Bodybuilders vs. Powerlifters

[backfromlayoff]

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

 

[Imnotdutch]

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.

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

 

[DBCooper]

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

 

[BigBadBootyDaddy29]

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.

 

[Imnotdutch]

Great answers.........

 

[slobberknocker]

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.

 

[TheProject]

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.

 

[b fold the truth]

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

 

[Baoh]

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.

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

 

[spatts]

Absolutely.

 

[endpoint]

I had a exgirlfriend who used to row at a national level....i dont understand rowing, but each different facet of the sport hated each other. The sprint racers didnt have endurance, and the longdistance rowers werent powerfull...etc etc and they all bithced about each other....different squads wouldnt talk to each other. they would call the sprint racers fat, the endurance racers were "skeletons" ahahah quite funny

 

[backfromlayoff]

Thanks for the replies.

I agree bigbad has a very good reply. Your so right about how its the amatures that do the name calling, like little bitches calling themselves bodybuilders and the fat people that call themselves powerlifters.

So next time i go to the gym and say "I plan on getting back into bodybuilding" and someone says "why be a pussy, why not be a real man and go into powerlifting", what should i say as a good comeback to them?

endpoint: that is funny about your sprinter vs endurance lol. You have to admit though some of those long distance people really do look like skeletons. My friend is 6'5" (140 soaking wet, lol) or something and he gets that a lot, lol.

 

[Thaibox]

Powerlifters conflict with bodybuilders in the gym

Marine Force Recon conflict with Army Rangers conflict with Navy SEALs in the dirt

Strikers conflict with grapplers in the ring

The elite in anything will have a rivalry, but when it comes down to it, they are brothers and sisters. They share something no one else ever could.

 

[Imnotdutch]

Why are you even discussing this in the gym? You re there to tran not to socialise. Besides, you lift for your own reasons and dont have to justify your reasons to anybody.

So next time i go to the gym and say "I plan on getting back into bodybuilding" and someone says "why be a pussy, why not be a real man and go into powerlifting", what should i say as a good comeback to them?

 

[Grantsdu]

I think alot of the name calling stems from jealousley. Does that make it right? Not even close but some people are going to bitch about anything they feel someone is better at them at. I have a great deal of respect for both. I have wanting to get big as hell, and stroung as hell but I will never be about to compete in either one. Oh I can go to a local powerlifting meet and do good but only because I'm in a smaller weight class and have literally noone to lift aginst. I just enjoy setting PR's. As long as people compete in BB and PL theres going to be name calling...period

 

[Grantsdu]

I think alot of the name calling stems from jealousley. Does that make it right? Not even close but some people are going to bitch about anything they feel someone is better at them at. I have a great deal of respect for both. I have wanting to get big as hell, and stroung as hell but I will never be about to compete in either one. I don't have the body. I guess thats a cop out, if I bust my ass I can get stronger, its just not going as I would like it to. Oh I can go to a local powerlifting meet and do good but only because I'm in a smaller weight class and have literally noone to lift aginst. I just enjoy setting PR's. As long as people compete in BB and PL theres going to be name calling...period

 

[benchmonster]

hey, do whatever makes you happy. for me that is powerlifting, but if bodybuilding floats your boat, then that is fine.

there are going to be rivalries in any sport, especially such testosterone driven ones as bodybuilding and powerlifting. bodybuilders think powerlifters are fat and ugly, powerlifters think bodybuilders are pretty boy frilly types, it goes on and on.

there are a bunch of hardcore powerlifters and strongman competitors at my gym. we all get along just fine, and the rest of the people there show respect and give the big boys room to train. it is a great environment. but we do have mirrors in the gym and if a serious, competitive bodybuilder came in to train, we would not make fun of him.

however, there are going to be snickers and giggles from the strength training crowd when a "bodybuilder" shows up in tights, leg warmers, and a Valeo belt to blast out some 15 lb dumbell curls while never entering a contest.

I don't think there is as much of a rift between competitive powerlifters and competitive bodybuilders as there are between the fakers in each. And again, I have said this before, and I will say it again, if you don't compete in powerlifting meets, you are not a powerlifter. If you don't compete in a bodybuilding contest, then you are not a bodybuilder!!!!

I could train like a sprinter (at a slower pace) but would not be a sprinter, unless I ran in a race against other sprinters. It takes juevos to compete. If you compete you earn the right to talk smack, if you don't compete, then you are a gym rat wannabe lifter. It is OK to be a gym rat. I was one for years. But don't go around saying you are a powerlifter, bodybuilder, strongman, etc. . . if you are a gym rat. The gym rats are the ones who cause a lot of this shit.

B.

 

[MadCow1]

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.

Or comparing a beauty pagent contestent to an athlete? (couldn't resist)

Although dedication and training earn my respect regardless of endevour, I just can't equate a 3rd party judging aesthetics with an acutal sporting activity. Both parties utilize very similar methods of preparation and contests can be grueling at both venues but the bottom line is that aesthetics is not performance related as are all sports. A bodybuilding contest has more in common with a beauty pagent than it does a sporting contest.

Not politically correct but these are the facts as I see them. I mean no disrespect to bodybuilders but I see it as plain vanilla. I also don't curtail my definition of sport much since I think performance oriented can be applied to almost anything (chess, spelling b's, etc..) except for judged aethetics (flower shows, pagents, dog shows that involve only the dog showing up and not doing anything other than moving around).

With that being said, I am definitely of the do what you enjoy camp. If bodybuilding is your thing than by all means do it and do it with heart and passion since these are the drivers of excellence.

 

[skaman607]

I could train like a sprinter (at a slower pace) but would not be a sprinter, unless I ran in a race against other sprinters. It takes juevos to compete. If you compete you earn the right to talk smack, if you don't compete, then you are a gym rat wannabe lifter. It is OK to be a gym rat. I was one for years. But don't go around saying you are a powerlifter, bodybuilder, strongman, etc. . . if you are a gym rat. The gym rats are the ones who cause a lot of this shit.

B.

So I just train PL, right?

 

[Whiskey]

damn good response bigbadbootydaddy. I personally don't call myself either, I more or less just like to work out as hard as I can.

However, how i have seen it in smaller towns or cities where there aren't any real Pl's or BB's, those that think they are one or the other only do so because they either look closer to a bb or pl, or are trying to impress others and with their trying to impress attitude, they rip on anyone that doesn't look like them and try to convince others that they are better than the other. At least that is how it was in my home town of 6000. I am shure, hope, that it isn't like this everywhere else in this country.

I hope that made sense...


Whiskey

 

[benchmonster]

So I just train PL, right?

Yep. Exactly.

B.

 

[skaman607]

thanks for claering that up

 

[barbell265]

After reading thru most of these posts I think we all have come to the same conclusion. That is that no matter if your a powerlifter or a bodybuilder the serious lifters are not the ones slinging mud. I for one have respect for anyone who can drag their ass into the gym at 5 A.M. 5-6 days/wk and give it 110%. I have missed a total of 12 days of training in the last 3 years due to injury/illness or unexpected happenings with my daughter; 4 of which were last week getting ready for a PL meet. If anyone, male or female, BB or PL can be in the gym looking across the iron at me every day I am there and work their asses off then they have my respect..period!

I think that should pretty much end this..

 

[Nonerz]

If anyone, male or female, BB or PL can be in the gym looking across the iron at me every day I am there and work their asses off then they have my respect..period!

Well said...I once heard that 90% of success is just showing up!

 

[Hannibal]

Well said...I once heard that 90% of success is just showing up!

THE FIRST STEP IS THE HARDEST.
----------------------------------------
If you can get up the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed. Begin where you are, work where you are. The hour which you are now wasting, dreaming of some far off success, may be crowded with grand possibilities. The first essential of success is that you begin. Once you have started, all that is within and without you will come to your assistance. Do not wait. The time will never be "just right." Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you have at your command. Better tools will be found as you go along. Eighty percent of success is showing up.
----------------------------------------

...you were only off by 10%

 

[Nonerz]

I stand corrected!

 

[Liftbig]

Eighty percent of success is showing up.

very true.

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

imo-- the bodybuilders I know are mega-ego/attitude...& the PLrs are more low-key...prob because the BBdrs are dieting for shows all the time & kinda grouchy

anyway-- like Triple B said--" 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 and there to give ther joints and connective tissues a rest."

pass that advice to your gym buds

 

[endpoint]

All the powerlifters I know are very rude about their lifting preference.

there was a funny story about a guy.....who because he was a powerlifter, was SOOOOOO strong that he could beat anyone in any strength related sport. He said shot put was so easy, his huge muscles could toss the thing for miles.

With a bit of practice he turns up to a track meet, and loses in the shot put by 10 meters!

 

[crew9]

All the powerlifters I know are very rude about their lifting preference.

there was a funny story about a guy.....who because he was a powerlifter, was SOOOOOO strong that he could beat anyone in any strength related sport. He said shot put was so easy, his huge muscles could toss the thing for miles.

With a bit of practice he turns up to a track meet, and loses in the shot put by 10 meters!

Interesting but I don't quite get your point. I think that man is an idiot not because he is a powerlifter, which has nothing to do with his idiocy, but because he thought he could compete.

 

[Baoh]

Interesting but I don't quite get your point. I think that man is an idiot not because he is a powerlifter, which has nothing to do with his idiocy, but because he thought he could compete.

Can't the same be said of any type of strength athlete?

Powerlifters generally have a tendency to call Bodybuilders "pretty boys", and Bodybuilders generally have a tendency to call Powerlifters "fat guys".

The best of the best seem to respect each other.

 

[crew9]

Can't the same be said of any type of strength athlete?

Powerlifters generally have a tendency to call Bodybuilders "pretty boys", and Bodybuilders generally have a tendency to call Powerlifters "fat guys".

The best of the best seem to respect each other.

That was my point. I guess I didn't make my post clear enough . It doesn't matter what type of athelete he was he's a dumbass for thinking he could just pick up shotputting and own.

 

[spatts]

I have to wonder how much experience a lifter really has if they can talk smack about powerlifting, or any other sport. Maybe this varies style to style, but my training is all about finding my weakness. I get put in my place EVERY time I'm in the gym. Every day I get reminded that I'm not strong enough. I may beat my own record, but I never beat the iron. There's always the next pound, or another lifter, working to set me straight. I find it far too humbling to go around mouthing off about.

I agree, the best of the best in any sport tend to respect one another. Those are the few that know what it really takes.

 

[Imnotdutch]

Can't the same be said of any type of strength athlete?

Powerlifters generally have a tendency to call Bodybuilders "pretty boys", and Bodybuilders generally have a tendency to call Powerlifters "fat guys".

The best of the best seem to respect each other.

You are right..........

I call bodybuilders pretty boys all of the time. However, I see real bodybuilders busting their ass in the gym and making huge sacrifices so I respect them. I couldnt do what they do. They are doing what they have to do to get a tough job done........how could anybody not respect that??.........for me,that applies to all things not just sport.

 

[Toozee]

After reading thru most of these posts I think we all have come to the same conclusion. That is that no matter if your a powerlifter or a bodybuilder the serious lifters are not the ones slinging mud. I for one have respect for anyone who can drag their ass into the gym at 5 A.M. 5-6 days/wk and give it 110%. I have missed a total of 12 days of training in the last 3 years due to injury/illness or unexpected happenings with my daughter; 4 of which were last week getting ready for a PL meet. If anyone, male or female, BB or PL can be in the gym looking across the iron at me every day I am there and work their asses off then they have my respect..period!

I think that should pretty much end this..

A-men.
Less talking.....more lifting.

 

[landcaster2002]

don't tell me wht y0u lift show me









"show me what you lift don't tell me what you lift"

 

[silver_shadow]

i think the comparison between PLs and BBs is similar to the sprinter/endurance athelete. neither is perfect, but both are good in their own right. so comparisons are unfair. to use another example, would u flame einstein for being physically weak? no. lifting weights was not his job but he excelled at physics.

 

[Raging]

I agree with most of what was said on here. Anyone who brags is an idiot, for there are always those who are better. The only variable you can truly have total control of is how hard you work. I'm sure we all know bbers and plers who work damn hard, and then there are some of both groups that are slackers, relying solely on genetics or drugs. Personally, use what you like, keep your mouth shut, lift as damn hard as you can (whatever rep range that may be), and please please please, don't talk on your cell phone while i'm trying to squat (just had to get that one in there). later

 

[Dave949]

Lifting heavy is as lifting heavy does .......

They`re both in their lifting heavy weights for their own individual purposes and goals.......The thing that they have in common (lifting weights) outweighs the things that make them different.

They are all brothers, sisters and cousins of the iron game.

 

[dzulboy]

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.

agreed but unfortunately i have to say that most of the so called powerlifters at my gym just use it as an excuse to be fat and out of shape they claim 500 lb benches but with a shirt i can do 515 raw how am i supposed to be impressed?

 

[TheProject]

agreed but unfortunately i have to say that most of the so called powerlifters at my gym just use it as an excuse to be fat and out of shape they claim 500 lb benches but with a shirt i can do 515 raw how am i supposed to be impressed?

Okay, shirted and raw are two totally different things.

If you have a 515 raw bench, why aren't you competing?

I think bodybuilders just like to call powerlifters fat and out of shape.

 

[dzulboy]

no pause that i wll admitt but i am bodybuilder not a powerlifter just like my best friend he ddi 405 for 25 reps unassisted i know its almsiost impossible to believe but he did it hwe weighs around 285 currently me 210

and i won't compete in a bench competition with all these gadgets these guys use to bench if yosay yyou bench something the you should be able to do it with out and wraps supports etc

 

[super_rice]

i think you guys forgot the category of people that just do it because they love it and love ALL of its benefits.

 

[Quadsweeps Sister]

I saw this post and had to reply. These words are from someone who has truly been on both sides of the fence. I have been bodybuilding competitively for 6 years and most recently at the national level. I have also for the last several months begun training with goal of competitive powerlifting. I had occasion to train amongst some of the most Elite powerlifters in the world while working in Columbus. Being trained by a man many travel from around the world to see was both a humbleing and motivating experience. He helped me change my direction for now and I will see how it goes. For whatever its worth, let me speak about my experience.

Bodybuilding did many things to change my life. I know i would not be who i am today without the changes i made in my body through this sport. It boosted my confidence, helped me learn about nutrition and motivated me to set yearly goals to compete. I loved it, but i came to loathe it. I developed a confusion in who i had become and why i hated lifting when once i had loved it so much. Why I hated eating when once it had been an enjoyable experience shared with friends and family. I hated tupperware, and packing my meals, cooking in bulk - carrying my food to superbowl parties and cookouts. Why did i have to eat every last fucking cookie in the pack like there would never be another one made? Was i screwed up in the head - and what the hell was body dysmorphia anyway? Well - whatever it is, i had it. Every waking moment i was consumed by making my body look a certain way only to become an opinion in others eyes; friends, the judges, my family - everyone.

Now i am lifting for a purpose - lifting to better my lifting, so to speak. I will be judged on those lifts performed well and for those I don't - I will know why and then try harder so that next time I will succeed. Why do I lift? Because I love to be strong...Why do I Power Lift? Because I love to compete.

Do I still look like a bodybuilder...yes. Will Powerlifting make me a better bodybuilder - some think so. Did Bodybuilding make me a better Powerlifter? I think it did - because sometimes it takes the realization that what your doing is wrong for you, to find the thing thats right. In the end - each can compliment the other and make a person more complete. The knowledge we gain through all our learning is valuable no matter how it was learned, even if it was the hard way.

 

[Quadsweep]

I saw this post and had to reply. These words are from someone who has truly been on both sides of the fence. I have been bodybuilding competitively for 6 years and most recently at the national level. I have also for the last several months begun training with goal of competitive powerlifting. I had occasion to train amongst some of the most Elite powerlifters in the world while working in Columbus. Being trained by a man many travel from around the world to see was both a humbleing and motivating experience. He helped me change my direction for now and I will see how it goes. For whatever its worth, let me speak about my experience.

Bodybuilding did many things to change my life. I know i would not be who i am today without the changes i made in my body through this sport. It boosted my confidence, helped me learn about nutrition and motivated me to set yearly goals to compete. I loved it, but i came to loathe it. I developed a confusion in who i had become and why i hated lifting when once i had loved it so much. Why I hated eating when once it had been an enjoyable experience shared with friends and family. I hated tupperware, and packing my meals, cooking in bulk - carrying my food to superbowl parties and cookouts. Why did i have to eat every last fucking cookie in the pack like there would never be another one made? Was i screwed up in the head - and what the hell was body dysmorphia anyway? Well - whatever it is, i had it. Every waking moment i was consumed by making my body look a certain way only to become an opinion in others eyes; friends, the judges, my family - everyone.

Now i am lifting for a purpose - lifting to better my lifting, so to speak. I will be judged on those lifts performed well and for those I don't - I will know why and then try harder so that next time I will succeed. Why do I lift? Because I love to be strong...Why do I Power Lift? Because I love to compete.

Do I still look like a bodybuilder...yes. Will Powerlifting make me a better bodybuilder - some think so. Did Bodybuilding make me a better Powerlifter? I think it did - because sometimes it takes the realization that what your doing is wrong for you, to find the thing thats right. In the end - each can compliment the other and make a person more complete. The knowledge we gain through all our learning is valuable no matter how it was learned, even if it was the hard way.

Damn! Seems we need a talk huh? Nothing negative...just inquisitive.

Q.

 

[Quadsweep]

I saw this post and had to reply. These words are from someone who has truly been on both sides of the fence. I have been bodybuilding competitively for 6 years and most recently at the national level. I have also for the last several months begun training with goal of competitive powerlifting. I had occasion to train amongst some of the most Elite powerlifters in the world while working in Columbus. Being trained by a man many travel from around the world to see was both a humbleing and motivating experience. He helped me change my direction for now and I will see how it goes. For whatever its worth, let me speak about my experience.

Bodybuilding did many things to change my life. I know i would not be who i am today without the changes i made in my body through this sport. It boosted my confidence, helped me learn about nutrition and motivated me to set yearly goals to compete. I loved it, but i came to loathe it. I developed a confusion in who i had become and why i hated lifting when once i had loved it so much. Why I hated eating when once it had been an enjoyable experience shared with friends and family. I hated tupperware, and packing my meals, cooking in bulk - carrying my food to superbowl parties and cookouts. Why did i have to eat every last fucking cookie in the pack like there would never be another one made? Was i screwed up in the head - and what the hell was body dysmorphia anyway? Well - whatever it is, i had it. Every waking moment i was consumed by making my body look a certain way only to become an opinion in others eyes; friends, the judges, my family - everyone.

Now i am lifting for a purpose - lifting to better my lifting, so to speak. I will be judged on those lifts performed well and for those I don't - I will know why and then try harder so that next time I will succeed. Why do I lift? Because I love to be strong...Why do I Power Lift? Because I love to compete.

Do I still look like a bodybuilder...yes. Will Powerlifting make me a better bodybuilder - some think so. Did Bodybuilding make me a better Powerlifter? I think it did - because sometimes it takes the realization that what your doing is wrong for you, to find the thing thats right. In the end - each can compliment the other and make a person more complete. The knowledge we gain through all our learning is valuable no matter how it was learned, even if it was the hard way.

By the way. Great post! I know what you mean. I go through it. But I always come back....for some dumb assed reason. Its just what I do, what I am. I hope this works out for you. I have powerlifted and it was tons of fun. Lots of food! Whatever food!

Q.

 

[pee wee]

Im a bodybuilder that tries to lift as heavily as possible, does that make me both then?

 

[TheProject]

Im a bodybuilder that tries to lift as heavily as possible, does that make me both then?

Unless you compete as a PL, not really.

 

[MJBossman]

I guess I'm a bodybuilder who cares about strength too.

I don't want to be all show and no go.

 

[TheRide]

By the way. Great post! I know what you mean. I go through it. But I always come back....for some dumb assed reason. Its just what I do, what I am. I hope this works out for you. I have powerlifted and it was tons of fun. Lots of food! Whatever food!

Q.

Ditto - Agree w/QS. That is a great post. I think it pretty much sums up the way many people who train/diet and invoke this way of life feel at one point in time or another. What makes you different is your ability to adapt and overcome. You took something that you once loved, then hated and morphed it into something that you now love again. That passion will undoubtedly make you as successful on the PL'ing circuit as you were on the BB'ing stage.

Granted, I don't compete and never have but can relate to all the points you touched on in that post. And to be honest, your perseverance toward the sport is very inspirational.

Just r/ber... why you lift??? For me it's something that burns inside of me. Something inside that just clicks on when I'm @ the gym @ 5:30am or 9pm... something inside of that says "I did it" when I squeeze that last rep out when I really didn't think I could... It's the physical and metal battle with myself to achieve milestones and make progress not only in physical strength but mental discipline. Sure, looking good, feeling good come with the territory, but at the end of the day.... I train for me!! It doesn't matter if it's bb'ing, power lifting or some other type of training; what does matter is you enjoy it and it make YOU complete as a person.

OK, I'm getting off of my soap box now...

QS - hope the leg is healing quick and you back in the saddle soon bro!
QS Sis - Eat, train, sleep... repeate as needed

 

[riverrock]

Well, as a Powerlifter, I see no excuse for being out of condition and looking like an off-season Bodybuilder. As a result, I am always in great shape. Thus, I get the great satisfaction of always looking and feeling good about myself. Best off all is the thrill of real competition. I consider Powerlifting a sport and Bodybuilding a Sports Science having competed in both at different times.

 

[Heracles]

There is so much subjectivity in bodybuilding. I mean how do you look at two huge monsters, who look similar in muscle size and pick one? I hear all of the things about "symetry" and the like... What a crock...
Do the judges actually go on stage with a micrometer and figure out who is more proportional or symetric using mathematical formulas?

No. It is all subjective with judges and when that happens it is open to corruption and politics...

This is why I prefer actual competitive sports like Powerlifting and Olympic Lifting.

Bodybuilding seems like a male beauty pagent to me.

 

[silver_shadow]

very true and yes bodybuilding is very much like a male beauty pageant. yes there has been a lot of politics in bodybuilding- how do u explain ronnie winning a 6th (?) mr O with a GH gut. and there have been some good bodybuilders (can't remember any of the top of my head though) who have never won the mr O.

 

[DIVISION]

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.

powerlifters vs. bodybuilders is like ARMY vs. MARINES.

they're alike in many ways, but just different enough to cause a rift.

I'm a PL, but I do respect bodybuilders, at least the ones who can lift some serious weight. The bodybuilders who I laugh at are the ones who or obsessed with aesthetics to the point where it rivals that of a female.

 

[Heracles]

Powerlifters are the guys with the bloody, scabby knees and monoab, while Bodybuilders are the guys staring at themselves in the mirrors.

 

[Royster]

completely agree with the fact that all this debate is brought on by all the wannabes. However, it is a fact that bodybuilding has taken a turn for the worst with all the "I wanna get buffed" trend. You see people going to the gym and doing bench presses (albeit, with shit form and reduced ROM) and bicep curls and they say they are bodybuilders. Go to a gym, 95% of all the trainers in there are doing bodybuilding type routines, yet they either dont look like they train or they are lazy fucks who only do exercises for the "show off" muscles, going for the pump.
On the other hand, powerlifting is a more niche type sport, which luckily, means that it is not invaded by the "i wanna get buffed" or "i wanna have big arms" crew, thus the hardcore attitude is maintained.
I say, the trouble with everything, is that any wannabe calls himself bodybuilder or powerlifter, without really understanding the principles and effort behind making such statements.
I consider myself a begginer, and like to call myself strength trainer, I do a mixture of everything, but I always try to put 100% effort, and thats the difference between me and a wannabe, effort and attitude.
This is all IMO, of course.

 

[Heracles]

completely agree with the fact that all this debate is brought on by all the wannabes. However, it is a fact that bodybuilding has taken a turn for the worst with all the "I wanna get buffed" trend. You see people going to the gym and doing bench presses (albeit, with shit form and reduced ROM) and bicep curls and they say they are bodybuilders.

Don't forget the half- and 3/4 bench pressers and the ones who bounce the weights off of their chests.

 

[silver_shadow]

Don't forget the half- and 3/4 bench pressers and the ones who bounce the weights off of their chests.

or how abt the assholes with skinny legs who work out chest/bis every 2nd day and still lift the same weight. then once every 2 wks they come in and struggle thro 4" squats.

 

[TONY STARKS]

I must say i love both,Me personally i call it "working out".I look at bodybuilders only as those that compete(any level)Everyone else falls on the w/o catagorie,imo.There are days when i really want to see where i'm at in terms of power,and i only do 2-3 rep max or 1rep max when it comes to dead-lifts and squats.So where does that fall unda weight or powerlifting?Umm

 

[trez]

Since I've started and until I finish I'll be a Gym Rat. At the start I was guilty of things like:

half- and 3/4 bench pressers and the ones who bounce the weights off of their chests

or how abt the assholes with skinny legs who work out chest/bis every 2nd day and still lift the same weight. then once every 2 wks they come in and struggle thro 4" squats.

But without the money to pay for a PT, any friends who were into it, or this forum, I just tried to emulate what I saw around me. Not knowing didn't make me an asshole, it just make me naive. And I did start for the wrong reasons, wanting to 'get buffed' or whatever. But both bodybuilding and powerlifting in competition are serious sports and I'd never have to time to become either of them, so I just do my best with the time and resources I have between work and study.

I'm not trying to have a go at the guys that are making these comments. 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.

Peace, and keep the passion high it's what makes these sports great.

Trez

 

[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.

 

[stout]

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.

I do agree that to become a champion in either sport you have to dedicate your life to it, and that can be hard to do with both BB and PL, maybe impossible.....but on my level, I can use a mix of both to get what i want. I feel that one compliments the other. In order to get bigger you have to lift heavier and the strength that comes with PL affords that. I love powerlifting and what it stands for above bodybuilding but why can't one enjoy both?

 

[curgeo]

I think you can at a certain point. The hard part is the training....bb you are trying to BREAK down muscle so it supercomps. Pl....you are trying to RECRUIT the most muscle. It's very hard, but doable. Look at Chuck Vogelpohl or Andy Fiedler. They have outstanding physiques that I would love to attain and they are pl's only.

 

[big-dumb-lug]

and i won't compete in a bench competition with all these gadgets these guys use to bench if yosay yyou bench something the you should be able to do it with out and wraps supports etc

there's raw competitions out there. no excuses

 

[BionicBC]

wll admitt my best friend he ddi almsiost hwe yosay yyou

Huh?

 

[perp69]

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....

And Ronnie Coleman

 

[future]

Well, you can probably guess which one I picked.

 

[jacked clown]

I consider myself a powerlifter..but many bodybuilders were powerlifters before. You can always tell by there huge dense backs.

 

[Tacosupreme]

i keep reading over and over how many of you think that bodybuilders are not bodybuilders until they compete.... so.... how you saying this is even though im jacked 8 times more than this other dude... even though my veins bulge out 9 times more than this other dude... since he competes hes a bodybuilder, and i am not..... lets look at the def. of a bodybuilder.... someone who wants to build their bodies.... Just because someone is just starting out or not to the size of competitive body builders doesnt give you fatso's the jurisdiction to call them posers... they have goals.. to be huge... just like you have goals... to be strong... power lifters are just jealous because we look so sexy.. and yall mofo's are just ugly sacks of ass, who dont have the willpower to be a bodybuilder..... answer this scenerio.... if you could have the same amount of strength either way... would you rather look like a powerlifter or a bodybuilder... if you said powerlifter.... congradulations, your a moron.

And just because we bodybuild does not mean we are weak... look at ron coleman.. he can make plenty of powerlifters look like children with the weight.... we can be just as strong as yall... we just have the will power to not be fat and diet... rant over.. bodybuilders for life

 

[BionicBC]

Funny how a man ranting and raving about having such a strict diet has the name "Taco Supreme" for his screen name. Is that good for contest cutting? Taco Supremes and Cherry Coke? Just wondering...
Bionic

 

[Tacosupreme]

Funny how a man ranting and raving about having such a strict diet has the name "Taco Supreme" for his screen name. Is that good for contest cutting? Taco Supremes and Cherry Coke? Just wondering...
Bionic

funny how my penis is bigger than yours.. but you dont see me trying to make up something witty about it, pussy

..

 

[URZA]

Doent matter to me. there both great sports theres no need to compare IMO.

 

[TRYNGETBIG32]

consider my self a bodybuilder but my friends often talk me into doing local bench contest consistently do 500-520 raw with pause how does this rate

 

[A_N_91]

I think it depends on the person and their genetics...I
ll use myself as an example. I am no muscle whatsoever. I mean I did a bodybuilding split with good volume and diet and everything, but I just didn't gain muscle. I switch to a strength routine and my strength skyrocketed and gained mroe muscle than doing a BBing split.

Plus, most PLers don't have to be fat. There's some that compete in meets with 10-15% BF.

But BB and PL is VERY different. Powerlifters have a definitive goal, a number, to measure themselves against. But with BB, it's very subjective. BB can boost confidence but there is no definate way of accomplishing a definate goal.

 

[letsrun4it]

This rivalry reminds me of DOs v. MDs in the medical community. Nobody cares except for the elitist premeds who think DOs are a step away from chiropracters.

 

[love 2 lift]

This rivalry reminds me of DOs v. MDs in the medical community. Nobody cares except for the elitist premeds who think DOs are a step away from chiropracters.

I did nothing but bodybuild for 5 years and loved it. The last 2 years I stopped body building for 3 12 week cycles and trained powerlifting for bench contests. I still do bodybuilding during the rest of the year. I love both!

 

[Wulfgar]

Im a bodybuilder who uses alot of powerlifting methodlogies in my training.
I beleive bodybuilding is more taxing as a whole because of the rigourousness of contest prep and the endless hours of cardio, low carb dieting, posing practice, endless discipline as far as the diet goes...etc
but I have MAD respect for the guys with the balls to climb under massive weights and test thier absolute physical limits

 

[HammerT]

I admire what bodybuilders go through to accomplish there goals, but I prefer powerlifting. Besides, I like to eat alot.

 

[Bald Gorilla]

I just started powerlifting. Did bodybuilding type routines for over 10 years. I think as far as workout routines go, powerlifting is far more taxing on the whole body. I tried to do ME type stuff every workout and I can tell that when I revisited body building style workouts, it was a relief.

Heavy power training is tough.

 

[chazk]

I have followed power training work outs.flat bench presses,squats ,clean and press and dead lift with rest as long 5 minutes doing 3rep and 1 rep max lifts.It was great to add bulk but i didnt have much shape.My calves were tiny my ass got huge from the squats, my chest and triceps and front delts got massive also. I looked really bulky and somewhat freaky with cloths on.In a pair of shorts and a tank top I was embassed my calves were tiny and my biceps didnt have any peaks at all .

So I ended up going back to more of a bodybuilding style work out with 3-4 excersizes per body part along with the 8-12 rep range .I still go down to the 1-3 rep range on deads,squats and presses but i just dont get a pump off it like I do with 8-12 rep sets.
I just hated having tiny calves and unpeaked biceps with no real lat spread
But it was a great foundation I built .i think all bodybuilders should focus on doing strength lifts for the white muscle fibers as well as doing 8-12 reps to develope the red muscle fibers.
I combination of both imo is the key

 

[chazk]

also i have some good lifts but the ephdrine and haloteston just makes me a asshole to deal with so I cant use um much anymore.

 

[Tweakle]

you know, you can do both.. work up to a max triple, double or single and then do 1-2 higher rep (8-12) backdowns with a lighter weight. Best of both worlds if you don't overtrain

 

[Bald Gorilla]

Yeah, I do both now. I alternate with sort of a ME and RE type thing. Seems to be working better and my joint aren't killing me. But I always felt stronger pushing ME every workout....

Then again, I'm in Iraq pushing the limits on human tolerance for heat exhaustion at every workout.

 

[chicagobuffedbod]

I like some of the points that some of you have made on here. Such as, "The best of the best respect each other." People that have that winning attitude aren't going around talking shit about other people. In our American culture we're taught at a young age to be competitive with one another. We are taught that it's the way to succeed. So some people express this by talking shit about other people in somewhat related areas of sports, of work, etc. It serves no purpose. It just creates negativity.
I for one like to incorporate my weight lifting with some powerlifting moves. I guess I would have to classify myself as a bodybuilder and am considered a bit vain. But I don't care. I'd rather be labeled as vain than be labeled a thief or a liar or terrorist. People go around talking shit about silly things or critizing others for reasons that have no value. I simply don't pay them any attention.
I love the way I feel when I do deadlifts, when I squat. I'm a bit awkward with the clean and jerk but I like to do it as well.
It's all good.

 

[cjWaid]

I use to be able to bench press 545 lbs, clean, with good form, with APF judges staring at my ass to make sure it didn't come up off the bench (I THINK that is why they were staring at my ass?). Fast Forward 5 years, and I can barely bench 315, but I have a trim waste line and abs. So, I have been on both sides of the fence. This is what I have come up with about Body Builders and Powerlifters: One puts on an extra tight shirt or a giant extra tight diaper to become stronger, the other one shaves his legs and wears a chicks underwear on a stage in front of a crowd of people. Which one is worse? I dUN'T KNOWW.

Personallly I always get a kick out of the gym rats, the ones that walk around the gym for 2,3,4 hours a day staring at all the different equipment, doing a set here and there, usually with 10 times too much weight for them and completely off the wall form, you think they would pick up a book on the subject or something...

What do you call someone that just works out for health? 'a work out dude', that's what my mom calls me. I'm a personal trainer, she calls me 'a work out dude'. Love it.

 

[Anthony Roberts]

I think that with regards to doing my consults through EF, and throughout the years of consulting with PL's and BB'ers, I tend to get along with PL'ers more on a personal level.

Bodybuilding...the precontest phase especially...it's just all a bit too self-absorbed for my taste.

 

[omega529]

real power lifters are fat (most), but their cool.