Fitness review: power lifting is for the everyday Joe and Jane
Have you always wanted to give power lifting a go, but thought it was out of your league? Not true. Here’s how you can get started.
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt as I get older and keep up my fitness regime, it’s that you can never do enough strength training. It’s a sure fire way to counteract age related bone loss (no-one wants brittle bones), build muscle, and keep your metabolism revved up.
Meet Cherry, my pint sized powerhouse guest reviewer. Power lifting is a competitive sport involving three types of lifts: the squat, the bench press, and the deadlift. Cherry took up power lifting around 5 years ago, introduced to the activity by a personal trainer at her local gym.
She started lifting to get stronger, but soon found it was a great way to relieve stress. A loving wife and a mum to a 7 year old, Cherry juggles fulltime work in a demanding corporate role in addition to studying an MBA. This is one workout she prioritises to keep on top of her game.
The details
Duration: 60 minute session at a gym with a coach/trainer
Style: Small group training
Cost: $20 a week through gym membership and $40 per session
Who’s there: Men and women, majority aged between 30-50 years old
What to wear/bring: Correct powerlifting footwear for lifting heavier weights, fitted activewear that won’t get in the way (no baggy shirts)
Ask That Fit Girl > What should someone expect?
My sessions are usually an hour with my coach/trainer in a group of 3 or 4. It is a combination of warm up which includes dynamic stretching and muscle activation and then lifting up to your program (this can vary from either heavy weights with less volume or lighter weights with more volume). This is then followed by working on complementary muscle groups and then the brutal conditioning which is 15 minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT).
When starting out it’s hard to remember all the things you need to do technique wise. If you have a good trainer, expect to start with no or very little weights to get your technique right first and build the muscle groups. Muscle activation is also crucial so except to spend time on activating your glutes or lats. As with any exercise, expect sore muscles the next day or two after training. Here are three things to be mindful of:
Experience matters – Definitely invest in spending money for a coach/trainer who knows what they’re doing and is experienced in power and Olympic lifting. Getting the technique correct is crucial to prevent injuries.
Warm up and muscle activation – This includes rolling out and releasing muscles, dynamic stretching and activating certain muscle groups. I can’t stress this enough as it will warm up the muscles you need, especially for big lifts.
Safety – Make sure you are aware of your surroundings when changing weight plates, the bar or benches and take care not to injure yourself or others in the process.
Ask That Fit Girl > Would you recommend power lifting to a friend?
Absolutely! It’s a great way to get stronger, fitter and tone up.
What you like: I love power lifting because it makes me feel strong. I am only 5”1 (153 cms) tall but can lift up to more than my body weight (about 1.5 times) which makes me feel pretty powerful. It is also a great exercise to destress as you have to really focus and get the technique and breathing right.
What you don’t like: There’s very little I dislike about power lifting but you do need a gym which has the right equipment and progress can be slow but very rewarding once you have the technique down pat.
Ask That Fit Girl > What would you rate this fitness workout out of five?
Fitness: 5/5 Strength and toning: 5/5
Weight loss: 4/5 Wellness (mind, body, soul connection): 4/5
Ask That Fit Girl > What do you listen to prior to power lifting?
When warming up I listen to my training Spotify playlist which includes rock and indie jams from artists such as Foo Fighters and Imagine Dragons. Once I am into the actual weight and set that I am lifting the music goes off as I am listening to my breathing and my coach who makes adjustments during the lift.
Have you enjoyed Cherry’s review? Let me know in the comments box below!
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Until next time,
Maryanne K
