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Powerlifting and Mass Gains?

Arnold Posts: 1,112 Joined: 2000/11/27	2002/01/24, 01:50 PM Hey.. (Michael too!) I always train heavy and basic.. the compounds movements. I want to know from those who have experience in powerlifting how much more the training differs and if the gains in strength and size come faster? Thanks.. .o0 Arnold 0o.
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/01/24, 02:19 PM I'm curious, too...although, I have a looooong way to go!
jbennett Posts: 1,558 Joined: 2001/02/28	2002/01/24, 08:29 PM I'm hardly a competitive powerlifter, but I do 'cycle' powerlifting programs into my workout plan (4-week power program once every 2 to 3 months). It is during these times I see the greatest increase in strength, but my weight doesn't seem to change much at all. I increased my highest working set of squats (3-4 reps) from 255lbs to 300lbs in less than a month when I incorporated pwrlifting in my routine. That was back in August or September, so now 300lbs is nothing. I credit this to the use of powerlifting stratigies.
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/01/24, 09:24 PM So where does one find out more about these strategies? Maybe ft plans to incorporate this into their program (hint to FT Staff)?
rev8ball Posts: 3,081 Joined: 2001/12/27	2002/01/25, 02:11 PM Alot of bodybuilders today have forgotten their roots in weight training. Up until the 80s, a body builder would cycle their regular training with a powerlifting routine in order to build mass before cutting. What was cool about this is that only did they look strong, they had a decent amount of strength to back up their appearance. Columbo (at 5'4) was infamous for deadlifting 700# in bulk training. Pearl, Park, and Grimek were accomplished lifters in powerlifting and olympic lifting. They may have not been Paul Anderson, but they diefintely held their own. On the other hand, powerlifters have now incorporated some bodybuilding techniques in their routines. You will notice that today's PLs are not as "fat and flabby" as those of 30 yrs ago. That all being said, when it comes to putting on sheer mass and strength, nothing beats heavy, compound movements. When I did PL, I would have one day a week each for the three lifts. Along with those, depending on my cycle, I also did other compound movements such as power cleans, clean and jerks, military presses, etc. I would accent them with some auxillary excercises to focus building strength on the smaller muscles and connective tissues. The difference between this and training heavy for BB are the techniques. When it comes time for the max lift day, the goal is to get that weight moving in a legal manner. Some BBs with no clue say that PLs "cheat" on their lifts. WRONG! Believe me, when you have half a ton on your back, your lifting technique is as practiced,tight and flawless as a BB's posing routine. If it weren't, you'd be in a whole world of hurt! I could go all day. Hope that helps a little. Let me know if you have any other questions. Michael
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/01/26, 12:27 AM Michael, you mentioned some compound movements that should be incorporated into 'possibly' a new powerlifting ft program (another hint to the FT Staff). I'm curious as to how you do power cleans and clean & jerks...
Zack24 Posts: 1 Joined: 2002/01/29	2002/01/29, 06:39 PM What is the best supplement I can use to gain weight and mass as quick as possible and what is the best supplement for powerlifting because i have a meet comming up in two weeks.
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/01/29, 06:54 PM Are you taking any supplements now? If so, which ones?
MuscleRage Posts: 203 Joined: 2001/12/09	2002/01/30, 03:30 PM Well i have been in one competition for benching and i got first...but i think the gains and size increase in a much more rapid pace than in normal training. you dont get as cut but you do get a lot stringer and bigger.
rev8ball Posts: 3,081 Joined: 2001/12/27	2002/02/01, 02:31 AM excellent for you!!!! good job, and keep it up............michael
MuscleRage Posts: 203 Joined: 2001/12/09	2002/01/30, 03:32 PM On my last post i meant to say stronger, not stringer...lol
dunlap Posts: 15 Joined: 2002/04/18	2002/04/27, 10:06 PM my question is can i powerlift to gain mass and then every 3 months throw in a cutting cycle? see i am not very big right now not to me anyway and i really want to and mass before i cut up but i dont want to look nasty eather. what do you think arnold ? Or any one else for that matter.
francs Posts: 40 Joined: 2002/04/07	2002/05/01, 12:24 PM I have been using a PL-like routine for a while now. I have noticed improvements in strength and also a few lbs of muscle coming on. I am really convinced that if I stick to the basics, the exercises that have been around forever (presses, deadlifts, squats, rows... etc) gains in both STRENGTH and MASS. I am not really very experienced. But I can see I work less and better than many other in my gym and make more progress than many of them. Well all this was actually to back up Michael and Arnold anyway. Somehow these guys here are inspiring me and the big guys in the gym now compliment me for my determination and precision.. :0) How good it is to feel part of a community of HUGE proportions.. lol. -------------- Fran
francs Posts: 40 Joined: 2002/04/07	2002/05/01, 12:43 PM I made a bit of a mess up there.. what I wanted to say is that if I stick to the basics then Im pretty much convinced gains will come in both STRENGTH and MASS. Arnold I remember said precisely that they go hand in hand. :0) Lifting is goode aint it... -------------- Fran
rev8ball Posts: 3,081 Joined: 2001/12/27	2002/05/01, 01:45 PM just remeber not to train all-out all the time. strength athletes tend to be more prone to injuries than BBs due to the shear stress they expose themselves to. plus, u have to give your body a complete break every so often to truly optimize your progression. -------------- Michael "Trample the weak; hurdle the dead!"
francs Posts: 40 Joined: 2002/04/07	2002/05/01, 02:06 PM Yep got that I dont train all out all the time actually. For the last two months I have gone all-out only once a week for one bodypart, and then the other week another bodypart.. It has worked fine so far, but I am still doing a lot of search around for websites and info on PL strategies and how PL and BB can sorta fit together; I also ask 2 big guys in the gym every now and then for suggestions, they seem very enthusiastic to help :P. I am planning to have a complete break after the 12th week. So that would take about 4 more weeks. My plan is to have just a 1-week break and then hit iron again. -------------- Fran
Arnold Posts: 1,112 Joined: 2000/11/27	2002/05/02, 10:13 PM thanks rev.. -------------- .o0 Arnold 0o...o0 theaustrianoak@hotmail.com 0o.
dekked2 Posts: 1 Joined: 2002/05/24	2002/05/26, 04:30 AM Rpac- were you inquiring as to how to perform a clean/clean&jerk? if so, a clean is where you have a bar with weights on the end and it's on the ground. you get in a squating position, stick your chest out, grip the bar and explode up. you should end up with the bar on your chest underneath your chin, your arms bent as if you were touching your ears, and the bar with weight supported by your arms/chest...i hope that makes some sense..easier to show than explain. Clean&jerk is basically the same, 'sept you end up with the bar held over your head. you clean it (what i attempted to describe above), then push it up from resting under your chin area to held up ontop of your head. My question is this: since school/all my organized sports programs are over, i need to find a new strength workout that is organized to work. so i signed up here. i looked at the workout though, and it looks toooo simple. what i do now is harder, and probably better, than what they have for me. is there some option i am missing to make it harder? or is it just designed that way. i consider myself advanced...not extreme hardcore advanced, but i know what works what and what to do. my goals are to gain muscle/strength (not too much mass), get better tone, and lose bodyfat. also, another question. every workout needs some kind of resting period, aye? well, would maybe 2 weeks of just doing real lightweight sets count as an "off period"? cause you're not really straining at all, but at the same time you aren't not just doing nothing so you won't lose alot of muscle/tone. what ya think?
Lumina20 Posts: 966 Joined: 2001/10/31	2002/05/26, 12:12 PM I am in no way attempting to answer your question, but it may help everyone else out if you tell them what program you signed up for and what your workouts currently consist of. Also fill out your showcase profile and, last, but not least, welcome to FT!
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/05/27, 12:13 PM Dekked2, stick with what you feel works for you. The 12-week mass program is fairly challenging, especially if you're hardcore enough to add more sets or more exercises to it. The rest period should exactly be that...rest. You grow your muscles by resting. You can incorporate an "active rest" week by doing some cardio and light exercises (using no weights). Hope that makes sense... -------------- **_Robert_** Pain is temporary; glory is forever!
raj31675 Posts: 2 Joined: 2002/07/08	2002/07/08, 02:56 PM Hi this is RajeshRAo from India, Bangalore. I am a new member and have a question. I have been pumping for 9 months now and for the first 4-5 months, it showed remarkable improvement in mass but after that I see only a small improvement in size. I do exercise for 6 days a week for almost 2 hours and past 2 months work at night and get sleep for only about max 5 hours in the daytime and not at a streatch. Is my workout ok or how do I get on with improving mass.
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/07/08, 03:01 PM It actually sounds like you may be overtraining! 3-5 days of weight training per week should be enough. Also, you don't need to workout for 2 hours...45 minutes to 1 hour should be plenty. After that, you're just tapping into your body's ability to recuperate and with 5 hours of sleep, that actually adds stress to your body. -------------- **_Robert_** Pain is temporary; glory is forever!
rev8ball Posts: 3,081 Joined: 2001/12/27	2002/07/08, 04:01 PM big dittos to robert on that one! -------------- Michael "Trample the weak; hurdle the dead!"