You probably saw some CrossFitter performing some REALLY strange (and maybe even scary) lifts and got curious...
...or you overheard the loud grunting and occasional scream from the free weight area (again) and are still perplexed how those guys can be THAT strong.
If either of these describes you, you'll learn A LOT more about these curiosities by reading up about Olympic weightlifting and/or powerlifting.
Whether you're just starting in these competitive, heavy barbell disciplines or you're looking for information that will give you an edge in your next meet, we think you'll find what you need here.
“I train to lift a heavy barbell a total of nine times across three main lifts” vs “I need to maximize muscle size and definition in the objective eyes of expert judges in order to win”
…
Yeah…it’s time for the bodybuilding vs poewerlifting debate.
Whether you want to build muscle, increase your cardiovascular health and capacity, or find a “supportive” fitness community, both CrossFit and powerlifting have their merits. Today, we’re going to provide a clear picture of each, broken into important sub-category areas of consideration, to help you decide what you want your next obsession to be.
Two fundamental exercises stand out as the pillars of strength training and general “getting big” training: the squat and the deadlift. Both are have hitters for developing lower body and core strength and (should!) make up significant portions of your lifting regimen.
…so…why not squat and deadlift in the same workout session?
If you’re like most people, your squat numbers are higher than most of your other lifts, to even include some of your “bigger” lifts (like the bench press…except for those of you skip leg day on the reg!)
As much weight as you’re moving though, you probably want to move even more.
Enter the world of “specialty” squat bars.
The age-old debate: floor press vs bench press…
I’m sure you’ve been losing sleep over this one!
Lucky for you, if you have been, we have all of the info about these two that you probably never knew you needed!
You like lifting heavy, right?
If so, you probably love the deadlift. There aren’t too many other exercises where you can load the plates on like you can with the deadlift.
…and per that logic, you probably really love rack pulls. If you can deadlift a ton of weight, you can rack pull one-and-a-half tons.
A TRUE clash of the titans!
If you’ve been hanging out around the gym (even if you mainly train at home!) long enough, you’ve probably seen some guys (usually bigger, more “experienced”-looking guys) slip on some odd-looking “straps” before certain lifts.
Today, we’re going to discuss these small, but extremely useful gym accessories and, most importantly, teach you how to use deadlift straps.
Feet wide…arms close…seems to go against everything we’re taught as lifters.
…but the sumo deadlift muscles worked are numerous!
Also, if you have shorter-than-average arms, you need to be sumo deadlifting, like, yesterday!
Hang around a CrossFit or Oly weightlifting gym for a day or two and you’re certain to come across that magical word…
Clean
We’re going to cover two of the main varieties. We’ll finish with a showdown reminiscent of the old pay-per-view days, pitting the hang clean vs power cleans in an epic battle!
Garage Gym Revisited is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
© 2024 All Rights Reserved.
