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So, you want to get bigger and stronger, huh? Lifters are an enthusiastic bunch of people. We like to lift a lot and eat even more. When we’re not training, we’re talking about training. If you’re not one of us, we’re gonna tell you why you should be. Beneath the tough exterior, you’ll usually find a caring person who just doesn’t want you to miss out on all the gains. Welcome to the family!
If you’re wondering how to start powerlifting, look no further. In this guide I’ll explain what powerlifting is, address some of the most burning questions, and provide you with a solid plan so you can start your own journey – whether you’re lifting for “leisure” or gearing up to compete. I’ll include some tips on how to progress and keep yourself safe to ensure a long and fruitful lifting career.
The Basics of Powerlifting
What is powerlifting?
Powerlifting is a branch of weight lifting sports. It consists of three lifts, known as “The Big Three”: Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift. Powerlifting as a competitive sport was founded in November 1972, but the exercises involved in the sport itself date back to the early 1900s.
Powerlifting vs. Weightlifting (vs. Bodybuilding vs. Strongman)
There are many ways to lift, so the distinction between these sports gets easily blurred for people who aren’t in the know.
In short: Powerlifting focuses on raw power and maximum strength in The Big Three (Squat, Bench, and Deadlift). Along with that, competitive powerlifting comes with rules for each of the lifts which need to be met in order for a lift to be successful.
Olympic Weightlifting, also referred to simply as “Weightlifting,” focuses on only 2 exercises in a competition: “Clean and Jerk” and “Snatch.” However, there are many other weightlifting exercises that people perfect outside of competitions, such as power cleans, power snatches, etc.
Strongman is also a strength sport, but it’s not limited to just 2 or 3 exercises. Strongman competitions can include different variations of a deadlift or a squat, but will mostly include medleys with stone carries, sandbag carries, truck pulls, yoke walks, and some other staple exercises. What makes Strongman competitions really interesting is the fact that they all differ from one another; each one features different events and exercises depending on the organization hosting the event.
Unlike all the above, bodybuilding isn’t a strength sport at all. Instead, it focuses on aesthetics. Bodybuilders utilize exercises from powerlifting to achieve results, but rarely from weightlifting. Bodybuilders also use a wide variety of isolation exercises such as bicep curls, tricep extensions, calf raises, etc.
The Big Three
Now that you understand how powerlifting compares to other sports in the field, let’s get down to business! Here’s everything a beginner needs to know about the iconic Big Three.
Squat
There are many variations of the squat (front squat, dumbbell squat, etc…), but when we talk about squats in powerlifting we’re referring to a Barbell Back Squat. This is the only type of squat that is performed in the sport of powerlifting.
It’s always performed as the first exercise in a competition as it’s considered the most demanding one. It’s not called “The King of All Exercises” for nothing!
The facial expression says everything about the squat.
Bench Press
Bench press (or just “bench”) is the second exercise in a powerlifting competition. There are also many variations of a bench press (incline, decline, dumbbell), but in powerlifting we practice a Flat Barbell Bench Press.
Deadlift
“There is no reason to be alive If you can't do deadlift” - Jon Pall Sigmarsson
It’s not called the king, but it’s a close second and there’s no denying that it’s simply badass.
The deadlift is the third and final exercise performed in a powerlifting competition and, for some, it’s considered a true testament of strength.
There are also many variations of deadlifts, mainly based on the stance a lifter uses in order to get the bar up. In powerlifting, there are three official stances: Conventional, Sumo, and Hybrid. These stances are accepted by all powerlifting federations.
Other deadlifts, such as Zerchers (behind the legs) are not allowed.
I’ll go into more detail about these main exercises and accessory movements later, including some tips on how to get started if you’re just beginning to train.
Powerlifting Competitions
If you’ve ever wondered what a powerlifting competition looks like, it goes something like this: Lifters are divided into weight classes, which differ from federation to federation (however, the principle is the same). Each lifter has to complete all 3 lifts in the order of Squat, Bench, and Deadlift. They’re given 3 attempts on each exercise, usually labeled as Rd1, Rd2, and Rd3. The final score, also referred to as the “total,” is the sum of a lifter’s three heaviest lifts in each exercise.
As a competitor, you choose the weight for each attempt on all three lifts, usually increasing the weight each time. The smallest increment is 2.5 kg. If you try to lift a weight that’s too challenging for you, you cannot decrease it; you can only repeat the lift with the same amount of weight or add 2.5 kg.
Scoring and Judges
Three judges oversee and judge each of the lifts from three different perspectives (one from the front, and one on each side). In order to achieve a “Good Lift” a competitor needs to receive at least 2/3 white lights from the judges. If a lift isn’t executed properly and they get 2 or 3/3 red lights from the judges, it’s a “No Lift” and the weight will not count toward their total score.
The head judge uses motion signals and voice commands for each lift, indicating when to proceed. You must respect and follow their commands. If you perform a lift well but fail to follow the commands, it will be judged as a “No Lift.”
Commands
The commands are simple, but they differ for each lift. Bench Press is the lift with the most commands.
Squat commands: “Squat!” and “Rack”
Once you’re in position, the head judge will call “Squat!” and move his/her hand in a downward motion. That’s your signal to complete one Squat from start to finish. Once you lock out, you’ll receive the command “Rack!” at which point the spotters will help you rack the weight.
Bench commands: “Start,” “Press,” “Rack”
Once you’re in position and the spotters help you unrack the weight, you have to hold the barbell in the starting position and wait for the “Start!” command. (If you start to bring the bar down before hearing this command you’ll receive a “No Lift.”) Then, bring the bar down and rest it on either your chest or abdominal area, until you receive the next command, “Press!” Then it’s time to push the bar back up and lock it out. Upon the lockout, you’ll have to wait for the final command “Rack!” – this signals that the lift is complete and you may rack the weight and wait for the judges to score your lift.
Deadlift commands: “Down”
When it comes to the deadlift, you only receive one command. Unlike the other lifts, you get a command for this one at the end of the lift. It’s up to you to get into position and lift the weight up; once you lockout properly you’ll hear the “Down!” command, at which point you can lower the bar back to the ground.
Rules, Federations, and Divisions
Powerlifting rules vary across different federations. If you’re looking to compete in a powerlifting meet, find out which federation is organizing the event and get familiar with their rules beforehand.
Some of the biggest federations across the world are:
IPF/USAPL (International Powerlifting Federation)
WRPF (World RAW Powerlifting Federation)
GPC (Global Powerlifting Committee)
WPF (World Powerlifting Federation)
Each of these federations is dedicated to the sport of powerlifting, they just enforce some different rules as to how the lifts are performed. For instance, GPC allows you to lift your head off the bench during a bench press, while the IPF insists that you have to keep your head on the bench throughout the lift.
Divisions
Now it’s time to talk about the distinction between RAW (classic) and Equipped lifting.
RAW Lifting
Let’s talk about RAW lifting first. In a RAW competition, the type and amount of equipment is regulated and limited.
Back in the day, the only equipment allowed in a RAW competition was a weightlifting belt – nothing else. Over the years, however, the rules changed a bit and in most federations nowadays you can use knee wraps, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and elbow sleeves as well.
These additional items have to be approved in any respective federation that you plan to compete in. Some federations give preferences to specific kinds of equipment over others; for instance, they might allow knee sleeves but forbid knee wraps.
Here’s a list of IPF Approved equipment you can use in both classic and equipped division.
Equipped Lifting
In an “Equipped” competition lifters wear specially designed Squat and Deadlift suits as well as Bench Press shirts that significantly boost their capacity to lift heavy. These items are designed specifically for each of the lifts. They even design different deadlift suits for different stances (Conventional and Sumo).
It’s a whole other world, and this is where you see some insane numbers. And guys who literally walk around with their hands up :D
People benching 400 kg and squatting over 500 kg – really intense stuff. However, this wouldn’t be possible without the help of the equipment they’re wearing.
When it comes to Equipped competitions, a lot of specific rules apply to the suits that you can wear. Some federations only allow a single-ply deadlift/squat suit while others allow double-ply, for example.
Before going into an equipped competition, find out what rules and regulations the federation enforces.
Here’s a list of powerlifting equipment
Technique
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about technique. I’ll cover all the lifts and variations officially recognized in the sport of powerlifting.
Squat: High Bar vs. Low Bar
Squat stances vary from person to person: some people use an extra, almost sumo-like stance while others have a fairly narrow stance. This all boils down to your build and what feels comfortable to you. It’s about finding a position in which you can generate the most power throughout the entire movement. Depending on where you place your feet on the floor and the bar on your back, you’ll veer toward one of two techniques:
High Bar Squat
Chances are this was the very first squat you learned to do in the gym.
The High Bar Squat refers to a stance where you rest the barbell on top of your trapezius muscles, just below the base of your neck. This variation of a Squat involves a fairly narrow stance (shoulder width or inside your shoulder width). While performing this variation, your upper body usually stays more upright than it would during a Low Bar Squat. The High Bar Squat also has a larger range of motion than its counterpart, the Low Bar Squat.
Low Bar Squat
The Low Bar Squat is performed by resting the bar on top of your rear delts as opposed to the top of the trapezius muscles (i.e. the bar rests lower, hence the name). This is usually accompanied by a wider foot stance (beyond shoulder width) and a slight forward-lean. This variation focuses more on the posterior chain and requires more back and core engagement.
The Low Bar Squat is the most present squat in powerlifting and for good reason: It provides more stability and allows for better engagement of huge muscle groups. The result is a heavier lift and better posterior chain development.
Bench Press
The Flat Barbell Bench Press is performed by lying flat on a bench, lifting the bar off the rack, lowering it down to your chest, and pressing it back up. It’s a simple exercise designed for glorious chest gains.
Let’s dive a bit deeper into what really goes into becoming great at it.
The Barbell Bench Press looks so simple, yet it’s probably the hardest exercise to break PR’s in.
Bench Press isn’t just about shear strength; it’s a nuanced lift and you’ll have to fine-tune it in order to become better at it. Multiple details go into perfecting this movement.
Grip (Bench)
Your grip is the first thing you need to work on to determine what works best for you: wide, narrow, or somewhere in between.
Finding an optimal grip is fundamental to your Bench Press progression. Every other adjustment you make will be based on your grip width. This will require some playing around, but understanding what grip works best FOR YOU is crucial.
Figure out what your strengths are, narrow grip focuses more on triceps, so if your triceps are a strong point you might consider a narrower grip for your bench press. Going wider will reduce the length of your bar path and will utilize less triceps and more chest in the movement.
Bar path is probably the second thing you should get down and, coupled with that, you’ll need to work on your arch and bracing, which in turn will make you work on your foot placement.
As you can see, it’s all connected – from your head to your toes.
Bar Path
Benching for power is different from benching for aesthetics, this is the first thing you need to know when learning about a bar path on a bench press. We’re mostly taught how to have a vertical bar path – which there’s nothing wrong with – but if you’re trying to bench more plates then it’s definitely the wrong way about it.
A vertical bar path is mostly used by bodybuilders, as it gives them a bigger range of motion, a bigger stretch, and a bigger contraction. But we’re not worried about that right now, we just want to bench heavy!
For power you want to aim for a slightly diagonal bar path. Start with the bar directly parallel to your shoulders and lower it down to your abdomen (I lower mine almost to the end of my rib cage) while forming a proper arch with your feet driving firmly into the ground.
Illustration by: Pheasyque
This all needs to happen while you’re tucking your elbows in close to your body, in order to save your shoulders. *Do not bench like this with your arms flared all the way out or you’ll wreck your shoulders.
Lastly, your bracing needs to be on point. Proper bracing will allow you to keep your shoulder blades squeezed together and remain tight throughout the entire movement.
Arch
In addition to the shape of your bar path, you also have to consider the length. This is fairly basic: short or long. A shorter bar path = less effort, since you don’t have to push the weight up as far when you lift. This can make it easier to lift more weight. This is where arch becomes a key factor.
Illustration by: Pheasyque
As far as your back arch goes, there are some crazy flexible lifters who arch like mad to get in a position where the bar path is the shortest. If that’s you, great; if not, just try to work on the best arch you can achieve to remain tight and powerful throughout the movement.
Deadlift Stances
There are multiple deadlift stances which you can use to deadlift. It all depends on your build and limb length – and of course what feels comfortable.
Conventional and Sumo are the two most well-known stances out there, with the “Hybrid” stance being the odd man out (but still utilized by some).
In a Conventional stance, your feet are roughly shoulder-width apart and you grip the bar with your hands outside of your legs. This is the stance you typically learn how to do when you start doing deadlifts.
Conventional Deadlift Stance
In a Sumo stance, you place your feet wide apart (well beyond shoulder width) while gripping the bar inside of your legs.
Sumo Deadlift Stance
The Hybrid stance is similar to Sumo: place your legs wide apart (but not as wide as in a Sumo) and grip the bar between your legs. Like I said, this is the least common stance you’ll see, but it could work for you. Ed Coan the GOAT uses this stance and he’s arguably one of the best powerlifters of all time.
Which deadlift stance should I use?
There’s a lot of debate about which stance you should use. People usually base it on your height first and on your limb length second. For example, some will say that taller people are better off with Sumo while others will say it’s all about the limb length (quads, arms, etc.).
And yet we see some insanely good lifters who don’t really follow with these “rules.”
We have Thor Julius Bjornson who’s standing at a towering 2 meters tall and he’s lifting Conventional; then we have Ed Coan the GOAT who’s not really the tallest man on the earth and he uses a Hybrid stance; and then we’ve got Yury Belkin who’s neither tall or short and he uses Sumo.
In my opinion it’s all about finding a stance in which you can generate the most power, I found that at 6 feet tall with a long torso and femurs I’m pretty horrible at Sumo deadlifts. It just feels as if I can never get into the right position to pull properly.
The bottom line is that it will take you some time to find a stance that works for you and to really understand all the moving parts of a great deadlift. Take your time and test out each of the stances and compare them to one another.
Grip (Deadlift)
In addition to different stances, you should also consider different grips. When it comes to deadlifting, you can choose from double overhand grip, and over-under grip (aka “inverted grip”), or the infamous “hook grip.”
Each of these grips comes with its pros and cons. Ideally you want to stick with a double overhand grip for as long as you can, as it’s the most natural one and it will help you keep the bar even. Once you start pulling really heavy weight, use straps to help you keep a firm grasp on the bar.
Next in line is the inverted grip, where one hand grips the bar overhand while the other grips it underhand. You can utilize an inverted grip if the bar starts slipping through your grasp when you’re going heavy. However, this grip comes with a downside. Since your hands are pulling in different directions, the bar starts rotating towards whichever hand is using an overhand grip. This causes your deadlifts to have a slight “windmill effect” which throws the whole movement off balance. This is why I recommend using straps to supplement an overhand grip rather than opting for inverted.
Lastly, we have the painful “hook grip” which is the same as a double overhand grip, except you place your thumbs underneath the index and middle finger to lock them in place. This grip makes it harder for the bar to slip away, but it’s going to leave a bruise if you lift enough weight. It usually takes some time to master the hook grip so don’t expect to use it right off the bat.
Moving On
Great, we’ve covered The Big Three and now it’s time to put it all together. When you’re training, you do a lot more than these 3 lifts, however; you don’t just squat, bench, and deadlift all day long!
To help develop your muscles, you want to incorporate assistance exercises into your weekly routine. There are many ways to go about it, but I’ll offer a basic plan that you can follow if you’re just getting started.
The following advice is based on making progress in powerlifting over the long term, drug free. This isn’t going to be a 5x5 powerlifting workout plan that will leave your CNS (Central Nervous System) wrecked after a couple of months.
The Beginning
If you’re at the start of your journey, it’s important to work on learning the proper form. Moving into a structured workout plan without building proper technique first will leave you without the desired results.
This means that you should really focus on one exercise each week, and do it at least 2 times per week until you have a solid foundation to work on. I suggest learning these movements in the following manner:
| Week | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squats/Lower Body | Rest | Accessory Movements | Rest | Squats/Lower Body | Rest | Rest |
| 2 | Bench/Upper Body | Rest | Accessory Movements | Rest | Bench/Upper Body | Rest | Rest |
| 3 | Deadlift/Lower Body | Rest | Accessory Movements | Rest | Deadlift/Lower Body | Rest | Rest |
| 4 | Squats/Lower Body | Rest | Accessory Movements | Rest | Squats/Lower Body | Rest | Rest |
Following this schedule will allow you to rest and recover properly as well as progress in all of the main and accessory lifts.
Do this until you feel comfortable raising the bar (pun intended) to develop an even more structured plan aimed at increasing your lifts.
I suggest running with this for at least 2 or 3 months, bear in mind that it takes a lot longer to develop proper form. Once you finish the first month, begin the second one starting at week 2, and then 3rd month starting at week 3. etc...
Rest and Mobility
Before I go into explaining what each of your main workout sessions will look like, I want to say a word about rest and mobility. When you’re training for strength, recovery is crucial. This is when your muscle actually grows. So, if you want to achieve great results, treat your recovery with as much care as you treat your training.
Likewise, stretching will do a lot to improve your mobility, so take time to do this. Make sure you warm up with some mobility work in each and every session before you start lifting. The type of mobility work you should do depends entirely on you and your physical imbalances (if you have them).
Get to know your body through your training and you’ll notice where some muscles are tighter than others or parts of your body aren’t aligned. This is normal. In some cases it may be how your body developed, but a lot of it comes down to the position you sleep in, how you sit at work all day, or even how you carry heavy loads like equipment or a backpack on a regular basis. Take time to address that wear and tear on your body so you can lift safely and successfully.
Remember, we’re in this for the long run.
Here's a great video of Robert Oberst talking about the importance of core strength and stretching among other things (Starts at 1:11).
Main Workouts
Once you're done with the drill posted above and you're satisfied with your form you can move into this workout below, created to pack on some serious muscle and strength.
Make sure before you begin the workout below to give yourself some more rest and have at least one deload week before moving into this workout.
Squat and Lower Body Workout
Whether you’re already aware of where you need to focus your stretching or not, you can use these movements to loosen up your hips and your lower body:
Pigeon Pose – 30 seconds each glute
Frog Stretch – 2x30 seconds
Hip Flexor Stretch – 2x30 seconds
Deep Squat Stretch – 2x30 seconds
Hip Airplanes – 2x5 Reps each leg
Once you warm up, it’s time to move on.
Barbell Back Squat
Sets: 6 (2 warm up sets and 4 working sets)
Reps: (8–10 warm up) (4–6 working sets)
Warm up with 40% and then 50% of your 1RM.
If your one rep-max is 100 kg, this means you would warm up with 40 kg first and then 50 kg.
Working sets:
Set 1: 60% of 1RM – 6 Reps
Set 2: 70% of 1RM – 5 Reps
Set 3: 70% of 1RM – 4 Reps
Set 4: 75% of 1RM – 4 Reps
Bulgarian Split Squat
Sets: 4
Reps: 4-6 Each Leg
Set the weight so you can perform 6 reps properly with another 3–4 in the tank. We want to work the muscle, not fry it.
Hip Thrust
Sets: 3
Reps: 8
Same rule goes here, we’re looking to stimulate the muscle and ensure our hips and glutes fire properly. Focus on the squeeze here and set the weight so you’re at least 3 reps away from failure.
Romanian Deadlift
Sets: 4
Reps: 6
Focus on the stretch and the engagement of your hamstrings. Make sure your form on these is perfect, add enough weight so you’re 3–4 reps away from failure.
Make sure you stretch at the end as well. If nothing else, you can repeat these two stretches:
Pigeon Pose – 30 seconds each glute
Hip Flexor Stretch – 2x30 seconds
Bench Press and Upper Body Workout
Warm up with rotator cuff exercises, as well as shoulder and pectoral stretches.
Barbell Bench Press
Sets: 6
Reps: 3–10
Warm up set 1: 40% of 1RM for 10 reps
Warm up set 2: 50% of 1RM for 8 reps
Working Sets:
Set 1: 60% of 1RM 5 reps
Set 2: 65% of 1RM 4 reps
Set 3: 70% of 1RM 4 reps
Set 4: 80% of 1RM 3 reps
Incline Bench Press
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
You want to pick a weight that’s probably around 40–50% of your 1RM on a flat bench press and rep it out.
Dumbbell Bench Press
Sets 3
Reps: 12
Pick a lighter weight so you can perform 12 proper reps on each of the sets and leave another 4–5 reps in the tank. Focus on proper form and a full range of motion.
Diamond Pushups
Sets: 4
Reps: 12
Do diamond or narrow-grip pushups if the diamond pushups are too hard.
Overhead Tricep Extension
Sets: 4
Reps: 12
Perform these with enough weight so you can finish 12 reps properly with a lockout, leaving another 2-3 reps in the tank.
Plank
Sets: 4
Duration: 30+ seconds
Planks will do wonders for your stability. Be sure to focus on proper execution and, if you feel comfortable enough, you can add some weights to them.
Deadlift workout
Warm up with mobility work just as you would on a squat day.
Pigeon Pose - 30 seconds each glute
Frog Stretch - 2x30 seconds
Hip Flexor Stretch - 2x30 seconds
Deep Squat Stretch - 2x30 seconds
Hip Airplanes - 2x5 Reps each leg
Barbell Deadlift
Sets: 6
Reps: 3–8
Warm up set 1: 40% of 1RM 8 reps
Warm up set 2: 50% of 1RM 6 reps
Working sets:
Set 1: 60% of 1RM 5 reps
Set 2: 65% of 1RM 4 reps
Set 3: 70% of 1RM 3 Reps
Set 4: 75% of 1RM 2 Reps
Weighted Hyperextensions
Sets 4
Reps: 8
Grab some additional weight and really focus on hitting those hams, glutes, and lower back.
Barbell Bent Over Row
Sets: 4
Reps: 5
Work with enough weight so you can maintain proper form and still leave at least 3–4 reps in the tank.
Cable Row
Sets: 3
Reps: 12
Use cable rows to finish off your back and hit that upper-middle area.
Weighted Planks
Sets: 4
Duration: 30+ Seconds
Lay on the floor and put a 10–20 kg plate on your lower back/buttocks. Get in a strong position and hold it, making sure your lower back doesn’t cave in.
Duration and intensity increments
Run this workout plan for 8 weeks and increase the intensity by 2% every two weeks on the main lifts only (Squat, bench and deadlift). Once you're finished, deload for one week and run a mock competition to check your PR's.
Assistance Exercises
The purpose of an assistance workout is to strengthen your weak points, whatever they may be.
You might want to adjust your assistance workout based on your own weaknesses, however that requires you to know your body really well and figure it out on your own. If you’re not sure where your lifts are lacking, I’ll be glad to review any footage you send me and give you some pointers.
Send your footage here: gainsayerfitness@gmail.com
Now I’m going to list some of the best assistance exercises you can do to improve your squat, bench, and deadlift.
Barbell Seal Row
This is probably one the best assistance exercises for your mid and upper back. Load it with enough weight and your upper back will flourish.
You want to incorporate this exercise if you’re lacking back stability on a squat or if you’re having problems with a lockout on a deadlift.
Barbell Back Extensions
You want to make sure you’re not doing these on a cheap back extension stand. Load the bar with a fair amount of weight and be explosive, this one does wonders for your posterior chain explosiveness and lockout. Keep the reps relatively low, between 4–6.
Paused Deadlifts
Work with a weight you can control so your form doesn’t break down. Use the regular stance that you would normally and lift the bar off the floor 3–4 inches. Pause for 3–4 seconds and finish the movement by exploding into a lockout. Keep the reps in the 4–6 range.
This will help with your strength off the floor as well as reinforce proper bracing. If your bracing isn’t on point, you’ll have trouble performing these correctly.
Deficit Deadlifts
Here’s another exercise created to help with your strength off the floor. There are multiple ways you can go about this. Ideally, you want to create 3–4 inches of deficit either by standing on rubber mats, blocks, or even plates if they’re flat enough.
Keep the reps in the 4–8 range for this exercise and don’t go super heavy unless you’re really confident in your lower back.
Rack Pulls
Set up the rack so the barbell is resting just below your knees, this will ensure that you’re in a proper pulling position.
Use this exercise if your upper portion of a deadlift is lacking. Use enough weight so you can complete 4 –8 reps with proper form.
Don’t make the mistake of loading the bar with too much weight and placing the bar above your knees; this will only cause you to drive your thighs under the bar and hitch it up, which is not effective.
Stiff Leg Deadlift / Romanian Deadlift
Just as the name says, try to keep your legs as stiff as possible (without your knees tipping forward) and lift the bar up.
This variation of a deadlift primarily focuses on the hamstrings and glutes. Your stance should be relatively narrow and your feet should be pointing forward, not towards the sides.
Rep range should be anywhere from 6–8 for maximum strength gains.
Paused Squats
As if the regular squat wasn’t bad enough, someone had to go and create this monster.
Perform these with a moderate amount of weight that you can control. Your form is imperative here and you can’t let it fall apart – if it does, lower the weight and try again.
The point of these squats is to reinforce your form throughout the entire movement and especially when you’re down “in the hole.” Use this if your form shifts or falls apart in any way when you’re in the hole.
Reps should be kept in the 4–8 range.
Front Squat
Place the bar so it rests on top of your front delts and collar bone. If you feel like the bar is choking you, you’re in the right spot! You can use multiple grips here, but usually you want to cross your arms over the bar to keep it in place.
You should perform front squats if you feel like your core is weak and you need more stability during your lifts.
Maintaining the proper position during this lift is crucial to reap the full benefits.
Box Squats
In this variation, you sit on a box when you reach the bottom of a squat instead of going into a hole.
Box squats are used to teach and reinforce proper squat form. Ideally, you don’t want to load up too much while doing these as that can put a lot of pressure on your lumbar spine discs.
Use a moderate amount of weight and do them in a slow and controlled manner.
Bulgarian Split Squats
Bulgarian Split Squats will work your legs unilaterally (one side at the time), unlike a regular squat.
It’s a great exercise if you’re looking to fix some imbalances and become a more well-rounded lifter.
Walking Weighted Lunges
Weighted walking lunges will hit your legs similarly to a bulgarian split squat. It’s necessary to do these for full leg development. Your glutes and quads are prime movers in this exercise.
Hip Thrusts
Perform hip thrusts if you’re lacking hip stability and if your glutes aren’t firing properly. It’s an excellent movement to isolate the glutes and hamstrings and really hit them hard.
You don’t want to go light on these, pack on some weight and keep your rep range between 4–8.
Leg Press
Almost every gym out there has one and if your lower body is lacking, this is a pretty good place to start.
It’s a beginner’s favorite and there’s no denying that it will pack on strength and size. The carryover to your main lifts from a leg press is questionable, but as a beginner, you should definitely consider it.
Play around with stances on a leg press. If you’re looking to exercise for power and strength, place your feet wider apart and rotate your feet outwards, this will employ more of your glutes and hamstrings. If your quadriceps are a weak point, use a narrower stance with a straight foot placement.
Military Press / Overhead Press (OHP)
OHP is an excellent compound movement that will add strength and increase your overall performance. If performed correctly, it will improve your posture as well as increase your overall stability. It’s usually used as a bench press assistance exercise as it works the shoulders and other stabilizing muscles in a different plane.
Keep the rep range for warm-up sets around 8–12 and your working sets around 3–8, depending on how heavy you’re going.
Incline Bench Press
It’s a simple, effective movement that will hit your upper chest and your front delts.
Usually the grip width on an incline bench press is a bit wider than on the regular flat bench press. Play around with the grip and find out which one works the best for you.
Decline Bench Press
Decline bench press will utilize the entirety of your chest and hit some areas of your chest that you can’t hit otherwise.
Usually, you can go heavy on this exercise and your rep range should be anywhere from 5–8 on your working sets.
Tricep Pushdown
Triceps play a big role in a bench press, so you shouldn’t neglect them if you’re looking to increase the amount of weight you bench.
Skullcrushers
Perform these with an EZ bar for the most comfort. Using a barbell on these can cause discomfort in your wrists.
Make sure you’re not lowering the bar directly on your forehead. Lower the bar right above your head and go even lower than your forehead level, you should feel a nice stretch in your lats similar to when you’re doing a pull-over. From there, proceed to lock it out.
Rep range should be anywhere from 8–12 reps.
Dumbbell Incline and Flat Press
If you’re having trouble getting the bar off your chest, these are the right way to go. Dumbbell bench press, whether it’s flat or incline, has a bigger range of motion and therefore it has a high carryover to your ability to get the bar off your chest.
Perform this one with a fair bit of weight and keep the rep range between 6–8.
Barbell Shrugs
Barbell shrugs are essential if you want to have a strong upper back and traps. Having strong traps is crucial if you’re looking to lift some heavy weight. This is another exercise that should be performed with heavier rather than lighter weight.
Rep range should be anywhere from 6 to 12 reps for your working sets.
Planks
Planks are a great starting point if you’re lacking core stability. If your form is breaking down on a squat or deadlift and you’re pretty certain that it isn’t your back or legs, it’s probably your core.
The core plays a big role in 2/3 lifts and it shouldn’t be neglected.
When regular planks become too easy (you can hold it for more than 3 minutes), make them harder by putting a plate on your back/buttock area.
Leg Raises
Another great exercise that works your entire core and especially your lower abs. If you can, perform this exercise hanging from a pullup bar; if not, you can do them lying down.
It will increase your core strength and therefore stability as well.
Keep the reps fairly high if you’re able, in the 10–15 range.
Keys to Lifting Safely and Successfully
By now you can see there’s a lot to powerlifting beside The Big Three. But even more goes into proper training beside lifts and accessory movements. In fact, most of the stuff you don’t see is just as important, like recovery, mobility work, and bracing during a lift.
Mobility and Its Importance
I already mentioned mobility, but I want to emphasize how significant this factor is beyond just the beginning of your powerlifting career. By now you have a fair bit of knowledge on how to get stronger, and doing the exercises mentioned above will definitely result in some great gains. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle; being strong is great, but if you want to keep getting stronger you’ll need to continuously work on your mobility as well. Here’s why:
The tighter a muscle becomes, the stronger it gets – it’s simple as that. So the more you train with weights, the tighter and tighter your muscles will be (unless you do mobility work).
You don’t really see any Yoga masters deadlifting 500+ lb. [Jujimufu is an exception and a freak of nature!] That being said, you also don’t see Eddie Hall doing a split, nor will you in this or any other lifetime.
While you’re strengthening and tightening your muscles, it’s important to continue stretching them, too. The reason you need to be stretching and doing mobility work is so you can lift injury and pain free for a long period of time.
I’m reminding you again that if you want to have a long lifting career and lift well into your 50s and 60s, you better get busy with some stretches. Once again, treat your mobility work with the same care and attention as the rest of your training.
There’s a reason elite lifters place so much emphasis on physio and mobility work. For god’s sake every second word out of Eddie Hall’s mouth is “physio!”
Eddie Hall Physio! - Photo credit: Rick Findler
Imbalances and Tightness
What happens if you don’t focus on mobility? Having tight muscles can cause imbalances over time, which then get enhanced by the way you sit, sleep, exercise etc. and turn into impingements and even worse injuries.
Imbalances can also cause your lifts to suffer and deteriorate as time goes by. For example: If you sit in your chair with one of your legs extended and the other one curled under the seat, chances are that over time the leg that’s been curled will have a tighter and shortened hamstring.
This can have an effect on your deadlift and cause an uneven distribution of force, where your tighter leg will drive more force than the other, when you want an equal amount of force through each leg.
Doing proper mobilization routines will allow you to get better while you get stronger. You’ll develop a better lifting position and be more comfortable in it. If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable in your starting position when preparing for a lift, chances are you need to do some mobility work.
Identify your imbalances (we all have them). Check if your pelvis is tilting one way or the other, see if that hinders your performance in any way. Do some research on how to fix it and get busy.
Do your mobility work on your days off and before/after each training in order to keep injuries, impingements, and imbalances at bay.
Best Mobility Movements to Include in Your Routine
Dr. Horschig has an amazing channel that you should definitely check out for easy and helpful warm-up and mobility routines.
Hip mobility for a better squat.
Shoulder Warm Up
Deadlift Warm Up Routine
I urge you to check out his channel for more mobility and corrective exercises.
Bracing and Core
This could warrant an entire section of its own. Once I realized the importance of bracing and felt its effects, it was definitely a game-changer.
Proper bracing during all lifts is crucial for maximum results, that’s it.
If you aren’t able to brace properly, or your core strength is lagging behind everything else, your lifts will suffer and so will you. Squats and deadlifts will feel 10 times harder than they are.
This brings me to another very important point, and that’s belt placement. Most people in the gym wear their weightlifting belts very low, and the idea behind it is to “protect” their lower back and/or prevent a hernia. However, belt proper placement is different for everyone.
I made the mistake of wearing a belt too low and at the time I didn’t even think about it. My mindset was that the belt goes there and nowhere else. It turned out I was very wrong. For me, placing a belt up higher made squats so much easier and deadlifts more enjoyable. My form wasn’t suffering any more and I wasn’t falling apart in the hole. It just made so much difference and, for the first time, I understood the meaning of what it means to brace properly.
Here’s two elite lifters side-to-side for belt placement comparison:
Play around with your belt and see what feels comfortable, and what gives you the best results.
If you’re looking to get into powerlifting seriously, checkout my list of top powerlifting equipment.
Powerlifting Equipment
Let’s talk about equipment.
Powerlifting equipment can help you become more comfortable doing the lifts, keep you safe from injury, and make lifting a more pleasant experience overall.
A lifting belt is the first piece of equipment you should invest your money in. Not only will it keep you safe while performing heavy lifts, it will also teach you how to brace properly.
The following items are also optional, but can give you quite an edge and allow you to perform at your best. Most of all, they’ll keep you safe:
Wrist Wraps
Knee Sleeves
Squat Shoes
If you’re looking to compete, the following equipment is mandatory:
Singlet
Deadlifting Socks
Shoes/Slippers
These items are necessary for you to enter a competition.
If you’re competing in a Equipped division, you’ll need:
Deadlift Suit
Squat Suit
Bench Shirt
This is in addition to a singlet, socks, and shoes.
Competition-Approved Equipment
One of the biggest powerlifting federations is the IPF (International Powerlifting Federation) which also operates under the USAPL (USA Powerlifting) acronym in the USA.
This list will contain IPF/USAPL approved equipment for both RAW and Equipped divisions.
Check FULL list here.
You’re a Loaded Gun Now
Now you’ve got all the pieces you need to become a proficient lifter in the art of powerlifting – and not just for a year or two, but for a long time to come. Having a great coach can also help if you really feel passionate about powerlifting. Even if you’re interested in just trying it for a while, an experienced coach will help you go about it safely and can work on perfecting your form early on.
The best piece of advice I can give you is this: Learn to listen to your body.
This takes time and practice. Don’t just try to emulate what other people are doing when they deadlift, squat, or bench. Understand that what works for them might not necessarily work for you. A great coach will spot your strengths and your weaknesses and teach you how to listen to your body and improve over time.
Professional Strongman Brian Shaw spoke about his struggle with deadlifting when he was listening too much to other people; once he realized their advice wasn’t helping him, he switched things up, started adjusting to his body, and became one of the greatest strongmen out there.
That’s it folks, I hope this post was helpful to you. I wish you a good and lengthy lifting career. If my advice helped you in any way, don’t be a stranger and let me know. Gains be with you!
