Powerlifting where to start?

Powerlifting is a strength sport that focuses on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. Strength is for everyone and is a rewarding and exciting pursuit at any age. This article will (hopefully) guide you through some of the steps to get started and highlight key considerations.

Understanding Powerlifting

Before you start training, it is important to understand what powerlifting is. Keep in mind that this is an oversimplification so as not to bore you to death. I am explaining it like I would explain it to my grandma, who still confuses it with bodybuilding and Olympic weightlifting.

The sport involves three lifts: squat, bench press, deadlift, all of which make up your total score. Most competitions use mathematical coefficients to score lifters in all weight classes. The most widely used include DOTS, Glossbrenner, Schwartz-Malone, and Wilks.

In powerlifting competitions, athletes perform the lifts in a specific order (squat, bench press, deadlift) and strive to lift the heaviest weight possible in each lift. A competition consists of a total of 9 lifts. Three squats, three bench presses, and three deadlifts. Competitors have three attempts at each lift, and the highest weight successfully lifted counts toward their total score.

To make things even more confusing, there are many different categories depending on which powerlifting league you compete in. Primal, Classic Primal, Single, Multi, Unrestricted, Push and Pull, Squat Only, Bench Press Only, and Deadlift Only. To keep things simple, I am writing this post for new lifters who want to compete in Primal Full Power (Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift). Consult your league’s rulebook for more details.

There is a ton of information out there about the sport. Google it and start following some informative social media pages and lifters.

Powerlifting: Getting Started:

1. What do you want?

The answer to this question will change over time, but you need to have something brewing in your head as far as goals go. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated. It can be as simple as “I want to look good naked,” “I want to lift weights,” “I want to set XYZ record,” or “I want to increase muscle mass/increase bone density for overall health/longevity.” People who come in and say “I want to be the GOAT” often quit the sport after their first competition because they realize they can’t just walk in and beat everyone.

Self-assessment. Be honest with yourself and your current abilities. Identify your strengths and weaknesses. I emphasize “self” in all of this because it’s easy for new lifters to see other people lifting weights on social media and compare themselves to them. In some cases, it’s healthy and beneficial to compare yourself to others, after all it is a competition, but try not to focus on what others can do and focus on yourself! 2: Find a gym with lifters and/or find a weightlifting coach I can’t stress enough the importance of finding a coach or team early on. It will save you valuable time and your progress will be much faster if you get guidance early on. This is not to discount the value of doing it on your own and trying online courses because that’s how many people start. However, the risk you run when starting on your own is developing bad habits, poor technique, and potential injury. It’s best to just find a coach or a good training partner to help you get started. Also, for beginners, face-to-face coaching is better than remote coaching. That’s not to say online coaching doesn’t work, but when you’re first starting out, it’s better to have someone watching and correcting you in real time.

2. Find a gym with lifters and/or find a weightlifting coach

It is very important to find a coach or team early on. This will save you valuable time and you will progress faster if you can get guidance early on. This is not to discount the value of figuring it out on your own and trying online courses, as many people start that way. But the risk of starting alone is developing bad habits, poor technique, and potential injury. It is better to find a coach or a good training partner to help you get started.

In addition, for beginners, face-to-face guidance is better than remote guidance. This is not to say that online coaching doesn’t work, but when you are just starting out, it is better to have someone who can correct you in real time.

3. Recovery and Nutrition

Nutrition and recovery play a big role in weightlifting. If you don’t factor these into your training, you will miss out on the gains that super beginners make. To maximize performance,
Please note:

• Sleep: If you don’t sleep, you don’t recover, and if you don’t recover, then you won’t get stronger. Get 8 hours of sleep. This may seem like a big ask, but if strength training is a priority, then you need to find a way to properly manage your time to get your beauty sleep.
• Food: Eat enough calories to support your training and recovery. Prioritize protein to support muscle repair and growth. Carbs are your friend! They’ll help you fuel and recover from those tough workouts. Especially if they’re timed correctly. I’m not a nutritionist. That’s far from my expertise.
• Hydration: Stay well hydrated, especially before and after your workouts, to optimize performance and recovery. Don’t be afraid of those electrolytes, either. Salt is your friend, just like carbs.

4. Track Your Progress

Keep a training log to monitor your progress. Log weights, sets, and reps for each session, and note any improvements or regressions in strength or form. This will help you identify areas for improvement and keep you excited about your training when you hit those little PRs. Take videos of your lifts, too. This may seem nerdy, but it helps both your overall training log and your coach.

5. Compete

Believe it or not, a lot of people have the mentality of “I’m not strong enough to compete yet” or “I’ll only compete when I hit ### numbers”… I’m here to tell you that this logic is stupid. Everyone’s first competition is mostly a bad show, and that’s part of the learning and fun. Nerves are high, adrenaline is high, and you have no idea what you’re doing. That’s OK! If you have a good coach and team, you’ll have people there to help you handle it and guide you through the day. Experienced lifters love to see people do their first competition. It reminds us how healthy and fun this sport is, and how much it will continue to grow. My advice is don’t wait. Hit the sign up button, hone yourself in competitions, gain experience, and get some results on the board so you can go back and train to beat them. Part of the fun of post-competition is that you now have official numbers to beat, which goes a long way toward setting short-term goals. Trust me, you’ll feel more prepared and more focused the second time you compete.

Tips for Powerlifting Starting

Set Clear Goals

Be clear about your goals, whether it’s competing, building strength, or improving overall health. Your coach can and should help you refine those goals. But don’t go in empty-handed. Make sure to think about what you want to achieve so they can keep you on track.

Stay Consistent

Stick to your training plan and make adjustments as needed. Resist the urge to switch programs or coaches. Strength is a test of will and endurance. You may be tempted to jump ship after a few weeks of not making the rapid progress you’d like. Don’t. As a new lifter, almost any program will work for you as long as you stick with it. Don’t waste time and your new gains because of a lack of patience.

Listen to your body

Watch for signs of fatigue or injury, and prioritize recovery when necessary. This may not be intuitive when you’re just starting out. Many new lifters will go all out every session because… they can recover. In some cases, this is a blessing, but be careful when you start to feel fatigued. Don’t be so quick to blame your training or program when you have a bad day at the gym, either. It’s more likely that your opponent is due to lack of sleep, food, or water.

Don’t sandbag your accessories

As a new lifter, accessories can make or break you. Many people avoid them or sandbag them because the main lifts are more fun and exciting. If you do this, you’re cheating yourself and making your total weight less. Most new lifters haven’t yet reached a weight class suitable for competition, which means they either need to add more weight or reduce it. Accessories are how you achieve both.

Don’t Throw Away Athleticism

Gone are the days of the out-of-shape, typical lifter. If you look at who’s at the top of any category, they all look like athletes. They look like they lift weights. They’re usually multi-sport athletes, too. In the off-season, you’ll see them doing bodybuilding, CrossFit, hiking, strongman, running, swimming, throwing, etc. The stigma that lifters are all out-of-shape, mouth-breathing, is gone. I’m not saying go out and run a marathon while training to lift weights, but I’m saying your overall work capacity will help you recover better, complete tough workouts, and make you a more skilled competitor.

Seek Guidance

Don’t hesitate to seek advice from experienced lifters, coaches, or online resources to improve your technique and knowledge. Oftentimes, the muscled-up lifters screaming at each other on the pull-up bar are the friendliest, most welcoming people you’ll ever meet. Ask them questions and ask for advice. If you show genuine curiosity, they’ll likely take you on, and if you have the opportunity to join a training team, do it!

Read the rules

When you choose a competition, at least glance over the rulebook of the league you choose to compete in so you don’t get your lifts red-flagged for something stupid that you could have avoided by just reading up.

Keep it simple

Master the mundane things before getting too hung up on the minutiae of the sport. There are a lot of things that can distract you. Focus on your progress and build a good foundation that will propel you to the next level.