Tag: bodybuilder
Canadian Bodybuilder with Down Syndrome Inspires Fitness World
Working out can seem like a daunting task for some who may have special needs. While it’s not common everywhere, there is no shortage of inspirational stories in the fitness world. Canadian bodybuilder Kyle Landi, who has Down syndrome, is one such story that continues to inspire the community with his insane resilience.
Hitting the gym is not simply about lifting weights or burning calories on the treadmill. Improving one’s fitness levels or enhancing their physique is a desired goal but for some, it’s a lifestyle, that demands dedication and discipline.
In Oct. 2019, Shirley Webb made headlines for her incredible feats of strength at the age of 82. Although she struggled with daily life tasks before joining the gym at age 77, Webb gained a passion for lifting weights and got into powerlifting. She left the fans stunned by scoring gold with her age-defying strength at the 2015 USAPL MO State/Midwest Open.
Legendary strongman Eddie Hall has cemented his status as one of the strongest men on the planet but his journey wasn’t always smooth. The former World’s Strongest Man winner opened up about his struggle with depression, alcoholism, and drug addiction in Apr. 2020 to motivate fans for turning their life around no matter what.
Even Tom Stoltman has been transparent about the obstacles he faced at World’s Strongest Man competitions. He remembered using the power of his autism diagnosis to help him through some of the more difficult aspects of the events.
A high school student with Down syndrome, Garret Alcaraz, went viral for crushing a heavy 355-pound (161-kg) bench press in May 2020. Alcaraz proved no obstacle is too big as he recorded the heaviest bench press at his school.
Former Ms. Bikini Olympia Elisa Pecini is renowned for her insane symmetry and overall physique. As incredible as her physique is, her story of overcoming an eating disorder to secure the most prestigious Bikini title in the world is even more impressive. She laid out her battle with the disorder and credited the sport for helping turn her life around. Powerlifting sensation Serena Abweh detailed a similar challenge in her journey of beating anorexia to become a powerlifting champion in her teenage years.
Legendary bodybuilder Flex Wheeler reached the highest heights in the sport and continued to inspire the fans even after a leg amputation. He was honored with the first-ever Olympia Inspiration and Courage Award for his positive spirit despite the challenges. He also received the 2022 Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award.
Canadian Bodybuilder with Down Syndrome Inspires Fitness World
Kyle Landi has inspired the fitness community several times in his journey of becoming the first-ever Canadian bodybuilder with Down syndrome. He gained attention for his impressive condition and unmatched resilience. He even got the chance to display his physique as a special guest at the 2023 Arnold Classic four months ago. Then, he turned heads with another incredible showing with Nick Walker and Antoine Valliant at the Pure Muscle Championships.
Landi has teamed up with some notable figures in the industry, including Larry Wheels and Tristyn Lee. He also got the chance to interact with legendary bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman, Flex Wheeler, and Breon Ansley.
The 23-year-old Ontario native grew up with a passion for working out and started lifting with the goal to become a pro in his early years. His priority is to compete on stage next year. Besides bodybuilding, he’s working on earning a black belt in karate in the same timeframe.
Landi’s parents, Joseph and Kimberley, opened up about the benefits Kyle reaped from training regularly.
“Prior to bodybuilding, Kyle walked with a slouch with his head down,” Joseph told Daily Mail. “Today, he carries himself differently. He is humble but very confident in himself and his mindset is that of a champion.”
Iconic bodybuilder Kai Greene is another inspiring tale in the sport. He was a perennial contender at Mr. Olympia competitions and connected with fans courtesy of his muscle mass, size, and posing finesse. Having grown up in an institutional facility, he credited his success to the challenge he faced early in life.
Legendary bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger took notice of Kevin Cantrell’s insane deadlift of 501 pounds at the 2022 Special Olympics. He amplified Cantrell’s message to his audience and lauded him as his inspiration.
RELATED: Mitchell Hooper Speaks Out About His Struggle With Mental Health And Suicidal Thoughts
Kyle Landi has proved that nothing is impossible and one can achieve anything they put their mind to. It’s only a matter of time before he steps on stage for competition and adds another feather to his cap.
Published: 26 July, 2023 | 3:55 PM EDT
Watch: Bodybuilder Suffers Death After Snapping Neck Attempting Massive Squat
Working out can serve an array of functions, some of which include looking good and feeling strong. While many of us look forward to decompressing after a busy week of work, others train with a passion to push themselves in the gym. However, lifting heavy comes with its own set of risks and doesn’t always go according to plan even when a spotter is available. In sad news revealed by Bali Discovery, bodybuilder Justyn Vicky has passed away following a gruesome gym accident while squatting at a gym in Bali, Indonesia.
Training is encouraged for its wide-ranging health benefits. When you see results over time, achieving the pump can be an addictive and even enlightening process. Many of us like to test our limits with heavy weights, though it’s important to safeguard our bodies for the sake of injury prevention and longevity.
When it comes to taxing workouts, leg workouts are among the best. However, they come with risks. In Sep. 2021, powerlifting sensation Larry Wheels picked up a quad injury performing heavy squats on leg day.
Joseph Whittaker, a powerlifting veteran, had a close call squatting as well. He encountered problems trying to squat 400-kg (881.8-lb) in the training room. He appeared to struggle with the weight and rolled the barbell over his head to the front. Fortunately, his spotter jumped in quickly and helped him avoid a major injury.
Social media fitness influencer Bradley Martyn found himself on the wrong end of a gnarly gym accident last September. He was recording himself pressing a woman before she fell on his face. The fiasco resulted in Martyn needing a visit to the ER. He received 10 stitches inside his mouth.
Bodybuilder Dies of Neck Injuries after Gruesome Squat Blunder in Bali
Bodybuilder Justyn Vicky lost his life after suffering a horrific mishap in the gym in Bali, Indonesia. The 33-year-old was a popular figure in the local community and offered his expertise as a personal trainer and diet coach.
According to Bali Discovery, the incident took place at The Paradise Gym on Saturday morning, July 15. Vicky attempted to squat 180-kg (396.8-kg). He struggled to complete the exercise and fell to the front. The barbell rolled a bit forward on his shoulders, resulting in his neck and head snapping forward. Although he had a spotter behind him, it didn’t help. The spotter also didn’t appear to be in an ideal position to help with this accident.
Vicky was taken to a local hospital for emergency surgery and died shortly after from neck and spinal injuries. The cause of death is reportedly a broken neck.
Check out the video below:
YouTube star Darren Watkins Jr., popularly known as IShowSpeed, narrowly avoided injury on the bench press in a live stream earlier this year. He was stuck under the barbell while performing the exercise and had to slide the weight to one side to get out.
Bodybuilder Charles Griffen escaped a potentially serious chest injury while performing dumbbell bench presses three months ago. In the end, he suffered a torn pec and was sidelined for four to six weeks in recovery.
Deaths in bodybuilding have been all too common lately. Just in the span of a few months, three athletes have turned up dead. First, popular YouTube streamer Jo Lindner died at 30 years old. Then, Catalin Stefanescu passed away at 30 following a confusing boating trip where he drowned in a shallow river. Then, the community grieved the loss of prolific 2000s bodybuilder Gustavo Badell.
RELATED: Jay Cutler Talks About Competing vs Gustavo Badell & Longevity: “All My Markers Are Good”
No matter how confident you may feel lifting on your own, it’s always a smart idea to have a spotter assist you when lifting heavy. Our prayers and condolences go out to the family and friends of Justyn Vicky.
Published: 20 July, 2023 | 5:24 PM EDT
Tbol
Turinabol, commonly known as Tbol, is a popular choice among bodybuilders seeking enhanced muscle gains and improved performance. This article provides valuable insights into dosages, durations, and recommended steroid stacks for beginners, intermediates, and advanced users. Discover the optimal approach to maximizing the benefits of Tbol while prioritizing your health and safety.
Bodybuilder Joe Mackey Scores 800-lb (362.9-kg) Raw Deadlift For Four-Rep PR
In bodybuilding, the emphasis is placed on developing an aesthetically pleasing physique rather than pure strength, which is not a top priority for most athletes in the sport. However, Joe Mackey is one of those who make a deliberate effort to get the best of both worlds. Boasting a humongous physique, with especially impressive arms, Joe also ranks among the strongest humans to walk the earth. He is not a stranger to impressive feats of strength, with the majority of his notable displays coming on the deadlift. This was the case once again, as Joe shared his newest four-rep PR on Instagram. After loading 800 pounds (362.9 kilograms) on the barbell, Joe Mackey got into position and completed four swift reps with ease.
As per usual, Joe Mackey only used a lifting belt and lifting straps to complete the humongous set. He is also sticking to a conventional stance, which has proven to be his prowess over the years.
“800 lbs flew tonight, the time was a 1.1 second rep”
Watch Joe Mackey’s here:
Related: Off Season Muscle Growth — Here’s What’s In Bodybuilder Joe Mackey’s Grocery Cart
Joe Mackey’s deadlift abilities have always been mind-blowing, especially among bodybuilders. It seems that no one in the history of bodybuilding has ever deadlifted as much as him, having locked out 910 pounds (412.7 kilograms) in January. However, Joe is aiming to become the first bodybuilder to deadlift 1,000 pounds (453.6 kilograms) as well.
In order to achieve the mind-blowing 1,000-pound (453.6-kilogram) deadlift, Joe Mackey sought help from fellow strength and bodybuilding enthusiast, Larry Wheels. With Wheels guiding him through the process, Joe Mackey hopes to shatter all limits. He has already shown improvement with this 800-pound (362.9-kilogram) four-rep PR, but there will be more to come.
Despite dedicating a lot of time towards improving his deadlifting abilities over the course of the past year, Joe Mackey has not neglected his bodybuilding career either. He put up two impressive performances at the end of 2022. The first one was a fifth-place finish at the 2022 IFBB Tampa Pro, with a ninth-place finish at the 2022 IFBB Texas Pro as well.
Related: Bodybuilder Joe Mackey Shows Off Insanely Shredded Physique Ahead Of 2022 IFBB Tampa & Texas Pro
Joe Mackey is doing everything in his power to get closer to four digits on the deadlift. He keeps a strict diet, with occasional massive cheat meals. In addition, Joe pushes his boundaries on other exercises. One of those is the Hack Squat, having recently performed five reps with 449 kilograms (990 pounds).
It is currently not clear when Joe Mackey will compete again or if he plans on attempting a new deadlift PR anytime soon. Nevertheless, it is apparent that he is making good progress toward his goal. Therefore, any goals he may have are certainly achievable.
Published: 15 April, 2023 | 1:47 PM EDT
LISTEN: Bodybuilder Zac Aynsley Releases New EDM Single With Psyko Punkz & Wim Hof
Zac Aynsley releases a new song that you 100% need to add into your workout playlist.
Zac Aynsley is likely best known as a competitive bodybuilder with an incredible physique and strong social media presence. His bodybuilding journey was featured in our documentary feature film – Bigorexia. Bringing even more attention to the rising bodybuilding star. But beyond bodybuilding, Aynsley is also a DJ, and he’s teamed up with Psyko Punkz and Wim Hof to release a brand new EDM single.
Before Zac Aynsley transformed his physique and became a bodybuilder – he lived a party lifestyle. Part of that party lifestyle came from his talent and passion for creating music as a DJ. Eventually, due to health concerns, Aynsley had to change his lifestyle. He discovered bodybuilding and everything changed.
However, Aynsley never lost that passion for creating beats and music. He used his strong following on social media to springboard his brand and promote brand new music that he created himself. His latest song, The Alchemist, combines his talents with Psyko Punkz and Wim Hof. The result is a motivational banger that also combines enigmatic breathing exercise for a more spiritual experience. You can watch the music video for the song below:
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In 2020, Zac Aynsley was featured in GQ magazine, where he went into extreme detail about his past and the rollercoaster journey towards becoming a fitness superstar. A journey that turned him into a bodybuilder, fitness influencer, and entrepreneur that has dedicated himself towards using his passion and platform to promote mental wellness and positive thinking. At a young age, Aynsley suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts. Fitness was a major way for him to change his outlook – and now he wants to give back.
This might explain why his latest single integrates breathing exercises into thumping beats and blaring electronic tones. The concept of mental wellness is a massive part of Zac Aynsley’s life – in both bodybuilding and his other endeavors.
Zac Aynsley previously sat down with Generation Iron for an exclusive interview where he talked about the current state of bodybuilding – including how social media and drug culture has changed the sport. You can watch a segment from that interview below:
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If you like the vibes that The Alchemist put down in Aynsley’s latest single – you can check out his entire discography on his official Spotify landing page. You can also listen to his latest track and add to it to your workout playlist below.
‘A Bum In The Making’: Chris Bumstead Looks Crazy Impressive During Recent Physique Update
Chris Bumstead is working for a fourth consecutive Olympia title.
Chris Bumstead continues to make improvements to what already is a championship physique. The reigning three-time Classic Physique Olympia champion recently shared an update on social media where he is looking insanely impressive.
Bumstead looks primed and ready to make a run at his fourth consecutive title. After missing some time in the gym at the beginning of 2022, Bumstead is back and is showing crazy strength and progress.
The Classic Physique competitor contracted COVID-19 and was forced to miss time time in the gym while losing a significant amount of weight. After a few weeks on the shelf, Bumstead returned and is clearly back to his normal self once again.
“A bum in the making.”
Chris Bumstead remains active on social media sharing different workouts and diet plans, including his bulking diet during this phase of prep for the Olympia. Bumstead recently shared a massive chest workout that he uses to gain size. It is no surprise that Bumstead is one of the most popular bodybuilders in the sport given the rise of Classic Physique.
This is a division that some believe might take over bodybuilding. Bumstead won his first Olympia title back in 2019, defeating reigning two-time champion at the time Breon Ansley. Terrence Ruffin has risen to the top as well along with some newcomers. Ruffin has won back-to-back Arnold Classic titles and finished as the runner-up to Bumstead at the Olympia.
Bumstead knows that there is more talent coming and he continues to stay ahead of the game. Urs Kalecinski and Ramon Rocha Queiroz both finished ahead of Ansley during the Arnold Classic, which means there are two more elite competitors to watch out for.
At this point, there is not a competitor that has been able to top Bumstead and he wants to keep it that way. By the looks of his training and physique updates, Bumstead is right where he wants to be at this point in the offseason.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Habits of Successful and Motivated Fit People
What Successful and Motivated Fitness Enthusiasts Do Differently
Only the people with the right habits can be successful in building muscle mass, losing weight and reaching their physique goals. It should be no surprise that most successful gym-goers have similar habits.
Many people join a gym but only a few of them stick to the fit lifestyle while the others drop out after not seeing much progress and losing motivation. The article will help you in joining the former group and sticking to your goals.
Start With A Goal
Most people start working out with an end goal (building muscle or losing weight) in mind. They soon start feeling overwhelmed by it and start wasting their time in the gym. While the end goal is crucial, the importance of short-term goals in your fitness journey is indispensable.
If your end goal is to step on a bodybuilding stage after a year, have monthly and weekly goals which help you get closer to the end goal. Checking off these smaller milestones will also help in keeping you motivated.
Prepare and Stick to a Schedule
Some people think that bodybuilders have no other job than working out. While the truth is, people with great physiques are successful in time management and maintaining harmony in their work-training-life.
Devise a schedule which compliments all the three aspects. You shouldn’t be drained out after a workout before you reach office or your family. Your training should fuel your work-life balance and vice-versa.
Be Disciplined
Discipline towards the fit lifestyle is what separates the fit people from the quitters. You need to have a military-like discipline towards your training, diet and recovery program if you want to transform your physique.
It could mean skipping a hang-out with friends because you need to hit the gym. Reaching the gym at the same time every day and following the process day in and day out isn’t easy but will surely get you results in the long run.
Plan in Advance
It’s rightly said, “people who fail to plan, plan to fail.” You aren’t going to be successful in transforming your body if you’re always firefighting. You need to plan your training, diet, meals, and recovery in advance to get the most out of them.
Planning can be easy but sticking to your plans is what matters. You’ll be in situations where you’ll be tempted to make “one exception” and that will soon turn into two and more. Plant your foot down and go with your plan in such scenarios. You’ll thank yourself for it later.
Expand Your Knowledge
To constantly evolve your physique, you need to be on the lookout for new methods and techniques. In bodybuilding, if you’re not going forward, you’re sure to go back in reverse gear.
Once you’ve mastered a training technique or a diet plan, learn a new one. With the advancement in research in training and nutrition science, there are new concepts coming out regularly. Staying up to date with them can keep you motivated to stay ahead of the curve.
What according to you are the other habits of successful gym-goers? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Super Bowl Challenge: Bodybuilder VS Football Players Face Off On Bench Press
In honor of the Super Bowl this coming weekend, we are republishing this archived story showcasing a bodybuilder vs football players facing off on the bench press.
The Test Football Academy is back with another edition of their Bodybuilder vs Football Player bench press challenge. IFBB pro Joel Thomas will be facing off against Test Football Academy graduate Terron Beckham and Utah State Offensive lineman Kevin Whimpey. The challenge is simple: 315lbs for reps.
In previous years, Joel was very dominant and he seemed to be the favorite among most of the staff heading into this competition. All the athletes completed their warm ups, then, since Joel is reigning champ, Kevin and Terron did rock-paper-scissors to decide who would go first. Terron loses and is first up on the bench.
Terron starts repping and immediately it’s clear that 1. He’s very strong 2. This competition is being juded by a ‘soft lockout’ system – no IPF judges here. But strict repetition criteria are no fun anyways, and Terron reps out an impressive 17, the last of which was a real grinder towards lockout.
Next up on the bench is Kevin. He knows he needs to beat 17 reps. When he begins repping, he presses so explosively that the weight is literally bouncing off his chest. This serves as a creative advantage for as long as he can maintain it. Kevin knocks out an impressive 25 before failure. Last up on the bench comes the reigning champ Joel. He mows through a shocking 36 reps, resting at lockout before each of the last two.
Everyone was in good spirits after, the football players teased Joel on his shorter reps, and without a doubt, long football arms do drastically increase the range of motion.
Of course, at the end of the day this is a supplement ad, not a serious competition but it is fascinating to witness different elite athletes measured under one criteria. The difference in quality of repetitions was clear- with the football players being far faster and more explosive- but with the bodybuilder clearly more used to moving barbells under consistent tension for an extended duration.
For the full video of the competition, take a look below.
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For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
6 Reasons Why Bodybuilders are More Ripped Than Powerlifters
Reasons Why Bodybuilders are More Ripped Than Powerlifters
Although bodybuilding and powerlifting revolve around lifting weights, the goals of these sports are different. The different end objectives cause the athletes from these sports to have vastly diverse physiques.
While the bodybuilders have ripped physiques with a focus on muscle aesthetics and symmetry, the powerlifters are usually heavier and don’t show much muscle definition. In this article, we’ll try to understand what causes this disparity.
Different Goals
A bodybuilder’s goal is to build muscle mass and a powerlifter focuses on lifting heavier weights. The different goals need both types of athletes to follow different types of training routines.
Bodybuilders use training splits to work one or two muscle groups in a day and will often wait a week before training the same muscle group again. Powerlifters, on the other hand, focus on the three basic lifts – squats, deadlifts and squats and might even perform them every day.
Time Under Tension
The main objective of powerlifters is to move big weights and they try doing it as quickly as possible so it doesn’t put unnecessary tension on their muscles and joints. Bodybuilders lift weights to break their muscle tissue so it can grow back bigger and stronger.
The bodybuilders experiment with the time under tension and change it up to shock their muscles. Bodybuilders take shorter rest times between sets to annihilate their muscles while the powerlifters don’t start the next set until they have recovered from the fatigue.
Nutrition Programs
Bodybuilders follow nutrition plans which take into account their micro and macronutrients. Protein, carbs, and fats play a big role in a bodybuilder’s diet, whereas the powerlifters usually focus on meeting their daily calorie goals.
Bodybuilders stick to a strict diet and might even follow diets like keto, intermediate fasting, IIFYM, etc. Powerlifters don’t hold themselves back from any type of food if their daily calorie limit allows it. In short, a powerlifter’s normal meal could well be a bodybuilder’s cheat meal.
Higher Reps and Chasing the Pump
Powerlifters stick to lifting big weights for a smaller number of reps as their goal is to set a 1RM in a powerlifting meet. In their training, powerlifters at max could perform 5-10 reps on an exercise.
Bodybuilders use muscle hypertrophy to grow their muscles which usually makes them do 8-15 reps in every set. Bodybuilders are known to be chasers of muscle pumps and use techniques like mind-muscle connection and visualization to achieve it.
Hitting Failure and Advanced Training Principles
Bodybuilders try to hit muscle failure in every exercise and the powerlifters might train to muscle failure only when they are working on their conditioning. Hitting failure fills the muscles with blood and lactic acid which makes the muscles grow bigger and fuller which is primarily the goal of a bodybuilder.
Bodybuilders also use advanced training techniques like supersets, drop-sets, blood flow restriction training (BFR), intraset stretching and many more to torcher their muscles into growing.
Use of Machines
Bodybuilders like to use machines in their workouts to isolate their muscles and train for muscle conditioning. The powerlifter’s gyms are usually bare bone as they focus on squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.
A powerlifter will majorly perform compound movements in his workouts whereas a bodybuilder will have a combination of compound and isolation exercises in his training routine.
Are you a bodybuilder or a powerlifter? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Bodybuilding Vs. Powerlifting: Strength Or Physique?
Although complimentary, most find training for both simultaneously quite hard.
Both bodybuilders and powerlifters take extremely good care of their bodies. Of course, they both have insane routine workouts to keep improving muscle mass and each has a respective diet to keep them moving as efficiently as possible on top of whatever supplementation they include. For many of us, we don’t actually know the different between these two sports.
On first hearing each word, your mind jumps to a conclusion of what you think, or have been told, of what each sport entails. Bodybuilding is known as the physique sport, the toned aesthetic full of poses to make those muscles pop. Powerlifters prove that strength has no limits by picking up incredible amounts of weights and putting them back down.
While these are true, there is definitely more there than meets the eye, both in similarities and differences. For someone on the edge of starting one or the other, you should consider which training plan you enjoy more, as well as what your goals are. If you want to build sheer strength or tone your physique, each requires its own certain diet as well.
While the stereotypes in everyday people’s minds exist around these two, even within the fitness world bodybuilders and powerlifters have different ideas of one another. Bodybuilders look at powerlifters and think they just eat whatever to bulk up and not care for the proper etiquette of what it takes to conduct yourself in a gym, while powerlifters look at bodybuilders and see ego-driven competitors who don’t spend enough time in the gym. While these are certainly not true, the common bond between these two unique sports is hard work, both in the gym and out of it.
What Is Bodybuilding?
Bodybuilding primarily focuses on building muscle and shedding fat to maintain size and prepare for contests. Humans are obsessed with the ideal physique and bodybuilders try and create that making this an appearance-focused sport. It’s all about symmetry, so while muscle size is important, the muscle groups need to be balanced to create that aesthetically pleasing look. Overall performance is not the intended goal and while strength and fitness may come as a result of their time in the gym, bodybuilders are judged in competition on how they look.
Well known bodybuilding competitions include the Arnold Classic, Mr. World, and of course, Mr. and Ms. Olympia. These competitions have seen the likes of great bodybuilders like Lou Ferrigno, Lee Haney, Flex Wheeler, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Ronnie Coleman.
What Is Powerlifting?
Powerlifting is a strength sport and the intended goal is to be as strong as possible in order to lift the heaviest weights for a single rep. While maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important, a powerlifter seeks overall size and strength as opposed to a symmetrically toned physique. They are judged only for the rules and competition events include the big three exercises: the squat, the bench press, and the deadlift (1).
Each continent has a series of competitions and the World Championships include a variety of competitions from the IPF Classic Powerlifting World Championships and the IPF World Open Powerlifting Championships. As an Olympic sport, athletes seek the gold medal to claim top sport in the entire world. Some of the great powerlifters include Eddie Hall, Brian Siders, Mark Henry, Zydrunas Savickas, and Ed Coan.
Similarities
At their respective cores, the values of each sport are actually very similar. A solid work ethic is key in being both a successful powerlifter and bodybuilder and experimenting with various aspects of your routine is crucial for growth. Whether that be with workouts, dieting, or supplementation, experimenting and failing only leads to you getting better. Both use similar exercises and pay attention to smaller muscle groups within their bodies. Bodybuilders may do it for symmetry and powerlifters may do it for support (2), but nonetheless, it gets done.
When it comes to performance and training, both sports require athletes to under go what is called a “peaking phase”, where each athlete looks to up the intensity of their workouts, subsequently increasing their caloric intake as well (3). Bodybuilders start the bulking program where they will eat well over the caloric maintenance levels and their lifts will greatly intensify. A powerlifter will do the exact same thing, where they focus extensively on the core lifts and overall conditioning while ramping up the caloric intake. Although powerlifters may consume more calories on the whole, both athletes follow the exact same principle.
Differences
The main overall difference is that bodybuilders train for size and symmetry while powerlifters train for sheer strength. For bodybuilders, appearance is everything and a strict, consistent diet is their main concern for keeping their gains in the gym at the right level for competition. Powerlifters care about their diet, but need many more calories to continue seeing growth and physique is not their main goal. For muscle building and exercises, powerlifters focus on full body workouts to build overall strength to support their competitive lifts of “the big three”. Bodybuilders will do the same type of workouts, but will target muscles with accessory lifts to continue their mission of perfect symmetry.
Wrap Up
While it is possible to be both a powerlifter and a bodybuilder, it can prove to be difficult in the long run given the different demands in training and diet required for each respective sport. While bodybuilding focuses on overall appearance, powerlifting tends to drift more to sheer strength. Knowing your intended main focus is key for fully understanding what you want to get out of each. For those finding it difficult to choose, look into powerbuilding workouts which combine both strength-based workouts along with ones for muscle-building. At the end of the day, if you want to do well in competitions, you have to give one hundred percent of your time and dedication to one. If your goal is to look strong and toned, then try a hybrid and maybe one will catch on.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Ferland, Pierre-Marc; Comtois, Alain S. (2019). “Classic Powerlifting Performance: A Systematic Review”. (source)
Simao, Roberto; Spineti, Juliano; de Salles, Belmiro F.; Oliveira, Liliam F.; Matta, Thiago; Miranda, Fabricio; Miranda, Humberto; Costa, Pablo B. (2010). “Influence of Exercise Order on Maximum Strength and Muscle Thickness in Untrained Men”. (source)
Henderson, Zachariah J. (2016). “Peaking and Tapering in Endurance Athletes: A Review”. (source)