What is powerlifting: photos of athletes, equipment, training program

Updated July 23, 2022 596 Author: Dmitry Petrov
Hello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. Powerlifting is a relatively new sport for us, which is now just gaining popularity in our country and many want to know what it is and how it differs from bodybuilding (bodybuilding) that is so familiar to us.

In fact, this topic is really interesting and is worth devoting a separate article to it, which will describe all the important points and provide interesting photos and video illustrations. Don't switch, it will be interesting.

The Origins of Powerlifting

The name of the strength sport comes from the English words power - strength, and lift - to raise. Its essence is for the athlete to overcome the heaviest possible weight. Another name - powerlifting - is explained by the fact that powerlifting athletes compete among themselves in three disciplines: deadlift with a weighted barbell, deep squat with a barbell on the back and two-arm barbell bench press lying on a horizontal bench.

The origins of powerlifting began simultaneously with the advent of human civilization. Demonstration of strength allowed ancient people to occupy a higher social position, and sometimes simply to save their lives. In the history of every culture, there are legends about people with incredible physical strength. Bogatyrs are the closest example to a Russian person of what powerlifting is. Photos of strongmen from traveling circuses prove that in Europe great attention was paid to human strength.

When did he appear

In the mid-30s of the 20th century, on the southwestern coast of the United States near the town of Santa Monica, such a sports and cultural phenomenon appeared - “ Muscle Beach”.

Masses of young people uprooted by the Great Depression found there the opportunity to train and demonstrate their success in the field of developing strength and muscle size.

During World War II, Muscle Beach gained even more popularity due to the fact that veterans were recovering from injuries there.

But gradually, by the second half of the 40s of the 20th century, quantitative changes in training methods gained critical mass, and structural innovations were required.

The origins of strength sports

The very first sports equipment for strength sports was invented in Ancient Greece. It consisted of cores carved from stone or cast from metal. Scientists gave them the name “haloteros”. A stone weight weighing about 150 kilograms discovered by archaeologists indicates that some semblance of modern powerlifting was included in the list of Olympic sports of Ancient Greece.

One of the earliest world champions in powerlifting is Milo of Croton, a Greek athlete who lived in the sixth century BC. It was he who invented powerlifting: Milo's training program consisted of carrying a calf on his shoulders. Time passed, the animal grew, but the athlete did not give up. A historical source tells about Krotonsky’s feat: during the competition, he ran a circle around the stadium with an adult bull on his shoulders.

Advantages and disadvantages

Powerlifting Epidemic

The popularity of powerlifting in Greece did not ensure the spread of this sport everywhere. However, some of its elements were used much later. For example, English soldiers pushed a heavy iron beam to train their bodies to be more successful in battle. Strength competitions, which consisted of lifting a hundred-kilogram stone, were considered a test of the maturity of Scottish youths.

Other European countries tried to keep up and also trained their athletes. Thomas Tofan was able to lift the platform, which weighed 800 kilograms. Immediately after this, he managed to tear off a stone weighing about four hundred kilos from the ground, using only the strength of his hands. French policeman Louis Cyr was famous for his physical coordination: he delivered criminals to the police station, carrying them under his arms.

The mid-19th century is considered the official beginning of powerlifting becoming a separate sport. Then weightlifting appeared, the rules of which are very similar to powerlifting. However, exercises with a barbell, which form the basis of modern sports, gained particular popularity only in the fifties of the 20th century. Then powerlifting appeared: the training program literally blew up the minds of athletes in America, England, Sweden, Australia, Norway and other countries. The totalitarian political regime of the USSR did not allow the new sport to grow and acquire its final form, so many did not even know what powerlifting was - photos of even famous athletes were prohibited.

The benefits of powerlifting

Many people refuse to practice powerlifting because the desired muscle definition does not appear as a result of training. Let's look at the benefits of practicing in this area:

• With regular training, endurance increases. A person’s self-esteem grows as he overcomes the threshold of his own physical capabilities;
• As a result of exercise, muscles become stronger and muscle mass increases;
• Thanks to regular exercise, the cardiovascular system is strengthened;
• If a child has been thin and frail since childhood, the best thing parents can do for him is to devote time to powerlifting. This is a great way to get rid of complexes.

Training should only be carried out under the supervision of an instructor, as forceful loads are used and there is a risk of muscle rupture

The trainer selects an individual program that will allow you to build muscles and lift weights gradually, without causing harm to the body.

The winners of international competitions in this area of ​​sports are included in the Guinness Book of Records.

Powerlifting competition

Unlike bodybuilding or fitness, in powerlifting it is not the aesthetic appeal of the body that comes to the fore, but the physical capabilities of the athlete. Competitions show which of the athletes is in the best shape and how much weight he can lift. In this case, technology plays a decisive role. The International Powerlifting Association has adopted rules for performing exercises and the type of equipment that guide both athletes and tournament organizers.

Features of women's powerlifting

This sport has not yet found widespread recognition among girls. This may be due to common myths according to which women’s reproductive function fades and testosterone begins to be produced in the body.

In fact, this information is false. If you do not abuse hormonal drugs and train under the supervision of an instructor, nothing like this will happen.

Note that training is carried out using strength loads - this involves an increase in muscle mass. That's why you won't find graceful female powerlifters. Girls and women are distinguished by strong arms and legs, they are able to lift weights, and are stronger than an ordinary man.

In addition, dietary nutrition is impossible when doing powerlifting: to be strong, a person needs protein and fats. There are no vegetarians among the athletes.

Remember that the main thing is not how the body looks, but how much a woman lifts at a time. That's why powerlifting often features overweight competitors lifting barbells and dumbbells—it's a great sport for larger women.

Features of women's powerlifting

Age and weight categories

Contrary to popular belief, women are allowed to compete in powerlifting. Here is a list of age categories:

• adolescents of both sexes aged 14-15 years, 16-17, 18-19;
• juniors from 20 to 23 years old;
• representatives of the open category (athletes aged 24-39 years);
• sub-veterans (only for setting records) from 33 to 39 years old inclusive;
• veterans: representatives of all ages from 40 years old at intervals of four years.

Competition organizers reserve the right to combine age and weight categories to increase the value of titles. There is also no single measure of weight: in some cases, weighing results are announced in pounds, in others – in kilograms.

Standards, titles and categories

The FPR assigns ranks from 3rd youth to Honored Master of Sports . In alternative federations, instead of ZMS, the title “Elite” is awarded. The standards vary by weight category; they are different for men and women. The NAP and VPU have a “veteran coefficient”, which lowers the standard requirements for persons over 40 years of age.

As an example, the table below shows the IPF standards for the discipline “classical powerlifting”:

Team composition

Team victory is awarded at all international competitions, as well as at the National Championship. Thus, the holder of the world powerlifting title was also awarded a team award. Each team must officially register with the competition organizer. The number of participants is unlimited - the association can consist of one or more people. The rules of team competitions are somewhat different from individual ones: here points for successful completion of exercises are awarded only for the first five places with points of 12, 5, 3, 2, 1.

Powerlifter physiology and equipment

No matter how hard a person tries, he will not be able to surpass the strength of an elephant - the scale is not the same. Therefore, after a sharp rise in officially registered records, further struggle began to occur not only thanks to human physiology, but also due to the development of movement techniques, the development of sports pharmacology and the appearance of special equipment.

The technique of performing the exercises was standardized with minor variations allowed. For example, barbell rows are allowed both with a Sumo grip (feet wide apart) and in the classic way.

The use of pharmacological agents was also regulated, thanks to a clear separation of hormonal drugs from ordinary vitamins and natural stimulants.

But with equipment turned out to be quite complicated. On the one hand, the use of elastic bandages and a weightlifting belt is a necessity due to the high risk of injury in powerlifting. On the other hand, the line between preventing injuries and improving competitive performance has become blurred.

Currently, specific powerlifter equipment is divided into two categories:

1. Non-supportive : weightlifting belt, weightlifting wristbands.
2. Strengthening: Elastic bandages, tank tops and overalls for bench press, squats and deadlifts. When performing an exercise, the equipment helps push the weight out due to the compressive energy accumulated in it.

The effectiveness of using special equipment is noticeable in the results of competitions. On average, a powerlifter with equipment shows results that are 15% higher than without it.

IMPORTANT: Please note that if an athlete lifts 100 kg, then 15% is only 15 kilograms. And if the result in movement approaches 500 kg, then the same 15% already becomes 75 kg.

In order to provide powerlifters with the opportunity to perform in the style they like, within the framework of one IPF federation, different divisions : equipped IPF and unequipped IPF. This is the most authoritative federation, since it is the one that is represented in all international sports associations and assemblies.

Powerlifting equipment

Equipment for powerlifting is varied. The basic equipment of an athlete is considered to be: comfortable sports shoes, tight-fitting tights for squats and deadlifts, a bench shirt, socks, a belt or belt, bandages for the wrists and knees. In exceptional cases, powerlifting equipment is not required. This happens when competitions are held in higher educational institutions, as part of the Olympics, and also in prisons. The use of sports equipment is not considered a prerequisite for playing sports.

Features of men's powerlifting

Among men involved in powerlifting, it is also rare to find those who can boast of an amazing figure. The main thing is not muscle relief and figure, but the weight that a man can lift. Perfectly performed exercises and technique are also not important. What matters is how many muscles a man uses to overcome his own results.

The training includes exercises from powerlifting and auxiliary, general strengthening exercises. There are no exercises in powerlifting aimed at “drying” or making the muscle relief more pronounced.

People who are not good at bodybuilding often go into powerlifting. This may be due to the inability to perform exercises cleanly (and in bodybuilding, technique is an important condition) or to unexpressed muscles (individual characteristics of the body).

Features of men's powerlifting

Equipment for powerlifting

What equipment is used?

1. Platform To ensure the safety of the athlete, all exercises are performed on a platform. It is a platform measuring 2.5 m by 2.5 m, made of wood and covered with short-pile carpet. In addition to the athlete, only three judges are allowed to be present on the platform.
2. Vultures. Organizers of all international and national competitions are required to provide athletes with bars made specifically for deadlifts and squats. The bars required for other exercises must be Olympic style.
3. Locks. Their presence is a prerequisite. Each lock should weigh 2.5 kilograms - so that with the locks the bar weighs 25 kilograms. The squat bar can only be used with its own set of locks.
4. Disks. The permissible weight of discs varies from 1.25 kg to 50 kg. Discs weighing a kilogram and half a kilogram are used only for setting records.
5. Squat racks. They can be a single structure or consist of two supports. The stands should make it possible to adjust their height in accordance with the height of the athlete and not interfere with him performing the exercise.
6. Bench for bench press. This type of equipment is very important for powerlifting. The bench press is one of the main exercises. In this regard, the bench press must meet a number of requirements. For example, its length should exceed 122 cm, and its width should be in the range of 29-32 cm. The optimal height is from 42 to 45 cm.
7. Light signaling. The athlete needs a system of light signals to see the judges' decision.

Main federations in Russia

The first federation in Russia was the IPF

Its national branch is called the Russian Powerlifting Federation (RFP). (Official website – https://fpr-info.ru/). It is under her auspices that youth powerlifting is developing. The ranks and titles of the FPR are assigned by order of the Ministry of Sports of Russia. A distinctive feature is the absence of open national championships. An athlete must go through local, zonal competitions and show good results in them in order to qualify for a major tournament or national championship. The FPR complies with WADA rules regarding doping in sports and there are no divisions without mandatory testing for the use of prohibited substances.

NAP or National Powerlifting Association

It was created to make the sport more inclusive. In this federation, you can pay an annual fee and compete in all open tournaments where the athlete can physically travel. Championships of various levels are held - from city tournaments with the awarding of the title to CMS to European and World championships. This federation was the first to introduce deadlifts (classical deadlifts and sumo), powerlifting with the ability to perform bench presses in a slingshot and squats in knee wraps, and began to hold tournaments in recreational areas - such as the epic annual tournament at Aqua Loo in Sochi.

Official website – https://www.powerlifting-russia.ru/

WPC/AWPC/WPA/WUAP/GPC

A large international federation, developed not only here, but also in the USA, Finland and Germany. It is distinguished by fairly high standards and the high cost of doping control in amateur divisions. It is paid for by the athlete himself, unless he was called for doping control by the judges. There are no doping controls in the WPC.

Official website – https://www.wpc-wpo.ru/

IPO/GPA/IPL/WRPF (Russian Powerlifters Union, SPR)

Four major world federations have united to hold tournaments for the strongest athletes. The SPR is considered the most developing federation; it is actively promoting in the regions and has a permanent staff of judges and doping commissioners. WRPF is the first alternative federation to separate professional athletes from ordinary amateurs who do not undergo doping control. The strongest athletes compete here - Andrei Malanichev, Yuri Belkin, Kirill Sarychev, Yulia Medvedeva, Andrei Sapozhonkov, Mikhail Shevlyakov, Kyler Volam. The WRPF has a branch in the USA, tournaments are conducted by Dan Green and Chakera Holcomb. The chief judge of the VRPF international tournaments among professional athletes is Boris Ivanovich Sheiko.

WPU

The youngest alternative federation in Russia among those that hold international competitions. It differs from the rest in that athletes in the VPU do not pay for doping control if they perform in the appropriate category.

The athlete chooses independently where to perform and how to train.

© Nomad_Soul — stock.adobe.com

Training program

So, now it’s clear what powerlifting is, photos of athletes inspire achievements. All that remains is to think about the training program. Eric Cressy's Maximum Strength program can help you create an individual plan. The workouts are written for 4 months or 16 weeks. Their author is a fitness expert originally from America. The effectiveness of the program has been tested on thousands of athletes.

By training with this plan, everyone can get a feel for what powerlifting is all about. Woman, man, teenager - it doesn't matter. In general terms the program looks like this:

• Monday – strength training for the lower body;
• Tuesday – cardio training;
• Wednesday – upper body strength training;
• Thursday – cardio training;
• Friday – strength training of the lower body;
• Saturday – upper body strength training;
• Sunday – rest, which can be replaced with cardio training if desired.

This training schedule allows you to keep your body in constant tone, burn fat and increase muscle. After the first week, the athlete will truly understand what powerlifting is. Before and after photos will help you compare the results. The athlete is free to choose exercises himself.

Sports will help you improve your body and spirit and put your thoughts in order. And its strength types will help you believe in yourself. Overcoming an impossible weight for the average person deserves everyone's respect. Now many are convinced what kind of sport powerlifting is.

Program for Beginners

Beginners are offered several training schemes:

1. Simple linear progression . The squat, bench press and deadlift alternate days, that is, they are performed on different days (for example, Monday-Wednesday-Friday). In the first week, the athlete performs 5 repetitions in 5 approaches, from week to week his working weight increases by 2.5-5 kg, and the number of repetitions decreases by 1. After the athlete reaches 2 repetitions, a week of light training and beyond repeat the cycle. In addition to the main movements, a certain amount of auxiliary movements is assumed - exercises that develop the necessary muscles for the three basic movements. It is recommended to perform this scheme first and switch to Sheiko or other cycles as soon as the athlete stalls in the growth of strength.
2. Cycles of B. I. Sheiko . For athletes up to the master class level, they suggest squatting and bench training on Monday and Friday, deadlift and bench training on Wednesday. The athlete works in the range of 70-80% of the one-rep maximum for 2-5 repetitions. The load cycles in waves.
3. Simple wave periodization . The athlete alternates between light and medium workouts, performing heavy ones only at the end of the 6-week cycle. For easy, it works at 50-60 percent of the maximum in 4-5 repetitions, for medium - at 70-80 for three repetitions. Training can be based on the same weekly schedule as Sheiko’s. Auxiliary exercises are selected for all muscle groups.

Below is a program for beginners in the preparatory period for 4 weeks. To successfully perform it, you need to know your one-repetition maximum (RM) in the main three exercises. The percentages in the complex are indicated specifically from him.

You can download and print the program here.

You can watch a detailed analysis of the exercise technique in the following video:

Recipes for healthy eating

Champignon, chicken and egg salad

• 14.5 g Protein
• 16.5 g Fat
• 2.3 g Carbohydrates
• 205.2 kcal

40 min.

• #polka dots
• #mushrooms
• #corn
• #chicken
• #poultry
• #dinner
• #Chinese cabbage
• #tomato
• #vegetable oil
• #sour cream
• #cheese
• #dinner
• #Champignon
• #egg

Other recipes

Where to start with powerlifting?

There are several features of effective training that must be taken into account in order to begin to develop and improve results:

1. In one workout you cannot work more than 2-3 muscle groups, and it is inappropriate to use more than three exercises for each of them.
2. Powerlifting involves gradually increasing the maximum load. It is important to perform as many sets as possible so that you can maintain technique, tempo, number of reps and weight.
3. In training, much attention should be paid to the development of auxiliary and stabilizing muscles that take part in triathlon.
4. The rules of powerlifting include minimizing body fat and increasing muscle mass. It is important not to develop it one-sidedly, that is, you need to load all muscle groups at once.

Powerlifting records

Athletes are constantly working to improve their achievements, so new records are set regularly.

1. In the squat with a barbell in 2011, Donnie Thompson achieved a result of 573.8 kg, and a few months later, his record was broken by Jonas Rantanen, who overcome a load of 575 kg.
2. Since powerlifting includes deadlifting, we will also pay attention to records in this area. In 2002, Finnish athlete Ano Turtiainen set the first record, and he was able to complete the exercise with a weight of 400.5 kg. In 2010, the Icelandic powerlifter set a new bar, reaching a weight of 460 kg.
3. The last world bench press record was set in 2013 by Tiny Meeker, who was able to bench press 488.5 kg.

Powerlifting - exercises

It has already been mentioned that this sport uses three main exercises:

1. Squats
   . This is the first exercise performed in competition. Powerlifting for girls and men is based on the same rules for performing a squat. First, the barbell is taken with a comfortable grip, removed from the racks and placed on the upper section of the trapezius. The athlete moves away from the racks, placing his feet slightly wider than his shoulders and straightening his back. The depth of the squat should be slightly below parallel to the floor, and the center of gravity should be on the heels. Lifting should be done with a straight back.
2. Bench press
   . In powerlifting, this exercise is performed with some detail. The athlete takes the bar with a wide or medium grip. The first option is more popular, because the greater the distance between the hands, the shorter the barbell path. You should remove the barbell by lifting your pelvis and keeping your arms straight. The speed of the press should be maximum, while lowering the apparatus, you should bring your shoulder blades together and lower your shoulders. An important nuance is that the legs should be as close as possible to the pelvis, and the benches should only touch the buttocks. The greater the deflection in the back, the shorter the path of the barbell.
3. Deadlift
   . Powerlifting athletes perform this exercise last during their performance. To assume the starting position, your feet should be placed shoulder-width apart or even further apart. Records are often set with the first option. The athlete bends over with a straight back and grabs the barbell with a comfortable grip. By straightening the legs, the projectile rises. The back should be straight at all times. While lifting the barbell, your arms should be straight and relaxed. The powerlifting technique takes into account that it will be possible to lower the apparatus only after the knees are straightened and the shoulders are pulled back.