What is Powerlifting and How is it done?
Powerlifting is a competitive strength sport that aims to enable a person to lift the most amount of weight for one repetition in three lifts –
The objective of this exercise is to release the maximum muscular force possible during the given movements by leveraging the largest muscles in the human body.
Usually, the number of repetitions in powerlifting training stays low due to the heavy weights used in the exercises and involves longer optimal rest periods. On the day of the powerlifting competition, athletes have three attempts at each movement. They are ranked on body weight and their heaviest lifts. The heaviest weights of each movement are added together, to sum up, the total score.
The Best Powerlifting Exercises
Powerlifting is not just limited to competitions. They are also done by gym-goers to build muscle and strength. Below are some of the best powerlifting exercises.
Bench Press: Undoubtedly one of the most effective and popular exercises when it comes to upper body strength. The athlete lies on the bench and uses the chest, back shoulders, and arms to push the barbell up.
Squat: Barbell sitting across the upper back and squatting down after taking it from a rack. It is an excellent exercise to build the muscles of your core and lower body including the calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
Deadlifts: Pulling the barbell off the floor into a standing locked position, is one of the most functional movements to expose the body to maximum stimulus. It is a great exercise to activate your hip extensors and train the entire posterior chain. It also is great for building grip strength core and back strength.
Powerlifting Benefits
Powerlifting offers significant fitness and health benefits.
Only minimum basic equipment needed- Powerlifting training even at the elite level can be performed using just a power rack and bench, with bars and plates is all you need!
Being overall physically stronger- normal day-to-day tasks become easier to perform
A Powerlifting Diet
Powerlifters need to consume extra calories to help their body sustain and recover while working through the weightlifting program. For many, eating every few hours is the only way to get sufficient daily calories. Consuming three main meals with 2-3 smaller meals or snacks in between will be enough for most
Stick with –
Stay away from processed food and unhealthy fat as much as possible. Make healthy choices to build solid muscle and maintain strength through workouts.
A common misconception being fatter makes you stronger. Fat is non-contractile tissue. Fat itself does not make you stronger. Having an abundance of calories can allow you to perform better, but pigging out on Oreos and other junk foods at a Meet won’t give you a competitive advantage.
Being fatter however can allow you to lift heavier weights in some movements due to improved leverages, shorter range of motion, and support around connective tissue. However, it can also get in the way and make it harder to move weights on certain movements. For example, it may be beneficial to some in the bench press and squat, but restrictive in the deadlift. As strongman movements are more dynamic, Strongman Athletes will find the added mass more beneficial combined with the explosive movements can generate more force compare to the static movements within the Powerlifting sport.
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