What Is Powerlifting Good For?

Why I started

I have been powerlifting for nearly 3 years now. The idea of competing on a platform, in front of people was always terrifying to me. I’m quite a shy, reserved type. However, the main thing that impressed me about powerlifting was the atmosphere and support found within it.

I began it as I really needed something to focus my training around. It had all just become haphazard and I needed a target, mainly for my own mental health.

Having a competition date set and a training plan in placed helped with this massively. All that was left for me to do was to get as strong as possible within the competition style of lifting.

Whenever I was asked about why I was doing it my answer was usually along the lines of;

“I’m already pretty strong, I want to see how strong I can get in that time.”

Focusing my training, and a good deal of my lifestyle around this meant that I could go all in and do this.

Training

For you to have your lifts passed at a competition standard you firstly need to be really mobile and stable throughout your movements. It is all well and good if you can load 200kg+ onto your back for a squat but if you can’t control the weight down to below parallel and back up again then you will never get a squat passed, or achieve a total.

Your training needs to be geared around this. Focus more on getting the lifts passable first, then get the mega weights added onto them.

As you can see, powerlifting training leads to increased strength as well as good movement patterns. Moving properly like this is likely to lead to a better functioning body, particularly as you get stronger also.

Atmosphere

I mentioned at the start the atmosphere is the best thing. I know you might be looking at powerlifting for the glory of being one of the strongest people you know, that’s fine. But what will stand out to you is how this “glory” is spread amongst everyone who competes.

It doesn’t matter if you come first or if you come last, when you get on that platform everyone in the room is behind you. Whether its: the guy on the MC; the audience; your coach; your friends; your family, or even; the other lifters in your weightclass.

That last one might surprise you a little. I once nearly won the divisional championships on my last deadlift.

The guy who was currently first was at the side of platform cheering me on to get the lift. (I failed it on a technicality, it was horrible). He said to me afterwards that he’d already gotten PBs and just wanted to see me do well as well. That embodies what you get from powerlifting.