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.

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.

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.

This section presents athletes whose names are forever associated with powerlifting, since at one time they were either the first or the strongest. Many today cannot achieve the results of these people. However, you need to know what to strive for, that the achieved results are not the height of perfection. We read, look at photographs, and are surprised by the results.

Both powerlifters and pure benchers, both our Russian and foreign ones, are represented here.
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Ryan Kennelly

born in 1974. Remembering the biographies of many other famous lifters, one can assume that in childhood Ryan, just like them, was a very athletic child and began to achieve success at a very early age. But that's not true. When he entered high school, he was only 176 centimeters tall and weighed only 78 kilograms. Set a bench press record of 485 kg. Read more…

Scott Mendelsohn.

He was always out of the crowd with his constant desire to compete against everyone. He always wanted to be the best, and even at a young age he had incredible strength and athleticism. He tried himself in various sports disciplines, he was passionate about wrestling and boxing. And a little later, when he began to realize his real strength, he went into bodybuilding. But Mendelssohn’s not entirely favorable data for bodybuilding, such as a wide pelvis and waist, lead him to powerlifting. His incredible strength is the result of rigorous training since 1992. Read more…

Vladimir Kravtsov.

When I started bodybuilding in 1988, my weight was about 60 kg. I bench pressed 95kg, but I still had this result even after wrestling. I didn’t squat or pull, because there was no one to tell me that these two exercises were the most necessary for building muscle mass. Like everyone else, I focused on the development of biceps and triceps. Read more…

Jim Williams.

Jim was the second man in history (after Pat Casey) to officially bench press 600 lbs (272 kg), his best competition bench of 675 lbs (306 kg) at the 1972 World Championships stood as an American record for over a decade (until broken by Ted Arcidi in 1985). . In addition to this, later that year he was also the first person to unofficially break the 700-pound barrier when he bench pressed 705 pounds (320 kg) in a workout at York's gym (as evidenced by Bob Hoffman and the 1972 US Olympic weightlifting team. ) Read more…

Sergey Fedosienko.

Big sport is a privilege of youth, many people think so. And in many ways this is true. The indomitable desire to become the first and the energy of young guys often outweigh the work and experience of the older generation of athletes. Sergei Fedosienko is only 22 years old, but he is already a multiple champion of Russia, Europe and the world. Read more…

Vladimir Mironov

born on December 31, 1959 in the village of Losinka, Berezovsky district, Sverdlovsk region. When he was 4 months old, his family moved to Pervouralsk. As a twelve-year-old boy, he first came to the weightlifting club and since then the sport has become firmly established in his life. Read more…

Andy Bolton

born 1970 in Yorkshire. His family watched in amazement as their child literally grew before their eyes. At the age of 11, Bolton's size and incredible physical strength made him one of the fastest sprinters of his age in England. He ran 100 and 200 meters. stronger and slower, so he literally grew out of this sport... Read more...

Gene Rychlak.

November 16, 2003, Gene Rychlak Jr. made history as the first person to bench press 900lbs (408kg) in a competition organized by the main American chapter of the IPA held in CampHill, PA. Rychlak followed up his success by winning the prestigious Arnold Classic in March 2004 in Columbus, Ohio with a bench press of 876 pounds. Not content with that, he broke his own record in May 2004 with a bench press of 925 pounds at the Kumite Classic in Pittsburgh. He weighed 156.6 kg with a height of 185.5 cm. Read more…

Konstantin Konstantinov.

Konstantin was born in the small Latvian town of Liepaja in 1978. His parents were ordinary people and never played sports. Kostya’s first sporting hobby was gymnastics at the age of 6 years. Then he practiced judo wrestling for several years...... “Even as a child, I was a pretty strong and strong child, and by the age of 11 I could easily do 42 pull-ups,” says Kostya: “My first acquaintance with the barbell happened during wrestling training, where strength training was part of the general training system.” Read more…

Ed Cohen.

Michael Jordan in basketball, Muhammad Ali in boxing, well, who is the legend of powerlifting? Without a doubt, this man was Ed Cohen, the greatest powerlifter in the history of this sport... Cohen the giant killer, in 1998 he set an all-time record with a squat 467 kilograms, pressing 261, pulling 401 and collecting a total of 1121 kilograms, all while weighing 107 kilograms! Read more…

Vitaly Ponomarenko.

When I first heard the word “powerlifting,” and this was in 1993, I thought I would never even be able to pronounce it. I started studying. My first record was 180 kg in the bench press, then - 202 kg. I was going to beat him at the World Championships. But ten days before these competitions, my appendicitis was removed. True, on the fourth day I was discharged and I had already started training, but when I lifted 190 kg and heard something shooting in my stomach, I got scared. I immediately remembered the doctor’s words: don’t train for six months, otherwise internal hemorrhage may occur. After this, fortune was more favorable to me - I became the European champion in 1998. Read more…

Larry Pacifico

can safely be called a superstar of world powerlifting. Of course, its records have long been broken, and athletes have emerged who have achieved much greater titles, but Pacifico is unique. He is a nine-time IPF world champion, holder of 54 world records in 102 victorious competitions. But that is not all! He was the organizer of several historic and highly successful powerlifting events. Among them was the 1979 World Cup broadcast on CBS Nationwide, for which Larry sold more than 10,000 tickets. He organized in the mid-70s, together with Marathon Distributing, the largest mail order distribution business for powerlifting products. Read more…

Brian Siders.

Brian's achievement 2004 World Championship (IPF) world record in the amount of 1145 2004 Mountaineer Cup VI 1st place in the amount of 1142.5 2004 USAPL National Championship. World record total of 1141.5 2004 Bench America 2nd place. 2003 Mountaineer Cup V 1st place 2003, 2002, 2001 USAPL National Championship, overall champion. 2002 Mountaineer Cup IV 2nd place. Read more…

Alexey Sivokon.

Just as Pele's name symbolizes the greatness of football, the sport of iron also has one name that represents the greatness of powerlifting: Sivokon. Alexey Sivokon, world champion in powerlifting, was born in 1973 in Kazakhstan. There he began weightlifting under the old Soviet system. But a knee injury suffered at the age of 16 stopped his training. Fortunately, he discovered powerlifting - and from then on began the story of this athlete, whose height is 163 cm, weight - 66 kg. Read more…

Andrey Butenko.

Started lifting weights at home at age 11.
I came to the hall for the first time in 1989. Seriously switched to powerlifting in 1990. He trained under the guidance of the winner of the USSR Championship in 1989 and 1990, master of sports Vladimir Kutsenko. Since 1994 he trained independently. MSMK, judge of the international category in powerlifting, coach of the highest category of Turkmenistan (in 3 years he trained 3 medalists of the World and Asian Championships, 5 MSMK, 5 MS and 11 CMS), judge of the national category in bodybuilding, former responsible, and then general secretary of the Athletic Union Turkmenstan (AST).
Read more... Yuri Ustinov.

Born 05/10/1975. He took up powerlifting at the age of 13. Previously engaged in sailing. In 1994 in Kaluga he fulfilled the standard of Master of Sports of Russia, in 1999. awarded the title of Master of Sports of the International Class of Russia. The MSMK standard was met at the Russian Cup in Rybinsk. In 2001, he suffered a severe injury to his knee joints and left triathlon, switching to the bench press. He has taken part in high-ranking competitions since 1991. Read more…

Wade Hooper.

In Russia, only a few know this famous athlete. Who is he, Wade Hooper? Wade Hooper's sports path is paved with roses, with their thorns facing up, so to speak. So, in 1995, speaking for the first time at the World Championships in the category up to 67.5 kg, he scored the same triathlon amount (682.5 kg) with Pole Jan Wilzynski, but lost to him in his own weight (Wade was 100 grams heavier ). After stepping off the podium, Hooper told his teammates: “I’ll train hard, but next year I’ll be world champion.” And he kept his word: in 1996, in a bitter struggle with the same Jan Wilczynski, Wade won the World Championship. Read more…

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.