I need to get fit. I have a friend who is into powerlifting. I know that sounds a little weird. A lot of people when they hear powerlifting think about huge meatheads throwing metal around, but it has become a lot more… inclusive for women recently, it seems? Is this true? I’ve always hated running, I am not very good at team sports, and since it’s my friend who is doing it I feel more comfortable. I know that any exercise is good for me but I want to focus on weight loss. I’m wondering how effective powerlifting will be if tried it. I already went to one class with my friend and I liked it! But I just want more information, to know what the most effective thing to do would be.
Just like you said, powerlifting has become a lot more popular over the last few years. It has also become a lot more inclusive, and it’s easier to find women involved in the scene. Powerlifting is a strength sport that revolves around three lifts: the squat, the bench press, and the deadlift (this comic has great illustrations of all three). The goal of the sport is to move as much weight as possible with each of those three lifts. In its simplicity, the sport can’t be beaten. It consists of little more than picking up heavy objects and setting them back down again (with the right technique, of course).
It also builds a strong foundation of functional strength, or the muscle strength that helps you more throughout the day. For these reasons, powerlifting has become popular with women interested in a sport or exercise that helps them in their day to day life, that is totally focused on a simple function of the body, and that can make them feel stronger and more confident. According to bodybuilding.com, the number of women powerlifters has doubled since 2015, and that’s only counting women who compete professionally. Many more are estimated to be training and participating casually, and they are women from all walks of life.
So here’s the thing: if you take up powerlifting and eat properly, the way a powerlifter would, you will probably gain weight. Powerlifting requires that you gain muscle mass, because you will be gaining strength. To gain muscle mass, you also have to eat a lot of food, and if you have a sedentary lifestyle now and start an intensive exercise regimen like powerlifting, your daily calorie intake will go up.
But when it comes to powerlifting, you have to flip your expectations on their head. You will probably stay the same size, or thinner, and you will probably look thinner. This is because you’re burning fat and you’ll notice the difference when you look in the mirror, but the number on the scale will likely go up as you continue training. The muscle you gain is lean and dense.
If you pursue powerlifting, there are several ways to supplement your new exercise practice and achieve better results. You may want to look into alternative diets like paleo or raw foods. You can also look in to taking supplements like CBD oil for weight loss, and CBD oil has the added advantage of being used for pain relief, which can help with sore joints. Finally, just because you try powerlifting doesn’t mean that you can’t also try out other, complementary activities like yoga or rock climbing. Since you liked your powerlifting class, it’s a good idea to continue to try it out. You could come away with new skills, new strengths, and maybe a new passion.
