Many people believe that there is nothing different between powerlifting and bodybuilding. But once you look further or even get into either sports, the differences are very obvious.
Powerlifting is a kind of between weightlifting and bodybuilding. This is because there are a many weightlifters and bodybuilders that can show sheer strength and power. Powerlifting is basically the display of pure strength across three exercises. These are:
- Squat
- Bench press
- Deadlift
Powerlifters are judged by the numbers that they lift and not by their appearance. Basically, the one with the highest score wins! The powerlifting IPF are the independent body providing ethics and rules for powerlifters.
A lot of people can do really well at this sport because it can be great fun and you DO NOT LOSE. In powerlifting, if you set a goal to lift X weight and you achieve it, winning or losing doesn’t matter as you have still achieved that personal goal. For example, if you had set yourself a target of deadlifting 400 and met that but did not win the competition, it would be unlikely that you would feel like you lost.
Powerlifting is often thought of as conditioning the mind more than bodybuilding is. There a lot of things that can cause a power lifter to have an “off” day such as mental distractions or not enough rest. A powerlifter needs to be at %100 on the day of a competition.
Powerlifting Equipment
Powerlifting uses an amount of equipment to prevent injury, like many other sports. For instance, bench shirts help to protect the shoulders, knee wraps help to prevent knee injuries and powerlifting belts support the back and increase pressure within the body for better stability.
The equipment in powerlifting is pretty essential and sometimes a little strange to an outsider. For example, while the bench shirt was created to protect the shoulders, it also helps lifters to get out of the bottom position of their bench press which is where many powerlifters have trouble. It is tight around the arms and chest because they are usually specially made with the arm and chest measurements of the lifter. These shirts are notoriously hard to put on and take off and powerlifters can generally not let anyone else wear their shirt as it is unlikely to fit them.
