Powerlifting – Dos & Don’ts

Powerlifting stems from weightlifting and it was primarily developed in the USA and England. Back in the day, weightlifters felt that Olympic weightlifting was too focused on the technique rather than on sheer strength and that is how powerlifting was born. The first powerlifting competition was held in 1965 in the United States and since then it only grew in popularity. Today, the competition consists of three lifts. The first one is the squat or the deep knee bend. The second one is the bench press, while the last one is the two-handed deadlift. However, even though it sounds simple, powerlifting has its rules and here is a simple guide of what you should and shouldn’t do while practicing this sport. 

 

Do Find a Trainer

The Internet does offer plenty of material on how to get started in powerlifting, but you can’t do this on your own. Especially if you’re a beginner. So, do find a trainer. However, don’t ask just anyone to teach you this – you need someone knowledgable enough. A good and dedicated trainer will teach you about all the right techniques, they will provide you with a great training plan and they will always be there to spot you. 

 

Do the Right Exercises

You can’t just do any type of exercise and then switch on to lifting weights. You need to target the right muscles in order to have enough strength to perform powerlifting exercises, and you already know the three major lifts of this sport – the deadlift, bench press, and a deep squat. So, start by strengthening your glutes with bunch of squats. Also, use kettlebells to perfect your deadlift and do many reps on a bench press. However, start small, and you will notice the progress and how beneficial these exercises are. For example, all the deadlift benefits will help you build strength, agility and strong back and legs for powerlifting. 

 

Do Eat a Lot of Protein

Every professional powerlifter and a good nutritionist will tell you that you need to eat a lot of protein in order to build your way up. So, try and incorporate protein in every meal of your day. Proteins are an integral part of your strength and they act as cellular building blocks for muscles, bones, skin, cartilage, and blood. They also carry the nutrients through the bloodstream and help you build lean muscle mass and repair tissue and muscles. So, focus on eating plenty of eggs, avocadoes, meat, fish, veggies, and oats. All of these are packed with protein and good carbs that will only bring you benefits. 

 

Don’t Lose Focus

If you want to perfect one sport, you should stay disciplined and focused on it. The same goes for powerlifting – you shouldn’t lose your focus and mix in too much of another sport if you want to build your muscles and strength. So, dedicate all of your time for the gym to powerlifting if you want to succeed. But if you do want to do something else, try incorporating the “big three” exercises in those workouts as well.

 

Don’t Start Too Heavy

It’s your first day at the gym and you think you can lift a bunch of weights, but that’s not the way to go. Do work your way up and take it easy. If you start too heavy, you might get discouraged if you fail and think this sport is not for you. Also, if you try to lift too heavy weights without proper technique, you will probably get injured and put a hold on your whole powerlifting career. So, take it easy and increase weights session by session. 

 

Don’t Treat Pain As Something Bad

While lifting weights and pushing your body to its limits, there is going to be some pain. However, you need to know when the pain is getting serious and when you need to stop. Don’t listen to people who say “pain is weakness leaving your body”. Pain is simply pain and it’s often a warning say. So, focus on doing enough to progress, but don’t push your body too far unless you want to suffer an injury. 

Just like any other sport, powerlifting needs to be done properly and you should work your way up. Start with a good trainer, proper diet and don’t push yourself too far and you will succeed.