Bodybuilders vs. Powerlifters

[Quadsweeps Sister]

I just tried to emulate what I saw around me. Not knowing didn't make me an asshole, it just make me naive.

It's just that if every time a skinny dude comes into gym instead of giving him sideways looks and shaking your head, take 20 seconds at the end of your workout and say 'Hey buddy, if you want to get big you need to squat big and eat big'. I respected his opinion because I saw his strength.Trez

I really liked your post. It makes a lot of sense for those who are experienced to take time out for others. I learned a lot of humility in the gym after knowing a helluva lot about bodybuilding - then switching to powerlifting and not knowing a damn thing. If it wasn't for the kindness of experienced powerlifters I met who offered advice and support, I'd still be somewhere around week 2 of my first 9 week PL program. Great post!

Karma to you brother!

 

[Dieselgoku23]

Well I respect both sides and both people work hard it. But you have to be honest in the world of bodybuilding if you have the best pharmacist and cash your going to be one of the best period. Yeah in Powerlifter yeah they are gear users as well but is more more complex then that. And besides Powerlifting or Olympic lifting are actual sports as far bodybuilding is more like modeling! judge on looks not performance. I mean in any sport basketball, Football, soccer, players dont get based on how good they look or are with out shirt off but the performance they put on the field. Just my opinion bros dont mean to piss nobody off just been honest

 

[suk1978]

after a 10 year bodybuilding approach, i've now been powerlifting for 4 months with the powerlifting guys - andy bolton and ben williams and about 5 other guys. i'm totally hooked -it's the best thing ever! my friends also comment more on my physique being more muscular now as well, which is weird! i'm hoping to compete in march. however, after competition i plan to train about 90% and a more BB approach for a month/six weeks after, to take care of those areas i havent trained as much for the comp, and give my joints a bit of aftercare.

stating the obvious, top BB's DO lift heavy, maybe their competitions should try and include some display of strength so it's not such a beauty contest, which in turn might encourage a slightly healthier physical approach towards their competition...

 

[Madcow2]

I have the utmost respect for the dedication and hard work put in by bodybuilders. That said, the day of competition has a far more in common with a beauty pagent than it does a sport. It's a tough characterization for some to swallow but there is little to debate.

 

[The_Monster]

I wont get into the "this is better than that" aspect, because its irrelevant and not even a fair comparisson.

But in my 10 years of bodybuilding versus my 6 months of powerlifting I have noticed some glaring differences.

Powerlifters are more "community" oriented. They are more likely to share strategies (i.e. new ways to wear your gear) and training tips than bodybuilders are. I found that bodybuilders seem to always fear that someone will find out their "secret" and then surpass them, so they lie or dont exactly tell the truth about what they do (training, diet, etc.).

Maybe its a by product of the inherent narcisicm of bodybuilding, but bodybuilders always seemed (to me) to be like a bunch of old women. Smiling at you when youre there, but when you leave picking at you and any physique flaw (real or not) they can find. Probably more to make themselves feel better than out of any lacking in the person being picked at...

A powerlifter will say "Fuck, did you see how much Mike Miller squatted!?!?!"
A bodybuilder will say "Did you see how huge Ronnie was at the Olympia? Hell, I could look that way if I used all the drugs he uses".

I wont go so far as to say one is better than the other, though... I'm right on the verge of breaking a 700lb raw squat, and I absolutly LOVE that. But on the same note, I also enjoy being big. Im not worried about having "a six pack" anymore, but I still like people to look at me and know I "work out" (as they like to say).

There is no competition between the two, really. Theyre both too different, but it makes me sad to see how bodybuilding has slipped into its current state...

 

[got2getripped]

I think they are two completely different sports I prefer bodybuilding, but I have good friends that are powerlifters, I have respect for both and both are my favorite sports to keep up with. Actually the only sports I care for.

In my opinion team based sports are boring and lame. Just me though.

 

[silver_shadow]

It's just that if every time a skinny dude comes into gym instead of giving him sideways looks and shaking your head, take 20 seconds at the end of your workout and say 'Hey buddy, if you want to get big you need to squat big and eat big'. I'll never forget the day a powerlifter told me that... because after that I was put on the right track. I respected his opinion because I saw his strength.


Trez

fair enough. well, i haven't exactly done that- but i have done it with skinny assholes that i do know personally. and the response i got was that of skepticism. if someone has heard some "old wives tales" of working out, then to talk them out of it is next to impossible. the few that do get talked out of it are amongst some of the hardcore bros around here.

 

[The_Monster]

I'll help if asked, otherwise they can all cripple themselves for all I care. Ive had too many experiances where the person you try to give advice to is offended or angry... and there is always the "well, my friend told squatting is bad for your knees."

So screw them.

 

[stout]

Alot of the top BB's have a PL background early in their training. Johnny Jackson started out as a powerlifter and went to bb'ing and now competes in both sports. What's wrong with that? Also Joe Ladnier from Louisiana powerlifted and then started bb'ing and got very huge and then came back to PL'ing to go on and set new PR's that may have been unattainable without his muscle that he aquired from bb'ing. Why can't one be mixed with the other to achieve his/her personal goals. I've never been one to follow the masses so this seems perfectly natural to me....

 

[curgeo]

stout....I have a friend who is a nationally ranked bodybuilder and an elite class powerlifter. Two years ago she was next in line to get her pro card.....she competed in PL and her hypertrophy suffered a bit and she slipped in the bb placings.

When talking about elite athletes, the training is too different. I use the example of Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis. Johnson was explosive coming out of the blocks, but he started to slow down the last 10 meters. Lewis was slower out of the blocks, but he accelerated through the race.......another 10m he would have won the race.

Why can't we train ben to accelerate and carl to be more explosive? It would take away from what makes them special as an elite athlete. In smaller comps I think it's okay, but at that level I feel a person has to specialize and choose what comp to do.