Powerlifting: Why You Need to Compete Now

[Kyle Aaron]

Originally Posted by Fazc

No GL, Powerlifting is a sport defined by a number of parameters, one of which entails competing at a sanctioned Meet.

If you do not, you're not a Powerlifter. That is a fact.

I wasn't aware that being a competitive powerlifter got you a capital letter. Is it a title like Doctor?

Seriously, this is why the English language has adjectives, words which describe or qualify a noun. Like "competitive" or "non-competitive."

People who do the three lifts are powerlifters. People who compete are competitive powerlifters. I don't think we need to say "non-competitive" when talking about most powerlifters, usually you omit the adjective when that's the default and most common case.

There are powerlifters, and there are competitive powerlifters. You're a competitive powerlifter. That's great, it's a lot of hard work and effort, and the competitive powerlifting community is a wonderful one, everyone supports each-other.

I think that was something missing from the article: the camaraderie of competition. Most people in gyms work out on their own, and if you get a bigger lift than someone else, they envy you or even put you down or mumble something about "deadlifts are bad for your back, I used to lift heavy like you but..."

In a competition, most of those there support each-other. You come into your last deadlift attempt with a 10kg jump, and the guy whose total you're trying to beat by 5kg will be the guy who cheers you on the loudest. The top guy in the competition will offer advice to some of the bottom guys.

Not only that, but all the officials at the meet are current or former lifters. Who do you think does the spotting and loading? At an elite meet, the amateur lifters will show up to spot and load, at any amateur the elite lifters show up. At a meet where people are getting 1,000 totals you'll get 2,000 total guys loading your bar. Is there any other sport where that happens?

The reason to compete is not so that you can put a capital P in front of "powerlifter." It's the camaraderie, the community. It makes you a better lifter, and a better person.

[Ryano]

I think there is a BIG difference between the prep work for BB then PL. Just because some lifts weights and watches their diet to stay "fit", doesn't make them a bodybuilder. I definately think you need to compete to call yourself a bodybuilder. The strict diet regime required pre-meet is nothing like PL.

Can a person call themself a powerlifter if they haven't competed? Why not. If they train for powerlifting, who really cares if they have stepped on a platform yet. You would assume that is their ultimate goal. If they never compete, who really cares?

Like GLW said before, I have 600+ skydives, a Master skydiving license, a USPA static line jumpmaster, but never competed in any skydiving comps. Am I not a skydiver?

Lift how you want to lift and better yourself. Just don't claim you can do something you can't. If it's a gym lift, call it that. Don't claim a world record lift you did by yourself in some garage with no witnesses. Don't claim lifts you can't do because that makes us all and the sport look bad. Just be honest.

[Fazc]

Originally Posted by Kyle Aaron

I wasn't aware that being a competitive powerlifter got you a capital letter. Is it a title like Doctor?

Trying to get a laugh by picking on my grammar? Go **** yourself.

People who do the three lifts are powerlifters. People who compete are competitive powerlifters. I don't think we need to say "non-competitive" when talking about most powerlifters, usually you omit the adjective when that's the default and most common case.

There is no competitive powerlifter or powerlifter. Powerlifting is a sport and the rules are defined by that sport. The rules state lifts must be done in competition infront of three judges. Don't make a mockery of that just because you want add your adjectives where they don't belong. They're NOT the same, like I've been saying all along. So call it what it is.

Well written and lengthy response, perhaps that's why you saw fit to start your reply with a quip about my grammar, but the same tired garbage.

[IronManlet]

Originally Posted by Kyle Aaron

I wasn't aware that being a competitive powerlifter got you a capital letter. Is it a title like Doctor?

Seriously, this is why the English language has adjectives, words which describe or qualify a noun. Like "competitive" or "non-competitive."

People who do the three lifts are powerlifters. People who compete are competitive powerlifters. I don't think we need to say "non-competitive" when talking about most powerlifters, usually you omit the adjective when that's the default and most common case.

There are powerlifters, and there are competitive powerlifters. You're a competitive powerlifter. That's great, it's a lot of hard work and effort, and the competitive powerlifting community is a wonderful one, everyone supports each-other.

I think that was something missing from the article: the camaraderie of competition. Most people in gyms work out on their own, and if you get a bigger lift than someone else, they envy you or even put you down or mumble something about "deadlifts are bad for your back, I used to lift heavy like you but..."

In a competition, most of those there support each-other. You come into your last deadlift attempt with a 10kg jump, and the guy whose total you're trying to beat by 5kg will be the guy who cheers you on the loudest. The top guy in the competition will offer advice to some of the bottom guys.

Not only that, but all the officials at the meet are current or former lifters. Who do you think does the spotting and loading? At an elite meet, the amateur lifters will show up to spot and load, at any amateur the elite lifters show up. At a meet where people are getting 1,000 totals you'll get 2,000 total guys loading your bar. Is there any other sport where that happens?

The reason to compete is not so that you can put a capital P in front of "powerlifter." It's the camaraderie, the community. It makes you a better lifter, and a better person.

Off topic, but I love that Pavel Tsatsouline quote in your signature. hahaha

[BendtheBar]

We had a similar discussion regarding bodybuilding a while back. For a long time I called myself a bodybuilder. I wasn't trying to fool anyone into thinking I competed. I just liked bodybuilding, trained for muscle size, and used the term.

To be honest, competing in bodybuilding wasn't even on my radar. I had no clue natural competitions existed. I thought at my size everyone assumed there was no way I would, or could compete.

In addition, I always looked at bodybuilding as a process, not a sport...building the body. The Merriam-Webster definition is:

the developing of the body through exercise and diet; specifically : the developing of the physique for competitive exhibition

I think this is how most people view bodybuilding: as a process and not necessarily a sport. That is where I was for a long time.

Now that I work in the industry and am familiar with the sport of bodybuilding and the athletes, I make sure to avoid the use of the term. It can be confusing, and misinterpreted.

On the other hand, powerlifting is a specific sport. It developed from odd lifting, and tends to be viewed by the public as a sport rather than a process. The Merriam-Webster definition reflects this:

weight lifting in which lifters compete in the squat, bench press, and dead lift

So, I probably made Rich mad again. I still tend to see bodybuilding as a process, and powerlifting as a sport. But I certainly understand and respect his point of view.

Either way I don't want to piss anyone off. Results are the only thing I really give a crap about.

[Rich Knapp]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

So, I probably made Rich mad again. I still tend to see bodybuilding as a process, and powerlifting as a sport. But I certainly understand and respect his point of view.
.

Nope, I'm used to it now. Its been a life long P/L and BBer debate.
I don't care any more.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Rich Knapp

Nope, I'm used to it now. Its been a life long P/L and BBer debate.
I don't care any more.

Well I still try to respect you and others but not using it. Besides, those days are behind me anyway.

Bodybuilders can stick to diets like maniacs. I have only the utmost respect for all y'all.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by Rich Knapp

Nope, I'm used to it now. Its been a life long P/L and BBer debate.
I don't care any more.

Just quoting your post, no real reason though


With regard to bodybuilding and powerlifting etc; I used to refer to myself as being a body sculptor but mostly because that was the title of the book that I was using a routine from and following the principles etc, a means to an end; I had to correct hubby no end that I was not doing bodybuilding.

I don't know if the powerlifting rules state that a person must compete in order to be considered a powerlifter, however, if they do then that really puts paid to that argument anyway.

With sports and pasttimes, labels can become complex; everybody that swims underwater without breathing equipment essentially freedives but does that give them a right to consider themselves "freedivers" in the same light as freedivers that do serious training to improve their times and/or depth etc? I train freedive techniques but don't consider myself a freediver becuase I'm not, yet anyione could rightly consider themselves a freediver as long as they have swam underwater or even just held their breath underwater...that's where the complexities arise where labels are concerned.

Some of us do olympic lifts but seldom, if ever, would consider ourselves Olympic lifters, though that easily could be argued that to qualify as an Olympic lifter you have to compete at the Olympic games which is clearly not the case due to those training but not being selected.

We also see people prepping for a possible powerlifting competition/meet, just as people that weight train may be training specifically to compete at a bodybuilding comp but not yet be aware that is their goal...again, labels cause issues, they are training but not yet competing.

Sometimes, it's better for people to think about labels before using them mostly for effect; for me, I lift weights, nothing more but some people like to say they are bodybuilding or powerlifting (in the style of that sport but not within that sport) which I suppose could be considered, albeit very slight, different to being a powerlifter or bodybuilder.

Like I said, I have no idea if there is any such thing as non-competitive powerlifting or whether it can only be competitive powerlifting...just adding my thoughts to the thread.

I hope all that makes sense

[J_Byrd]

Originally Posted by LtL

Yeah as Ryano said; it's judged so it's not a quarter squat, bounced bench and hitched deadlift.

LtL

You leave my 1/4 squats out of this!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHA

Originally Posted by Kyle Aaron

I wasn't aware that being a competitive powerlifter got you a capital letter. Is it a title like Doctor?

Seriously, this is why the English language has adjectives, words which describe or qualify a noun. Like "competitive" or "non-competitive."

People who do the three lifts are powerlifters. People who compete are competitive powerlifters. I don't think we need to say "non-competitive" when talking about most powerlifters, usually you omit the adjective when that's the default and most common case.

There are powerlifters, and there are competitive powerlifters. You're a competitive powerlifter. That's great, it's a lot of hard work and effort, and the competitive powerlifting community is a wonderful one, everyone supports each-other.

I think that was something missing from the article: the camaraderie of competition. Most people in gyms work out on their own, and if you get a bigger lift than someone else, they envy you or even put you down or mumble something about "deadlifts are bad for your back, I used to lift heavy like you but..."

In a competition, most of those there support each-other. You come into your last deadlift attempt with a 10kg jump, and the guy whose total you're trying to beat by 5kg will be the guy who cheers you on the loudest. The top guy in the competition will offer advice to some of the bottom guys.

Not only that, but all the officials at the meet are current or former lifters. Who do you think does the spotting and loading? At an elite meet, the amateur lifters will show up to spot and load, at any amateur the elite lifters show up. At a meet where people are getting 1,000 totals you'll get 2,000 total guys loading your bar. Is there any other sport where that happens?

The reason to compete is not so that you can put a capital P in front of "powerlifter." It's the camaraderie, the community. It makes you a better lifter, and a better person.

the P is like when people type RAW! that one always makes me laugh

Not that my opinion matters, but to me if you dont actually lift in a sanctioned meet, then you just train like a powerlifter. Same as BB. If you dont get on stage, you train like a bodybuilder. The major difference is a pro card in BB means something, and mine in powerlifting is the blunt end of jokes

[J_Byrd]

One last thing....I took an 85lb hit on my bench from the gym to the meet, and missed a deadlift that I had done countless times in the gym. Major difference at a meet than at the gym. You control everything at the gym. Music, weights, time, everything!