A Quick Look into Powerlifting

Powerlifting is one of the most demanded sports disciplines nowadays. Basically, it is a sport that focuses on three compound exercises which are deadlift, squat, and bench press. Another important detail about this sport is that the main aim is to lift the heaviest weight possible in one rep only.

1. The History

The idea of powerlifting emerged in the US and England in the mid-1900s. The first national powerlifting competition was held in 1965 in the US. The idea came from strong people who were not willing to compete in an Olympic weightlifting competition, so they took some of the exercises that bodybuilders do for training and focused on them. After a while, powerlifting started to become popular so IPF (International Powerlifting Federation) emerged in 1972 to organize powerlifting championships and make this sport more official by setting certain rules.

2. How You Should Train

Since the main aim in this sportive discipline is to lift the highest weight possible in all three exercises, you should also train with heavy weights in low reps. Powerlifters usually use a system called 5x5 which means that they do five reps and five sets for each of the exercises. Of course while training, they do not only do three exercises. They make use of other exercises that improve their overall strength to be able to lift heavier weights in those three main exercises. The reason behind training like this is to enable them to do progressive overload more easily, which means increasing weights that you lift gradually.

3. How a Powerlifting Competition Works Like

If you decide to compete in a powerlifting competition, there are some things that you should know beforehand. First of all, you are placed in a specific group according to your body weight so that there is no injustice. Then, you have three rights to perform each three exercises and the competitors usually start with the lowest weight that they are comfortable with to at least have a score in case things go wrong. This first weight is called the opener. If you fail to lift a weight, you cannot increase it and it lowers your overall point, so you should choose your weights strategically. Lastly, you should check your form performing those exercises because there are certain rules that apply to each exercise (these might change in each country). For example, while performing a bench press, your elbows have to go lower than your back for it to be counted as a full range of motion.

In summary, powerlifting is a support in which you can use your pure strength to perform three compound movements and compete in a national or an international contest. The heavier you lift, the more successful you are in this discipline. Of course, there are some downsides to becoming a professional in powerlifting but as long as you enjoy it, it might be the sport that you are looking for!