Powerlifting and strongman are two main energy sports activities in North America and around the globe. Whereas switching from one sport to the opposite is feasible, you could be stunned at how completely different they are surely. The most important variations: Variety of occasions and forms of lifts. However there are no less than 10 extra variations as properly.
These embody:
- Weight classes
- Endurance
- Physique Sort
- Gear
We’re going to discover every of those within the article that can assist you higher distinguish between the 2 sports activities and hopefully show you how to resolve which one could also be finest suited in your objectives, wants and/or abilities.
Variations Between Powerlifting and Strongman Competitions
Each of a majority of these occasions worth energy over muscle measurement and aesthetics. So what is the distinction between a powerlifting meet and a strongman competitors (like World’s Strongest Man or Arnold Strongman Traditional)?
1. Variety of “Occasions”
- In powerlifting you compete in solely 3 lifts
- In strongman competitions, rivals are anticipated to com
One of many foremost and most blatant variations between strongman and powerlifting is that powerlifting solely consists of three lifts: the squat, bench and deadlift whereas in strongman competitions that you must compete in 5 occasions that are all completely different from each other.
The implication of that is that there are extra issues to get your self ready for on the day of competitors and you’ve got extra alternatives to redeem your self in competitors and transfer forward in rankings based mostly in your private strengths.
2. Varieties of Lifts
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- Powerlifting is all about squat, bench and deadlift and solely the squat, bench and deadlifts
- Strongman is all about squats, deadlifts, clear and press, carrying, flipping, pulling, pushing, pulling, urgent and loading
Not solely does Strongman have extra lifts so that you can compete in inside the competitors setting, however the selection is far broader than Powerlifting.
Whereas squats and deadlifts can and do make an look inside strongman competitions, issues like carrying a stone or sandbag, flipping a tire, pulling a truck, or getting a big circus dumbbell over your head are simply as frequent. You may additionally see workout routines like farmer’s stroll and silver greenback deadlift.
Due to this fact, strongman rivals should be conditioned to do extra than simply 3 lifts and have to get their our bodies to maneuver successfully in many various planes. for those who want to achieve success as a strongman.
3. Weight Classes
- Powerlifting weight has 8 weight courses for males and eight weight courses for girls, every separated by 5-10kg
- Strongman weight courses are break up up into 3 broad classes of sunshine, center and heavy weight for each men and women
As of 2021, the powerlifting weight courses are as follows:
Girls: 47 kg, 52 kg, 57 kg, 63 kg, 69 kg, 76 kg, 84 kg, 84 kg+
Males: 59 kg, 66 kg, 74 kg, 83 kg, 93 kg, 105 kg, 120 kg, 120 kg+
Which means you’re prone to compete with somebody who may be very related in weight and construct as you. Regardless that some do reduce weight earlier than competitors it’s normally simply to leap down one weight class.
In distinction, at Strongman competitions the burden courses are a bit extra advanced and even differ between novice and open classes.
Typically talking they’re break up up into a light-weight, mediumweight, heavyweight and a brilliant heavyweight weight class with extra broad reduce offs than you’ll see in powerlifting. Nevertheless, there are actually subclasses inside these broader classes which look extra just like powerlifting courses.
For instance:
USS occasions have novice men and women solely break up between light-weight and heavyweight with the reduce off for girls being 165lbs and 220lbs for males.
In that very same occasion the open class is break up as follows:
Girls
- Light-weight: underneath 123lbs/55kg, underneath 132lbs/60kg
- Mediumweight: underneath 148lbs/67kg, underneath 165llbs/75kg
- Heavyweight/Superheavyweight: underneath 180lbs, underneath 198 lbs, 198lbs+
Males
- Light-weight: underneath 148lbs, underneath 165lbs, underneath 181lbs
- Mediumweight: underneath 198lbs, underneath 220lbs
- Heavyweight+Superheavyweight: underneath 242lbs, underneath 275lbs, 275lbs +
The precise cut-offs are fairly related throughout occasions however do differ with some having completely different numbers of subclasses inside the gentle, medium and heavyweight classes.
Due to this fact for Strongman, it’s crucial you verify the particular occasion you’re signing up for to know precisely how a lot you weigh and which class you’re prone to compete in.
With powerlifting, it’s much more easy and you may count on the identical classes throughout occasions.
4. Endurance
- Powerlifting requires nearly no endurance to carry out decently properly at a contest
- Strongman requires a ton of endurance to carry out properly
Whereas each powerlifting and strongman are sports activities based mostly in energy and energy, the important thing distinction is in relation to endurance. A powerlifter solely has to raise a weight one time with a view to be deemed a profitable raise and get factors towards their complete.
In distinction, Strongman occasions contain both performing one thing for a number of or as many reps as doable or would require you to hold one thing for a set distance and consequently endurance actually will make or break your means to achieve success and garner factors. Which means endurance and cardio coaching are way more essential for a majority of these occasions.
5. Physique Varieties
- Powerlifting athletes usually tend to be shorter with sturdy, girthy trunks and thicker decrease our bodies
- Strongman athletes on the highest stage are typically a lot taller than powerlifters with bigger higher our bodies
Whereas it will be ridiculous to pinpoint a single approach one ought to look to compete in both or any sport, there are particular traits that may naturally profit some individuals over others. With powerlifting, being shorter generally is a profit since weights simply merely have to maneuver throughout a shorter distance when your physique is nearer to the bottom.
In Strongman, sure occasions could be good for the shorter people like deadlifting and squatting; nevertheless, occasions the place that you must carry heavy objects or need to deal with an atlas stone.
Whereas each occasion types require energy coaching, this can be a consideration for anybody who’s between the 2 sports activities and desires to make use of their top to their benefit!
Be taught extra about physique varieties in my article What Is The Finest Physique Sort For Powerlifting?
6. The Deadlift
- In powerlifting, the deadlift is completed on a contest permitted bar and has strict guidelines concerning the way to execute it.
- In Strongman, the deadlift is a standard motion inside the competitors setting nevertheless it may be in quite a few types and has completely different guidelines concerning execution.
A powerlifting deadlift could be carried out both in sumo or typical stance and is both performed with a deadlift bar or a stiff bar with roughly the identical type throughout all federations. Your knees and hips should be locked out, you’ll be able to’t use straps and hitching shouldn’t be allowed.
On the earth of Strongman, deadlift-like mechanics are normally discovered at most competitions; nevertheless, it might be an 18” deadlift which is a partial deadlift, or it might be an axle deadlift which is way more troublesome to grip than a barbell. Generally you’re not deadlifting plates in any respect and it’s a automotive as an alternative.
Moreover, straps and wraps are all acceptable in Strongman and hitching shouldn’t be an infraction. This implies a raise remains to be thought-about a hit even for those who relaxation it in your thighs on the best way up and use your legs to inch the bar nearer to a lockout.
Be taught extra in regards to the Deadlift Guidelines For Powerlifting Competitors.
7. Unpredictability
- In powerlifting, you realize precisely all of the tools you can see on the competitors and what might be anticipated of you
- In Strongman, there may be normally some aspect of shock even main as much as a contest and undoubtedly within the off season
In the event you haven’t already observed all through the article, powerlifting may be very structured.
You in all probability know what sort of bar you’ll be utilizing, the texture of the platform, the period of time you need to full your raise and the general construction of almost all the pieces. And the foundations and practices of your federation will proceed to be constant between competitions.
Strongman is the kind of sport the place you’ll be able to’t actually begin to implement “specificity” months upfront of a contest.
Whereas there may be some tough understanding that every of the 5 occasions within the competitors might be considerably categorical (a deadlift, a carry and many others), the precise particulars usually are not launched till a lot nearer to the competitors and in some instances they are going to deliberately omit particulars about one of many occasions and preserve it a shock.
The ideas and objectives Strongman competitions are based mostly on is that you’ve got an general, basic energy that may face up to any problem whereas powerlifting is extraordinarily predictable and fully surrounds squatting, benching and deadlifting.
8. Gear Wanted
- Coaching for powerlifting could be performed in fairly most, if not all, main health amenities with a couple of exceptions
- Coaching for strongman competitions requires a number of specialty tools that may’t be discovered at most gyms
Powerlifting is a fairly accessible sport in that it doesn’t matter what metropolis or city you progress to you’ll in all probability be capable of discover a gymnasium to fit your wants.
Whereas some gyms undoubtedly cater to the game higher than others by getting good high quality barbells and loads of area to deadlift and squat; general most gyms no less than have a barbell you can also make do with.
In distinction, strongman requires way more advanced implements and tools which you can normally solely discover at energy gyms that cater to all energy sports activities, together with strongman.
9. Makes an attempt
- In powerlifting, you get 3 makes an attempt per raise for a complete of 9 lifts in competitors
- In Strongman, not one of the occasions are repeated and also you simply have one alternative to finish the occasion/activity
In powerlifting, whereas there are solely 3 lifts, you do get to hit the platform 9 instances since every raise will get 3 makes an attempt. Due to this fact, for those who didn’t handle to raise a weight on the second try you’ll be able to attempt once more.
As well as, as long as you get one of many makes an attempt efficiently you’re good to maneuver ahead within the competitors.
In Strongman you solely actually get one try on the occasion. In the event you carry out one thing in a approach that isn’t thought-about acceptable or incomplete and also you fail out of the occasion your probabilities of redemption are slim.
Learn my full information on How To Choose Makes an attempt For Powerlifting.
10. Factors/Scoring
- Powerlifting scoring relies on the entire weight lifted if you add up the best profitable squat, bench and deadlift makes an attempt after which in contrast along with your physique weight at competitors
- Strongman scoring is allotted on what rating you completed inside your occasion and the factors get added up throughout all 5 occasions and probably the most factors win, no matter actual physique weight
In powerlifting, each pound counts, each on the bar and in your physique. Somebody who performs the identical as another person who’s a pound heavier than them would beat them solely based mostly on physique weight. As well as, the precise weight they can transfer carries most of their complete rating. Which means for those who raise extra general, you’re in all probability going to put.
In Strongman it really works a bit of bit otherwise.
Right here your weight class is only a class and the precise decimal level of the place you weigh in shouldn’t be related. If there may be ever a tie between 2 individuals in a single occasion the factors are break up between them.
As well as, if there may be an occasion the place that you must raise one thing for probably the most quantity of reps, the precise variety of reps you do doesn’t bear any weight, you simply need to do probably the most in comparison with the opposite rivals.
Due to this fact, how properly you need to carry out solely is determined by who reveals up on the competitors. Most occasions are standardized the place everybody within the class has to make use of the identical tools, due to this fact the precise weight of the objects doesn’t have an effect on scoring for probably the most half.
Learn extra about How Is Powerlifting Scored?
11. Drug Testing
Drug examined powerlifting is kind of widespread in North America and around the globe and its rise to reputation has had a big function to play within the rise of powerlifting reputation as a sport of selection.
Those that want to compete untested do have loads of choices out there to them as properly, making a sport the place there are alternatives for everybody. This may nevertheless differ by area.
Strongman is a type of sports activities the place efficiency enhancing medicine are a type of issues that include the territory, significantly on the elite stage.
This isn’t to say everybody in strongman does use them, however those that don’t are sometimes competing towards those that do due to the final lack of occasions in strict, drug examined federations.
There is probably not a requirement for it; nevertheless one thing the game might need to look into in the event that they want to improve its reputation among the many basic inhabitants.
12. Programming
- Powerlifting program facilities round squatting, benching and deadlifting and progressively overloading all of those actions in numerous cycles of coaching
- Strongman applications contains a wide range of actions and combines components of energy, energy and endurance
No matter what programming fashion you favor, powerlifters will begin each single day with both a squat, bench or deadlift. And except it’s months away from a meet, it’ll doubtless be a contest fashion raise or a really slight variation.
Most units are performed for reps of 1-5 except in an low season, hypertrophy part of coaching.
Strongman however offers with way more rep work and doing issues for longer time period or distances.
Learn extra: The Finest Strongman Packages
As well as, one cycle of coaching could be very completely different from the following based mostly on what fashion of occasions you’re wanting to enhance in or have to work on for an upcoming competitors.
One yr you could be doing tons of labor to enhance a automotive deadlift whereas the following yr it’s extra in regards to the axle deadlift, solely due to what your upcoming competitors will ask of you.
The times are much less prone to be break up by higher and decrease physique since plenty of the aggressive workout routines are full-body fashion compound actions.
Ought to Powerlifters Do Strongman?
Here is a video from considered one of our powerlifting coaches on whether or not powerlifters profit from strongman coaching.
Quick reply: Sure, powerlifters profit from strongman coaching.
Regardless of the variations within the occasions, these two sports activities work most of the identical muscle teams.
Our coach advocates that powerlifters ought to think about incorporating strongman coaching into their routines. He highlights the advantages of strongman occasions, significantly for powerlifters who might expertise plateaus in development and improvement after mastering the squat, bench, and deadlift.
Breaking By Plateaus
Lucero factors out that powerlifting’s concentrate on particular actions can generally result in stagnation. By introducing strongman occasions, athletes can stimulate their muscular tissues otherwise, pushing previous plateaus and making their coaching extra participating.
He compares this to the best way growing espresso consumption over time requires extra cups to realize the identical impact—equally, diversified workout routines are wanted to proceed muscle development after mastering powerlifting actions.
Strongman Coaching within the Off-Season
Lucero means that the low season is a perfect time to include strongman coaching. This method targets less-used muscular tissues in powerlifting routines, evoking muscle soreness and development. He additionally believes that collaborating in strongman competitions can improve a powerlifter’s competitiveness and cut back nerves throughout conventional meets.
Occasions Powerlifters Could Excel In
Sure strongman occasions, reminiscent of grip and carry occasions, align properly with the talents developed in powerlifting.
Nevertheless, Lucero notes that powerlifters would possibly face challenges with occasions just like the overhead press and throwing, which require vertical urgent and explosive hip actions—actions much less emphasised in powerlifting.
Sensible Recommendation for Learners
For these new to strongman coaching, Lucero advises beginning with primary holds and progressively growing the burden and complexity of the occasions. This method helps athletes discover and tackle their weak factors whereas safely integrating strongman workout routines into their routines.
Additional Studying
To dive deeper into the advantages and comparisons between powerlifting and strongman coaching, try Hafthor Bjornsson’s profession on insta. Whereas he was made well-known in Sport of Thrones, he is a real champion in Strongman occasions. In the event you practice like he does, you may improve your uncooked powerlifting talents for positive.
Incorporating strongman coaching may very well be the important thing to unlocking new ranges of energy and competitiveness for powerlifters.