POWERBUILDING

[startinfromscratch]

well its LONG overdue that powerbuilding had its own thread. the ideal of a hybrid of bber and strength training is getting popular, i thought it would be good to have a thread dedicated to it.

What id like people to post up there thoughts on things like:

splits you use? and in particular, volume used? set & rep scemes?

our resident powerbuilding guru doc squat posted up some good info on this in his blog here.

i like the idea of a 4 day split, using high volume for a primary exercise, and bber style training for the supplementary exes.

example - leg day

squats, 10 set pyramid, up to a set of 5-6, back down to 15 reps

lying-leg curls 10 sets 8-15reps supersetted with

calf presses 10sets 10-15reps

core work

thoughts? ideas? share your powerbuilding experiences!

[jaycutler1986]

POWERBUILDING = excuse to use shit form. I love the way POWERBUILDING stimulates my ego. Not so much my muscles....

[PeterDolan]

[MOD EDIT: Spam]

How do you figure this

Congratulations on another Sandow Jay :doh:

[Dr Squat]

I am a big fan of 6 days a week. The basic template is a max effort squat/posterior chain day on Wednesday and a max effort bench day on Monday. The rest is filling in the gaps.

Mon- Bench (chest and triceps)

Tues- Upper back and biceps

Wed- Posterior chain

Thurs- Shoulders

Fri- Arms

Sat- Quads

http://biggerstrongersmarter.wordpress.com/2010/11/23/powerbuilding-training-template-6-days-per-week/

This post I did gives a bit more detail. It's basically a hybrid of the Westside program with lots of additional workouts.

I would be interested to get other thoughts.

Lisa Menzies also has some articles I have written on the gofigure website.

http://www.gofigure.co.nz/doc/content/blogcategory/0/45/

[steak]

This will be a good thread...will follow with interest :nod:

Steak-a-size (the lame name I gave a training program I did) was conceived from a conversation I had with Matt Perryman many moons ago. The idea being that when you are "body part training" rather than "training the lift" eg doing a chest work out rather than training your bench press, big compound movements are the ones for maximum hypertrophy as long as you stick to the simple rules of Time Under Tension (TUT) eg keep the reps in the muscle growth range and not in the muscle endurance range which most trainees do anyway as you seldom see a set go longer a minute (where you start to achieve muscle endurance rather than growth (Im sure PMan will put this into the right words for what I'm trying to say )

Keeping this in mind we'd pick a body part and thrash it to near failure with 1 big compound movement. Obviously there is a bit of volume involved but rep ranges can vary, be pyramided, kept high, kept low, cycled etc as long as you are getting stuck into your work. Exercises are changed each session Eg on back day DB Row would change to deadlift to barbell or pendlay rows etc

Building the building so to speak. When you're done or near done add in a few more sets of another exercise for the same body part possibly even an assistance exercise for that particular movement you had just done. Painting the building eg side lat raises after overhead pressing or lat pulldown/chins after rows.

Obviously on days where you are training 2 body parts eg back and biceps you would have to split the work load proportionally so you didn't exhaust yourself completely on back work and like wise for large body parts you could split the work into 2 for a large body part like back or legs but we seldom did this other than for legs where we would give the hammies a walloping each time.

Getting plenty of rest where you can is important as is putting the calories to support your efforts and goals.

[soundsgood]

So Powerbuilding is:-

- 5/6 day split with each day based around one bodypart

- Each workout starts with one compound lift where you pyramid up to a top set with 6-8 reps, then pyramid back down with lower weights but keeping intensity high

- Followed by Several supplementary exercises working the same muscle group

Excuse my ignorance but I assumed this was all pretty standard Bodybuilding training. Been training like this for a long time

I don't get it

:shifty:

[Dr Squat]

So Powerbuilding is:-

- 5/6 day split with each day based around one bodypart

- Each workout starts with one compound lift where you pyramid up to a top set with 6-8 reps, then pyramid back down with lower weights but keeping intensity high

- Followed by Several supplementary exercises working the same muscle group

Excuse my ignorance but I assumed this was all pretty standard Bodybuilding training. Been training like this for a long time

I don't get it

:shifty:

I don't think I have ever claimed that power-building was ground breaking stuff. Of course there is a close correlation between bodybuilding and powerlifting. That makes good sense.

Your analysis above misses the mark when it comes to getting strong. Max effort days on the big three lifts are typically not a pyramid. I do sometimes do this and advocate it but I also like to go really heavy on box squats, deadlifts, bench, incline bench, good mornings etc. These movements build real strength and they also challenge you mentally in terms of breaking new ground.

I don't think this is standard bodybuilding is it? I don't think many bodybuilders do max effort days to develop their posterior chain? Most bodybuilders I know are anti box squats because they thicken the waist

Power-building also differs in that lifters possibly want to test themselves in a competitive powerlifting format.

[soundsgood]

I hear what you are saying Dr Squat. And yes it is very similar to how I train, and similar to a few of the heavier weight bb's I have trained with. U can either chase the big numbers or add in some cardio, trim the carbs, lean up to look good on stage

It really is the best of both worlds!

[drizzt]

Good thread 8) The gist of powerbuilding really appeals to me :nod:

Doc, do you think this is something that would suit a more athletic-focused lifter?

I guess what I'm asking is; how would the workload you recommend fit in with, say, a Rugby player's week in-season (e.g couple of trainings and a game)? Or would it be something best left for the off-season?

Cheers

[Dr Squat]

Good thread 8) The gist of powerbuilding really appeals to me :nod:

Doc, do you think this is something that would suit a more athletic-focused lifter?

I guess what I'm asking is; how would the workload you recommend fit in with, say, a Rugby player's week in-season (e.g couple of trainings and a game)? Or would it be something best left for the off-season?

Cheers

I think it has more of a strength focus. For me, I see the basis being increasing the squat, bench and the deadlift. The rest of the work is about "filling in the gaps" or improving the weak points to get stronger.

In terms of in season training. It still has relevance. My view is that you get weak if you stop training heavy. Workload needs to be monitored but 3 days a week in the gym is realistic. Maybe 4 if the players are committed.

The rugby players I train all train like this. They are getting stronger and gaining muscle. Gee, who would have thought you could do that in the gym?

[Creatine]

For me, powerbuilding is using powerlifting techniques to help increase strength on top of the more traditional bodybuilding or hypertrophy work.

This can be either utilizing maximal effort, dynamic effort, max concentric,or any other PL methods, with the goal of increasing strength (usually in the big three or their variants) while still doing the 6+ rep sets and other bodybuilding methods.

How does this differ to a normal WSB or other PL template where they also include accessory or supplemental exercises in the 5-15 rep range?

The main difference would be the split, which for WSB templates are based on 2 squat days and 2 bench days per week, whereas powerbuilder splits are usually simlar to bodybuilder body splits. This means more accessory/supplemental movements, more volume and they can be taken to failure or beyond because of the reduced frequency of the bodypart split giving more time for recovery.

So i think powerbuilders are bodybuilders who use atleast 1 PL method or technique to help increase their max strength.

[Dr Squat]

For box squat technique I like to sit completely on the box. No touch and go. But avoid the rocking motion. See below.

[OnlyHuman]

That squat ^ is so impressive!!! :clap:

[morattigirl]

Faaark that looks choice.... 6 dudes all standing round ya ready 8)

[Dr Squat]

Liza Menzie (http://www.gofigure.co.nz) has started a powerbuilding section on her site to which I am a contributor. There will be an article appearing this week on powerlifting technique. The unedited version is on my blog below.

One of the motivations of the the powerbuilding information on go-figure is to ultimately attract new lifters to the sport and also to increase the information available to new and aspiring lifters. Personally, I want to see a greater crossover between powerlifting and bodybuilding competitors.

http://biggerstrongersmarter.wordpress.com/2010/12/12/powerlifting-technique-part-i/

[ohjoshua]

With the new weight classes in powerlifting next year it looks like a few of us may need to do more bb/powerbuilding style training to get up to weight. Myself included. It would be cool to put on 5kg next year to be at the top of the 105kg class.

[Dr Squat]

Rodney Hide- Supercity Minister- reflects on his year...

THIS YEAR I learnt...

... to go to a gym where they let you use chalk. That's how you can tell a serious gym.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/4446437/This-year-I-learnt

[steak]

Enjoying your blog Doc. Good stuff 8)

[Dr Squat]

Enjoying your blog Doc. Good stuff 8)

2 views per day bro. You and my mother.

[OnlyHuman]

Enjoying your blog Doc. Good stuff 8)

2 views per day bro. You and my mother.

:clap: (very funny!)

[Dr Squat]

Enjoying your blog Doc. Good stuff 8)

2 views per day bro. You and my mother.

:clap: (very funny!)

I reckon Rookie and his mum would be reading it too. :nod:

[steak]

Enjoying your blog Doc. Good stuff 8)

2 views per day bro. You and my mother.

sorry bro...my connection times out..it was me twice :roll: :grin:

[Rookie]

2 views per day bro. You and my mother.

:clap: (very funny!)

I reckon Rookie and his mum would be reading it too. :nod:

Haha just me bro, farking miss the house atm, good training sessions and funny stories! How`s the cult going at the house?

[Best Bench]

How`s the cult going at the house?

noun ... a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.

I'm not getting on any spaceship bro!!

How is the Japanese Chapter going Rookie? Is there some big tin being shifted in your Dojo?

[Rookie]

How`s the cult going at the house?

noun ... a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.

I'm not getting on any spaceship bro!!

How is the Japanese Chapter going Rookie? Is there some big tin being shifted in your Dojo?

Haha the charismatic leader being Coach? Quite cold but the food is awesome, chicken breasts are as cheap as dirt, also eating 4 cups of rice a day which is good. Yeah a few strong guys here- all bbers, strongest guy here benches 180x3. Still, no 210 raw bench presses, 300+ DL`s or 300+ squats. No bench champs here either, the rival gym specializes in PLing and has a few national champs, so might check it out sometime.

The gym I train at specializes in is an old school BBing gym so a bit different but still managing to train like a PBer.

How are things with your training?

Rookie