Ask The Powerlifters...

[brandonA]

We are lucky enough to have some of the best Powerlifters in the world on the Forvm. A wealth of information and experience walking amongst us. My hope with this thread to open a question and answer session so that all of the great information can be shared by all..I am giving my thanks in advance to the powerlifters for there help.....

-B

[brandonA]

Hello all....

What advise would you give a beginner PL?

-B

[Maccabee]

I am no expert powerlifter but being that this is my second week powerlifting I would have to say the most important thing to get done first is the form. With powerlifting everything is different. The form I had previously as a bodybuilder with deads, squats, and benching has all changed. So I think the most important thing is to get the form down nice and perfect. Bad form = Injury.

I learnt the form quickly regarding deads and squats because I have been lifting for a little while now so learning the form is pretty easy once you got some experience. But then again what I learnt with powerlifting is that even a small change in form, suits, etc... will change the outcome of your lift.

[Big Dog]

Hello all....

What advise would you give a beginner PL?

-B

With my 25+ years in this sport, The 1st bit of advice would be ; ALWAYS KEEP AN OPEN MIND!!!! The moment you think you know everything, that's the time you need to go home and pick up a new hobby. I'm constantly learning new ways of doing things. whether its from a old dog who's been thru a few battles or a newbie who might have a fresh perspective on things.

What burns me the most is when i see guys spinning their wheels in the gym and piss and moan about their lack of progress, but won't open their ears and listen to someone who's been there and done that.I've been accused of trying to sabotage someone's training by suggesting they try doing things a different way. I got nothing to gain by supposedly keeping someone down. All i try to do is pass on knowledge that was imparted to me by someone teaching me or by gaining it through hard work.

EASIEST THING YOU CAN DO IS KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND SEEK THOSE WHO ARE STRONGER THAN YOU AND LEARN FROM THEM, AND YOU IN TURN WILL BECOME STRONGER,WISER PERSON.

[norrim1]

With my 25+ years in this sport, The 1st bit of advice would be ; ALWAYS KEEP AN OPEN MIND!!!! The moment you think you know everything, that's the time you need to go home and pick up a new hobby. I'm constantly learning new ways of doing things. whether its from a old dog who's been thru a few battles or a newbie who might have a fresh perspective on things.

What burns me the most is when i see guys spinning their wheels in the gym and piss and moan about their lack of progress, but won't open their ears and listen to someone who's been there and done that.I've been accused of trying to sabotage someone's training by suggesting they try doing things a different way. I got nothing to gain by supposedly keeping someone down. All i try to do is pass on knowledge that was imparted to me by someone teaching me or by gaining it through hard work.

EASIEST THING YOU CAN DO IS KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND SEEK THOSE WHO ARE STRONGER THAN YOU AND LEARN FROM THEM, AND YOU IN TURN WILL BECOME STRONGER,WISER PERSON.

I am interested in some powerlifting techniques. I have always modeled my routine off bodybuilding. I would like to do lift some heavier weights to build more dense muscles. How much more different is it? Bench pressing for instance, what kind of rep ranges? Do boards and lockouts help build strength?

[mark]

Form and finding people with experience. Also, if they're use to classical bodybuilding body part split style workouts, have them dump everything they know about lifting and make them realize that in the world of powerlifting that they know very little and have minimal time under the bar as far as powerlifting is concerned.

[Big Dog]

I am interested in some powerlifting techniques. I have always modeled my routine off bodybuilding. I would like to do lift some heavier weights to build more dense muscles. How much more different is it? Bench pressing for instance, what kind of rep ranges? Do boards and lockouts help build strength?

YES bodybuilding & powerlifting use different techniques. the bench for instance, in powerlifting you aren't too worried about building mass. mass will come with strength. you usually bench elbows out and the bar is brought higher on the chest. in powerlifting, the elbows are kept in. To building and the bar is brought lower towards the low pec/sternum.To build strong tri's you stick to heavy pressing movements and skip skull crushers, pushdowns and a majority of bodybulding movements.

The squat is also drastically different.The emphasis is not on the quads, but utilizing the entire lower half of your body: quads, hips, hamstrings and YOUR BUTT!!!!! and the stance is generally wider.

I could spend hours throwing things at you. The best way to learn is take things in steps, ask questions, seek out powerlifters in your area, attend a powerlifting meet and soak in the environment. i guarantee you once you walk in, you won't walk out the same person.

Good luck and Best wishes my friend!!!

[norrim1]

YES bodybuilding & powerlifting use different techniques. the bench for instance, in powerlifting you aren't too worried about building mass. mass will come with strength. you usally bench elbows out and the bar is brought higher on the chest. in powerlifting, the elbows are kept . To building and the bar is brought lower towards the low pec/sternum.To build strong tri's you stick to heavy pressing movements and skip skull crushers, pushdowns and a majority of bodybulding movements.

The squat is also drastically different.The emphasis is not on the quads, but utilizing the entire lower half of your body: quads, hips, hamstrings and YOUR BUTT!!!!! and the stance is generally wider.

I could spend hours throwing things at you. The best way to learn is take things in steps, ask questions, seek out powerlifters in your area, attend a powerlifting meet and soak in the environment. i guarantee you once you walk in, you won't walk out the same person.

Good luck and Best wishes my friend!!!

Thanks for the advice Big Dog!

[Maccabee]

Form and finding people with experience. Also, if they're use to classical bodybuilding body part split style workouts, have them dump everything they know about lifting and make them realize that in the world of powerlifting that they know very little and have minimal time under the bar as far as powerlifting is concerned.

Very true. At first I tried to create my own routine but training bodyparts. In the process I found out I was wrong. I was pretty glad some of the powerlifters here helped me out to create a routine especially tek.

[hjayss]

Yeah we got some of the real bad asses here in this sport. Big dog, srgt rock, eric downey, big jawn,powerfreak, beastofrage, kathy fields, and the new to the power game tek, mat, and pokritel lot of big helpful guys here and moe than happy to lend a hand Hope I did not miss anybody if so sorry but I regulerly see posts by these and they have helped me in some way.

[norrim1]

Where I work out, there's only a smith machine. How much different in weight is it? Can I use this machine to my advantage?

[mark]

Where I work out, there's only a smith machine. How much different in weight is it? Can I use this machine to my advantage?

Find a way to get to a real gym with real free weights. You'll have to sacrifice, but nothing is as good as training on real free weights.

[Toni69]

Ok...we cant possibly expect the PL's to break it all down in words cause that would take loads of their time and could get confusing. How about a decent PL'ing website or two..maybe with vids or pics of how PL'ing exercises are properly performed and explained so we can refer to them whenever we want. I do searches all the time and sometimes I get very frustrated cause I dont like the site or whatever.

I am a competing FBB..and now Im taking this clean bulk time to build mass and gain strength and size, so my girl NPC Chicka is easing my way into the PL'ing scene for a bit. Now, I understand when she or others here explain how to perform most PL'ing moves, but I am more of a visual learner. Sometimes it is also hard to explain certain moves in words. Any recommendations on reliable and good sites on powerlifting? Beginner, intermediate..whatever you got!

Thanks!!

[mark]

Check out www.elitefts.com they have a great exercise index on their q&a. Plus if you want the best how to do the lifts, taught in the most basic terms imaginable, then i would highly suggest you buy their Bench and Squat and deadlift Exercise Index DVDs. One of the best investments a newbie can make.

[Powerfreak]

I guess I will just sit back and let Gene answer all of the questions.Lol
One thing that I will suggest is that you may want to follow some of the journal entries from the powerlifters on the board.
Some of us are currently training for major events and you can follow our progress to the event.
Also, I have posted quite a few video's of the squat bench and deadlift performed by myself and my team members.

[The_Dude]

Here's a kick ass site that some cats on here have posted vids on. http://ironscene.com/index.php

I've learned ALOT from watching vids on that web site. I'm still new to this great sport and It's helped me alot since I took it up. And BigDog hit the nail on the head, you have to HAVE AN OPEN MIND. Well said there brother.

[brandonA]

Think that a link to Powerfreak's Training vid should be in here...so here it is....Grab your Oreos and pay attention..

http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?t=9126

-B

[brandonA]

I have a couple of questions for ya this morning....I am starting a basic 5x5 program working my way up to a Westside program....

I will be benching and squating 3 days a week and deads one....I was thinking that it may be a good thing to alt. weeks with standard banch, squat and deads with pin presses, box squats and rack pulls, what do you guys think?

Also on the pin presses, how high would you set the pins? I understand the pin presses to be the same as board pressing, so if I am having trouble about 4" off the chest is this where I need to put the pins? or would higher put more work on the tris?

Thanks for your help..

-B

[Medford]

I bought the Bev Francis' Power Bodybuilding book a while ago. Even though it's written by a female, beginners could learn from it on how to mix the two.

[Powerfreak]

I have a couple of questions for ya this morning....I am starting a basic 5x5 program working my way up to a Westside program....

I will be benching and squating 3 days a week and deads one....I was thinking that it may be a good thing to alt. weeks with standard banch, squat and deads with pin presses, box squats and rack pulls, what do you guys think?

Also on the pin presses, how high would you set the pins? I understand the pin presses to be the same as board pressing, so if I am having trouble about 4" off the chest is this where I need to put the pins? or would higher put more work on the tris?

Thanks for your help..

-B

You are going to bench and squat 3 days a week? Am I reading that right?
Pm me and I will give you my phone number, we need to talk.