What is powerlifting? Equipment and movements involved

Strength sports have become increasingly popular in recent years. Cross Training has led to the widespread use of Olympic bars and the proliferation of athletes in the world of weightlifting. But many people have opted for a sport that works even more on strength as a specific skill with movements that are apparently somewhat simpler than those of weightlifting.

From here, the utmost respect to powerlifters and their sport, and we do not underestimate the technique behind their 3 movements, which to achieve improvements at the highest level require not only strength but also exquisite technique. But it is true that the complexity that a snatch or a clean and jerk supposes for an athlete is a priori somewhat greater, especially in the first months or years, than what is supposed to be a deadlift or back squat for example.

Origin of Powerlifting

Powerlifting, also known as powerlifting, has simple origins: testing the strength of those who trained in gyms without relying on complicated movements. What began in the 1950s as "challenges" between colleagues gradually became organized into competitions and tournaments, until the creation of the IPF (International Powerlifting Federation) in November 1972.

And it was necessary to have rules, both for the technique and for the classification of athletes (by weight) and, of course, also for the material that could be used.

Since the creation of the IPF, as a milestone, not much time has passed until today, but the sport has evolved a lot. The weights achieved by athletes have grown dramatically. The techniques and formulas applied to the lifts to achieve these increases in weight on the bars have not stopped evolving and coaches are an essential element in the improvement of athletes. The material has been perfected and adapted to be more precise, safe and specific for this sport. And what is more important, the proliferation of spaces where this sport can be practiced has democratized and normalized its practice, also being a great destination for women who wanted to practice strength sports.

Powerlifting Equipment

There are many types of equipment, the essential ones would undoubtedly be the bar, the discs and a rack with a bench. But as in all sports, brands are bringing out new improvements and materials to try to improve the athletes' marks. It is necessary to differentiate between training equipment and competition equipment, since in competition there are many restrictions that must be taken into account.

Essential powerlitting equipment

Powerlifting bars:

Unlike weightlifting bars, powerlifting bars are designed to not rotate excessively as there are no “dynamic” movements. They usually use bushings instead of needle bearings for this reason. They are also designed to not flex or bend too much. They should be more rigid bars, they should flex a little so as not to break. The knurling should be more aggressive as the aim is to achieve maximum support and there is no friction due to repetition as in CrossFit. They should have specific grip marks for bench press and central knurling. Lastly, the grip diameter is 29mm (the usual diameter for weightlifting and CrossFit bars is 28mm).

Powerlifting Discs:

Metal plates are used, which are denser than rubber bumpers. This achieves two things: we can put more weight on the bar because they take up less space, and the weight will be closer to the centre of the bar, making the lift more efficient. In addition, these plates are calibrated, which means that their tolerance is calculated and has very strict margins. Tolerance is the difference between the weight indicated on the plate and the actual weight. In powerlifting, tolerances of less than 1% are achieved.

Combo Rack:

This is the common name for a rack specifically designed for powerlifting and used to perform bench press and squat.

Without going into too much detail, it consists of a structure that joins the bench to the rack, it also has lifts to vary the height of the bar without having to lift it and a space for a spotter (a person who could help us in case of need in the bench press) and safety bars. To increase stability, its base does not have the typical U shape, but is complemented by legs open diagonally.

Basic Powerlifting Movements

This is how the deadlift, bench press and squat that make up this sport are known.

The squat performed in powerlifting is a rear squat, placing the bar on the back, either in a high or low position, depending on the athlete's preference.

The bench press is performed lying on a bench, and the head, upper back and buttocks must be supported on it, with the feet on the floor.

The deadlift, which has fewer technical restrictions than the previous ones, is the movement preferred by lifters who can choose between conventional or sumo.

Although deadlifts usually move more weight, the squat movement is the one that generates more excitement while performing it, since the athlete has to descend until breaking parallel and the ascent is usually very exciting.