The New Lifter
By
Derek Barker
Many lifters start out in powerlifting at a young age. For some, this may be
as young as 16 or even younger. For others, it could be 20, 25, or even older.
If a teenager has a desire to become a powerlifter, he should first and foremost
convey that desire to his parents to not only get their approval but to make
sure that they’re physically able to handle the tremendous stress that
powerlifting will put upon them. A physical by a primary physician is probably a
good start. This is also a good idea for any beginning lifter. Once the aspiring
lifter has been physically checked out and mom and dad have given their consent
for the teenagers, what’s next? Where does the new lifter begin?
First of all, read. That’s right, read. Read all you can on the sport. A
great place to start is the EliteFTS.com articles section. There are many great
articles on a variety of powerlifting and strength-related subjects, so read as
much as you can. Remember the old saying—knowledge is power. In this case, it
truly is.
The next thing to do is to seek out a place to train where powerlifting is
welcomed. This may not be so easy because “powerlifting friendly” and
“commercial gym” seldom go in the same sentence together anymore. You may want
to decide to construct your own training facility in your garage or basement.
Lucky for you, EliteFTS has everything you’ll need and more to do just that. A
good place to start is the “Sick of Your Gym” package. It has everything an
aspiring lifter needs to get the ball rolling.
Training partners go hand in hand with a training facility. Seek them out, go
to meets, visit some gyms around town, introduce yourself, ask where the good
lifters train, and don’t be shy. Just because you’re young and inexperienced
doesn’t mean that you have no value to the established lifters. Remember, they
were all in your shoes at one time and someone took the time to help them, so go
for it and get with some good lifters. As the “new guy,” you may be at the
bottom of the proverbial totem pole, but don’t let that discourage you. You may
get razzed a little, but that’s all in good fun. The guy who gives you a hard
time during your workouts will be the same guy at the meet handling you and
making your day that much easier. It’s all in good fun.
Training
This can and will vary by the lifter, and I would be doing you a disservice
to lay out a random training program for you to blindly follow. Instead, I’ll
impart some wisdom. If you’re new to strength training in general, you probably
need to gain weight and acquire muscle mass, so the majority of your early
training should be geared primarily toward that. It may almost be bodybuilding,
but remember you aren’t bodybuilding but building your frame to handle the heavy
loads you intend to put on it. If you have a base from previous strength
training or bodybuilding, you may be able to jump right in, but do yourself a
favor before you go throwing all the plates on the bar. Spend the amount of time
you need to learn proper technique. Learn how to squat correctly, experiment
with foot spacing, and try different grips when bench pressing. But make sure
your technique is in adherence to the rules. That is key to your success. If
you’re lifting your butt off the bench all the time or heaving the bar off your
chest but your weights are going up week after week, are you succeeding? You are
in the gym, but in a contest, you’ll be met with red lights. That’s not good. So
pay attention to your form and have your partners pay attention to your form and
you to theirs.
Goals
The beginning lifter should have goals, sensible goals that is. If you’re new
to the sport and have just hit your first 405-lb squat, concentrate on hitting
450 next time out, not 750! It’s okay to think big, but be realistic because
after 450 comes 500, then 550 and so forth. Before you know it, you may be at
750. And you will be if you don’t...
Quit
Never let that enter your mind. Powerlifting is hard and you will shed some
tears. You’ll pound your fists, but powerlifting will always give back more than
it takes away. Remember that. You have to love it when it stinks. If you go
through a period of plateaus or going backward, injuries, or other bad times,
get past it. Find a way to train, find a way to heal up, and read more! There is
always a solution to every problem. As I have said before, not everyone can be a
“great” lifter, but I believe that everyone can be a good lifter, a very good
lifter. So get out there prospective new powerlifters. Take your first steps.
We’ll be looking for you at the meet!
Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength
training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products
and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the
industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit
us at www.EliteFTS.com.
