Why powerlifters shouldn’t just lift heavy
If you are a powerlifter it’s easy to get caught up in thinking you need to lift maximally and that you need to focus on competition specific lifts all year. However, the truth is that hypertrophy training could be the missing piece in your training regimen. While powerlifting is primarily about lifting maximal weights, incorporating hypertrophy training into your routine can provide a a large number of benefits that directly translate into improved powerlifting performance. These benefits are explored below:
Increased Muscle Mass
Hypertrophy training, focused on building muscle size, can contribute to increased muscle mass in key muscle groups such as the chest, back, and legs. More muscle mass means the potential for greater force production during your squat, bench and deadlift, leading to improved strength and performance.
Injury Prevention
By incorporating hypertrophy training, powerlifters can strengthen muscles, tendons, and ligaments, reducing the risk of injuries associated with heavy lifting. Additionally, stronger muscles can provide better support and stability for the joints during heavy lifts, thereby decreasing the likelihood of strains and overuse injuries.
Improved Work Capacity
Hypertrophy training often involves higher rep ranges and shorter rest periods, which can enhance muscular endurance and work capacity. This increased work capacity can benefit powerlifters during training sessions and competitions, allowing for higher training volumes and improved recovery between sets.
Enhanced Recovery
The additional blood flow and nutrient delivery associated with hypertrophy training can aid in recovery, potentially reducing soreness and accelerating the repair of muscle tissue. This means you can bounce back quicker from intense powerlifting sessions and hit the gym at full strength sooner.
So if you are looking to add some hypertrophy training to your week remember this involves lifting moderate loads, think around
60-75% of your 1RM, in rep ranges of 6-12 repetitions for 3-5 sets with rest periods between sets of 30 seconds to 1.5 minutes.
