The journey from bodybuilding to powerlifting, the best of both worlds

What to choose: powerlifting or bodybuilding? What is the difference between these two sports that make us stronger and more beautiful? Read this article and decide on your preferences.

Which sport should a real man choose: powerlifting or bodybuilding, strength or the desire to get a perfectly developed harmonious body? Both of these areas are aimed at working with weights, but powerlifting, unlike bodybuilding, aims to develop physical strength, and not the external beauty of the body.

A powerlifter cares about how much weight he can lift, not how beautiful and proportional his biceps are.

Accordingly, due to the differences between powerlifting and bodybuilding, both the methods and principles of constructing training programs differ.

Powerlifters train to maximize their strength in the triathlons of the squat, bench press and deadlift. Bodybuilders carefully work all the muscles of the body, evenly increasing the size of each individual muscle group, and striving for one thing - a balanced developed body.

However, what if you want to look physically attractive but also want to develop strength? In other words, why powerlifting and not bodybuilding? Or vice versa.

Bodybuilding and powerlifting: differences and similarities

Powerlifting and bodybuilding are very closely related forms of strength training. It should be noted that early bodybuilders in the 1940s and 1950s focused both on increasing strength in the first lifts and on developing specific muscle groups.

However, the availability today of various types of strength training equipment in wide access has significantly shifted the emphasis from the performance of powerlifting lifts by bodybuilders.

The difference between powerlifting and bodybuilding

So why do athletes choose powerlifting over bodybuilding? And, for that matter, why do athletes identify themselves as one or the other? After all, to be considered a powerlifter or bodybuilder, you need to have a certain level of performance.

All powerlifters and bodybuilders start with strength training at first. It's an incomparable, intoxicating feeling when you see your body change with your own eyes within a month.

However, the noticeable changes that occurred at first began to become less and less. And after some time, most athletes are faced with genetics and its limitations in terms of muscle formation. From here there are two options: try to stubbornly move forward, trying to break through the genetic wall with sophisticated training moves on the path to progress, or direct your energy and desire to play sports in another, more measurable and effective direction.

Exercise without aids

Before 2006, powerlifters primarily competed “equipped,” meaning athletes wore support suits that in some cases could literally double their maximums and lifting shirts that added hundreds of pounds. Here's an example: the current world record for the raw bench press is 738 pounds, while the equipped one is over 1,100 pounds!

In raw powerlifting, only a belt, wristbands and elastic knee pads are used in competitions.

Look at many of the top raw powerlifters like Al Davis or Eric Lillibridge. These guys weigh over 300 pounds and look like bodybuilders in the off-season. These guys stand out from most (not all) powerlifters using equipment. In my opinion, they (powerlifters with equipment) don't even look like serious athletes.

Support equipment mechanically assists lifters with its “elastic energy,” acting like a “catapult” to shoot the weight back to its starting point.

Regardless of which side of the fence you're on in the raw powerlifting debate, the goal is to build muscle, not become an equipment expert.

Transitional “20 squats” - Hayes Method

If you're trying to continue making progress, you need to expand your knowledge: study strength training and anatomy of the body more deeply so that you can independently create programs that will lead you to the breakthrough you desire. Tons of literature and popular bodybuilding magazines are full of advice and recommendations from bodybuilding stars. Everyone can try out everything from Weider's principles to Mike Mentzer's ultra-powerful training.

What follows is a new round of development for the athlete facing the choice of powerlifting or bodybuilding. His growth resources during this period are competent dietetics and sports nutrition. Having enriched his knowledge, the athlete begins to adhere to the right diet for gaining muscle mass, using cycles of increasing and decreasing nutrients.

At this stage, the training method of “hard gainers” - people who are not genetically predisposed to bodybuilding, as a result of which they have relatively low effectiveness in gaining muscle mass and increasing strength, can be a lifeline for a bodybuilder who has lost hope.

This kind of heavy, but infrequent training with a few core exercises specifically for athletes with this type of constitution was created back in the 1930s by Joseph Curtis Hise, a pioneer in strength training. Hise is considered the creator of the "breathing" squat, using heavy weights and high reps to achieve rapid gains in strength and size.

So, instead of lifting weights 5-6 times a week, doing 10-15 sets for each body part, which, according to most bodybuilders, is considered the only way to gain muscle in the gym, you can start training with a squat breathing program with 20 repetitions of Hayes.

Let's figure out what fitness is.

During their school years, during physical education classes, everyone performed a number of simple exercises designed to strengthen the growing body. So, fitness, in general, also has meaning, but includes a wider range of activities. In most cases, fitness is associated with aerobics or the gym, which is not entirely true. This discipline includes any regular active physical activity that helps to improve the health of the body, strengthen and maintain tone. That is, swimming, cycling and even morning exercises can be considered a discipline.

Since it is recently fashionable to lead a healthy lifestyle, the popularity of fitness is increasing every day. A lot of directions have appeared, but the priorities are the same for everyone. The main place is occupied by health, the beauty of the body is no less important, as well as the presence of a competitive element.

The main areas of fitness are physical and general. The latter implies a harmonious relationship between soul and body. More precisely, the correct regime, healthy eating and sleep, yoga and meditation.

Fitness has five main objectives:

• increasing and maintaining flexibility and plasticity of the whole body (Pilates),
• endurance, which is promoted by aerobics,
• increase in muscle strength (pump),
• maintaining a balance between fatty tissues and muscles (callanetics),
• strengthening the health of the cardiovascular system.

Most of those who are interested in fitness are women, not only young ones, but also older ones.

Training according to the Joseph K. Hise method

Superset 1
Squats without weights

• 1 set of 20 reps
• Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Barbell

Pullover with dumbbell

• 1 set of 20 reps
• Body part: Chest Equipment: Dumbbells

Superset 2

Bench press on a horizontal bench

• 2 sets of 5-8 reps
• Body part: Chest Equipment: Barbell

Bent-over barbell row

• 2 sets of 5-8 reps
• Body Part: Press Equipment: Barbell

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Athletes who were unable to make progress in bodybuilding, but had not yet become powerlifters, gained 20 pounds of muscle in a month or two thanks to this program. This training is primitive, but not simple. It builds real muscle and increases strength. The center of the program is twenty repetitions and only one approach.

Additional exercises here are not essential, two or three sets of the bench press and bent over row as a representative example of the program is the maximum. What you should be wary of is too much extra exercise, not too little. Whatever this workout lacks in difficulty or volume, it will more than make up for in intensity.

Do this workout twice a week. Just 2 days of training and 5 whole days of rest, not too hard training, right? However, the key to this plan lies in the weight you use for 20 reps of squats.

You start squatting with a weight that you could barely do 10 reps with, but you have to force yourself to do all 20 reps, taking deep breaths between reps, starting with the 10th.

By the 20th repetition, when lifting the bar, you will have a very hard time, but it’s too early to think about rest - lie down on a horizontal bench and do pullovers with dumbbells.

This plan also involves increasing your diet and protein shake intake in line with conventional weight gain programs.

The “20 squats” program will allow the bodybuilder to experience all the delights of a strong body, bring it closer to the consciousness of a powerlifter, and make it clear how to become stronger and “bigger”.

You need to get even stronger to get bigger, and the best way to do this is to train very hard using compound exercises (squats, presses, deadlifts, pull-ups, push-ups, and deadlifts), but don't overwork your body with training too often.

Training speed - slow or fast

At first glance, the difference between the speed at which training is carried out is quite obvious. Olympic weightlifting, or bodybuilding, involves sets and reps being performed in quick succession, while in powerlifting the exercises are more extended and performed at a slower pace in order to create maximum tension and maintain his.

As a result of this difference in time between each subsequent repetition, bodybuilding tends to allow more misfires. When powerlifting, you usually have more time to perform a bench press or row properly.

From bodybuilding to powerlifting

Do you know what a powerlifter will say when a bodybuilder shows him his bench press? Probably something like this:

You push your elbows out. You're not a bodybuilder trying to develop your pecs. If you want to use more weight on the bench press, learn to hold your elbows. Also, stop pushing the bar onto your face in an arc. You need to lift it up from your chest in a straight line.

or something like:

You also need to learn how to do a press with an arch in the lower back. As you lower the bar down toward your chest, lower it just below your nipples while strengthening your arch as you try to lift your chest toward the bar without lifting your pelvis off the bench.

Wow! In two minutes, you'll go from thinking you know everything to realizing you know next to nothing about the workouts that make your body truly strong.

Many athletes eventually realize that lifting heavy weights and low reps may build and increase muscle size, but will not make the body strong. Powerlifting is a logical step forward for an athlete who wants to harmonize his physical strength and appearance.

So, is it powerlifting or bodybuilding? Beauty or strength? Probably, the choice is still yours. It is possible that the desire to move from beauty to strength awakens with age, and it is also likely that you can forever remain a supporter of bodybuilding or powerlifting, faithfully following the once chosen direction throughout your life.

Transition Training Tips

These simple rules will allow you to control your training and progress faster in weights:

• Lift weights 3-4 days a week.
• Make squats the mainstay of your leg training, the bench press the mainstay of your chest and shoulder training, and bent-over rows the mainstay of your back training.
• Do small amounts of 5-8 reps, sometimes do sets of 3 reps (heavier weights) for larger body parts, a little more reps for arms and shoulders.
• Use gentle cardio 10 minutes before your main weight training session to warm up your body.

You will experience the joy of power and you will truly enjoy being powerful. And this is the first step to powerlifting.

Either way, you benefit when you choose a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise. Choose a suitable bodybuilding training program or powerlifting training and start small.

How to build big muscles?

Obviously, in order to pump up large muscles you need to train:

Fast twitch muscle fibers + sarcoplasm (energy tanks)

Those. you will hypertrophy your myofibrils and increase the volume of energy tanks (sarcoplasm).

Your larger myofibrils (muscle fibers) will give you strength, and your larger volume of sarcoplasm will give you the energy to work your muscles for long periods of time. In short, you will be able to perform high-volume strength work .

In this regard, you gain an advantage over powerlifters, because... you can not only show strength, but also demonstrate it for a long time and with minimal rest.

Sports supplements

Sports nutrition will help speed up the process of gaining muscle mass - protein, creatine, gainer, arginine, BCAA, amino acids. These supplements are specially designed for athletes and fitness-active people of different fitness levels. Such drugs are completely safe, and their effectiveness has already been proven.

Powerlifting Supplements for Men

Weider | Protein 80 Plus ?

• Quadruple protein mixture with high biological value. Contains 4 types of protein: milk protein isolate, casein, whey, egg albumin. Each of these proteins has its own absorption rate, which contributes to a constant and uniform supply of amino acids into the blood.
• Category: Multi-component protein More about the category

You need to stir 30 g of powder in 300 ml of milk or water. Take 3 times a day. In the morning, before and after training.

The drug provides peak amino concentration within the first 60 minutes after use and maintains it for 5 hours. Therefore, muscles quickly grow and recover, while the athlete’s strength and endurance increases. This protein shake is designed as a nutritional supplement to increase the amount of protein in your daily diet. Ingredients: calcium caseinate, whey protein concentrate, milk protein isolate, dried egg white, flavoring, thickener: guar gum; sweeteners: acesulfame K, aspartame; calcium carbonate, antioxidant: ascorbic acid; vitamin B6. Contains a source of phenylalanine. Contains lactose. May contain trace amounts of gluten and soy.

Energy value of one serving (per 300 ml of water): 112 kcal. Nutritional value per serving (per 300 ml of water): fat 0.5 g, carbohydrates 2.3 g, protein 25 g.

Energy value of one serving (per 300 ml of milk 1.5% fat): 256 kcal. Nutritional value per serving (per 300 ml milk 1.5% fat): fat 5.3 g, carbohydrates 17 g, protein 35 g.

Olimp Sport Nutrition | Creatine Monohydrate?

• Creatine is an essential substance in muscle cells in the form of creatine phosphate. Taking a creatine complex helps increase energy production by cellular mitochondria, positively affecting the athlete’s endurance, strength and muscle tissue growth.
• Category: Creatine powder More about the category

Dissolve 1 serving (5 g) in 150-200 ml of water or your favorite drink.

Increased muscular work, requiring maximum energy release, is accompanied by increased consumption of creatine phosphate as the most important energy source for the muscular system, as a result of which the body's need for creatine during physical activity increases significantly! In addition to increasing endurance during training, creatine helps increase muscle size. Creatine from Creapure is used.

VPLAB Nutrition | Ultra Men's Sport Multivitamin Formula ?

• A high-tech complex of natural vitamins and minerals was developed taking into account the characteristics of male physiology for men leading an active lifestyle.
• Category: Vitamins for men More about the category

1 capsule 2 times a day

Taking the VPLaboratory Ultra Men's Sport Multivitamin Formula vitamin and mineral complex will help eliminate nutrient deficiency in the body, which causes premature fatigue, insufficient recovery and decreased body tone.

Olimp Sport Nutrition | BCAA Xplode?

• Contains all the most popular amino acids for the restoration and growth of muscle tissue. Composition of high quality branched chain amino acids (leucine, valine, isoleucine) in a 2:1:1 ratio, enriched with L-glutamine and vitamin B6.
• Category: BCAA More about the category

Recommendations for use: 1-2 servings per day - before meals or before and after training or before bed. Recommendations for preparation: 10 g of powder (25 scoop units), dissolve in 200 ml of water. Take immediately after preparation.

The complex stimulates protein synthesis, increases muscle endurance, protects muscles from destruction by cortisol, burns fat, increases glutamine levels in muscle tissue, and strengthens the immune system. Olimp Sport Nutrition "BCAA Xplode Powder" are amino acids with an atypical branched structure. These include leucine, isoleucine, valine. Anyone who has taken BCAAs will confirm: they work! BCAA also suppresses the secretion of cortisol and reduces muscle pain. The obvious anabolic effect of BCAAs, as scientists assumed until recently, is explained by the fact that all three amino acids are active participants in protein synthesis. Moreover, leucine plays a “command” role. It signals the start of the construction of new protein inside the muscle cell.

Trec Nutrition | DAA Ultra?

• A natural modulator of endogenous testosterone synthesis containing pharmaceutical grade D-aspartic acid, which plays an important role in the functioning of the nervous system and endocrine glands.
• Category: Testosterone Boosting More about the category

1 capsule per day.

DAA ULTRA contains a unique right-handed helical shape of aspartic acid, which enhances the synthesis of testosterone from cholesterol. High levels of this androgenic hormone stimulate anabolism and lead to rapid increases in strength and muscle fiber growth. The drug improves the physical capabilities of athletes, stimulates the body's sexual capabilities and increases libido. Ingredients: D-aspartic acid, capsule shell - gelatin, dye - titanium dioxide, patented blue V, anti-caking agent - magnesium salts of fatty acids.

Geneticlab Nutrition | Elasti joint?

• A powerful joint support formula formulated with a special blend of synergistic ingredients.
• Category: For joints and ligaments

1 dose per day

Geneticlab Elasti Joint contains collagen, glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, as well as other additional nutrients such as MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) and vitamin C. Ingredients: Hydrolyzed collagen, methylsulfonylmethane, glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, vitamin C, emulsifier - lecithin, regulator acidity - citric acid, food flavoring, sweetener - sucralose, food coloring natural carmine.

Sports nutrition recommendations are indicative only. Before purchasing, we recommend that you consult with a specialist in the store.

Why do bodybuilders look more muscular than powerlifters?

The strength sports of powerlifting and bodybuilding are similar in appearance: both are built on working with weights. The enormous difference in training programs causes differences in the appearance of athletes. Bodybuilders look pumped up, muscular and generally more attractive than powerlifters, who are not shy about subcutaneous fat and focus on strength rather than muscle definition.

Powerlifting Basics

Powerlifting - working with extreme weights, developing physical strength.

Athletes train 3-4 times a week. Basic triathlon exercises: bench press, barbell squats, deadlift. To perform them, a large number of muscles are involved in the work; maximum concentration is required.

The training scheme is simple, there is no variety of exercises:

• warm-up for the muscle group that the athlete plans to train;
• basic exercise;
• muscle stretching.

The approaches are spread out over time, resting between sets for 3-5 minutes allows you to restore your breathing, heart rate and slightly relax your muscles so that in the next approach you can squeeze the same weight as in the previous one.

The number of approaches per workout is 10-12. The number of repetitions in a set is from 1 to 5, most often does not exceed 3 times.

The method of constructing classes is aimed at training explosive strength.

Basics of bodybuilding

Bodybuilding - building muscle mass, building a beautiful, proportional body.

The training regimen of bodybuilders includes 3 to 6 intense workouts per week. The training program includes 6-10 exercises and is designed in such a way that 1-2 muscle groups are thoroughly worked out at a time. The working weight is comfortable for a large number of repetitions. The training is time consuming.

The rest between sets is reduced to 1-1.5 minutes so that the muscles do not have time to relax.

The number of approaches is 5-6. The number of repetitions in the approach is 8-12.

The main goal of training is to increase volume and create ideal muscle definition.

Explaining the difference in athletes' physiques

The training technique allows bodybuilders to perform high repetitions for long periods of time at a reduced load, while powerlifters are adapted to high loads at lower repetitions.

The amount of muscle growth is influenced by muscle fibers, myofibrils and sarcoplasm (mitochondria, glycogen).

Bodybuilders train individual muscle groups one at a time, using a large number of isolation exercises. Powerlifters focus on basic (multi-joint) exercises: squats, bench presses and deadlifts, considering other complexes to be ineffective.

Each muscle consists of a large number of fibers

In order to fully engage all the fibers during training, causing them to increase, it is important to diversify the load using different types of exercises. This is what bodybuilders do, meticulously working out each bundle of muscle fibers. Isolated work on individual muscle areas significantly enhances muscle growth

Isolated work on individual muscle areas significantly enhances muscle growth.

Different training intensity.

Bodybuilders' workouts are generally longer and more intense than powerlifters' workouts. Long periods of time under load require enormous internal resources. Over time, muscles adapt to the loads, accompanied by muscle growth.

Minimal rest between exercises, popular among bodybuilders, allows you to increase the volume of work during training and requires more energy resources. The increase in metabolic stress associated with limited rest time stimulates muscle growth.

Both groups of athletes adhere to the principles of a healthy diet with a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, but bodybuilders monitor their diet more carefully, especially on the eve of competitions. The nutrition of bodybuilders can be divided into 2 periods: gaining muscle mass (consuming an increased amount of calories) and a special dietary practice called cutting (low calorie diet, excluding carbohydrate foods) to reach peak shape before competitions.

Even if powerlifters strive to lose weight before competitions, they think not about sharpening the relief and creating an athletic figure, but about getting into the desired weight category.