The Hierarchy of Strength The Levels Explained Physical Wellness – This category represents an individual’s physical health and includes things such as injury history, joint stability, and disease state. The goal in building strength isn’t necessarily to have optimum wellness, instead the goal is that your physical wellness doesn’t limit your expression of strength. For example one could have…
What the Competition Lifts Look Like – The Strict Curl
I am often asked by those newer to the sport or those thinking about entering their first powerlifting competition – what do the competition lifts look like? There are many forms and variations of the powerlifts in the gym and they want to know if their gym lift would count in a competition. I also get questions about the rules…
What the Competition Lifts Look Like – The Deadlift
I am often asked by those newer to the sport or those thinking about entering their first powerlifting competition – what do the competition lifts look like? There are many forms and variations of the powerlifts in the gym and they want to know if their gym lift would count in a competition. I also get questions about the rules…
What the Competition Lifts Look Like – The Bench Press
I am often asked by those newer to the sport or those thinking about entering their first powerlifting competition – what do the competition lifts look like? There are many forms and variations of the powerlifts in the gym and they want to know if their gym lift would count in a competition. I also get questions about the rules…
What the Competition Lifts Look Like – The Squat
I am often asked by those newer to the sport or those thinking about entering their first powerlifting competition – what do the competition lifts look like? There are many forms and variations of the powerlifts in the gym and they want to know if their gym lift would count in a competition? I also get questions about the rules…
How to Properly Taper for a Powerlifting Competition
I see this question posted all the time on message boards and lifting forums: ‘I am two weeks out from my meet, what should I do?’ To help answer that question, I have put together this article. First, let’s be clear on our definitions. A taper is a reduction in intensity and volume of physical activity, and the purpose…
Why You Are Afraid
It is perfectly natural to be nervous before a competition or a big lift – I recently wrote about that in my blog https://allaboutpowerlifting.com/my-first-attempt-just-destroys-me/. In that article I present some strategies to help you deal with that anxiety. However, I also believe it is worth examining exactly why we, as athletes, tend to feel fear and anxiety. In the NSCA’s…
My First Attempt Just Destroys Me
“I get so nervous for my first squat attempt that it just destroys my whole meet.” I heard this from a competitor while I was at USAPL Raw Nationals recently and I have heard it before. The goal of this post is to provide you with a way of approaching that first attempt so it sets the tone for the…
It is Time to Change the Rules
Every now and then it is a good idea for sports to re-examine their rules. The NFL is doing this right now with the extra point. NASCAR does it continually with their engine and tire packages. Most powerlifting feds will have yearly meetings where they discuss potential changes like what gear to accept or not, if they should change the…
The One Mistake You Can’t Make
As a competitive powerlifter, there is one mistake you just can’t make. What is it? Bombing out. Bombing out is when you fail to complete at least one successful try in a competitive lift. When you bomb out (you go 0 for 3) you get a zero in the lift and if you are going for a total…