WHAT IS POWERLIFTING?
WHAT IS POWERLIFTING?
Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift.
Competitors aim to lift the highest total possible, and the sum of the best lifts determines the winner in various weight categories.
Sounds pretty simple right? The goal is simple, but the competition is fierce!
THE BIG THREE LIFTS
1. SQUAT
The squat is often considered the ultimate test of lower body strength. It involves loading a barbell on the shoulders, descending into a squat position with the hip crease below the knee, and standing back up. It engages the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core, along with other supporting muscle groups.
2. BENCH PRESS
As the most popular upper body lift in the gym, just about everybody has tried this lift.
The bench press involves lying back on a bench and pressing a barbell from chest level until the arms are fully extended. This lift primarily works the pectoral muscles, triceps, and deltoids.
3. DEADLIFT
The deadlift is a true measure of pulling power, involving lifting a loaded barbell off the ground to a standing position. Sounds pretty simple right?
This lift engages the back, glutes, hamstrings, and forearms, requiring significant grip strength and total body coordination.
The deadlift will expose any weak links in a lifters training.
WHAT IS A POWERLIFTING MEET?
A powerlifting meet is the competition aspect of the sport, where lifters have 3 attempts to lift as much weight as possible in each of the 3 lifts above to get the best total possible.
A powerlifting meet will have judges, safetyspottuers, and certified weights and scales to verify any records set. Lifters are catagorized into weight classes to ensure lifters of similar size compete against each other.
WHY ARE THESE LIFTS POPULAR?
The popularity of the big three can be attributed to their effectiveness in building raw strength and muscle mass, their simplicity in terms of required equipment needed, and ability to verify if a lifter has successfully completed a lift.
They are also fundamental movements that mimic real-life activities, making them practical for enhancing overall fitness and athletic performance across a broad range of sports and everyday activities.
POWERLIFTING VS. OTHER STRENGTH SPORTS
While powerlifting focuses on maximal strength in three specific lifts, other strength sports have different objectives:
STRONGMAN
Strongman competitions such as The Worlds Strongest Man Event involve various events that test strength endurance, speed, and agility.
Typical events include tire flips, log lifts, and truck pulls.
Unlike powerlifting, strongman events are often varied and can include odd objects, making them unpredictable and exciting to watch.
The idea behind a strong man event is it shouldn’t matter what you ask an athlete to do, if they are truly the strongest athlete they will excel in a wide range of events, and not just one or two they specialize in.
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
Olympic lifting focuses on two dynamic lifts: the snatch and the clean and jerk. These lifts are more technically complex than the big three, requiring not only strength but also significant flexibility, speed, and coordination.
Olympic lifters are known for their explosive power and athletic ability. There is no questioning olympic lifters are exceptionally strong but they may lack the brut strength of a power lifter of strongman, but exhibit superior athletic ability and coordination.
CONCLUSION
Powerlifting, with its focus on the big three lifts, offers athletes a straightforward yet challenging way to train and compete in strength events.
While it shares similarities with other strength sports like strongman and Olympic weightlifting, it is unique in its simplicity and accessibility to a wide range of athletes even with simple equipment.
Whether you’re looking to test your limits or simply appreciate the raw power of lifting, powerlifting offers a compelling and rewarding pursuit