Powerlifting is one of the many approaches to a fit and healthy lifestyle. Many of us have the misconception that powerlifting is only for big and bulky men who compete in powerlifting tournaments. The truth is that powerlifting can make anyone’s life better. If you love explosiveness in your workouts, powerlifting might be what you are looking for.
What is powerlifting?
From a competition point of view, powerlifting is a sport of lifting weights. However, it is not the same as weight lifting. While weightlifting focuses on the full range of movement, powerlifting focuses on explosive power. There are only three primary movements in powerlifting – squats, bench press, and deadlift. Powerlifting tournaments revolve around these three moves and nothing else.
However, powerlifters do not only train in squats, bench presses, and deadlifts. Powerlifting gyms have a range of training modules where they focus on developing explosive power.
Who should go for powerlifting?
Anyone who wants to live a healthy and fit life should incorporate powerlifting into their training. However, gyms dedicated to powerlifting work a little differently. If your goal is to build muscles worth showing off, you might get better results from a regular bodybuilding gym. However, bodybuilding as a discipline focuses on the cosmetic aspect of health and fitness. It is not uncommon to see bodybuilders dealing with a range of physical issues as a result of their training. Powerlifting, on the other hand, is a much more holistic sport. It focuses on developing strength and not muscles. However, you cannot grow strong without also putting up muscles. But these muscles complement our day-to-day physical movements. It focuses much more on the well-rounded development of the body.
Who should avoid powerlifting?
In theory, no one should avoid powerlifting. If building cosmetic muscles is a bigger concern for you, powerlifting would still be beneficial. It is also great for endurance building and helps in overall athletic performance. The three movements of powerlifting offer a complete workout that targets most muscles of the body.
What to expect from a powerlifting gym?
If you are a beginner, your powerlifting instructor will begin with developing core strength. Then you would slowly move forward to compound movements like squats, bench presses, deadlifts, shoulder presses, push-ups, and so on. Powerlifting workouts focus on explosiveness and intensity. You would be doing many sets of few reps. With time, you will gradually progress to bigger weights.
Giving powerlifting a shot is never a bad idea. It will enhance your strength and conditioning and make you more confident to pursue other fitness goals.
