So, you want to know what the secret to becoming a successful powerlifter is? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss how you can become prosperous within the powerlifting sport.

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The Secret To Becoming a Successful Powerlifter
Many many people attempt to become powerlifters but always end up failing and/or giving up due to the difficulty of becoming a successful powerlifter. However, when you train right and have the correct understanding of powerlifting, it isn't that hard at all. In this article, we will be going over how you can properly become a powerlifter and win at powerlifting competitions.
An Understanding of Powerlifting

Powerlifting is a sport that utilises the squat, bench and deadlift to measure an athlete's total strength and capabilities regarding each lift. Each athlete will receive their score, referred to as their 'total', which is the sum of all three powerlifting lifts. In a powerlifting competition, powerlifters are allowed 9 lifts, 3 for each squat, bench and deadlift.
During a powerlifting competition, athletes will perform an opening, second and third attempt for each lift so they have a chance to improve if they don't do well on the previous lift. Each lift must be completed to standard for it to be counted.
The rules of powerlifting are relatively simple. For a squat, a powerlifter must squat to the point where their hip is below their knee. For the bench, an athlete must pause the weight on their chest and then fully lock it out at the top of the movement. Finally, for the deadlift, the athlete must lockout at the top of the movement before lowering the bar back down in a controlled manner.
The 3 Powerlifting Lifts
Powerlifting consists of 3 core lifts: the squat, the bench press, and the deadlift. These lifts are used to measure an athlete's total strength. In this section, we will discuss more about each of these core powerlifting lifts.
The Squat:

The barbell squat is the first lift of the competition. Depending on the federation of the meet, a monolift or squat rack will be used. If a monolift is used, the focus will be on establishing a solid brace and standing up fully with the barbell. Whereas, if a squat rack is utilised, the goal is to take as few steps back as possible in order to retain as much energy as possible for the actual squat.
The squat is performed in one of three stances: wide, regular, or close. While there can be some rules applied to determine which stance is best for a certain athlete, it all depends on the individual and what the athlete finds the most useful. A wide stance is often more useful for a larger individual, whereas a close stance is better for an athlete in a lighter weight class.
The Bench Press:

The second lift of a powerlifting competition is the bench press. To correctly do the bench press in a powerlifting competition, the barbell must be lowered slowly, paused on the chest, and then pressed back up until it is locked out at the top of the movement.
Athletes are allowed to choose from one of three hand positions: close, regular, and wide grips. Usually what determines an athlete's hand position is often arm length and upper torso size. The ultimate goal when it comes to the bench press in a powerlifting meet is to limit the range of motion as much as possible.
The Deadlift:

The deadlift is the third and final lift during a powerlifting competition. To properly perform a deadlift in a competition, an athlete must lift the barbell and lock out at the top of the movement before returning the bar to the floor in a controlled motion.
In a meet, powerlifters can opt for one of two different stances: conventional or sumo. The conventional stance features the legs close together, with a lot of the demand being placed on the back, glutes and hamstrings. Whereas the sumo stance features the legs in a wider stance, with much of the demand being placed on the lower back, hips, glutes and quads. The main goal is to find the stance that best suits each individual.
How To Train As a Powerlifter

When training to be a powerlifter, you want to mainly focus on squats, the bench press and deadlifts as they are the core lifts in powerlifting. However, it is also important to focus on other exercises that can help strengthen these main lifts. For example, since the leg muscles are used when squatting, you could focus on other exercises such as the leg press or leg extensions which can help to strengthen the leg muscles, therefore helping you increase the amount you can squat.
Learn more about a good training routine for powerlifters.
How To Eat As a Powerlifter

The first thing to consider in terms of nutrition as a powerlifter when it comes to diet is the amount of protein you're consuming every day. Protein will help to repair your muscles, meaning they will get stronger faster. As a powerlifter, you should aim to consume 0.8g of protein per lb of body weight every day. Some high-protein sources include lean meat, fish, Greek yoghurt, eggs, cottage cheese, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and protein supplements.
The next nutrient to consider is carbs. Carbs are the priority fuel source during any high-intensity effort. Put simply, carbs provide you with more energy, meaning you can work harder during training or push yourself more during a competition, therefore allowing you to lift heavier which gives you a better chance of winning.
Not only should you be consuming the right nutrients, but you should also be ensuring that you eat an adequate amount of food during the day. Consuming enough calories consistently will provide your body with the fuel it needs for lifting the weights you want to lift.
Entering a Powerlifting Competition

Now that you know about the fundamentals of powerlifting, it is time to learn about which powerlifting competitions are the best and how you can enter them. The top competitions for powerlifting are:
USA Championships
IPF World Championships
Arnold Sports Festival
USAPL Raw Nationals
IPF Classic Powerlifting Championships
USPA National Powerlifting Championships
The US Open Powerlifting Championship
IFA World Championships
Now, how do you enter one of these competitions? Most powerlifting federations require competitors to be registered members of the federation in good standing. You'll need to pay a membership fee and possibly show proof of your membership at the time of registration. It is that simple!
Summary
In this article, we have discussed everything you need to know about becoming a successful powerlifter. The main points we covered were:
I hope you have found the information in this article useful and I hope any questions you had have been answered. Thank you for reading, please come back soon.
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