Any Powerlifters here?

I was just curious if anyone here trains or competes in powerlifting? I have a meet coming up next month, just gonna pull though I'm dealing with a shoulder issue and have had to take some time off of benching and squating with the barbell.

In my experience, you do NOT want to compete with injuries, especially when large weights are involved. You can seriously damage your body... it just isn't worth the risk.

reply to post by TurkeyTots


True but my thing is bicipital tendonitis. It's not an injury per se, just something that I've got to work around and find things to keep strength levels up without irritating it. I've had to switch around some of my back work and cut out any curling exercises completely as well as barbell squats and full range barbell bench presses. I can still hit partials in the bench and things like floor presses close grip with little to no discomfort. Deads don't bother me at all though.

reply to post by kite74


I'm not, but I know two body builders, and one powerlifter.

I was previously quite an avid trainer/figure competitor. I've been an athlete all my life...and I have to agree with Turkeytots, I would not train on an injury. I have "worked around" an injury before and ended up injuring myself somewhere else due to over-training that muscle by trying to keep off of the other. Time off SUCKS, it sucks so hard! Speaking from experience, I would let it heal completely. I would hate for you to have two injuries

reply to post by ValentineWiggin


Unfortunately time off isn't really an option right now, I'm only 4 weeks out from a meet. I will however be taking the week prior and probably the week after off or maybe just do some rehab work that week and take it from there.

Well I know when it comes to athletes, we are going to do exactly what we put our minds to, so roger that. Take time off when you can.

Just as I was getting into muscle sculpting my collar bone decided to pop out of place during a swim of all things lol..and I had to stop all heavy lifting, I used bands to train instead during my rehab

reply to post by kite74


I don't usually do to much powerlifting if at all.

Mostly because the sports that I used to practice, all that strength and mass is a cool and all but it's meaningless without the cardio and physical endurance to back it up, and I don't go to the gym or train as much as I used to.

But ya be careful lifting while injured because if you over do it and something happens it will not heal for a long time, years and years I am talking here, if it will heal at all. I know I injured my biscep about almost a year ago, curling 80 pound dumbbells, and just now its starting to heal, but I still cant even bring any heavy free weights/bar/dumbbells up over my head or on a bench without felling it.

So ya dude once you over do it and something shifts or snaps or tears, then it wont go away and you will most likely be stuck with it for your lifetime. Besides a little time of ain't going to kill you, most people overwork anyways, and the body will do better if it has a little time to heal.

But its your life so do whatever.

reply to post by laiguana


Dam that must of been some hard core swimming you must of been doing.

I have free weights at home, Jim, but don't heavy lift for obvious reasons -- no spotter.

reply to post by laiguana


Yea, it seems like it's the little things that break ya down the most like throwing out your back bending to pick up some paper, lol.

reply to post by galadofwarthethird


I wound up taking the last 3 weeks off, my meet it this Saturday and at this point I'm just going to have fun with it. Whatever I end up hitting will be fine with me, I just couldn't bring myself to back out lol. I should still be good for a mid 3's bench and low to mid 6's on the pull. I've just kept up my GPP work and icing everything down. It's all feeling much better now, not 100% but still much better.

Just a quick update, I weighed in right at 181 with clothes on but no shoes. I decided not to worry about cutting to 165 so why bother stripping down, lol. I opened 285 on the bench, then 315 (surprisingly fast) and then 345. On the 345 my shoulder really kicked in but got the lift just fine. Deadlift was a strange deal, I opened with 585. It flew up but I was way off balance and had to drop it at lockout or flop forward. Second attempt was 635 (as planned) and the same damn thing happened. I decided to just keep it at 635 for my third and smoked it (finally!).