My Journey from Bodybuilding to Powerbuilding to Powerlifting
Looking back to when I was a kid, I was always interested in bodybuilding and weightlifting. My interest began when I started watching action films with starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. I was always impressed with their physiques and their feats of strength. My interest was always strength before physique, but for some reason I ended up being what you might call a bodybuilder – not a powerlifter. The reason is because bodybuilding is more of an industry and is promoted much more in magazines and websites than powerlifting and I guess I fell into bodybuilding and missed my true calling.
Over recent years I adapted my training to more what you might call ‘Powerbuilding‘, somewhere between bodybuilding and powerlifting, where my training went from 10-12 slow reps per set to 6-10 faster, more explosive reps per set. I gained a lot more strength and some size, but perhaps lost a slight amount of definition. Anyway, I started a family and several businesses and my training took a hit. However, I am now ready to fully commit to a new program. Also, by coincidence, I happened to be on the ‘Shut Up and Lift‘ Facebook group and I was talked into starting an all out powerlifting program by Ken Gack, a well known and respected powerlifter from the USA. This training shift completes my route from bodybuilding to powerbuilding to powerlifting, which is how I would have started training 12 years ago, if I’d found information on the subject.
I will be trying out WSB templates, Sheiko, Russian Volume Training, 5×5 programs, etc. and I will be writing articles about each of these training styles over the coming weeks. If you have an interest in powerlifting, remember to bookmark our blog, or sign up to email updates.
I am starting my powerlifting program on Monday 7th March 2011 and I will let you know how I get on including before and after stats, by writing updates – links will appear below.
Update 1 – Saturday 5th March 2011
Here is my proposed routine:
MONDAY:
Squats: 5 x 5 @75%
Bench Press: 5 x 5 @75%
Barbell Curls: 2 x 5@75%
Skull Crushers 2 x 5@75%
WEDNESDAY:
Deadlift: 5 x 5 @75%
Barbell Rows: 5 x 5 @75%
Shoulder Press: 2 x 5 @75%
Shrugs: 2 x 5 @75%
FRIDAY:
Squats: 5 x 5 @75%
Pullups: 5 x 5 @75%
Calf Raise: 2 x 5 @75%
Crunches: 2 x 10
Notes: Each week I am going to aim for 2.5% increase in weight and do 6 weeks, reduce weight to 85% (of initial 1 rep max) and cycle.
Update 2 – Monday 7th March 2011
I completed my first all out powerlifting session tonight. It felt completely different to bodybuilding, but for me, in a good way. I was more psyched up than ever and felt like I was on some extra potent testosterone boosters, as I was virtually growling through each rep – especially when two skinny guys were doing curls in the squat rack! Anyway, I was pretty weak tonight having only been to the gym about 20 times in 15 months (not because of dedication by the way). I did 240Kg on the Leg Press and a very light 80Kg on the bench press, as well as some curls and skull crushers. That was 2 hours ago and when I just went to the toilet, I struggled to get up the stairs. That means tomorrow I’m going to be sore, but along with the soreness, I usually gain muscle and strength very quickly, so I’m glad.
Summing up my first session, I think it went brilliantly. I used my bodybuilding style focus, whilst exploding into each rep and using as little energy as possible on the negative phase. I like training like this, it is more fun and more productive. My target is a one rep max of 200Kg on the bench this year, which might be a bit quick after so long away from the gym, but I will get close, I know that. I’m looking forward to Deadlift day on Wednesday… how much weight should I do, hmm, I’ll start on 100Kg for 5 x 5.
Update 3 – Wednesday 9th March 2011
Today’s workout has been postponed till Friday, due to my sore, sore legs. Yes I can walk, but every step I am like agh, agh, agh. Standing up and sitting down is painful too. I’m not complaining though, I’m glad I trained hard enough to feel it this much, but training again today would have been silly. My pecs, triceps and and front delts are also sore, but no more than noticeable really. Anyway, missing tonight’s training session has made me more up for Friday and the constant aching muscles are stopping me from thinking about anything other than training and my diet. I am literally eating everything in sight. I can get away with this as I naturally stay at between 8-12% body fat, no matter what I eat and bearing in mind I have just started training again, I’m sure my body will use the extra calories to good effect.
I can see a noticeable change in my quads in the mirror already. I do have, in my opinion, amazing genetics when it comes to my quads. They seem like they grow overnight sometimes and I wouldn’t be surprised if I gain over an inch on my quads this week. It also looks like for the first few weeks of my new training program, I will be adding 5% weight on upper body exercises and 10% on lower body exercises each and every week until progress starts to slow down.
Update 4 – Saturday 12th March 2011
Deadlift day on Friday was a crazy training session. I had a prior commitment with my wife which left me with only 27 minutes in the gym, so I trained hard and fast. I went straight to the power rack and did one quick warm up set of deadlifts on 60Kg. I then added a plate to each side of the Olympic bar for 100Kg and did 5 good reps, not using wrist straps or a support belt. I used perfect form, keeping my back arched, shoulders back and drove through my legs to power through each rep with maximum effort, avoiding the negative phase as much as possible, but without actually dropping the bar. I felt comfortable with 100Kg, so I added another 10Kg to each side of the bar and did another 2 sets of 5 reps on 120Kg. For my final two sets, I reduced the weight back to 100Kg, as my rest between sets was only about 1 minute and my back was tiring.
After the deadlifts, I performed 5 sets of 5 reps of Bent Over Barbell Rows on 60Kg. My first couple of sets were okay, but I really got a good technique on my last three sets and my back and traps were pumped! Last of all, 2 sets of 5 reps on the Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press, using 26Kg dumbbells. I could’ve done more weight, but it is still week 1 and I don’t want no injuries. Anyway, I left the gym after 25 minutes (at 6pm) feeling stacked, like when I used to train.
That night I went to the pictures, to see the new movie, ‘Paul’, which was good. But, at around 9:30pm when the movie ended, I stood up and did my best to not shout ‘aagh’, as my back was SSSSSOOOORREEE. It was sore all over, but the area I’m talking about is the sheet of muscle on your lower back at the base of your spine and when this muscle is aching, just walking, getting in and out of the car, putting your shoes on, etc. is very difficult. It kind of makes you feel like you’re an old man with arthritis. Anyway, as any bodybuilder or powerlifter knows… if you ache badly the same day as you train, then after a good sleep, you wake up the next day in agony – that is today. To make it worse, my neighbour, who is pretty thin called me over to our fence in the back garden today and passed me his petrol lawn mower which he said I could borrow a few days ago. I just about lowered it onto our lawn, but I looked really week, so I explained my situation with the deadlifts – he just looked puzzled.
To sum up week one, I believe that despite only going to the gym twice, I have achieved amazing results. 120Kg deadlifts are very heavy for someone who doesn’t train. I was probably a bit daft to go that heavy so early, but as I am powerlifting now, my target is to reach a higher strength level than I reached as a bodybuilder and I want to get there quickly. My quads have gone from skinny looking to starting to hang over my knees in a week, maybe a 1 to 1.5″ increase on my thighs. My arms look thicker and stronger, mainly my triceps, but my biceps also look better… hmm I’m still talking about how I look – I need to remember that as powerlifter, my concern is strength and strength alone. Appearance is a concern of bodybuilders!!! I’ll get my head round it sooner or later. I can’t say anything more at this stage really than that my whole body, even my fingers, are aching. My feet and my head don’t ache, but everything else does. Other than the aching, I feel great though. I feel stronger and I can’t wait to see what I can squat on Monday. I will try 90Kg, full range and see what happens. I will do 90Kg on the bench press too. My thoughts on powerlifting vs bodybuilding? No contest, powerlifting rules. Its more enjoyable, it makes you feel strong, healthy and energetic and increases in strength come quicker.
p.s. I still enjoy bodybuilding, but I am more likely to enter a strength competition in the future than stand on stage in my Y-Fronts, covered in fake tan, with shaved arm pits!
Update 5 – Tuesday 15th March 2011
From getting up Monday morning, I was in severe pain with my lower back. Sitting down was the worst part, as any slight movements would send a pain right down my legs and a feeling like a rush of blood to my face, not good at all. I shouldn’t have gone to 120Kg last Friday on my first deadlifting session, it was too heavy. The extra weight messed up my form slightly and this was the result.
I had already agreed to meet my bro at the gym Monday and I really didn’t want to miss. the pain eased throughout the day and I thought I would just do some upper body work. However, when I got to the gym for my Monday routine (see update 1 above), I ended up trying the squats, starting with just the bar, i.e. 20Kg. It felt okay. I added a plate on each side for 60Kg and I felt strong, so went up to 90Kg, no heavier and did 5 sets of 5 reps. Amazingly, after the squats my back pain vanished. Perhaps it was a trapped nerve? After the squats, I did 5 sets of 5 reps on 82.5Kg on the bench press. The weight felt very easy, but by the fifth set, the fifth rep took some doing. I was taking a 2-3 minute break between sets, but I may need 3-4 minutes between sets to recover more. Next, standing EZ Curls with 35Kg on the bar and I did 2 sets of 6 reps, easy peasy, with no swaying and using perfect form. I finished off with the skull crushers, with 25Kg on the bar for 2 sets of 6 reps, which felt tough – probably because my triceps were still pumped from the bench press.
So, that was my third ever powerlifting session completed. I walked out of the gym feeling surprisingly fresh. When bodybuilding, I normally walk out of the gym feeling dizzy, with wobbly legs and my ears popped. I’m not complaining, this is great, I just hope the results continue. I have gained a massive amount of muscle for 9 days, in fact I have gained 9lbs in weight, but it is too early to say if it due to the powerlifting routine or if it is just because it is my first fortnight back at the gym. One thing that does stand out, is that since starting powerlifting I have thought of nothing but eating. I am hungry all the time, day and night. Historically, for me, being hungry and having an urge to down a protein shake or eat a meal means I am gaining muscle and strength. Whenever I have not been able to drink my post workout shakes quickly, my results have been stagnating.
Anyway, to sum up, again my legs are aching, but not anywhere near as bad as last week. My triceps and pecs are also aching but not sore, just enough to remind me to stay focused on my diet and my next training session tomorrow.
Note: My brother trains casually and is nowhere near as committed as myself, although he does have a great natural strength. I spoke to him this evening to see what he thought of the powerlifting session yesterday and he said he wasn’t sure at the time, but he feels good today. One thing he said was that since getting home last night, he has been starving too!
Deadlifts again tomorrow. I feel strong and want to do 5 x 5 on 120Kg or more. I just hope I don’t do my back in again. Next update tomorrow night.
Update 6 – Wednesday 16th March 2011
I considered postponing today’s powerlifting training session until tomorrow, as my lower back and legs are still a little sore, but I made it in the end. I started with the barbell deadlifts building up to my first work set on 100Kg. The weight was easy, but my back was nipping a bit, so I swapped the barbell for the trap bar and performed Trap Bar Deadlifts instead, which places more emphasis on the legs and less on the lower back.
I did another set for 5 reps on 100Kg fairly easy and without discomfort, so increased the weight to 120Kg. I managed another 5 reps without maximum effort, so I went up to 140Kg. I only managed 1 rep, so I went back down to 130Kg and did two more sets of 5 reps. Next, I attempted the pullups, but my back was so pumped I struggled to do 5 reps without any added weight. I therefore swapped the pullups for barbell rows and did 4 sets of 5 reps on 65Kg. I finished off with 2 sets of 8 reps on the lateral raises using 12.5KG dumbbells and then some calf raises using the leg press on 200Kg.
I’m glad to get today’s session out of the way and the thought of more squats on Friday seems like too much. I will get Friday’s session out of the way and tweak the programme so I am only doing squats once per week, not twice. Anyway, I look bigger again and I am still getting stronger, although I seem to have lost a bit of definition. By the way, if you are wondering, I have started using CNP Pro Peptide once per day, with no other supplements, just food. I will increase protein intake next week to two servings of Pro Peptide per day, as my results are obviously being held back. Perhaps I should have three servings per day… or four…!
Update 7 – Monday 28th March 2011
I’m still powerlifting and still only managing 2 days per week, doing the Monday workout (on Mondays), then the Wednesday workout on Fridays. I see improvements in my physique after every session, which is good from a bodybuilding point of view, but my main goal is still strength, which is also increasing well. I’m not seeing the gains of the first 2 weeks, but I am gaining. I am now squatting 115Kg for a good 5 reps, deadlifting 110Kg and bench pressing 87.5Kg all for 5 sets of 5 reps. I did manage 135Kg on the deadlifts a couple of weeks ago, but my form was compromised due to the weight.
Whilst I’m getting results, I’m not going to make any changes, other than including pullups at the start of my deadlifting routine for the next couple of weeks, to further improve my lats.
I’ve found a new convenience food which is really helping me maintain my high calorie diet, malt loaf! It is 110 calories per slice, low fat, moderate protein, high fibre and not too high in sugar. I have 2-3 slices, 2-3 times per day with a glass of semi skimmed milk, which can add 1500 calories a day to my diet. I’m also putting away a fair amount of noodles. Again, it seems to be working and I appear to have actually lost fat over the past few weeks, judging by the skin fold width on my stomach. Whilst I am eating a lot of food and a lot of calories, I am keeping meals spread out evenly. I have put on a total of 12 pounds since starting training about 4 weeks ago.
I’ve started supplementing my diet with protein powder 2-3 times per day now and that also appears to have helped my results.
Update 8 – Monday 18th April 2011
I’ve just about been keeping up to my two gym sessions per week since the last update 3 weeks ago. However, due to family commitments, my diet and sleeping patterns have been completely messed up. I though this would have shown in my workout tonight, but I managed to deadlift 140Kg with perfect form for 2 reps, after several sets of 5 reps on 130Kg. I could’ve done more reps on 140Kg, but my hands were opening and I would have dropped the bar. I just need some chalk for my next deadlift workout, it helps massively. My strength on all other exercises is also continue to increase significantly and on the bench press, I went up to 102.5KG for 3 reps on my 5th set. I know these aren’t massive weights, but please remember I have only been training for 44 days so far, after a year out.
I’m still supplementing my diet with whey protein 3 times per day. I’m now using Nutrabolics Hemowhey mixed in 300ml semi skimmed milk, with pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds blended in. I think the recent inclusion of the additional protein to my daily diet has helped boost my progress and hide the negative effects of my recent sleeping patterns. I think if I’d kept my diet spot on for the last few weeks and slept better, I may have been able to get up to 3 powerlifting sessions per week, resulting in more gains.
To be continued…
Regards,
Martin, Promart Supplements
