Power Exercises = Looks?

[jrock89]

This might sound dumb but I am a S&C noob.

If you squat, bench, dead lift, clean, pull up,etc (the power exercises) will you improve your overall muscular look like a body builder? Ive seen some guys that are so strong with their bench, deadlift and squat but they don't even look like they workout whereas body builders lifting numbers are kind of small, but they look great. I know diet, supplements are a factor but if you took those variables out, would strength exercises help you look like a body builder?

 

[kjos8035]

Yes. Compound ("power exercises") not only work many larger muscle groups, but they also increase the amount of HGH your body produces. In addition, the guys that you describe who don't look like they workout generally just have higher body fat % than the smaller more cut guys that really show it.

 

[ludo66]

A lot of people think (particularly here) you need to eat excessively to be strong. This is not the case. As long as you've got surplus calories you can gain muscle and keep fat at a minimum. You don't have to be fat to be strong, you can only gain a 1-3lbs of muscle a month (cleanly).

That's why a lot of strong guys don't look cut, because diet isn't so important as it is the body builders.

 

[flak]

A lot of successful bodybuilders have used big, compound lifts as a major component of their programs.

But they also do a lot of isolation exercises, particularly at advanced levels, to achieve a balanced physique.

They also tend to work in the rep ranges that work best for hypertrophy (muscle size) rather than maximal strength (1-rep max strength) -- the prevailing wisdom is that a rep range of about 1-5 reps per set puts greatest emphasis on maximal strength, a rep range of 8-12 reps per set puts greatest emphasis on hypertrophy.

Bottom line -- if you eat plenty of healthy food, lift hard & heavy, and rest properly, you'll get bigger. Not Mr. Olympia big, maybe not even Mr. Sheboygan big. But bigger.

 

[Searcher]

This might sound dumb but I am a S&C noob.

If you squat, bench, dead lift, clean, pull up,etc (the power exercises) will you improve your overall muscular look like a body builder? Ive seen some guys that are so strong with their bench, deadlift and squat but they don't even look like they workout whereas body builders lifting numbers are kind of small, but they look great. I know diet, supplements are a factor but if you took those variables out, would strength exercises help you look like a body builder?

Who says bodybuilders have small numbers, and guys that are so strong aren't big? Thats a load of crap.

 

[turbozed]

I'm surprised there hasn't been any hostile responses yet but I guess this the "new" S&C paradigm.

Here are two significant reasons for what you're noticing:

1) Powerlifters generally don't care about their appearance but on their strength. Having additional fat does not hinder (and sometimes helps) in putting up bigger numbers. Bodybuilders ONLY care about aesthetics, and obsessively so, so they diet and perhaps do lots of cardio to shed bodyfat. They also ogle themselves quite a lot in the mirror.

2) Popular culture and media have defined somewhat of an 'ideal' body type for men that's often called a 'beach-body.' This includes a large chest, big arms, defined and visible abs, and a slim waist. Your average joe at the gym is going to be going for this look and, apparently, you've subscribed to the idea that this look is 'better' somehow (even though aesthetics are subjective and usually culturally-dictated).

 

[Tosa]

1) Powerlifters generally don't care about their appearance but on their strength. Having additional fat does not hinder (and sometimes helps) in putting up bigger numbers. Bodybuilders ONLY care about aesthetics, and obsessively so, so they diet and perhaps do lots of cardio to shed bodyfat. They also ogle themselves quite a lot in the mirror.

Powerlifters generally do care about how much fat they have, unless they're a superheavyweight.

 

[Gold182]

I'm a powerlifter and I care about my weight!

I've added more muscle mass using squats,deadlifts,bench,OHP,rows etc

Fat gain is more a function of diet and surplus calories, you could train like a bodybuilder and eat crap and looks like shit (i.e. like most the morons in the gym). Bodybuilders use isolation to have a 'balanced body'.

 

[ASUThermo]

Ronnie Coleman didn't get that big doing .5 basu lunges.

 

[Big H]

Where are all these weak bodybuilders?? Does anyone have proof that these huge guys can only lift light weights?

Besides whenever I browse bodybuilding.com theyre routines are very similar to the things people do here. A lot of it is semantics

e.g push/pull/squat for them is chest, triceps/back, biceps/legs etc.

 

[Origins]

This might sound dumb

You're right.

A lot of people think (particularly here) you need to eat excessively to be strong. This is not the case. As long as you've got surplus calories you can gain muscle and keep fat at a minimum. You don't have to be fat to be strong, you can only gain a 1-3lbs of muscle a month (cleanly).

That's why a lot of strong guys don't look cut, because diet isn't so important as it is the body builders.

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that a higher body-fat level increases anabolism in strength trainees. The idea is that the human body doesn't like building muscle, a metabolically costly thing, if it thinks it is starving. Which is what happens when you try to maintain a 6-8% body-fat level year round. Besides, have you ever thought that maybe there are other advantages to eating excessively other than muscle mass? Such as structural uses and general recovery?

 

[ssdd]

Where are all these weak bodybuilders?? Does anyone have proof that these huge guys can only lift light weights?

Besides whenever I browse bodybuilding.com theyre routines are very similar to the things people do here. A lot of it is semantics

e.g push/pull/squat for them is chest, triceps/back, biceps/legs etc.

I know, the body builders in my gym can only bench 405 and parallel squat 495. Pussies

 

[theBrookDweller]

One thing no one has mention is bb'ers in the off season don't look like bb'ers in competition. In the off season they look fat(er). I've noticed at my gym that a lot of the guys who do bodybuilding type routines/exercises are also the smallest and weakest ones there. Many are weaker than myself, but this is a commercial gym with none of them wanting to "bulk" or get stronger as much as they wants the abs of that dude from the jersey shore. If you look at youtube video of high level bb'ers (cutler, coleman, johnson) these cats put up some impressive numbers, well, they're at least impressive by my standards.

Also, Pudz...

 

[turbozed]

Powerlifters generally do care about how much fat they have, unless they're a superheavyweight.

I don't think caring about their weight is the same as caring about their bodyfat. And I don't think 'generally' is an appropriate word for 'before competitions.' I know what you mean though, my reply wasn't meant to cover everything.

I was more responding to the general attitude of people that do powerlifting routines versus people that do bodybuilding routines and not competitive powerlifters vs bodybuilders. I think I can be justified in not addressing the latter distinction in that the OP talks more about people he "sees". Of course, he could be at some super gym that has competition-level powerlifters and bodybuilders, but that chance is small.

 

[Envy]

There are guys like Kroc, Pudz, and Koklyaev, who all have physiques most bodybuilders would kill for. Then there are guys like Johnny Jackson who pull 900+ pounds, and Coleman didn't seem far behind in his prime.

Then there's guys like Bruce Wilhelm and Dave Tate who were powerlifters that dropped the chub and became bodybuilders. And of course guys like Arnold and Franco who competed in both sports.

The differences seem to lie in differing diets, cardio regimes, and periodized training.

 

[Urban]

Why don't people who don't care about their looks and aesthetics look better and have better aesthetic appeal? I don't get it!

 

[jrock89]

There are guys like Kroc, Pudz, and Koklyaev, who all have physiques most bodybuilders would kill for. Then there are guys like Johnny Jackson who pull 900+ pounds, and Coleman didn't seem far behind in his prime.

Then there's guys like Bruce Wilhelm and Dave Tate who were powerlifters that dropped the chub and became bodybuilders. And of course guys like Arnold and Franco who competed in both sports.

The differences seem to lie in differing diets, cardio regimes, and periodized training.

What would be an ideal periodized and cardio regimen for Pudz/Kroc?

I know that the standard body build training goes 3 sets 10 reps. Is lifting for power exercises 5 x 5?

 

[Tosa]

I don't think caring about their weight is the same as caring about their bodyfat. And I don't think 'generally' is an appropriate word for 'before competitions.' I know what you mean though, my reply wasn't meant to cover everything.

Having too much fat at any weight category except superheavy weight is a significant disadvantage. (You'll see more fat in the higher weight categories, like 110kg or higher). But in lower weight categories, powerlifters, while not necessarily being "teh jackt" are fairly lean. Especially since trying to cut a signifcant amount of weight just before competition will interfere with peaking/performance.

In otherwords, being a fatass makes you a worse powerlifter, unless you're a SHW.

 

[jrock89]

Well I know this one body builder from sdhool and his numbers aren't to great but he is very muscular. He is about 5'10, ~200lbs. His bench rep is like 185-195. His squat is like ~250-270. He looks like a hoss though.

And then there is this kid at my MMA gym who power lifts. He is 5'8 170 and his bench is like 220+ rep. I'm not sure about his squat/DL numbers. But you wouldn't think he worked out a day in his life if you took a look at him.

 

[Envy]

What would be an ideal periodized and cardio regimen for Pudz/Kroc?

I know that the standard body build training goes 3 sets 10 reps. Is lifting for power exercises 5 x 5?

Yeah, I'm gonna be the guy who tells world class strength athletes how to train.

But seriously, does anyone do 3 sets of 10 anymore?