How did you all get into powerlifting?

[any1uno]

I started powerlifting back in the mid 80s. I was going through a divorce and decided I need to do something different. I went to a local gym and signed up. I weighed 130lbs at 26 yrs old. The guy who signed me up, Ron, wrote a regular routine. Nothing special but it had a lot of simple movements and concentrated on calfs and forearms! I didn't really know what I was doing. My bench sucked..and he didn't have me doing a lot of squats. I did do a bit of back.

While I was learning to lift I met a good friend of mine..he was a PLer and an Armored car driver who came down in my area once a week. We trained together and taught me how to lift. There was always this one group of lifters in the corner who were amazing. I use to watch but never dared to go over there. A rowdy bunch! That always trained hard and lifted tons!

One day I was pulling some weight and one of the guys came over and mentioned that he noticed I was moving some decent weight for my size. (150lbs by then). He asked if I would like to join them. Another guy said..yea..maybe you'll catch the rest of your body up to your calfs and forearms!

I started training with them. At 150 I was pulling a 405 dead. I entered my first deadlift only meet and placed well. Pulled a in the 165 lb class. Not bad for only a few months of PL Training. I started to lift more seriously and loved it ever since. I haven't competed for a while...but miss it.

I've always had a strong back. my bench has always sucked.

I trained at 188 but competed at 165..it was the best option for our PL team. that and the kid who competed in 181 was blind and close to the weights I moved. It was easier for me to drop weight then him. My best competition lifts for 165 class... 530 dead, 490 squat and a 265 bench. That was in my mid 30s. I'm 57 now.

My PRs...about 5 yrs ago..I thought I'd see how much I could pull. I did a 565. Squat I decided not to push too hard but 425. Bench a triple at 295. I should of went for 315 but...decided with no spotter I wasn't going to try. I shouldn't of let that magic number play in my head. I feel I would of done it with ease.

As I've always said..this sport is addicting. My coach is now in his mid 60s and competes in the Show Class. He has quite a few WR's to his credit. Me..no WR's..no state records or anything...I'm at a weight where the competition is unbelievable. The people who compete in the 198, 220 lb class are beasts...I mean..look at PL79...an amazing lifter! (competes in the 220 class weighing 205 - 210!)

Hope this makes sense. I am still kicking around competing again. It's the only thing I feel I've ever done really good at.

BTW..I weigh 226! Recently, I was told by a person that I look muscular with some stuffing! It was nice to hear!

 

[PillarofBalance]

I have just always enjoyed lifting heavy weight. I have never been able to commit 100% to powerlifting though. I am always torn between wanting a certain look and wanting to be strong. They always conflict with one another. I play around with local meets here and there but been over a year since I last competed. I just cant dedicate to it.

The competitive side of me kicks in a little here and there and knowing I could hold my own (mid 1600 total in 198 with almost no 'programmed' training and not relying on heavy use to 'peak')makes me at times want to pursue it more....but then in the end, I am just content with competing with myself.

I am not sure what I am....but I feel the MOST like a powerlifter....but looking more and more like a bodybuilder as time goes on. (not always happy about that as weird as that sounds) Really happy to be in 40's and best shape I have ever been and feeling good. I think powerlifting beats me up a little too much and I step away when I get tired of always nursing something. Funny thing though, I can take 8-10 months off a lift and be right back to my previous levels in a few weeks of returning.

Mac you need to face facts. Your calves just won't cut it in BB.

Come to the dark side bro. We don't judge calves.

 

[PillarofBalance]

I started powerlifting back in the mid 80s. I was going through a divorce and decided I need to do something different. I went to a local gym and signed up. I weighed 130lbs at 26 yrs old. The guy who signed me up, Ron, wrote a regular routine. Nothing special but it had a lot of simple movements and concentrated on calfs and forearms! I didn't really know what I was doing. My bench sucked..and he didn't have me doing a lot of squats. I did do a bit of back.

While I was learning to lift I met a good friend of mine..he was a PLer and an Armored car driver who came down in my area once a week. We trained together and taught me how to lift. There was always this one group of lifters in the corner who were amazing. I use to watch but never dared to go over there. A rowdy bunch! That always trained hard and lifted tons!

One day I was pulling some weight and one of the guys came over and mentioned that he noticed I was moving some decent weight for my size. (150lbs by then). He asked if I would like to join them. Another guy said..yea..maybe you'll catch the rest of your body up to your calfs and forearms!

I started training with them. At 150 I was pulling a 405 dead. I entered my first deadlift only meet and placed well. Pulled a in the 165 lb class. Not bad for only a few months of PL Training. I started to lift more seriously and loved it ever since. I haven't competed for a while...but miss it.

I've always had a strong back. my bench has always sucked.

I trained at 188 but competed at 165..it was the best option for our PL team. that and the kid who competed in 181 was blind and close to the weights I moved. It was easier for me to drop weight then him. My best competition lifts for 165 class... 530 dead, 490 squat and a 265 bench. That was in my mid 30s. I'm 57 now.

My PRs...about 5 yrs ago..I thought I'd see how much I could pull. I did a 565. Squat I decided not to push too hard but 425. Bench a triple at 295. I should of went for 315 but...decided with no spotter I wasn't going to try. I shouldn't of let that magic number play in my head. I feel I would of done it with ease.

As I've always said..this sport is addicting. My coach is now in his mid 60s and competes in the Show Class. He has quite a few WR's to his credit. Me..no WR's..no state records or anything...I'm at a weight where the competition is unbelievable. The people who compete in the 198, 220 lb class are beasts...I mean..look at PL79...an amazing lifter! (competes in the 220 class weighing 205 - 210!)

Hope this makes sense. I am still kicking around competing again. It's the only thing I feel I've ever done really good at.

BTW..I weigh 226! Recently, I was told by a person that I look muscular with some stuffing! It was nice to hear!

Any1 I would love to see you get back into it man!!!

 

[Ramrod]

Lifted most of my life and have always competed in some sort of sport. Once out of school. I played Softball, Football, Volleyball hell even an indoor soccer league and Dodgeball league for a few years. Dodgeball was the craziest, funnest sport I have every done. Made it to Div.1 Track as a Sprinter and did pretty well. I have always been competitive.. One late game I rounded 2nd base playing softball and tore my patella in 2012. I wasn't able to workout very well after that. The missing workouts effected me. That's when I choose not to play anymore Sports. Didn't want to risk getting hurt and missing the Gym. The for a year I just lifted, but soon was bored, from not competing. One day I was just testing my Bench Max to some of the local PL meets and figured I had a Shot. So I signed up for a Local APA meet in the next town over. LOVED it..Now I can Lift while I compete and compete to lift.. it's a WIN WIN....

 

[Mike_RN]

Ironically I used to think Bodybuilders were prissy narcissists and wanted to compete without all the shaving and spay tans. Fast forward 20yrs and now after too many injuries I'm a competitive Bodybuilder. I boxed in PAL and while I was in the Army and always preferred single player sports to team. Powerlifting and now even Bbing is all about you and nobody can help you out there on the platform or the stage.

 

[FLEXjs]

Mac you need to face facts. Your calves just won't cut it in BB.

Come to the dark side bro. We don't judge calves.

Just about spit out my coffee. LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[macgyver]

Mac you need to face facts. Your calves just won't cut it in BB.

Come to the dark side bro. We don't judge calves.

Ha! That is funny as hell.....and true

Truth be told, I have found a good groove where my fitness goals don't dominate my life. One thing when I was pushing for heavier and heavier weights, I was always nursing something. These last 8 months have been nice. I'm back to having no aches or pains (except old underlying stuff that will always be there). Dropping weight, I realized how much better I feel on a day to day basis. I sleep better too as just a small amount of extra weight and I get full blown apnea.

Wish I had some good guys local to train with. (I workout alone). That is something I could see lighting a fire. But for now, I'm happy to be in good shape and feel good.

and....yes pob that was funny as hell!

 

[Go Away]

I started out doing split routines written by the bodybuilders on the Animal forum, with the original intent of getting a six pack and becoming huge. I found this board because Mindless PM'd me some spam shit saying "we need more vets like you at The Iron Den"... Haha I had just started in the gym at that point, reading and believing every bullshit magazine and supplement advertisement in existence. So sad.

I came over here and posted up, in retrospect, some super weak workouts, with hopes of becoming jacked and lean.
PillarofBalance jumped in early on the log I started here, cheering me on to push heavier and heavier... Without that I don't know if I ever would've made that type of progression with such speed. He told me to look at his log and see how strength was gained...

I went there, got inspired, started reading Halo log, which got me reading hawkeye log, then jandj0821 log... Next thing I know I'm doing that murderous Destroy and Flood program and found my calling.

These guys saw the volume I could handle and tossed me something else to experiment with: Sheiko.
From there I immersed myself in everything related to strength. I asked a ton of questions, shit-canned the weight loss and changed my focus. My bench was better than my squat, I couldn't hold what my back could pull... I was embarrassed to say the least.

Once Sheiko was started I didn't look back. Bodybuilding-type training was done for me. I saw huge gains in strength and mass, I could eat a ton and really enjoyed the gym.

Fast forward three years and I'm two competitions deep and couldn't be happier. I played competitive sports as a youth and loved it, just wasn't good enough... Had fun but nothing like how much fun I have in the squat rack.

The guys here eased me in the right direction and I'm eternally thankful.

 

[Bullmuscle7]

Not sure what's happening.

POB, hawk and Halo and a few others are standing around me with guns pointed at me saying: "Bull, burn the panty!"

So I said to POB: "When would I do a powerlifting show?"

He said: "We do meets Bull. Not shows!"

 

[jandj0821]

I started out doing split routines written by the bodybuilders on the Animal forum, with the original intent of getting a six pack and becoming huge. I found this board because Mindless PM'd me some spam shit saying "we need more vets like you at The Iron Den"... Haha I had just started in the gym at that point, reading and believing every bullshit magazine and supplement advertisement in existence. So sad.

I came over here and posted up, in retrospect, some super weak workouts, with hopes of becoming jacked and lean.
@PillarofBalance jumped in early on the log I started here, cheering me on to push heavier and heavier... Without that I don't know if I ever would've made that type of progression with such speed. He told me to look at his log and see how strength was gained...

I went there, got inspired, started reading @Halo log, which got me reading @hawkeye log, then @jandj0821 log... Next thing I know I'm doing that murderous Destroy and Flood program and found my calling.

These guys saw the volume I could handle and tossed me something else to experiment with: Sheiko.
From there I immersed myself in everything related to strength. I asked a ton of questions, shit-canned the weight loss and changed my focus. My bench was better than my squat, I couldn't hold what my back could pull... I was embarrassed to say the least.

Once Sheiko was started I didn't look back. Bodybuilding-type training was done for me. I saw huge gains in strength and mass, I could eat a ton and really enjoyed the gym.

Fast forward three years and I'm two competitions deep and couldn't be happier. I played competitive sports as a youth and loved it, just wasn't good enough... Had fun but nothing like how much fun I have in the squat rack.

The guys here eased me in the right direction and I'm eternally thankful.

brother I don't even know what to say. I just went through a bunch of your log. Your doin awesome. You have grown so much from the beginning. Keep smashing the plates and you will keep rising to the top.

Jb

 

[DieYoungStrong]

Not sure what's happening.

POB, hawk and Halo and a few others are standing around me with guns pointed at me saying: "Bull, burn the panty!"

So I said to POB: "When would I do a powerlifting show?"

He said: "We do meets Bull. Not shows!"

I don't know Bull. I would have paid good money to see you train in a banana hammock yesterday.

 

[Bullmuscle7]

I don't know Bull. I would have paid good money to see you train in a banana hammock yesterday.

Haha!!! DieYoungStrong

In powerlifting you psyche up to do a lift.

In bodybuilding we psyche up to walk out dressed that way!!

You are very impressive. Watching you pull was inspiring!!!

Start that log brother