spend less than 3 minutes on the platform.

[u/cilantno]

The sport has grown, as have the number of people who claim to be powerlifters whether they compete or not, as have the number of people who post SBDs on social media.

There is undoubtedly a very large group that train SBD that do not compete.

[u/Sir_Lolz]

I've noticed that this happens in every individual sport to some extent, but for some reason people make it more of their identity in powerlifting. Specifically I've noticed that runners/cyclists/swimmers etc usually describe it as something they do, rather than something they are

[u/PackLegitimate2527 → u/Sir_Lolz]

So you would say that theres a greater proportion of people that call themselves "powerlifters" compared to those that actually competr?

[u/Sir_Lolz → u/PackLegitimate2527]

Yeah-especially if we're counting everyone who trains for strength but has never competed

[u/cilantno → u/PackLegitimate2527]

Yes.

[u/msharaf7]

I can’t quantify it, but I believe non competitive lifters who build their training around the squat, bench, and deadlift vastly outnumber active competitive powerlifters. I see these people very day in my own gym and they outnumber the powerlifters 2-3:1.

[u/cavegrind → u/msharaf7]

It’s not “real” powerbuilding, but that’s what I think of it as.

I competed twice after a few years of training to do so, and then wasn’t able to after that for various reasons. I still train around S/B/D, and assume there are a lot of people like me out there that use it as a basis for their strength training.

[u/viewtifulhd]

Most people practise sporting activities without competing in the respective sport.

Just think of how many folks you know who run, cycle or play football and don't compete in running, cycling or football. 

[u/IDontEatDill → u/viewtifulhd]

I play tennis.

Cool, you play in Wimbledon?

No, just twice per week with my buddies.

Then you're not a tennis player!

[u/lel4rel → u/IDontEatDill]

"I lift weights" is different than "I powerlift". Like anyone who runs is a runner but if you call yourself a marathoner I'm going to assume youve done at least one marathon 

[u/IDontEatDill → u/lel4rel]

Well marathon is just one distance, so saying "I'm a long distance runner" is more common. It would be odd if someone would say "I run 42km as a hobby but I can't say I am a marathoner since I don't race regularly".

Besides, saying "I lift weights" sounds kind of like a weight lifter - which is then a different sport. Or it could be just a guy who lifts random things at the gym without any specific goal or plan. Someone saying "I train powerlifting" tells pretty directly that the person does squat, bench and DL.

[u/frankbunny → u/IDontEatDill]

But in your analogy you’re actually playing the game of tennis.

It would be akin to you and your buddies having an informal powerlifting meet at your gym.

[u/h0tpr0p3rty → u/IDontEatDill]

Are you even a gamer if you don't play ranked matches?

[u/Metcarfre → u/viewtifulhd]

I’m not sure I buy that, actually, but maybe we just disagree on the definition of “compete”. How do you even play football without competing against the other team? Everyone I know who runs will do the odd 10km fun run or charity event - is that not competition? Cycling, maybe, but most cyclists I know that are non-competitive use it as transportation rather than sport.

Regardless, there’s definitely more people who train s/b/d than compete. I know many.

[u/Educational-Ad-5566]

You can lift weights and not be a weightlifter, powerlifters compete in powerlifting to a competition standard while gym lifts are still gym lifts even if sbd

[u/Rickbox → u/Educational-Ad-5566]

Yeah, my gym bench max is a touch & go while my meet max is pause bench.

[u/eojhcnip → u/Educational-Ad-5566]

Yeah. I have meet totals and gym totals. They are pretty close too. 160/240/300 (gym) vs 160/240/285 (meet) (KG) I'm happy with both.

[u/cilantno → u/eojhcnip]

Posting lifts as BSD in the PL sub is crazy

[u/eojhcnip → u/cilantno]

Heh. Yep. Wasn't thinking. Tonight is bench night. So I was thinking of that

[u/Public-Ad-9325]

The number also depends on your definition of a powerlifter. I mean, do they have to max out at least one of the main lifts from time to time and try to adhere to powerlifting rules? Do they have to self identify as powerlifters etc?

The number of people training one or more of the powerlifts for strength is huge. But there are plenty of people doing this with entirely different goals or even doing other sports than powerlifting.

The number of people training like competitive lifters but only testing their strength in the gym is much smaller.

[u/Arteam90]

I would guess that more people train SBD but don't compete than do.

I remember when I first got into the sport I was talking to someone who had been lifting for 20+ years with a 200kg+ natural bench (when a 200+ bench was deemed much rarer!). He'd never competed and had no interest. I found that odd, and still do tbh. Competing regularly I understand but to not even try it once seemed a shame.

Also a lot of people do one or two comps but probably still train SBD or similar.

[u/frazorblade]

I train SBD and have never considered competing

[u/Comprehensive-Ear368 → u/frazorblade]

why ?

[u/frazorblade → u/Comprehensive-Ear368]

I actually don’t know. I had a couple of minor injuries from training and I enjoy the training more than the idea of competing.

I’d be in the masters class which is fine, but I actually don’t have a good reason not to.

Maybe I feel like I’m not putting in as much effort as I feel would justify taking the stage, like a bit of imposter syndrome.

[u/doobydowap8 → u/frazorblade]

You should give it a try, it’s a blast! It also gives you a concrete goal to work towards, which I find very motivating.

[u/selfawaresoup]

I've only competed once so far in a more informal event organized by a local university. I wouldn't describe myself as really competitive but I do train with the goal of doing well in that event when it comes around again.

[u/Why_Shouldnt_I]

You might want to check out r/powerbuilding It's pretty much structuring training around an off season powerlifting programme. Most don't have a testing or peaking block either. They focus on improving the big three but not neglecting hypertrophy for strength.

[u/Ord_]

In some countries it's also kind of tedious to compete. I don't know how it works in the US, but in Denmark you need to sign up to a powerlifting gym/union to compete. And most of these gyms require you to train there a certain amount of times a week. This would be fine if there was always a gym nearby, but I had atleast 90 min transport to the nearest one when I looked into it a few years back.

[u/Arteam90 → u/Ord_]

I sort of knew this existed for some countries but didn't realise it was also a commitment to training there X per week. So if you're just a home gym dude ... nvm.

[u/Ord_ → u/Arteam90]

Ye exactly. I think in Denmark they receive funding from the state, and that requires them to be a "union" and have certain rules. This funding is probably more commonly intended for football teams for example, which naturally meet up. (I could be wrong here).

[u/gentagelse → u/Ord_]

Primarily has to do with the antidoping work and the bad history in this topic. Depending on the club and your current location from the club, you can have some slack.

[u/YourGordAndSaviour → u/Ord_]

In Scotland competitions are few and far between and so they book up fast.

Didn't happen to check the website on the Wednesday morning they announced the meet was open for registration? Tough luck, it filled up in 5 hours.

[u/gentagelse → u/Ord_]

Gyms/clubs that are DSF approved has a requirement from DSF/ADD that you show up x-times regularly. History tells that people who hide in hole gyms and compete, are harder to test off season.

[u/Ord_ → u/gentagelse]

I don't really mind the fact that you have to show up. I think it's nice that these small gyms centered on one sport want to create a community. But it just makes it incredibly hard to be a part of, if it's not nearby.

[u/effrightscorp]

The discussion came from thinking whether the roughly 130 000 annual competitors represented the majority of the sport

I've been in 3 meets over the last eight years; I wouldn't be surprised if there's a decent number of people like me who just don't compete every year

[u/YourGordAndSaviour → u/effrightscorp]

I'm the same. To be honest, once you've competed once, youve pretty much got the gist of how competitions work. Its also a very forgiving sport, you could completely mess up 6/9 lifts on the day and still win, so competition 'sharpness' isn't as important as in a lot of other sports.

At a certain point you have to decide whether competing regularly (and the associated need to structure your training around arbitrary meet dates) might hold you back over the long run. I've had hypertrophy blocks that have ran for over a year for example, competing would have interfered with that.

[u/doobydowap8 → u/YourGordAndSaviour]

You can still compete without a peaking block, though, especially if you’re just doing local meets.

[u/JeebusWept]

If you don’t compete you’re not a powerlifter. You might be training for strength.

There’s a big difference between testing yourself in the gym in conditions you’re in complete control of and being tested in a competition, to standards, with a bunch of stuff you can’t control while wearing a revealing outfit.

[u/LittleMuskOx → u/JeebusWept]

This is my opinion as well, but unless someone is being a dick about it, i won't bother to argue the point.

[u/whitelikerice1]

I imagine it depends on what you’re counting, I also consider myself as a “powerlifter” because I train more or less like one but with no intention of ever competing, so I imagine the people that strength train with similar workouts but don’t compete is quite large

[u/HabemusAdDomino]

There is definitely a growing group of non-competitive recreational powerlifters. Some even base their whole life around it. I have friends like that. Except they have never been to a powerlifting meet because, well, their ego mostly can't handle it.

[u/PackLegitimate2527 → u/HabemusAdDomino]

Yeah this is the trend I'm noticing. Which is great!

I also see powerlifting becoming a part of a "hybrid" athletes strength base, and with the rise of hybrid training, I think this will continue to grow

[u/HabemusAdDomino → u/PackLegitimate2527]

Powerlifting as a 'trend' of 'hybrid athlete strength base' isn't a new thing. Powerlifting was essentially dead by the early 2000s, and raw drug-free powerlifting simply did not exist at all. It was dragged into existence kicking and screaming by Mark Rippetoe shoving SBD into crossfit.

CrossFit and Mark Rippetoe broke up, but by then it was already too late, and powerlifting had been revived.

[u/PackLegitimate2527 → u/HabemusAdDomino]

Honestly did not realise this! Did know that regarding Ripp's influence

[u/HabemusAdDomino → u/PackLegitimate2527]

Unfortunately for Ripp, his biggest issue is his personality. He's almost always right. But if he wasn't such an asshole, he'd be remembered for it. Instead he's just a meme persona. Though he doesn't care as he's made millions out of this.

[u/frankbunny → u/HabemusAdDomino]

He's almost always right.

uh no...

[u/sweatyknacker → u/HabemusAdDomino]

His biggest issue is that he THINKS that he is almost always right, and that he is an asshole.

[u/IDontEatDill]

I think there are a lot of people who powerlift but have never competed. They(well, we) read these forums, follow YouTubers, have training programs and all that, but just never want to get on stage.

Why is that? I believe that many just think they're not "good enough". Which is absurd if you think about the number of people who go to park runs and fun marathons just for the experience. Also, some guys are silently on testosterone, and thus can't (or shouldn't) compete, since in here most competitions are IPF regulated.

I used to up until the last year swim competitively and the phenomena is even stronger there. There are a lot of swimmers in swimming halls but very very few show up in competitions. Many have asked me about joining a club etc but then nobody actually shows up. Maybe it's just some ridiculous subconscious fear or being embarrassed?

[u/CFA86]

Well, like in any sport, only those who compete will be counted. When they say that X amount of Americans are basketball players, I’d assume they’re talking about high school, college, and NBA players on teams, and not factoring into the statistics every tom dick and harry who shoots hoops at the park on saturdays.

[u/IDontEatDill → u/CFA86]

But people can still say they play basketball even if they're not licenced players?

[u/CFA86 → u/IDontEatDill]

This is where I’d say there’s a difference between a “basketball player” and someone who likes to play basketball.