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So, you want to know what powerlifting is? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about powerlifting.
Table of Contents
What Is Powerlifting?
Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. In the following content, we will be covering all of the key information about this weightlifting sport.
The Purpose of Powerlifting
As mentioned in the introduction of this article, powerlifting is a strength sport where athletes go as heavy as possible on the squat, bench press and deadlift. But why do powerlifters do this?
Firstly, powerlifting is primarily utilised to improve the strength of an individual by lifting heavy weights consistently. What's more, people who train in powerlifting have the chance to show off their strength in powerlifting competitions, where they are required to do three lifts and lift as much weight as possible.
Another reason individuals may opt for powerlifting is because it provides people with many great benefits.
Why Choose Powerlifting?
Many people review this strength sport and wonder; why choose powerlifting? If your physical goals are to quickly build up strength and put on a tonne of muscle mass, then powerlifting may just be the thing for you!
Powerlifting is a great sport for those who want to target building strength as it involves a lot of heavy lifting. Since powerlifters try to lift as much weight as possible, this results in a rapid build-up of strength over time.
Not only is powerlifting amazing for putting on loads of strength, but it is also excellent at helping individuals pack on a lot of muscle mass since it targets a range of muscle groups through the three main lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift.
The Benefits of Powerlifting
Powerlifting hosts numerous advantages that positively impact not just your physical health, but also your mental health as well.
These powerlifting positives include:
Increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis later on in life
Increases metabolism and can help you manage your weight
May reduce symptoms of arthritis
Can help with depression
Can reduce the symptoms of heart disease and diabetes
May keep your mind sharp as you age.
The Drawbacks of Powerlifting
While there are many perks to powerlifting for your physical and mental health, there are also some negatives that you should be aware of.
These powerlifting disadvantages include:
Risk of injury
Lifting heavy weights can increase the risk of injury if proper technique and safety measures are not followed
Limited focus on aesthetics
Powerlifting primarily focuses on strength, so it may not be the best option if your main goal is to improve your appearance
Can be intimidating.
Powerlifting Competitions
Powerlifting competitions are the main thing when it comes to this sport. In fact, most powerlifters view winning one of these powerlifting meets as their end goal.
A powerlifting competition consists of three primary lifts: the squat, bench press and deadlift - also known as the powerlifting big three. An athlete has three attempts to lift as heavy as possible on each of these lifts, and then their scores for each are added up to give them a 'powerlifting total'. This total is used to rank them against other competitors.
But how are powerlifting competitions fair? Each competition separates people into different categories, such as gender, age and body weight. These categories mean that competitors will compete against people who are of similar age and body weight as them, making each competition fair.
How to Start Powerlifting
Now that you understand the fundamentals of powerlifting, it is now time that you learnt how to actually become a powerlifter and nbegin your powerlifting journey. This may sound complicated, but it is much more simple than you think.
Experts recommend that you start squatting and deadlifting twice a week and benching 3-4 times a week. It is also suggested that you train 3-4 days a week, and after each week, you should aim to add a little more weight to each lift while improving your technique. Additionally, you should include accessory lifts to enhance muscle and function.
When it comes to entering a powerlifting competition, it is as simple as just looking on the website of the competition you want to compete in, and then signing up there. However, it is vital that you read and understand the rules of the powerlifting competition you want to attend before arriving.
How to be Successful as a Powerlifter
Now, we have gone over everything you need to know about powerlifting, so what else is there to cover? Yes, that's right. It would be helpful to know some useful tips to help you propel your powerlifting journey.
Some great powerlifting tips include:
Be consistent
Every rep matters
Do work
Train your weakness
Recover hard.
Summary
In this article, we have discussed everything there is to understand about the sport of powerlifting. 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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