So You Want To Be A Powerlifter

What is powerlifting?

Powerlifting is a fairly simple sport if you are looking from the outside. Consists of three lifts (squat bench and deadlift) Each lifter gets 3 attempts at each lift and the highest number in each lift get added together to get a total and the lifter with the highest total wins.

The Journey and Commitment

However the sport is a hell of a lot more complicated than that. It requires a level of commitment that not everyone is willing to make. Powerlifting and the journey of strength is not something that happens overnight and strength is only earned by those who never stop working towards it. It is important to recognize that even the strongest individual today didn’t start off where they are. You need to chip away at this thing like you’re creating a sculpture.

It is also important to realize that the journey for strength doesn’t have an end, There is no limit to the amount of weight anyone person can lift, It is all on you to decide how far you want to take this sport and the most successful accept this fact and ignore it at the same time trying to get to the strongest they can be with the time they are given. It is something that many people do not understand and never will understand.

Who is suited for this sport?

This sport can be for everyone and also for no one at the same time. People who understand the culture of lifting heavy already understand what it takes to get to where you need to be to be a top level and competitive powerlifter.

This sport requires you to be more mentally strong than it takes for you to be physically strong. Physical strength is something that is gained easily if your head is no longer in the way. The fact that you are lifting something relatively heavy can be overwhelming for an individual and an automatic shutdown will occur.

You have kind of have to have a screw or two loose if you will. You have to be willing to do things others won’t to achieve what others simply can’t.

It is not something you can just do once and a while and expects to excel at it simply because you want to be better at it. Just like anything worth having it takes hard work. Anyone willing to live up to these traits is going to be a great lifter.

Proper coaching and guidance

Powerlifting may look like a mundane act of simply lifting weights and that there isn’t a need for a qualified coach or someone to help you with aspects of the sport. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Powerlifting three movements can be just as difficult to teach properly as any skill in any sport. There are certain aspects that a coach can explain and prescribe in order to enhance the lifters abilities.

I do not recommend doing it on your own. However it can be done. Because there is a wealth of information now a days online, and in books. However getting involved in a group of people or getting a coach will help increase progress exponentially. It is important to get a solid support system and have a solid group of people all with the same goals as you and that’s to be the best under the bar as possible

Make It Fun

At the end of the day, powerlifting is a sport. Sure it may have a cast of interesting characters but none the less it is a sport. Like any sport it is important to make it fun. You don’t do this sport or any sport not to have fun. It is important to do the things you need to in order to realize your full potential but I always say the minute you lose love for something it is time to move on to the next thing but chances are you will get bit by the iron bug as they say and powerlifting will remain a part of your life for a very long time!

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