Barbell Powerlifters to 70kg - How they build strength without increasing bodyweight?

[Minimalist]

I know that to avoid building muscle mass we have to decrease total volume, but how it is possible to be so strong in 70kg bodyweight? Does these people training to build more mass, for example over 70kg and then cut weight? In bodyweight training (gymnastics) it is recommended that to sometimes do accumulation cycle to build some muscle. I'm wondering how 70kg powerlifters are training? Does they train only with low rep and high intensity all time? They don't need accumulation training?

 

[Antti]

In general, successful powerlifters fill out their frame so one could almost equally call it a height class.

The more advanced one gets the more recommended it is typically to have separate phases of hypertrophy, strength and peaking.

 

[Steve Freides]

I know that to avoid building muscle mass we have to decrease total volume, but how it is possible to be so strong in 70kg bodyweight? Does these people training to build more mass, for example over 70kg and then cut weight? In bodyweight training (gymnastics) it is recommended that to sometimes do accumulation cycle to build some muscle. I'm wondering how 70kg powerlifters are training? Does they train only with low rep and high intensity all time? They don't need accumulation training?

There are many things to take into account, @Minimalist. I compete in the 66 kg category in the IPF, 67.5 kg in USPA and others, and 70 kg in USAWA. I'm 5' 7". Age is but one additional factor you haven't mentioned.

-S-

 

[Hardartery]

You would avoid certain rep ranges to avoid hypertrophy, maybe. Lots of cardio is good way to kill it as well. I'm not saying cardio should be avoided to get big, but there aren't any big marathoners. Smaller frames are also going to be naturally lighter.

 

[Hung]

why do you believe that you cannot be strong at a certain weight? Many strong female olympic lifters/powerliters are strong, even when they are light weight.

not gaining weight is easy. Train hard but don't have quality food/appetite is quite common.

 

[Daniel Vintila]

It depends on how they are built at 70kg.Muscle mass versus bodyfat %. The more muscle mass the more room to add strength and greater the power. Also an athlete will choose a weight class where they can carry as much muscle as possible, and we all know that in order to build muscle takes a lot of time.
So if they need to do hypertrophy training in order to add more muscle and get rid of some fat then yes they will do that whilst paying attention to the scale of course, and then focus on strength training.
If their percentage is good and they have single digits bodyfat or close to that then most likely they will focus on strength. But in general most athletes have a muscle building phase.
I hope this helps.

 

[Steve Freides]

@daniel vintila, there is bone density, too - so many things that make one body different from the next. And it also depends on how you cut and what federation you lift in. You can read stories of guys who lift in federations with night-before weigh-ins who will tell you they weigh 20 lbs. more on the platform than they did at the weigh-in. I think that's pretty extreme but it is done.

When I was in my 40's and 50's, I stayed away from lifting schemes that tended to add muscle, but now that I'm 66 years old, I allow my training to go more in that direction.

-S-

 

[Whosonfirst]

@daniel vintila, there is bone density, too - so many things that make one body different from the next. And it also depends on how you cut and what federation you lift in. You can read stories of guys who lift in federations with night-before weigh-ins who will tell you they weigh 20 lbs. more on the platform than they did at the weigh-in. I think that's pretty extreme but it is done.

When I was in my 40's and 50's, I stayed away from lifting schemes that tended to add muscle, but now that I'm 66 years old, I allow my training to go more in that direction.

-S-

Steve, I'm a few years older than you, but by far the most difficult thing to do in my case is eating enough quality food. From 15 to about 55, it was a cinch. So I had a good run, LOL.

 

[Steve Freides]

Steve, I'm a few years older than you, but by far the most difficult thing to do in my case is eating enough quality food. From 15 to about 55, it was a cinch. So I had a good run, LOL.

Say a bit more, please - do you eat too much junk, or just don't have enough appetite for what you think you require, or something else? I have definitely added muscle since last summer.

-S-

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

Does these people training to build more mass, for example over 70kg and then cut weight?

Definitely. Most high-level lifters will cut weight for competition.

Typically, they won't cut more than 6% of their bodyweight so it's not like they're massively heavier pre-comp.

 

[Hardartery]

@daniel vintila, there is bone density, too - so many things that make one body different from the next. And it also depends on how you cut and what federation you lift in. You can read stories of guys who lift in federations with night-before weigh-ins who will tell you they weigh 20 lbs. more on the platform than they did at the weigh-in. I think that's pretty extreme but it is done.

When I was in my 40's and 50's, I stayed away from lifting schemes that tended to add muscle, but now that I'm 66 years old, I allow my training to go more in that direction.

-S-

I have done close to 20lbs water cut to compete in U105 Strongman a few times. It actually wasn't difficult and I don't think it had much of an effect on competing. And that was a simple cut with no chemical enhancements or anything.

 

[Whosonfirst]

Say a bit more, please - do you eat too much junk, or just don't have enough appetite for what you think you require, or something else? I have definitely added muscle since last summer.

-S-

Definitely appetite. I do love meat and eggs, but much smaller qty's fill me quickly. I'll be interested to see how you progress in the next handful of years.

 

[LukeV]

I have done close to 20lbs water cut to compete in U105 Strongman a few times. It actually wasn't difficult and I don't think it had much of an effect on competing. And that was a simple cut with no chemical enhancements or anything.

What is the weigh in process for these types of events? Is the weigh in held before or after competing? If after, do you have opportunity to replenish between the weigh in and competing?

 

[Hardartery]

What is the weigh in process for these types of events? Is the weigh in held before or after competing? If after, do you have opportunity to replenish between the weigh in and competing?

It's been a while, but weigh ins were the day prior, usually around 3PM. So I hit the scale at 105 or just under (231.5lbs, I was 230 when I weighed in the times I went lightweight), drink a Pedialyte as soon as I stepped off the scale. Drank another (The litre size, not little bottles) as I walked to the exit, bought the highest salt content thing I could find as close to the weigh in as possible (I walked across the street to a Quiznos at least once - so an Italian with double meat) and then we found the hotel and went somewhere for dinner. The next morning I was 246lbs, every time. You could feel the rush from carbs and fluids hitting, almost like getting a pump. Contest would typically start around 9 or 10AM the next day, rules meeting might be after weigh in, might be the next morning right before the contest. At a bigger event we got free stuff on the way out from vendors (Like the Atlanta Fitness Expo has Nats one year and I got a jug of protein and a shaker from GNC and the way out, it depended on the event). Pretty easy going and room to wlk if you were still a little over and needed to knock off a few ounces more.

 

[Steve Freides]

What is the weigh in process for these types of events? Is the weigh in held before or after competing? If after, do you have opportunity to replenish between the weigh in and competing?

There's quite a range in powerlifting. USAPL/IPF requires the weigh-in to be 2 hours or less before the start of competition, so usually that's 7 am weigh-ins for lifting that starts at 9 am. WNPF and other federations I've lifted in have a morning-of-competition options, but also the evening before, which is what most people prefer, so that means 5 pm the day before the competition. USPA has no weigh-in the day of competition, only the morning before (so 24 hours before the competition) and the evening before (like the 5 pm mentioned above).

A weigh-in after the competition has been discussed on this forum not that long ago, but it's never been part of competitive weight- or power-lifting that I'm aware of. For all the current federations, once your weigh-in is done, you can eat or drink whatever you like.

There is also the issue of drug testing, something that has always been, in principle, possible for me but no one has ever asked to test me. Apparently they usually only test people in the open age brackets and the most competitive weight classes and divisions. And some organizations even have out-of-competition drug testing.

-S-

 

[Starlord]

Definitely. Most high-level lifters will cut weight for competition.

Typically, they won't cut more than 6% of their bodyweight so it's not like they're massively heavier pre-comp.

I'm with @Hardartery

I've cut over 10kg to get into a weight class before. 6kg of that was a water cut.

Although I'm not a powerlifter I am strong (lockdown aside) and all in all the cut didn't hinder performance much at all. Considering the 24 hour weigh in system I was VERY strong for my weight class.

 

[LukeV]

There is also the issue of drug testing, something that has always been, in principle, possible for me but no one has ever asked to test me.

How very rude of the drug testing agencies to assume that your talents are natural, Steve!

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

I'm with @Hardartery

I've cut over 10kg to get into a weight class before. 6kg of that was a water cut.

Although I'm not a powerlifter I am strong (lockdown aside) and all in all the cut didn't hinder performance much at all. Considering the 24 hour weigh in system I was VERY strong for my weight class.

I was thinking about weightlifting competitions where the weigh-in is 2 hours before the competition starts; in that short a period, a 6% bodyweight cut is the most I've been told you can get away with. 24 hour weigh-ins at weightlifting competitions would be a game changer.

 

[Starlord]

I know that to avoid building muscle mass we have to decrease total volume, but how it is possible to be so strong in 70kg bodyweight? Does these people training to build more mass, for example over 70kg and then cut weight? In bodyweight training (gymnastics) it is recommended that to sometimes do accumulation cycle to build some muscle. I'm wondering how 70kg powerlifters are training? Does they train only with low rep and high intensity all time? They don't need accumulation training?

Majority of powerlifters who are serious about the sport and want to excel will seek to maximise their chosen weight class.

Ideally you would put yourself into a position where you would put as much muscle as you can onto your frame.

Why would we want to do that? To maximise our strength potential for our height. Weight classes are height classes in disguise. The smaller person, who fills out their weight class with lean tissue and has technical proficiency will on paper be the strongest powerlifter.

Now how can you maximise strength without adding size? This is where ultra specific training comes into play. The great thing about powerlifting is that it is a test of absolute strength on the squat, Bench and dead. So singles.

Very little metabolic stress and TUT on a single rep. No matter how much of a grinder it is.

Very little accessory work. Limit yourself to what you need to remain injury free. Some people don't even do that and go ultra minimalist (not something I would advise when your goal is to push strength to a true extreme).

This is just one strategy and a bit of word vomit from me.

 

[Starlord]

I was thinking about weightlifting competitions where the weigh-in is 2 hours before the competition starts; in that short a period, a 6% bodyweight cut is the most I've been told you can get away with. 24 hour weigh-ins at weightlifting competitions would be a game changer.

Ahhh. Roger that.