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You wont get more muscular doing only powerlifting compared to bodybuilding (thought you'd know that by just the names). Powerlifting includes compound exercises (squat, benchpress and deadlift) and this is mainly for strength. As a bodybuilder, you would still want to do those exercises but also add more, not only compound exercises but more concentrated exercises like the bicep curl (one of MANY examples).
To the OP:
I would like to add in that bicep curls will not make you grow or get big, especially when comparing them to powerlifting.
Bicep curls are great and all, but when you are first starting to work out - bench, squat, cleans, military press, rows.. big heavy movements build more mass and strength than doing 3x10 bicep curls.
Anyways - key points is working out hard, no half assing it. No 5 minute breaks in between sets. Sweat during a workout. Make sure you have rest days, but not too many. Eat good food. That's one of the most important parts. Sleep is also important. Running and some form of cardio workout will help you grow too. No one workout routine works for everyone - experiment. Read. Try different workouts, different set and rep combinations, vary your exercises..
Bodybuilders - goal is to sculpt and shape the perfect physique based on international bodybuilding standards of size and shape.
Powerlifters - goal is to get/be as strong as possible.
They both do the same basic compound exercises, but the bodybuilder since he is concentrating on the look of his body, also does a lot more isolated exercises to target certain muscle groups to obtain the desired "standard". Powerlifter lifts to get stronger and stronger. He is not really concerned with how his body LOOKS. A great example is perhaps the most famous powerlifter in history Vasili Alexeyev from the old Soviet Union.
Bodybuilders - goal is to sculpt and shape the perfect physique based on international bodybuilding standards of size and shape.
Powerlifters - goal is to get/be as strong as possible.
They both do the same basic compound exercises, but the bodybuilder since he is concentrating on the look of his body, also does a lot more isolated exercises to target certain muscle groups to obtain the desired "standard". Powerlifter lifts to get stronger and stronger. He is not really concerned with how his body LOOKS. A great example is perhaps the most famous powerlifter in history Vasili Alexeyev from the old Soviet Union.
Lao, and everyone else, there are three major lifting sports. Bodybuilding, powerlifting and Olympic lifting. Vasili Alexeyev was NOT a powerlifter. He was an Olympic lifter. There are two major differences between powerlifting and Olympic lifting. Olympic lifters compete in the snatch and the clean and jerk; powerlifters compete in the squat, bench press and deadlift. Olympic lifters lift for strength, but they also train for speed/explosiveness and technique. Powerlifting requires more brute strength.
Lao, and everyone else, there are three major lifting sports. Bodybuilding, powerlifting and Olympic lifting. Vasili Alexeyev was NOT a powerlifter. He was an Olympic lifter. There are two major differences between powerlifting and Olympic lifting. Olympic lifters compete in the snatch and the clean and jerk; powerlifters compete in the squat, bench press and deadlift. Olympic lifters lift for strength, but they also train for speed/explosiveness and technique. Powerlifting requires more brute strength.
This.
My husband was a powerlifter in his younger years. His top competition weight was 123 and his top competition deadlift was 505. He held some state records at the time.
My husband was a powerlifter in his younger years. His top competition weight was 123 and his top competition deadlift was 505. He held some state records at the time.
Those smaller weight guys (114, 123) are so impressive.
So the strongmen guys who deadlift the front end of a car 20 times are just doing rehab?
No. I'm talking about working out in the gym doing regular exercises. Sure, you can lift a lot of weight and still do lots of reps, but doing that many reps does only restrict the weight you can lift and it's not optimal for hypertrofia nor gaining strength.
I would like to add in that bicep curls will not make you grow or get big, especially when comparing them to powerlifting.
Bicep curls are great and all, but when you are first starting to work out - bench, squat, cleans, military press, rows.. big heavy movements build more mass and strength than doing 3x10 bicep curls.
Anyways - key points is working out hard, no half assing it. No 5 minute breaks in between sets. Sweat during a workout. Make sure you have rest days, but not too many. Eat good food. That's one of the most important parts. Sleep is also important. Running and some form of cardio workout will help you grow too. No one workout routine works for everyone - experiment. Read. Try different workouts, different set and rep combinations, vary your exercises..
You are right about the importance of heavy exercises. The main focus should lie on those. But it's wrong to say that bicep curls don't make your muscles grow. It does make the bicep grow bigger. But it's a small muscle and focusing only on doing small exercises like this would not make you big.
Learn more about food. What you (OP) think is healthy might not actually be very healthy when it comes to gaining weight and muscles. Alot of people keep saying salad, fruit etc is sooo healthy, well yes it got vitamins and that but then what? just some carbohydrates. Most meat is great, lots of protein, creatine. Good ratio of protein/fat/carbohydrates. It's important to know much about protein, google things like "essential amino acids" and "protein synthesis" and learn more.
Thanks for all the responses. I'm more of a meat eater than a fruit lover. I've gotta to have my meat regardless.
But anyhow, I've been reading Rippetoe's book while trying to do research on various weightlifting topics. And he does mention bicep curls in it and the proper way to do them, but he treats them as an assistance exercise rather than a main one since he notes that the muscles can still get stimulated from doing the various big exercises(deadlifts, bench, etc.) So since we're on the subject, anyone familiar with SS?
Lao, and everyone else, there are three major lifting sports. Bodybuilding, powerlifting and Olympic lifting. Vasili Alexeyev was NOT a powerlifter. He was an Olympic lifter. There are two major differences between powerlifting and Olympic lifting. Olympic lifters compete in the snatch and the clean and jerk; powerlifters compete in the squat, bench press and deadlift. Olympic lifters lift for strength, but they also train for speed/explosiveness and technique. Powerlifting requires more brute strength.
Very true. Olympic lifting, while still lifting heavy weights go for more explosive movements. Powerlifting, goal is lift heavy and heavier weights. The similarities are that the bodies of the two usually look the same.
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