The Powerlifting 3 Assistance Lift Catalog

[Lustercross]

It depends. If you are looking to strengthen the muscles worked in the deadlift, then yes, rows are a good assistance, especially done Pendlay style.
If you want to strengthen your deadlift I would include it to help maintain a neutral upper back during the lift.

Thanks!

 

[Fighting Sprite]

In his last meet he got first place so I'm pretty sure it will get me stronger.

This really doesn't mean a damn thing. I've competed in one meet. Well over half the awards given out, probably closer to 3/4, were first place. With amount of gear, age, gender, perhaps tested and untested, single lift competitions (bench and/or dead only), and weight all creating different ways to classify lifters, there becomes a ridiculous amount of categories you could win. I myself took home second place (yes I was one of the few they couldn't find a category for me to win) in the amateur, 19-and-under, raw, 100kg division.

EDIT: This is not to say the information you were given is wrong, or that your cousin is not strong, simply that placing in a given powerlifting meet should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[Lustercross]

This really doesn't mean a damn thing. I've competed in one meet. Well over half the awards given out, probably closer to 3/4, were first place. With amount of gear, age, gender, perhaps tested and untested, single lift competitions (bench and/or dead only), and weight all creating different ways to classify lifters, there becomes a ridiculous amount of categories you could win. I myself took home second place (yes I was one of the few they couldn't find a category for me to win) in the amateur, 19-and-under, raw, 100kg division.

EDIT: This is not to say the information you were given is wrong, or that your cousin is not strong, simply that placing in a given powerlifting meet should be taken with a grain of salt.

My bad :redface: I just have never been in a meet (planning to one day) so I assumed it was a good thing. And well I also forgot to put that he is 10 pounds lighter then me but his lifts are way higher then mine. That's another reason that I think a workout like his will help me get stronger without overworking myself. So any advice?

 

[JauntyAngle]

Well I guess you could say powerlifting. To be more specific, I'm doing the stronglifts 5x5 workout.

Before I change my workout though, I'm going to go from 5x5 to 3x5 then finally 1x5 until I can't go up no more. I'm trying to milk those noob gains.

The reason I want to divide the main 3 lifts though is because I'm about to get a job where it's 12 hour shifts and I will be standing and walking most of the time. If I keep squatting 3 times a week then it might affect my job performance.

Also I have a cousin that goes to a gym that is run by powerlifters and they gave him a workout that splits the deadlift, bench press, and squat. In his last meet he got first place so I'm pretty sure it will get me stronger. The difference is that the assistance exercises he uses are mostly machines and at my home gym, I don't have that available. I'm trying to work with what I got though.

A very recoverable template is:

1) Squat on Monday and Friday, DL on Wednesday
2) Either (i) Bench on Monday and Friday, do overhead on Wednesday, (ii) alternate between the two presses each lifting day, like with SL
3) Do rows on bench day, chins on overhead day
4) Do 1-2 assistance exercises each time

You squat once less a week and don't do DL and squats on the same day. Much less demanding than SS and SL. But the frequency of lifts is still basically okay.

 

[Fighting Sprite]

My bad :redface: I just have never been in a meet (planning to one day) so I assumed it was a good thing. And well I also forgot to put that he is 10 pounds lighter then me but his lifts are way higher then mine. That's another reason that I think a workout like his will help me get stronger without overworking myself. So any advice?

No need to apologize. I am an inexperienced lifter and lack knowledge so I don't really care to comment on programming; I'll leave that to the smart people. I would say, if you do add barbell rows, be careful they aren't to stressful on your back, especially considering they are on deadlift day. Some people find they are too much, some are fine. If you find your back is fucked, swap them out for a dumbell or chest-supported row.

 

[JauntyAngle]

No need to apologize. I am an inexperienced lifter and lack knowledge so I don't really care to comment on programming; I'll leave that to the smart people. I would say, if you do add barbell rows, be careful they aren't to stressful on your back, especially considering they are on deadlift day. Some people find they are too much, some are fine. If you find your back is fucked, swap them out for a dumbell or chest-supported row.

I have messed up my back 2-3 times doing BB rows, even light ones. Will probably never do them again.

 

[Tosa]

Well I guess you could say powerlifting. To be more specific, I'm doing the stronglifts 5x5 workout.

Before I change my workout though, I'm going to go from 5x5 to 3x5 then finally 1x5 until I can't go up no more. I'm trying to milk those noob gains.

The reason I want to divide the main 3 lifts though is because I'm about to get a job where it's 12 hour shifts and I will be standing and walking most of the time. If I keep squatting 3 times a week then it might affect my job performance.

Also I have a cousin that goes to a gym that is run by powerlifters and they gave him a workout that splits the deadlift, bench press, and squat. In his last meet he got first place so I'm pretty sure it will get me stronger. The difference is that the assistance exercises he uses are mostly machines and at my home gym, I don't have that available. I'm trying to work with what I got though.

Different powerlifters will train the lifts with different frequencies. Sometimes once a week, sometimes much more often. Very typically some kind of pressing is done at least twice a week. Not doing so would be the exception. Ed Coan, commonly regarded as the best powerlifter ever, squatted and deadlifted once a week. But for the majority of powerlifters, I think more frequency is necessary. Keep in mind that even if you're doing a lift two or three times a week, it doesn't mean you're doing the lift heavy two or three times a week.

A very recoverable template is:

1) Squat on Monday and Friday, DL on Wednesday
2) Either (i) Bench on Monday and Friday, do overhead on Wednesday, (ii) alternate between the two presses each lifting day, like with SL
3) Do rows on bench day, chins on overhead day
4) Do 1-2 assistance exercises each time

You squat once less a week and don't do DL and squats on the same day. Much less demanding than SS and SL. But the frequency of lifts is still basically okay.

There should be a name for this template.

No need to apologize. I am an inexperienced lifter and lack knowledge so I don't really care to comment on programming; I'll leave that to the smart people. I would say, if you do add barbell rows, be careful they aren't to stressful on your back, especially considering they are on deadlift day. Some people find they are too much, some are fine. If you find your back is fucked, swap them out for a dumbell or chest-supported row.

It's not even a question of too much for the lower back. I certainly could do BORs without trouble. But if the BORs taxing my PC and lower back means I can't, for example, put as much effort into GMs, then I'm not coming out ahead by doing BORs instead of DB rows or chins.

I have messed up my back 2-3 times doing BB rows, even light ones. Will probably never do them again.

You can take some of the lower back stress out of BORs by having the BB elevated at the start of the lift, and by using bands or chains. You could even combine the two. Or, you just need to develop some really freaky huge spinal erector and ab muscles, to injury proof your lower back.

But it's not as if it's necessary to do BORs in the first place.

 

[Im so Moldy]

Do sumo deadlifts/wide stance squats actually count as assistance? They're just a different technique right?

 

[Lustercross]

A very recoverable template is:

1) Squat on Monday and Friday, DL on Wednesday
2) Either (i) Bench on Monday and Friday, do overhead on Wednesday, (ii) alternate between the two presses each lifting day, like with SL
3) Do rows on bench day, chins on overhead day
4) Do 1-2 assistance exercises each time

You squat once less a week and don't do DL and squats on the same day. Much less demanding than SS and SL. But the frequency of lifts is still basically okay.

Nice i like it! Also, since i will be intermediate, does that mean that i should ramp up the weight like Madcow?

 

[Tosa]

Looking back at the first page, which I had not done until just before making this post, I think this thread could benefit from a version 2. I think there's a bunch of knowledgable people posting here now, with various perspectives, that weren't when the thread was made.

Do sumo deadlifts/wide stance squats actually count as assistance? They're just a different technique right?

Well they're a different technique. But they can also be used as assistance, just like how people who pull sumo can use conventional deadlifts, or a variation of, as assistance.

 

[Stargazer Rex]

I have messed up my back 2-3 times doing BB rows, even light ones. Will probably never do them again.

Same, I stopped doing them all together.

 

[Twisted Elbow**]

I guess this failed to be stickied. Good thread.