POWERFUL FUN

The term power lifting conjures images of overweight behemoths in too-tiny singlet’s slapping each other and heaving scads of rusty plates about. This is hardly attractive to the average gym goer and even less to the common housewife. However like most stereotypes there is little truth behind this visage. In reality power lifting has not only a huge amount of benefits to offer most trainees but can actually be a very rewarding and enjoyable endeavor. Take a few moments to learn the truth about this misunderstood yet essential part of the iron game and see how it can bring newfound pleasure to your workouts.

Power lifting as a sport consists of maximal weights lifted in just three motions: the squat, bench press and dead lift. As a method of training it involves progressive resistance on those same moves, gradually lifting heavier weights over time. Anyone familiar with the basic tenets of weight training will recognize this as the most fundamental principle of muscular growth. For this reason power lifting is the most efficient means of achieving gains in lean muscle and strength. The main culprit behind the lack of progress in gyms across the world is the failure to implement this key concept. Implementing just one cycle of power training yearly can insure consistent progress and help to achieve genetic potential in record time.

While most folks realize the benefits of continued progress what they may not realize is just how enjoyable it is. The average trainee goes to the gym without a clear goal and assumes they will repeat the same workload each visit. Power lifting is the antithesis to this boredom. Power training is clear cut and analytical; each workout is programmed months in advance with advances each session. Take a minute to think about that. Instead of mindlessly entering the gym how different would it be to know not only exactly what you will do but also that you will exceed your previous best, every workout? If you have ever experienced the exhilaration of lifting previously untouchable weight for the first time you might imagine the thrill of doing exactly that every workout. In short, the workouts become fun.

The consistent gains in lean mass and strength are appealing to anyone but after a few years of productive training many people try their hand at competitive power lifting. This is where the real fun begins. Unlike most sports, power lifting is a both a team and individual game, meaning you not only compete against others but also yourself. Many folks enter contests yearly to gauge their progress and have little interest in how they stack up against others. This leads to a wide variety of competitors ranging from the monsters you have seen on television to middle aged office workers. The environment is enticing to the novice athlete as well as the professional since power lifters are notoriously friendly and helpful to one another. This is an inbred trait born from the necessity of safety while lifting heavy loads.

If you are stuck in a rut and have made little progress in the last few months or years, consider power lifting as a means of instilling some fun into your workouts again. Search the internet for some basic training programs and visit a local meet on the weekend. You are nearly guaranteed to meet some new friends and pick up a new hobby. Make each workout of the New Year better than the last!