Powerlifting Fapstronauts

Holy hell, those are some really, really solid numbers for that BW. Hoping you get healthy!! Those sound like some nasty injuries.

I've been curious about strongman, to be honest. Mainly because I think it would switch up my training a little bit more, and maybe just get me to try some things I haven't before. How did you get started with it?

 

Definitely good tips, man! I appreciate that. Although I'm not very excited to potentially do some cardio I'm sure it really will help me, but man I don't wanna do it. Haha

 

Hell yeah man!! That's awesome to hear! It sounds like you're starting out strong, which is awesome. Keep it up!!

So bodybuilding vs. powerlifting is always an interesting topic. Bodybuilding you're really focused on just maximizing the size of the muscle while keeping your body fat as low as possible. There are tons of ways you can do this, and everyone thinks their way is the best, but it really depends on what works for you. The biggest factor there is diet, since cutting away the body fat is really what brings out the definition in the muscles (which is why you see bodybuilders doing anything they can to shave off the last bit of fat before a competition).

Powerlifting, on the other hand, is focused on strength and lifting the most weight you can. Competition powerlifting is usually the "big 3" lifts: squat, bench, and deadlift. There are rules and weight classes and they vary based on the powerlifting federation, but the basic idea is the same: lift the most weight in each of those 3 lifts.

As for someone just starting out, I'd highly recommend focusing on building strength in those 3 main lifts (I guess 4 if you include overhead press). Make sure you're doing those lifts with the proper technique, and then focusing on adding weight to those. I'd recommend following something like GSLP (Greyskull Linear Progression). It's a good way to get introduced to the main lifts, get a bit of accessory work to work on the "beach muscles" (bis and tris), and also progress steadily while you're still in the period of "noob gains".

If you're trying to eat more, the best way is to eat more often throughout the day (or at least that's what I've found). So eat 5-6 meals a day, and include food like peanut butter, oatmeal, eggs, milk, etc. to up the calories. Also, eat as much protein as you can. That will help fuel the muscle growth. Chicken, red meat, eggs, milk, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, those sorts of things can be used to hit the protein goals. You can also use protein powder if you need a bit more.

Lastly, don't get discouraged when the noob gains start to wear off and you don't see yourself progressing as quickly as you did when you started. It happens to everyone. That just means you're starting to become a more seasoned lifter. Keep pushing forward, and then when you hit a plateau, that's when you think about changing programs or other things in your workout.

Welcome to the club, man! Props to you for starting in on the gym journey. Keep on trucking. I'll echo PALM's advice and say read some T-Nation articles. Also check out Jeff Nippard on YouTube. It's a bit nerdy in that it focuses purely on science and peer-reviewed articles, but his information is good and not clouded by some of the "bro science" that's easy to find on the internet.

 

Strength is the foundation to basically any type of training you want to do. For example: if you're an athlete who needs explosive power (football/rugby player), you develop the strength in those muscles you need for explosion. If you can squat a lot of weight, you can keep your legs moving and run through a tackle.

Bodybuilding is the same way. The best way to start is to get a base of strong muscle, then use your diet and other training to cut away the fat and make the muscles appear larger. Plus, the big 3 compound lifts work multiple groups of muscles at the same time, so you maximize the effectiveness of your training.

Cheers brother, and keep it up!!

 

Been working on my squat form lately. I have a tendency to fold forward on heavier weights, and while I can still stand it up, anything above 350 starts to turn into a squat-morning, if you will. Dropping the weight, and focusing on keeping a tight upper-back, chest proud, and keeping the weight right over the mid-foot.

Bench has also been progressing nicely. I've found that the more uncomfortable the starting position is, the easier the weight comes off my chest. So if I really squeeze my shoulder blades together, force the arch up, flex my lats and try to bend the bar all before lowering the weight, it basically coils my body up like a spring to force the weight up off my chest, and the rest is history.

Lifts are feeling good this year lads. Let's keep it rolling.