What does it mean to be a powerlifter?
Powerlifting is demanding and extremely taxing, both physically and mentally. There’s no faking it: Just you and a barbell, on a platform, locked in an eternal battle against gravity. And for lifters who want to go beyond merely “exercising” and dedicate themselves to the pursuit of hardcore strength, it’s rewarding—and, ultimately, transformative.
And while powerlifting has a somewhat brutish reputation—powerlifters like to say their sport is just picking things up and putting them down—anyone who’s bench-pressed twice their body weight or deadlifted 500 lbs. knows that powerlifting is both a sport of mental fortitude and finesse.
Why should we do powerlifting?
Increase Maximal strength
Powerlifting is a test of how much weight you can lift. So, the training involved requires you to build up strength in both upper body and lower body in various ranges of motion.
This will increase physical strength not just in the gym, but in everyday life too.
- Improve sport performance
If you're someone who competes in another sport then using powerlifting training and principles can increase your performance in those activities.
You will learn how to move your body more efficiently, increase muscle mass as well as become more durable.
- Prevent age-related muscle loss
As we age, we lose muscle mass at a faster rate than earlier in life. Based on aging studies, it’s estimated that we lose 8% of muscle mass every decade after the age of 40. High-intensity strength training, like powerlifting, has been shown to slow down this process.
- Increase bone density
Powerlifting training has been shown to increase bone density mass, which reduces your risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures. This is particularly important for older individuals, as well as athletes involved in contact sports.
A context for setting and achieving goals
Some people simply need a context to set and achieve personal goals. They might not have a passion for work or other hobbies, but lifting weights provides a means for self-improvement. It’s especially motivating for people to see their numbers higher than what they previously lifted.
Benefits Of Powerlifting
- Improved Strength
Powerlifting strengthens the muscles of your legs, back and upper body. Nearly every skeletal muscle is strengthened with a powerlifting routine. The squat works the muscles of your legs and hips better than many other training alternatives, according to a 2001 study published in "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise." The deadlift strengthens your back and legs, and the bench press strengthens most of the muscles of your upper body. The few muscles that are not worked directly on these three exercises are trained using assistance exercises to improve the three competitive lifts.
- Fat Loss
Powerlifting is a very intense form of exercise and burns a great many calories. One of the benefits of intense training is not just the calories you burn while training, but the long-term effect this has on your metabolism. In a 1994 study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," study participants undergoing resistance training increased their caloric demands over a 24-hour period by 15 percent. Resistance training such as powerlifting has long been shown to be effective for fat loss.
- Skeletal Health
resistance training can combat the onset of osteoporosis. In a 10-year review of literature published in "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise" in 1999, it was shown that resistance training specifically increases bone mineral density. It was further shown that intense resistance training, such as powerlifting, decreases numerous risk factors for osteoporosis by increasing strength and bone mass.
- Athletic Ability
Many of the activities in powerlifting improve other abilities, including speed and vertical jump. The strength of your back contributes to many other activities, including martial arts, wrestling and fighting. There are few activities that being strong does not help in one way or another.
Beginners should bench and squat two, maybe three, times a week and deadlift around one time a week. Every week, adding a little more weight, while trying to get better and more efficient.”
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