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my misconception...and a question...

Velasca Posts: 441 Joined: 2006/10/26	2008/01/12, 04:18 PM with the new year here ive been trying to decide what i want to do now...and after going down a completely opposite path im happy to get back into lifting heavier again...just this week a few ppl have suggested i look into powerlifting..i was a little skeptical..i thought i would have to eat all this food and gain a bunch of weight...but then after some research i found cheryl anderson in the 105# class...i had no idea there was such a light weight class in powerlifting.. so i researched on training...nothing i cant handle...but then i came across this .. "Make sure you use 100 pound plates in your training for a contest. This includes the bench press as well. The 100 pound plates change the "feel" of the weight when compared to using just 45's. Skeptical? Try it and see for yourself." how significant is this statement?....because unfortunately my gym does not have 100# plates...and its not an option to change gyms... should i just stop now while im ahead? -------------- I am proof there isnt a *set point* :D
merrillj Posts: 197 Joined: 2007/06/28	2008/01/12, 05:03 PM I don't know where you found the information on 100 pound plates. But I think weight is weight. The last best bench press I heard for Cheryl Anderson was around a 170 lbs. Being that 100+100+45 lb bar equals 245lb, I don't see how she could train with 100 lb plates! Do not stop. I am glad that you are so interested in pursuing powerlifting. You may just tap into something you never knew you had. As Steve pointed out earlier, strength is about neural adaptation. Meaning that lifting the heaviest weight possible is about training your Central Nervous System rather than how much muscle mass you have. If muscle mass mattered then Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler should be able to outlift Chad Aichs and Andy Bolton. As to my knowledge they are not even close. Do not let any statement you find on the internet hold you back. They are mostly just electronic words. Besides, it has been a sausage party here on the Powerlifting forum (I have not seen a message posted by a woman in ages) and I appreciate looking at your pictures. Continue to kick ass, Jason
Velasca Posts: 441 Joined: 2006/10/26	2008/01/12, 05:19 PM ill start reading some of the stickies in this section..but im not sure how to seperate what will apply to a female and what-not....btw..i dont plan on dropping into the 105# weight...im thinking 123.5..its the weight that i felt I looked my healthiest and felt the best... also, I dont think i need to worry about 100# plates with bench...but maybe squat or DL?..still have alot of research to do...and ive been trying to find local event stats to see what amount of weight i should be setting a goal with....but they arent easy to find and im usually pretty google savvy..hehehe
merrillj Posts: 197 Joined: 2007/06/28	2008/01/12, 05:29 PM Check out Gatomades's sticky "What is elite?" It shows the different weight classes of lifters in both male and female. One of the female classes is 123. I have never tried 100 lb plates for any lift involving a barbell. Where did this information come from? We need to see if this is a valid source. Google Rocks.:big_smile:
Velasca Posts: 441 Joined: 2006/10/26	2008/01/12, 05:37 PM http://www.musclenet.com/powerliftingfaq.html I do realize that we have to consider *the source* of the information we come across on the *net*..that is why i brought it here :D I just want to see what im getting myself into before I make a decision to put myself into it..
merrillj Posts: 197 Joined: 2007/06/28	2008/01/12, 05:55 PM Musclenet.com is Sh&t. Notice the Cybergenics ad at the bottom of the page. Cybergenics is sh&t. Or, the "Gain up to 15 pounds of muscle in the next 6 weeks" ad at the top of the page which takes you to a site called "Trulyhuge" which tries to sell you inside information which...OMG....no one else knows. It is a website dedicated to selling you bullsh&t. This website makes no reference in its "links" section to etilefts.com or Louie Simmons or any other reputable strengh coach or powerlifter. Stay Clear.
merrillj Posts: 197 Joined: 2007/06/28	2008/01/12, 06:25 PM that should be elitefts.com
Velasca Posts: 441 Joined: 2006/10/26	2008/01/12, 06:36 PM thanks..will take a look at it....looking to find a good routine...
merrillj Posts: 197 Joined: 2007/06/28	2008/01/12, 06:51 PM The Westside method seems to be the most popular and is a good place to start your research. Gatormade has a sticky for the template. His explanation is also very good. Also check out Julia Ladewski: 132lb class, 457 squat, a 240 bench and a 424 deadlift And Hannah Johnson AKA "The MINX"
jbennett Posts: 1,558 Joined: 2001/02/28	2008/01/12, 06:53 PM Check out www.deepsquatter.com and click on 'Archives'. Get comfy and do some reading. There's a ton of info on that site for you. :dumbbell: -------------- --JBennett "I've up-ed my intensity.... now up yours!" "Pain is only weakness leaving the body." "Never think of how weak you are; think of how strong you're going to be."
Velasca Posts: 441 Joined: 2006/10/26	2008/01/12, 07:00 PM female powerlifters CAN be hot!!.. :)
merrillj Posts: 197 Joined: 2007/06/28	2008/01/12, 07:00 PM I forgot to add one of jbennets old links to Louie Simmons template: http://deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/newdeep/louie2.htm Hows that for research?
merrillj Posts: 197 Joined: 2007/06/28	2008/01/12, 07:01 PM You bet they can. ============ Quoting from Velasca: female powerlifters CAN be hot!!.. :) =============
Velasca Posts: 441 Joined: 2006/10/26	2008/01/12, 07:02 PM ive got ALOT of reading to do...thanks so much guys...even if i dont compete it will be something for me to focus on again...and ill actually enjoy it...i think..hehehehe....
rev8ball Posts: 3,081 Joined: 2001/12/27	2008/01/13, 03:13 AM V - I'm currently training a 120 lbs 34 y/o female with 4 kids for an upcoming meet (her first). Never let size, age, or anything else mislead you or discourage you. You have seen that you already have the discipline and the dedication. Best of luck, and don't ever hesitate to ask questions... -------------- Michael Strength & Conditioning is not everything; it just really sucks to be weak and slow.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2008/01/13, 10:51 AM weight is weight. As long as the weight on one side is the same as the weight on the other, and you are centered under the bar, then there won't be any difference. Had the author of that article ever actually competed in a meet, he might have known to mention the fact that you might get a different feel from different bars (okie bar vs texas power bar, etc) but no one is telling you to go out and buy a $600 bar for deadlifting and a $400 bar for benching... Just lift heavy things... and remember that in most cases, what applies here to the men, applies to the women. The main difference would probably be that you would respond better to higher rep ranges (triples and 5's vs lots of singles) and shorter rest periods (women generally use shorter rests since they recover metabolically faster since the weight is lighter). Hannah Johnson keeps an in depth log on EFS (it's one of the few that I actually read every now and then, mostly due to the writing) and she is the one I posted about in the female forum (now a sticky). She also competes in figure and bodybuilding from time to time. -------------- SQUAT MORE ~Jesse Marunde Blood Guts Sweat Chalk
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2008/01/14, 06:28 AM 45's would spread the weight out more on the bar would be the only thing I can think of that would be "different" than using 100's. Bar's do make a big differance...the different diameters can be somthing to get used to in your hands. -------------- \\"The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition\\"
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2008/01/15, 12:33 PM Also get used to squatting and pulling "blind"...no mirrors or other visual cues. if you have a trustful spotter...squat outside the rack. Takes some getting used to knowing your not in a rack..and you can't see yourself squat in the mirror. -------------- \\"The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition\\"
coolnatedawg Posts: 813 Joined: 2005/03/09	2008/01/15, 04:30 PM good point andrew... that is something i definitly need to start doing. meets dont have mirrors...
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2008/01/15, 04:44 PM I usualy just flip the pins in the rack...and squat away from the mirror -------------- \\"The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition\\"
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2008/01/15, 05:21 PM Don't even get me started on the mirror thing. We had a lifter bomb out of the US Open because of that... Pissed me off beyond belief that a lifter with so much potential would throw away a meet because he didn't know how to hit parallel without a mirror. -------------- SQUAT MORE ~Jesse Marunde Blood Guts Sweat Chalk
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2008/01/15, 07:33 PM yeah..it actually wasn't that hard for me to adjust as much as I thought. I guess I have good body awareness. -------------- \\"The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition\\"