skinny folk and powerlifting

[pseudonym]

sorry if this constitutes popping my head where it is not welcome guys (given I am not a powerlifter and all ) but I am wondering if there is an average sort of person who gets into powerlifting (whether as a sport or just chasing numbers for their own amusement).

The more time I spend in the gym these days the more I eye off those extra plates on the ground and think how much I would like to have them on my bar as well and I wonder if there is any real reason why someone built like me (see my sig. for the awful truth) can't benefit from a more power/strength-oriented regime.

Having made what I consider my first real noticeable strength gains (added 20kg on my squat and 15kg on my SLDL last week) I've discovered I really like the feeling of moving more weight today than last time and find it is a more immediate pleasure than the more prolonged pleasure of lifting for aesthetics (which I also enjoy ... don't get me wrong).

Obviously the two are not mutual exclusives but are they disparate enough that powerlifting warrants a certain level of muscularity to do it successfully (i.e. make good regular gains ... I can never see myself being a competitive lifter ).

There's my retarded newb question for today, thanks for your patience

[Cort]

What? :confused:

Most of us started somewhere, though I admit there are a few genetic freaks who weren't all that weak to begin with.

Nothing wrong with a skinny person who wants to become stronger if that is what you are asking, and definitely no rules against it.

Despite what you think you may some day reach a point where you could even enter a competition and do well and even enjoy it.

[threenorns]

hey, if a chubby female can muck about with powerlifting-ish stuff, i'm sure a skinny guy can. everybody started off somewhere.

and you're right: lifting for effect IS more fun than lifting for aesthetics, lol!

the two are not mutually exclusive (a lot of powerlifters today go for the leaner look rather than the traditional "man mountain" biker look).

[luke.w]

some of the strongest men in world are under 160lbs
Joe Greenstein "the mighty atom", and then of modern times theirs Dennis Rodgers, and his Protige, Pat Povilatus who weighs about 170lbs and has a steel rod in his spine from back problems as a child and who was told could never lift anything heavy, yet he lifts 300 stones regularly sits them in his lap while bending horseshoes,nails,and closeing #3 grippers, my buddy is friends with this man.

[pseudonym]

Yeah dumb question I spose , but in my head I didn't (and still don't ... yet ) have an image of any super strong folk starting as 6 foot 65kg stringbeans barely able to bench 40kg.

Guess my gumby newb question should have been more along the lines of can anyone get beast strong or do ya have to be built for it in the first place ?

getting a sense that if ya work at it it's all possible.

[luke.w]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

Guess my gumby newb question should have been more along the lines of can anyone get beast strong or do ya have to be built for it in the first place ?
getting a sense that if ya work at it it's all possible.

you can get very strong, but you will naturally start to become thicker, lifting heavy makes you want to eat more, even the skinnier strong guys still get rock solid, and really don't look like stringbeans.

[Klinger]

Galabin Boevski, the Bulgarian lifter, weighed 152 pounds when he snatched a record 358 and clean & jerked 432 at the 1999 world championship. There are some references to him and a picture in this article on Clarence Bass' site.

[luke.w]

yup, I gotta Bulgarian training hall tape only about one lifter was over 180lbs, the rest were 150-170lbs all snatching 160kg., and clean and jerking 200kg

one lifter was 60kg, and did a triple bodyweight front squat, and clean and jerked 190kg he had his shirt off and although only weighing that much he looked more solid then anyone you've ever seen.

[Firehawk]

Ahhh I love it when we get converts coming in .

You can't go wrong with powerlifting dude. Get yourself a good strong strength base, complete with a solid core. You will definitely get thicker.

I challenge you to go to one powerlifting meet and see if you don't get hooked instantly!

[luke.w]

BTW, thanks Klinger for posting a link to introduce people to "MILO" I subscribe to this, you get 4-issues a year, and I must say they are worth it, the best reading you'll find about every strength sport, from arm-wrestling,powerlifting,grip, olyimpic WL., throwing, and yes, some bodybuilding articles will pop up, usually old-timers stuff, and diet info.

[candyass]

Let's hear it for skinny bastards!

[pseudonym]

HOORAY !!!!



Will check those links and names out when I get a chance (at the missus's right now so I got other things I should be doing )

cheers all

[Klinger]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

Ahhh I love it when we get converts coming in .

It's become like some sort of freaky cult.

Luke: yeah, it's pretty amazing what some of these guys are doing at their size. It proves you don't have to be big and fat to push/pull major weight.