Weight Training and Nutrition Mistakes in Powerlifting

Introduction to Powerlifting and Nutrition

Weight training in the form of powerlifting is a popular individual sport in which athletes can compete in organized events or train individually to achieve personal fitness goals. An important part of any powerlifting regimen is proper nutrition. Given the significant energy demands placed on the human body during preparation for and performance in powerlifting meets — and the overarching goal of increasing strength — it is easy for these athletes to make mistakes in their nutritional intake. The purpose of this paper is to review the relevant literature and explain, from a physiological standpoint, some of the common training mistakes associated with nutrition and physical training for athletes performing the three powerlifting events, and how those mistakes can be mitigated. A summary of the research and important findings is presented in the conclusion.

Prevalence and Structure of Powerlifting Competition

Powerlifting is gaining in popularity among American men and women, as well as children and adults. During the competition period between January 2012 and June 2016, there were nearly 22,000 individual powerlifting competitors in the United States, with about 16,000 men and 6,000 women actively training for and competing in these events (Yannone, 2016). The highly competitive sport of powerlifting is comprised of three individual weightlifting events: (1) the squat, (2) the bench press, and (3) the deadlift, performed in that order.

Each event requires athletes to overcome the forces of gravity for a specified period of time — signaled by a white light — on two out of three attempts in order to qualify. According to Yannone (2016), "Each lift, and its many variations, are trained throughout different training cycles: a volume phase, strength phase, and peaking phase (if the lifter is approaching a competition)" (para. 4). In sum, powerlifting involves the significant expenditure of muscular energy over sustained periods during both competitions and the various training phases involved.

Given this diversity in training and performance requirements (Tovstonoh & Roztorhui, 2015), as well as the various event types involved in this strength-intensive sport, it is not surprising that many powerlifting athletes fail to obtain sufficient and appropriate nutrition from their daily diet (Piletic & Pyfer, 2009). As one experienced sports nutritionist and coach notes, "As a powerlifter, you require very different nutrition than the average Joe. I've seen way too many powerlifters leave nutrition behind only to find their performance and recovery decline" (Booth, 2019, para. 2).

Macronutrient Requirements and General Nutritional Principles

Every powerlifting competitor's nutritional needs are unique due to individual differences in metabolism (Tovstonoh & Roztorhui, 2015). There have also been gender-related differences identified in the nutritional needs of powerlifting athletes. Many female competitors make the mistake of limiting their fat consumption to modify body composition, but this practice has been found to be counterproductive for powerlifting performance (Volek, Forsythe, & Kraemer, 2006). Regardless of individual differences, there are common requirements that can help powerlifters assess the adequacy of their current nutritional choices. As a general rule, powerlifters should ensure a minimum macronutrient intake of 5 to 8 grams per kilogram of body weight in carbohydrates, between 1.4 and 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight in protein, and 30% of total daily calories from fat, as summarized below.

Table 1: Recommended Diet for Powerlifters

Carbohydrates: 5 to 8 grams per kilogram of body weight
Protein: 1.4 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight
Fat: 30% of total calories per day
Source: Adapted from Booth (2019)

In addition, there are six general guiding nutritional principles that can help powerlifters ensure they receive sufficient and appropriate nutritional intake:

1. During most training periods, athletes should increase their caloric intake by about 15% above their baseline calories in order to build lean muscle mass, which will lead to greater strength gains.

2. During competition phases, athletes may need to maintain or reduce their body weight according to a specific body-weight category.

3. Nutrient timing (e.g., meal times) is not as important as overall caloric intake; however, nutrient timing can support better muscle recovery and strength.

4. Nutrient types (e.g., what is eaten) can improve overall wellness and energy levels.

5. Supplementation such as creatine monohydrate, caffeine, and beta-alanine have been shown to have beneficial effects when added to a healthy powerlifting diet.

6. Competition-day nutrition requires proper meal timing, with high-carbohydrate, high-protein, and low-fat meals (Booth, 2019).

Conclusion

Powerlifting is gaining in popularity among men and women of all ages, and current signs indicate this popularity will continue to grow into the foreseeable future. The research consistently shows that powerlifters have distinct nutritional needs compared to other athletes, yet many competitors fail to achieve optimal outcomes because of mistakes made during the different phases of training and competition. The research is also consistent in showing that both male and female powerlifting athletes should make consistently healthy nutritional choices that correspond to their current phase of training and competition, while carefully avoiding any supplement or substance that increases testosterone levels.

References

Booth, L. (2019). The powerlifting diet: Eating for strength — a definitive guide. Fitbod. Retrieved from

Piletic, C. K., & Pyfer, J. (2009, March). Motives of male athletes with lower limb paralysis for participating in the organized sport of powerlifting. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 71(1), 37–41.

Hartle, M. (1998, February). Beware of nutrition labels. Clean Power (USA Powerlifting). Retrieved from

Silverberg, A. (2019, October 31). How to program your volume based on the phase of training. MyStrengthBook. Retrieved from https://mystrengthbook.com/blog/programming-volume-based-on-the-type-of-training-phase/

Tovstonoh, O., & Roztorhui, M. (2015, June). Experimental substantiation of teaching algorithm of technique in weightlifting and powerlifting competitive exercises. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 15(2), 319–322.

Volek, J. S., Forsythe, C. E., & Kraemer, W. J. (2006, September). Nutritional aspects of women strength athletes. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(9), 742–748.

Yannone, T. (2016). What is powerlifting? SmartFitGirls. Retrieved from