Powerbuilding - Powerlifting + Bodybuilding: Best of both worlds?

Submitted by RonnyT on Tue, 2021-02-23 09:16
One thing is clear – without the proper guidance, the right rep range is UNCLEAR. When most start lifting, chances are good they are not following a program. If you are, you might have all your ducks in a row, making progress, as your bros just keep repping and repping over and over. 
 
Programs work! To make gains, you need to be on a structured program. Even if you aim all your sets at a same rep count, you should still be able to make progress but at what cost? 
 
What are you goals? The rep range with the right weights matters. Lifting is a science and it needs to be treated as such. 
 
Powerlifters are known for their strength. Bodybuilders are known for their size. It might surprise you to hear that these are achieved in different ways. To build strength and power, powerlifters will focus on a 3-5 rep range for their working sets. Bodybuilders lower the weight and focus on controlled reps in the 8-12 range. 
 
Each style has its own purpose but they can coexist! “Powerbuilding” is a new style of training that has recently started gaining popularity. Powerbuilding combines the strength gains of powerlifting AND the size of bodybuilding. A lot of people think these are the same thing – they are wrong! 
 
What does a typical Powerbuilding workout look like? 
 
Let’s take squat for example. A powerlifter would work up to four sets of (85% of the 1RM) for five reps. For the sake of demonstration, I’ll use 350 lbs as our 85% 1RM.  
 
The warmup would be: bar x 15 reps, 135 lbs x 5 reps
 
And now we move up in weight and down in reps until we get to your working sets. These dropdown sets would be: 225 lbs x 4 reps, 275 lbs x 3 reps, 315 lbs x 2 reps. These sets get you mentally and physically prepared for what’s to come. 
 
Now that we’re warmed up, we start our working sets (4 total) with 350 lbs for 5 reps. This completes the “Power” portion of Powerbuilding. These sets will add size over time but its emphasis is on power and strength. 
 
And now to the “building” portion of Powerbuilding. Any sets you do here onward are geared towards size and pump. It’s not complicated – pyramid down your weight, while increasing your reps each set. In time, you will see your strength fly and your size improve, granted nutrition is on point. 
 
That’s it! The industry is filled with influencers, such as Larry Wheels, Jujimufu, Mike O’Hearn, and Jeff Nippard who focus their programs on Powerbuilding. These guys all have fantastic Youtube channels going over the why and how of Powerbuilding. If you need a more info or just want to watch cool videos, these guys are a great start. 
 
Get out there – get strong – get big!