Bodybuilders vs. Powerlifters

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this forum and getting back into bodybuilding again. So i was talking to some friends and girls that had ex powerlifters and from my observation there seems to be a conflict between bodybuilders and powerlifters.

For example: i know this girl whos ex is a powerlifter and says stuff like "bodybuilders are sissys", and some bouncers who are powerlifters that say the same thing, etc.

Then bodybuilders retaliate by saying stuff like "powerlifters lack endurance", "im a lover not a fighter", etc.

I was wondering 1) is there really a conflict? (in a joking way, not a conflict conflict) 2) what were the best lines you heard or used?

BTW, i am not trying to flame or start conflict, just a curious question

I am sure that you will get a load of politically correct replies to this but I tihnk that the would be misleading. I do respect bodybuilders but I wouldnt want to be one. I have to admit that I cringe when I get asked if I am a bodybuilder........I am a world away from being one. I think many powerlifters would object to being compared to a narcissist whose life is spent staring at his / her own reflection Geez I could write some good stuff about my experiences around bodybuilders but people here might get offended.

backfromlayoff said:

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this forum and getting back into bodybuilding again. So i was talking to some friends and girls that had ex powerlifters and from my observation there seems to be a conflict between bodybuilders and powerlifters.

For example: i know this girl whos ex is a powerlifter and says stuff like "bodybuilders are sissys", and some bouncers who are powerlifters that say the same thing, etc.

Then bodybuilders retaliate by saying stuff like "powerlifters lack endurance", "im a lover not a fighter", etc.

I was wondering 1) is there really a conflict? (in a joking way, not a conflict conflict) 2) what were the best lines you heard or used?

BTW, i am not trying to flame or start conflict, just a curious question

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LOL, the seperation likely is from the opposite lifestyle and training honestly. I don't compare them usually because they are different sports totally. It's like comparing a shot putter to a gymnast, a sprinter to a marathonist etc.Besides it's not my bag baby.later

I think a lot of it is in good fun, but the serious hatred comes not from serious powerlifters and serious bodybuilders, but from the wannabe's. PL's will say BB's are little pussies, BB's will say Pl's are fat......this holds true for the average Joe Blow's....the fat asses call themselves Pl's even though they are FARRRR from it and the skinnly lil bitches call themselves BB's, even though they are FARRRRRRR from it.....if you look at say the top 100 guys in each sport you'll see that MOST, not all but most, PL's are strong as hell, solid, and work their asses off so they have respect for BB's and that MOST BB's are pretty strong dudes who are huge and shreaded come contest time and they have respect for powerlifters because they too work their asses off.....this is just my take on it.....I mean, would Ronnie Coleman call Scott Mendelson fat?? and would Scott Mendelson call Ronnie Coleman a skinny weakling??? Mendolson outbenches COleman and COleman is bigger than Mendoson, but both have diffrent goals and both are strong as fuck and big as fuck, and both work their asses off, I would ASSUME they have a mutual respect for what the other one does......the only fat Pl's with no endurance or muscle are wannabe's and the only weak little BB's are wannabe's as well......Personally I love strength training, Olympic Lifting and Powerlifting, but thats just because that training appeals to me.....you'll see me doing the occasional concentration curl, I think if you are serious, you wanna look at things from all perspectives and say, "Hey, if I trian this way for a little it can only benefit me"....I think it helps BB's to train like a PL to bulk off-season to add quality mass and I think it helps Pl's to back off and train like a BB for a few weeks here and there to give ther joints and connective tissues a rest.......again, you asked for an opinion, and thats all this is...my opinion.

Great answers.........

Most top level heavy weight powerlifters look like most offseason pro-bodybuilders.



Pre contest, a pro-BB goes on a 3 month cutting diet. The rest of the time, he's lifting heavy on compound movements and eating ungodly amounts of protein and calories.



We can all get along. Erase the hate. Stop the abuse. We are the world.

I dunno, I think this is a loaded question. Seems to surface periodically, and I don't think it matters. Some people want pretty, some want strong, and some want a mix.

Do what works for you.

It is ok...most strongmen make fun of both.

Seriously though...I respect REAL bodybuilders...the ones that compete and eat and train similarly. The REAL bodybuilders have all my respect.

B True

BigBadBootyDaddy29 said:

I think a lot of it is in good fun, but the serious hatred comes not from serious powerlifters and serious bodybuilders, but from the wannabe's. PL's will say BB's are little pussies, BB's will say Pl's are fat......this holds true for the average Joe Blow's....the fat asses call themselves Pl's even though they are FARRRR from it and the skinnly lil bitches call themselves BB's, even though they are FARRRRRRR from it.....if you look at say the top 100 guys in each sport you'll see that MOST, not all but most, PL's are strong as hell, solid, and work their asses off so they have respect for BB's and that MOST BB's are pretty strong dudes who are huge and shreaded come contest time and they have respect for powerlifters because they too work their asses off.....this is just my take on it.....I mean, would Ronnie Coleman call Scott Mendelson fat?? and would Scott Mendelson call Ronnie Coleman a skinny weakling??? Mendolson outbenches COleman and COleman is bigger than Mendoson, but both have diffrent goals and both are strong as fuck and big as fuck, and both work their asses off, I would ASSUME they have a mutual respect for what the other one does......the only fat Pl's with no endurance or muscle are wannabe's and the only weak little BB's are wannabe's as well......Personally I love strength training, Olympic Lifting and Powerlifting, but thats just because that training appeals to me.....you'll see me doing the occasional concentration curl, I think if you are serious, you wanna look at things from all perspectives and say, "Hey, if I trian this way for a little it can only benefit me"....I think it helps BB's to train like a PL to bulk off-season to add quality mass and I think it helps Pl's to back off and train like a BB for a few weeks here and there to give ther joints and connective tissues a rest.......again, you asked for an opinion, and thats all this is...my opinion.

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This is likely the best post this thread could ever possess. Good man.

Absolutely.