Bloating and Powerlifting????

[Big_Nims]

Maybe in the wrong section, but some of you bros compete in strongman competitions, do powerlifters worry about bloating?

 

[zOOmz]

powerlifting or strongman?

halo is common in powerlifting to have killer strnght and maintain a certain weight for a certain class etc.

 

[ThickNick]

I have competed in the AAU National Power Lifting championship and many other big competitions, and I have always tried to look more like a bodybuilder. I started out competing in bodybuilding first, and never wanted to switch my look. You can be strong and not be fat. It is all about how you eat. How you train i.e. heavy or light will determine how much muscle you have, but only diet can determine how you look in the mirror. You can do sit-ups for hours a day, but if your abs are covered in inches of fat, all you have is a stronger stomach...you won't have a sixpack.

 

[slobberknocker]

It can be an issue if you have to maintain a certain bodyweight. Superheavies don't care though.

 

[Big_Nims]

Dont you loose all the water weight anyway when you come off cycle? I could see it being benificial as it would allow you to lift heavier weights, thereby building more muscle, or strength.

 

[ThickNick]

Having more fat or water doesn't make your muscles stronger. What makes people have that impression is the following scenerio: You weigh 250lbs and are fat and can bench 400lbs. You crash dieted and lost 25lbs and can now only bench 380lbs. This same thing will happen to someone who is 250lbs of solid muscle and crashed down and lost strength. If you lost 25lbs of fat slowly, you shouldn't see a huge drop off in strength if you can keep your muscle. Bodybuilding is a little different. No matter what you do you loose some muscle when you are ripping down so that accounts for lost strength along with water restrictions and sodium restrictions etc. Your muscles/tendons/joints determine your strength, not your fat or water weight. In my opinion, if you need to drop 25 or more pounds of fat before a power lifting competition you are simply not disciplined and should just diet and gradually compete in a lower weight class. I have done simialr lifts in both the 198lb class and then down in the 181lb class because I switched gradually. I felt more comfortable at 198 though, and slowly gained my weight back.

 

[slobberknocker]

My squats and benches always go up when I gain water.

 

[Big_Nims]

Dude what are you talking about? You most definantly get stronger when you gain water weight, thats a given.

 

[ThickNick]

Are you talking about gaining strength after dieting and then bloating and gaining some added strength? I am talking long term muscle gains and strength. I agreed with you, after dieting etc. there are spikes, but if you gained a few pounds in your bench from water weight, loose the water and see what happens. Your bench will simply return to where it was. To gain a few pounds on your bench, you need to add muscle or tendon strength. I think you just misunderstood me.