Yesterday, I spent the whole day at M.A.S.S Weekend watching powerlifting. I really had a great time and I learned two things.
- These people are strong as fuck
- I can also be strong as fuck
When I get in my head that something is achievable, nothing can stop me. After watching the competition, I know it is unlikely that I’ll win, when I do decide to compete, but I do know that I’ll fit right in and will deserve to be there.
For those that don’t know, there are a number of different types of fitness / athletic events. Here are a few:
- Powerlifting
- Weightlifting
- Strongman
- Crossfit
- Bodybuilding
There is also fitness/bikini competitions, and sometimes others, but the ones above are the most commonly recognized. Many people do not know the difference between these, so I’ll break it down:
Powerlifting
This sport focuses on just three exercises. The squat, bench press, and deadlift. Your total is the combined maximum weight you can pull on the three lifts.
Weightlifting, aka Olympic Lifting
Weightlifting is an Olympic sport and focuses only on two exercises. The ‘clean and jerk’ and the ‘snatch’. Your total here is the combined max weight you can pull on these two lifts.
Strongman
I don’t know much about strongman but it does seem crazy. These are the competitions where you see on TV of men and women pulling trucks and carrying those big boulders.
Crossfit
Gets a bad rap, but obviously very popular. You will get fit if you take it seriously, no doubt. But you do need to find a good program. If not, you can get hurt due to poor form.
Bodybuilding
This is the physique sport and shaping your body to look a certain way. The goal is about appearance, not raw strength or fitness.
If you want to focus solely looking good for the ladies, then bodybuilding is for you. If you just want to get all around fit and in shape, then Crossfit is for you. If you want to get strong as fuck and have fun at the same time, then powerlifting is your choice.
Not to not knock weightlifting, but it’s not really as fun as powerlifting since the moves are definitely way more technical. I don’t know anyone who does weightlifting just for fun. But it is common with powerlifting. For strongman, I just don’t know anyone who trains for strongman at all, so I can’t comment on it.
Powerlifting is what I train and I hope to enter a meet within the next two years if I hit competitive levels. If any of you have questions about powerlifting, hit me up — [email protected]
Cheers