9 Benefits of Powerlifting

Powerlifting requires huge amounts of discipline and dedication. It is by no means a casual sport or hobby. At times it can be absolutely grueling on both the body and the mind. Luckily, the benefits of powerlifting make it all worth it. Both powerlifting and strength training come with a slew of health benefits, both physical and mental.

Here are the top 9 Benefits of Powerlifting, in no Particular Order.

1. Strength

Who doesn’t want to be strong? Nobody. Some people may not want huge muscles, but nobody is going to prefer being weak to being strong. Powerlifting will make routine tasks like walking up stairs and carrying things easier, and will help prevent injury. Powerlifting not only increases muscle strength, it also strengthens tendons and ligaments.

2. Increased Bone Density

Strength training in general will increase bone density, making your bones stronger and less susceptible to breakage and osteoporosis.

3. Decreased LDL Cholesterol

The more physically fit you are, the lower your cholesterol is going to be. And powerlifting is an excellent way to get in shape.

4. Lowers Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Just like aerobic exercise is good for the heart, anaerobic exercise like resistance training offers the same benefits. Lifting weights can actually lower your blood pressure as well – after your workout is over, that is.

5. Reduces Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

Lifting has been one of the most helpful things to fight off anxiety and depression in my own life. It does this in a number of ways:

• Makes you feel accomplished. Hitting new PRs or finishing a grueling workout can make you feel like you’re on top of the world.
• Hormones released when you exercise and make you feel awesome.
• An increase in endurance leads to an increase in energy throughout the day, making you feel better mentally and physically.
• When most people follow a regular workout routine they tend to eat healthier which in turn makes you feel better all around.

6. Weight loss

Lifting heavy weights not only burns calories, it also increases your metabolism. It can increase your resting metabolic rate by 7%. That means that even after you’ve left the gym, and you’re at home sitting on the couch eating pizza and drinking beer, you’re still burning calories. More than you would if you were doing a bodybuilding style routine with higher reps.

7. Increase Muscle Size

Training like a bodybuilder is obviously better for muscle size, but strength training will also increase the size of the muscle, just not as much as high rep bodybuilding style training. Throw a couple high rep sets in your routine to get the best of both worlds, or have a day focusing strictly on hypertrophy. Having more muscle will also increase your metabolism.

8. Confidence

Having confidence in the gym translates over to confidence in real life. Being confident about your body and lifting abilities can make a huge difference in how you act in everyday situations.

9. Community

The powerlifting community as a whole is one of the most caring and generous communities you will find. Most powerlifters are usually willing to help out newcomers and are almost always happy to share information. Consider joining a strength gym if there’s one near you and you’ll more than likely meet some great people.

While powerlifting has its benefits, it can also be very rough on your body so make sure you’re lifting smart.