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Exercises, especially full-body workouts, are very important if you are into powerlifting.
They help develop the foundation of your strong muscles and also help you gain muscle mass. These exercises allow every muscle to train hard and also offer optimal recovery time between training sessions.
Full-body workouts are ideal for any experienced powerlifter. Beginners can improve their basics with a full-body exercise routine, while intermediate powerlifters can improve their overall training progress.
Advanced lifters, meanwhile, can increase their size and work their way up to gain more muscle mass with these full-body workouts.
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Full-body workouts for powerlifters
Here are a few full-body workouts for every fitness-level powerlifter to gain mass:
1) Deadlift
Instructions for deadlift:
- Choose a barbell of light to moderate weight.
- Keep your feet shoulder-width apart with your toes under the barbell. Make sure to keep your feet pointed straight and your heels flat on the surface.
- Lift the barbell close to your shins, and keep your spine neutral.
- Engage your abdominal muscles, and squat down by bending your knees. As you squat, keep your back straight and not rounded.
- Take the barbell outside your knees with a tight hand grip.
- Lift the barbell by pushing it upwards with your legs from your knees. The bar should come to rest around your thigh level as you reach full height.
- Slowly lower the barbell to the ground, ensuring a straight and neutral back.
- Complete the desired number of repetitions.
2) Bent over row
Instructions for bent over rows:
- Hold a barbell with your hands a bit wider than your shoulder-width distance.
- Slightly bend your legs; keep your back straight, and slowly bend your upper body towards the floor. Make sure to bend it in a way that your body is perpendicular to the ground.
- Row the barbell upwards with full energy towards your chest; pause for a few seconds, and return the barbell to the rack.
- Take the initial position again, and complete the desired number of repetitions.
3) Barbell back squat
Instructions for barbell back squats:
- Place the barbell with moderate weight on a squat rack, and stand under the bar.
- Rest the barbell carefully over your shoulders and traps. Make sure your hands are even on both sides of the bar.
- Keep your feet at your shoulder distance, your chest up, and engage your core.
- Breathe easily; unrack the barbell, and take a step back from the rack.
- Keep your body tight; bend your knees, and drop down into a squat position.
- Exhale as you push up your body out of the squat position.
- Complete the desired number of repetitions.
4) Bench press
Instructions for bench press:
- Lie down on a flat bench on your back.
- Hold a barbell with your hands wider than your shoulder width. Make sure the barbell is directly over your shoulders.
- Press your feet to the floor, and keep your hips firmly on the bench. Keep your abs engaged, and maintain a straight spine throughout the move. Do not curve your back.
- Slowly lift the barbell off the rack, and lower it towards your chest. As you do this, allow your elbows to slightly bend away from your body.
- Stop lowering the barbell when your elbows reach below the bench.
- Firmly press your feet into the ground as you push the barbell back up to its initial position.
- Complete at least five repetitions in four sets.
5) Farmer’s walk
Instructions for farmer's carry workout:
- Stand straight on a flat surface, with your feet at a shoulder-width distance and your arms on the sides.
- Place a pair of kettlebells or dumbbells on the ground next to each other.
- Gently squat down, and grab a dumbbell in each hand.
- Tighten your core; pull your shoulders down, and stand back up taking the initial position.
- Step forward, and start to walk with dumbbells in each hand. Make sure to keep your shoulders back, core engaged and your heads up throughout the exercise.
- Continue to walk for the desired distance or time.
6) Overhead press
Instructions for overhead press:
- Put a barbell on a power rack in front of your shoulders.
- Stand straight by keeping your feet at a shoulder-width distance. Keep your hips and knees fully extended.
- Grab the barbell in a front-rack position i.e. on the front of your shoulders. Keep your elbows pointing forward and your hands at a shoulder-width distance.
- Squeeze in your shoulders; engage your core, and press the barbell over your head.
- Continue pressing the barbell until your arms are extended out.
- With full control, lower the barbell to the initial front-rack position.
- Repeat the exercise, and put the bar on the power rack to end the workout.
As you can see, there are various full-body workouts that you can practice to gain muscle mass as a powerlifter.
Incorporate such full-body workouts into your everyday fitness routine. Also, make sure to eat your macros, and train your body hard with proper consistency. Do not complicate your routine; instead, keep it simple and just stick with it.
If you experience pain during any of these full-body exercises, stop doing them immediately, and consult a healthcare provider.
