Powerlifter tells me to bodybuild.

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Friulan

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So I was working out the other day and a regional powerlifting champion was talking to me. Without me asking, he basically told me to stop doing any sets under 8 reps until I gained 30-40 pounds of muscle (me being 5'9, 155ish). He told me to do a bodybuilding program and eat lots until I was bigger, because sets of 1-5 wouldn't do anything for me other than train technique. I couldn't believe that a powerlifter was telling me to do a bodybuilding program.

I don't really agree with his recommendations and it seems counter to most else I read. For what it is worth, I usually do compound lifts at lower reps and then assistance work with higher reps.

Thoughts?

Also, does anyone have the link to that video the Norwegian (maybe?) track and field athlete hitting the weights? It was in one of the video threads, but I haven't been able to find it in a while. I used to love it.
 
It depends on what you goals are.

You can gain weight doing reps under 8. I gained a lot of weight last year, and although I did a lot of reps, my sets were 5 and under most of the time.

Also, being 5'9 at 155 already, adding 40 lbs would make you 195, you would be fucking jacked. Sooo... I think that guy was wrong, unless it's your goal to be a bodybuilder.

After thinking about it, he's pretty much just wrong regardless of your goals. 5 and under isn't just technique.
 
If you're looking to compete in powerlifting, and you're 5'9" you'll probably end up getting heavier, and maybe eventually you will be 185-195. But there's no rush, train for strength with sufficient volume, eat a small to moderate surplus and you'll gradually get bigger.

Also, depending on what the particular federation he competes in, and what "regional" means, his "achievment" may be relatively meaningless.
 
I don't have ambitions to compete, but I like the heavier weights because I like being strong (-ish) and I find it more interesting than sets of 10-12. My numbers are pathetic, but it feels good to watch them go up, even if it is 5 lbs at a time.

As for his achievement, it is a Canadian provincial title, so I don't think it means a lot given the size of the sport here, but dude can move some weight in my eyes. Hell, I think he squats more than all three of my lifts and he isn't even a heavyweight.
 
Friulan said:
I don't have ambitions to compete, but I like the heavier weights because I like being strong (-ish) and I find it more interesting than sets of 10-12. My numbers are pathetic, but it feels good to watch them go up, even if it is 5 lbs at a time.

As for his achievement, it is a Canadian provincial title, so I don't think it means a lot given the size of the sport here, but dude can move some weight in my eyes. Hell, I think he squats more than all three of my lifts and he isn't even a heavyweight.
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Which province? Did he compete in the CPU or a different organization?

His advice is nothing like I've ever heard from any powerlifter.
 
Giving out spurious advice to up-and-coming competitors is a sound tactic for success. I mean, how better to win at your sport than to convince the other competitors to train for something completely different? Next year I will be regional BJJ champ as all I have to do is choke out 13 amateur golfers.

All in the game, yo.
 
Steak said:
Also, being 5'9 at 155 already, adding 40 lbs would make you 195, you would be fucking jacked.
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really ? because i am 180 and apparently 5'9 and i am a twig
 
Maybe you misunderstood him and he was telling you to build a base first?
 
I recall seeing some video with Rippetoe in which he talked about the leverage advantages having a large chest has in the bench press compared to a flatter chest. And, I've heard some strength athletes talking about mass being an important part of lifting heavy, to the point of including a hypertrophy phase in their training. Perhaps this guy is at the extreme end of that philosophy. Who knows, maybe he even began as a bodybuilder and considers it to have been an important part of his development (whether it was, or not).
 
belphegor13 said:
really ? because i am 180 and apparently 5'9 and i am a twig
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5'7-8 about 170 and yeah I am no where near jacked. But just power/oly/strongman lifting (my numbers are a joke also) has made me bigger than I was. I put on about 10kgs over the last year and a couple of months. Not all muscle, but it does help in the heavier lifting.
 
guilineseguy said:
5'7-8 about 170 and yeah I am no where near jacked. But just power/oly/strongman lifting (my numbers are a joke also) has made me bigger than I was. I put on about 10kgs over the last year and a couple of months. Not all muscle, but it does help in the heavier lifting.
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if it makes you feel better your numbers are more than likely better than mine man
 
belphegor13 said:
if it makes you feel better your numbers are more than likely better than mine man
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Maybe....but it doesn't matter anyway. what matters is we are in there doing it. Our numbers will grow with time. One thing I have learned, you don't get big and strong over night.
 
Revok said:
Giving out spurious advice to up-and-coming competitors is a sound tactic for success. I mean, how better to win at your sport than to convince the other competitors to train for something completely different? Next year I will be regional BJJ champ as all I have to do is choke out 13 amateur golfers.

All in the game, yo.
Click to expand...

brb, going to the f12 to tell everyone that rubber guard is awesome
 
guilineseguy said:
Maybe....but it doesn't matter anyway. what matters is we are in there doing it. Our numbers will grow with time. One thing I have learned, you don't get big and strong over night.
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if it was an overnight thing everyone would be strong i think that is what separates the weak willed from the strong willed.
 
belphegor13 said:
if it was an overnight thing everyone would be strong i think that is what separates the weak willed from the strong willed.
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It is helping my patience. I ain't gonna lie.....At first when I had been doing it for 6 months, and I didn't increase my lifts by 100lbs, I was alittle bummed. But I kept at it, and I am still making progress. My lifts are not 100lbs better yet either. But I know they will be. Just takes time. Well my squat might be, and my deadlift is pretty close. But my bench SUCKS. But I have been working on it more, instead of just not doing it. And yesterday I was able to lift about 77kgs twice. For me thats huge.
 
At 5'9" 150 I would say you definitely need to gain muscle but that doesn't mean you need to train like a bodybuilder. I'd suggest you follow a more generic powerlifting plan with higher rep assistance exercises and bulk up to around 200. It is true, however, that many of the top powerlifters started out training for bodybuilding/aesthetics -- you need to put in the work to build the foundation.
 
belphegor13 said:
really ? because i am 180 and apparently 5'9 and i am a twig
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lol. im 5'9 and 192lbs, and sometimes i feel like a twig - all boils down to whether the 'pump' from my last session has worn off yet or not :P

...all in the 'pump'
 
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also, i just remembered what i was going to say to begin with. if i were you, and you want to get stronger and bigger - why dont you do low reps across the big lifts, eg squat, DL, bench, OHP etc. and then use higher reps[maybe some extra sets] for the "assistance" exercises. you could get pretty big doing that.
 
belphegor13 said:
really ? because i am 180 and apparently 5'9 and i am a twig
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Jesus, what does that make me, I'm ~5'9'' and 145? Damn strong ppl standards...:icon_cry2
Well, I feel JAKT, after workouts at least, much more so than when I was 130ish.
 
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