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We all know what Bodybuilding is all about. It’s about getting the desired physique as much, or perhaps more so than it is about building strength. In body building you work on exercises that can give you the right chiseled appearance, muscles in all the right areas, etc. However, powerlifting is a completely different kind of exercise altogether. It leaves no room for consideration of aesthetics, it’s not pretty to look at and it takes all you’ve got. Powerlifting is about one thing and one thing only — lifting as much weight as humanly possible, and then trying to surpass even that. It is ruthlessly pragmatic and difficult. It generally combines three key skills of body building — deadlift, squat, and bench press — but the best powerlifting programs combine them in such a way that the individual masters each and every single aspect of those.
This can be a transformative regime but it most certainly isn’t for the weak of heart, and it is definitely not for you if you can’t really commit to it. It is not simply about skill about also the right mental toughness which makes it possible for you to pick up a weight which is generally as much as twice your body weight and more! However, to do this you can’t simply go to a gym and start picking up weights. There is a technique and regiment or powerlifting training programs that you need to follow in order to keep yourself safe and optimize your efforts.
Best Powerlifting Programs for Beginners
Tips for Beginners:
Powerlifting consists of carrying a heavy load for several sets on a daily basis. Generally, you should repeat the sets as much as possible because such a high amount of the same exercise leads to your strength increasing over time.
This generally takes less time than a body building regimen because although the reps and sets and weights are much higher, they are done in quick succession, and there isn’t as much of a variety in exercises. This is because while body building is all about hitting all your muscles from different angles, the best powerlifting programs are purely about building strength and lifting more.
The reps you perform should generally go in a pyramid fashion. For example, you may start with 14 reps in the first set, then go to 12 reps, followed by 10, and so on for as many sets as you perform, for however long.
While it is certainly tempting to go at it in a blast and complete the reps quickly, you should take it just a little slow because the muscles tense under such strain and there are chances of injury and shoulder impingement. Thus taking 30 to 60 seconds for the reps would greatly stimulate your muscle fibers.
Workout Programs:
Program #1
Day 1:
- Flat Bench Press: 6 to 8 sets, reps from 6 downwards
- Incline Bench: 3 sets, reps from 8 downwards
- Skull Crushers: 3 sets, reps from 8 downwards
- ABS: Weighted Decline Situps: 3 sets, 6 reps
- Frog kicks with a dumbbell: 3 sets, 8 reps
Day 2:
- Squats: 6-8 sets, reps from 6 downwards
- Lying Leg Curls: 3 sets, reps from 6 downwards
- Standing Calf Raises: 3 sets, reps from 12 downwards
- Glute/Ham Raises: 3 sets, reps from 6 downwards
Day 3:
- Deadlifts: reps from 6 downwards
- Shoulder press: reps from 8 downwards
- Bent over barbell rows: reps from 8 downwards
- Reverse Hypers: reps from 6 downwards
Program #2
Day 1:
- Barbell Squat: 5 sets of 5 reps, start with a moderate weight and add weights every week
- Front Barbell Squat: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps each, add 5 to 10 pounds every week
- Butt Lift: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps each, do as many reps as possible
- Seated calf raise: 4 sets, adding 5 to 10 pounds every week
Day 2:
- Medium Grip Barbell Bench Press: 5 sets of 5 reps, start with a moderate weight and add weights every week
- Dumbbell Bench Press: 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps each, adding as many weights as possible
- Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 5 reps each, adding 5 to 10 pounds every week
- Triceps Pushdown: As many as possible, adding as much weight as possible, and when the entire stack is done, start doing weighted dips as well
Day 3:
- Barbell Deadlift: 5 sets of 5 reps, start with a moderate weight and add weights every week
- Upright Barbell Row: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps each, add 5 to 10 pounds every week
- Hyperextensions: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps, with a relatively light weight as it is for preventative strengthening of the back only
- Barbell Curl: 5 sets of 5 reps, start with a moderate weight and add weights every week
With either of these best powerlifting programs, you’d be lifting like a pro and soon won’t have any problem even picking up that couch as you vacuum underneath it! However, do keep us informed of your progress, let us know whether these programs worked for you, how much can you lift? Alternatively, if there’s some other program you’ve followed which worked for you, we’d love to hear from you!
