Changes to my body by powerlifting - HELP

[Chico222]

I've been bodybuilding for a few years. I'm not huge by any means, but I do have certain characteristics that are bodybuilding-like (separation between trapz and shoulders, larger pec muscles, cuts in my tris and bis, abs showing etc...)

I don't lift very heavy because it is not in my protocol as far as bodybuilding goes.

I've become interested in powerlifting. I think it would be great to be able to lift heavy loads of weight, but I'm worried as to how it would affect my body composition.

Any thoughts? Would I lose my cuts and definition by switching over to PL from BB? Anyone ever done it.

[Rosie Chee]

I've been bodybuilding for a few years. I'm not huge by any means, but I do have certain characteristics that are bodybuilding-like (separation between trapz and shoulders, larger pec muscles, cuts in my tris and bis, abs showing etc...)

I don't lift very heavy because it is not in my protocol as far as bodybuilding goes.

I've become interested in powerlifting. I think it would be great to be able to lift heavy loads of weight, but I'm worried as to how it would affect my body composition.

Any thoughts? Would I lose my cuts and definition by switching over to PL from BB? Anyone ever done it.

You do realize that you get better mass and fat loss results when you're lifting heavy and with intensity, right?

And that your body composition is predominantly dependent on your NUTRITION, yes?

You are NOT going to lose your "cuts and definition" if you decide to start powerlifting. You CAN gain strength without making lean or fat gains - you just have to manipulate your nutrition and training for it.

There's quite a few bodybuilders who also compete re powerlifting and vice versa. Both bodybuilder and powerlifters are classed as athletes, and at the end of the day, powerlifters are bodybuilders with more of a strength-performance-orientated approach to training.

~Rosie~
The Primordial Woman

[GeekPoop]

I PL, not very good at it but I still sexy sauce

for your assistance lifts you can always add in stuff as you see fit.

[Chico222]

Thanks. Can anyone else help? I didnt realoze that PLing had bodybuilding qualities, as I have been told that I need to choose whether I wanna look good (BB) or be strong and have a bulky "fat-like" body

[drinkyboy]

Who ever told you that Chico doesnt know what they are talking about. I recently made the switch to pl after bb for about 11 yrs and i dont think i will turn back. U do realize that many world class bbers got there start in pling right? I think that pl has made my muscles more dense and cable like. I feel more solid and i feel that my body uses the food i eat more efficiently. Obviously the person that told you is not educated and sounds like the words of a 16 yr old boy. Poerlifters are a breed of there own man...

[drinkyboy]

Its also very helpful because your lifts will cary over if you choose to go back to bb. You will be able to workout with heavier weights than you use to. Alot of people cycle bb and pl with great success! I say dont listen to everyone else and do what you want to. Do you want to live up to other peoples standards or your own? food for thought.

[Rosie Chee]

Thanks. Can anyone else help? I didnt realoze that PLing had bodybuilding qualities, as I have been told that I need to choose whether I wanna look good (BB) or be strong and have a bulky "fat-like" body

drinkyboy is right when he said that, "whoever told you that Chico doesn't know what they are talking about." Don't listen to everything you hear, especially when the people telling you have no experience or knowledge about the subject. Look instead to the people that DO.

[SRS2000]

You won't lose any definition by simply changing to powerlifting training. It's gaining bodyfat that will obscure your definition. Of course fat gain is dictated by your diet not the set and rep scheme of your training. Some powerlifters aren't super lean because they don't care about what they look like. Look at decent powerlifters in the 220 class and below and you will see guys who carry a good amount of muscle that are pretty lean by most non-competition bodybuilder standards.

[EasyEJL]

Thanks. Can anyone else help? I didnt realoze that PLing had bodybuilding qualities, as I have been told that I need to choose whether I wanna look good (BB) or be strong and have a bulky "fat-like" body

Being able to "do" both, and being able to compete effectively in both on stage are a bit different. You can manage to in general do both, but its pretty hard to manage to compete in both, particularly to have more than 1 contest in each BB/PL in a year.

If you wanted to compete, pursuing one till you are happy with competing in that one the way you are, then tuning what you do to reach competitiveness in the other is probably the way to go.

[Chico222]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like I'll be PLing then.

Does anyone have a Powerlifting 101 link or something like it to get started? I have the 5/3/1 program, but I'd like a little more feedback on PLing in general. I want to learn about the rep ranges, exercises etc..

I figure that I won't be doing much isolation work in PLing, and instead I'll be focusing on compound movements.

Thanks!