Going from Bodybuilding to Powerlifting

[BigDM]

I've been getting more and more interested in powerlifting and recently started to incorporate some Westside type methods into my training routine.

Curious as to how many others have made the move from bodybuilding to powerlifting and how it worked out for them?

 

[anarchocapitalist]

I compete in both.

Basically in the offseason my routine looks like a bodybuilding routine except I hardly ever go over 4-5 reps in the three big lifts.

As I near a powerlifting meet I tend to drop the little stuff like laterals or whatever lifts are basically for show. I also keep my reps around 4 slow and controlled reps for pretty much anything 4-6 slow controlled reps. For example on squat day I set up the rack just like I would at a meet. When I approach the bar I approach the bar the same fucking way every time.

When I was first competing I would do doubles and shit before the meet to see where my strength was but I'm slowly learning that doesn't help and usually just gives me an injury.

Google a dude named Kirk Karwoski. He has a solid offseason routine that you can tweak for your own needs.

 

[Capin]

Theres an old saying that powerlifters are just frustrated bodybuilders I went from pwrlftn to bb just the opposit of u but yes it can be done.
I tend to look at things a bit different than most with pwrlftn I trained until I could bench twice my body weight and squat, deadlift three times my bodyweight if you can do this you will most likely win or place in the top three at local meets which makes the experience much more fun if you have the desire to make it to the state or national level ur gonna have to be a bit stronger.
I can remember meets wher there were nearly 30 lifters in my class 220s lots of guys benchin 350 squatin 400 and im thinkin why r u here? I never went to a meet unless I thought I could win. But thats my way of thinking others may not see it that way.

 

[anarchocapitalist]

I started powerlifting after my buddy asked me to help him with his meet. I was starving myself with chicken - rice - salads and went to this meet where guys were eating burgers, drinking some beers after their lifts, and just seeing who was the strongest. Everyone was super friendly unlike most bbing shows I've been to.

I compete raw and unequipped. I'm just a nobody who likes a workout I'm not into it enough to spend hundreds of dollars on gear.

A couple other pointers. Pause squats and rack benches are your friend. Pause squats you basically pause for 1/2 sec at the bottom of your squat. Rack benches you bench in the squat rack by putting the pins low enough so that you start the bench from the bottom stretched position. You start the press from the bottom of your chest.

Also don't think coming in at the top of a weight class will help. A couple years ago I tied a guy kilo for kilo in my total and since I was a few pounds heavier they gave 2nd place to him and bumped me to 3rd. I was kind of pissed because the previous two years I placed 2nd.

 

[Powerbuilder]

If you're used to doing higher reps I would stick with that on accessory lifts. On the main 3 lifts I would keep reps low, put a lot of energy into getting your form as good as possible and setup like your at a competition every time.

 

[GS]

Competed in powerlifting from my senor year 1988 until 2000 from 1994 to 2000 i only used the Westside method .I remember talking to the guys when Chuck,Kenny,George with Louie
It put me in the elite class and even got me a IPA record at the time,Louie has forgot more than most GURUS and practices what he preaches also.
Went to nothing but bodybuilding because the equipment was absurd,guy's now can get over 400lbs from a shirt:banghead::banghead:.
You going raw or equipped if equipped be prepared to spend thousands(lol)



Be careful even if you use AAS it is murder on you after a few years.Powerlifting was great while it lasted plus the extra strength is great for when or if you go back to bodybuilding game.
Don't believe the guys who say powerlifters are lazy cause we done more than bench squat and deadlift
Pm me man i still coach my 14 year old he is going to make some heads roll at the teenage nationals this year!
I am thinking of calling Lou and see if i can get my son to at least train there the last 4 weeks.

 

[growing1221]

Glad this thread was posted:headbang:I was thinking about starting the same one. I've been reading a ton about powerlifting, mostly raw. Really thinking about trying the lilliebridge method, simple and straight forward, and they are some great raw lifters

 

[BigDM]

Great feed-back and insights. I've been getting kind of bored with the bodybuilding training routines I've been using over the past couple of years and started looking into powerlifting online about a month ago.

Mark Bell of Supertraining.tv has some great videos out that showcase a lot of today's powerlifting talent. Guys like Stan Efferding, Brandon Lilly, Dan Green, Eric Lilliebridge, Eric Spoto just to name a few. Mark is one strong mofo and pretty damn funny, too!

Anyways, I like the way they train and the general attitudes of the guys that compete. I'll be using Brandon Lilly's "The Cube" method over the next 6 weeks and will post some feed-back in the powerlifting forum.

 

[j2048b]

Great feed-back and insights. I've been getting kind of bored with the bodybuilding training routines I've been using over the past couple of years and started looking into powerlifting online about a month ago.



Mark Bell of Supertraining.tv has some great videos out that showcase a lot of today's powerlifting talent. Guys like Stan Efferding, Brandon Lilly, Dan Green, Eric Lilliebridge, Eric Spoto just to name a few. Mark is one strong mofo and pretty damn funny, too!



Anyways, I like the way they train and the general attitudes of the guys that compete. I'll be using Brandon Lilly's "The Cube" method over the next 6 weeks and will post some feed-back in the powerlifting forum.

Nice! Yeah ive got the cube method and will probably start it myself within the next few weeks myself, but i may alter it a bit for my accessory's,


Sent from my iPP using Tapatrash

 

[j2048b]

I compete in both.



Basically in the offseason my routine looks like a bodybuilding routine except I hardly ever go over 4-5 reps in the three big lifts.



As I near a powerlifting meet I tend to drop the little stuff like laterals or whatever lifts are basically for show. I also keep my reps around 4 slow and controlled reps for pretty much anything 4-6 slow controlled reps. For example on squat day I set up the rack just like I would at a meet. When I approach the bar I approach the bar the same fucking way every time.



When I was first competing I would do doubles and shit before the meet to see where my strength was but I'm slowly learning that doesn't help and usually just gives me an injury.



Google a dude named Kirk Karwoski. He has a solid offseason routine that you can tweak for your own needs.

What is this routine listed under? I mean is it under critical bench or some other website? Id like to take a look at it and see what can be altered etc...


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[Dionysusedge]

Westside methods are great if you are looking to compete with gear - squat suits and bench shirts.

If you are looking to compete in raw meets, check out Dan Green's training ideas. The guy is a beast!

 

[btech]

Westside methods are great if you are looking to compete with gear - squat suits and bench shirts.

If you are looking to compete in raw meets, check out Dan Green's training ideas. The guy is a beast!

West of Westside - Juggernaut Training Systems - Juggernaut Training Systems

 

[Dionysusedge]

Found this online:

Dan Green’s Split, Butchered

Day 1: Legs, Posterior Chain, Core
Main:
Front Squat 2x10 @50%, 3x3 @90%, 1x8 @75%
Assistance:
7” Rack Pulls 1x10 @50%, 3x5 @85%
Hip Thrust 4x8 @75%
Weighted Side Plank 4xmax
Grip Work
Aesthetics:
(gastrocs) Standing Calf Raises 4x20
(soleus) Seated Calf Raises 4x30
Wrestler’s Bridges 4xmax
Leg Extensions 4x8
Leg Curls 4x8


Day 2: Shoulders, Chest, Back, Arms
Main:
Military Press 3x3, 1x8
Assistance:
Close-Grip Bench 3x5
Bent-Over Rows 4x8
Diverging Lat Pulldown 4x12
Aesthetics:
Rear-Delt Raise 4x15
Hammer Curl 4x8
Triceps Cable Pushdown 4x15
Barbell Shrugs 4x12
Reverse Wrist Curls 4x20
Wrist Curls 4x20

Day 3: Legs, Posterior Chain, Core
Main:
Low-Bar Back Squat 3x3, 1x8
Assistance:
3” Deficit Romanian Deadlift 3x5
Glute-Ham Raise 4x8
Weighted Hanging Leg Raise 4x8
Grip Work
Aesthetics:
Donkey Calf Raise 4x10
Seated Calf Raise 4x20
Wrestler’s Bridges 4xmax
Leg Extensions 4x12
Leg Curls 4x12

Day 4: OFF

Day 5: Chest, Shoulders, Back, Arms
Main:
Bench Press 3x3, 1x8
Assistance:
Push Press 3x5
Weighted Chin-Ups 4x8
Pendlay Row 4x12
Aesthetics:
Seated Cable Wide-Grip Face Pull 4x8
Concentration Curl 4x15
Lying Tricep Extension 4x8
Trap-Bar Shrugs 5x6
Reverse Wrist Curls 4x8
Wrist Curls 4x8

Day 6: Posterior Chain, Legs, Core
Main:
Deadlift 3x3, 1x8
Assistance:
Split Squat 3x5
Kroc Rows 4x15
Weighted Ab Rollouts 4xmax
Grip Work
Aesthetics:
Donkey Calf Raise 4x8
Standing Calf Raise 4x6
Wrestler’s Bridges 4xmax
Leg Extensions 4x20
Leg Curls 4x20

Day 7: off

 

[GS]

Great feed-back and insights. I've been getting kind of bored with the bodybuilding training routines I've been using over the past couple of years and started looking into powerlifting online about a month ago.

Mark Bell of Supertraining.tv has some great videos out that showcase a lot of today's powerlifting talent. Guys like Stan Efferding, Brandon Lilly, Dan Green, Eric Lilliebridge, Eric Spoto just to name a few. Mark is one strong mofo and pretty damn funny, too!

Anyways, I like the way they train and the general attitudes of the guys that compete. I'll be using Brandon Lilly's "The Cube" method over the next 6 weeks and will post some feed-back in the powerlifting forum.

Cool bro i will be watching. On another note are you planning to compete using equipment?

 

[td]

Westside (or conjugate or concurrent, depending on how nit-picky one would like to get...) works for raw lifters. Matt Wenning recently had a great raw meet with the exception of his deadlift injury.

Where many raw lifters seem to have issue with Westside is incorrect exercise selection; picking movements that do no support their goals. If you are a raw lifter, you cannot do all box squats and expect to be comfortable in the hole on a free squat. However, the box squat is a good tool and can help a raw lifter if implemented correctly. Same with board presses. They are a great exercise. But if you are going to compete raw, you cannot only do 4 board work and expect to excel in a full-range press.

Conjugate isn't strictly for powerlifters. It's a template based on Prilepin's table. It can be manipulated for various athletes and even bodybuilding.

Meadows trained at Westside.

Once you understand the underlying principles, you can arrange your training to meet your specific goals. ME, DE, RE. I also personally like James Smith's addition of SE (sub-maximal training).

Book of Methods is a valuable investment.

 

[turbobusa]

Have a friend that won state tiltle bbing as a shw in 2011. Now raw powerlifting.
Believe he is in the top 4-5 in the world raw. I know his training pard is all time heaviest raw total at 2356 i think...
You can check out a few of his lifts in the power and strength thread .
Derek Kendell . 900 for 5 rep raw squat etc. He seems to have transitioned nicely. I've seen more guys sucessfully transition to power lifting from bodybuilding than vice versa. Not always but seems that way.
I do know he smoked a 800lb FRONT squat with knee sleaves.
Think about an 800lb front squat................. wow! T

 

[Simpllyhuge]

I am not even close to am expert In either but I do read a lot and listen to the pros podcasts etc.
Raw lifting is back in a big way and you should make a nice transition and still look good. West Side IMHO is very complicated and better suited for equipment.
Why not just do a routine that balances on frequency and intensity and volume with the three major lifts. They all should go up fast with your muscle mass. Keep pull ups and dips and especially over head press in your routine.
That's the trend things are going back to.

 

[tri-terror]

I've had a lot of fun training for powerlifting and strongman. It's a much different mindset in a lot of ways but once you get used to the programming it's a blast. Plus you can still get bigger for the next time you want to diet down.

I will say one thing though, if you are training westside methods I hope that you are lifting equiped? A RAW lifter wont get much out of westside and youd be better off doing something else.

 

[GS]

Back in the 90" we didn't train for equipment hell we didn't even put our shirt on till the meet
Now the equipment lifters train in their shirts for 95% of the time ,that is why the elite powerlifter doesn't have as much muscular mass. Before anybody says so in so is huge i won't argue but for the majority of equipment lifters this is true..............................

 

[BigDM]

Cool bro i will be watching. On another note are you planning to compete using equipment?

If and when I do decide to compete it will be raw. I'm currently using Brandon Lilly's Cube method and it has been kicking my ass the last couple training sessions. Deadlift explosion training on deck for tonight:

Deadlift from floor - 8 sets x 3 reps - 80%
4" Block Pull - 3 x 12 - 50%
Squat (close stance) - 3 x 8
Barbell Shrugs - 3 x 12
Back Raises - 50 reps
Machine Lat Pulldown - 4 x 15