Bodybuilding vs Powerlifting

If you have looked into different weightlifting programs and routines, you may have noticed the common recurring terms of?bodybuilding?and?powerlifting. People often choose to specialize in one of these two lifting styles, depending on what their goals are and how they want to structure their workout routine.

Powerlifting vs Bodybuilding

Powerlifting aims to increase your maximum strength overall, particularly in the main compound movements of squat, bench press, and deadlift. Bodybuilding on the other hand, aims to maximize muscle hypertrophy rather than focusing on the maximum weight lifted. Since the aim and overall style is different, the programming for both of these look quite different. Both utilize weight training to increase muscle mass, mobility, overall performance and strength, but the exact exercises chosen can be very different.

Main Exercises

Powerlifting

For powerlifting, the main lifts are squat, bench press, and deadlift. These have different variations such as the front squat, pause squat, incline bench press, narrow grip bench press, deficit deadlifts, stiff leg deadlifts, and more.

Bodybuilding?

Bodybuilding, although may include these same lifts, there is much less emphasis on the main 3 compounds and incorporate more accessory and targeted movements such as ones that target back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, glutes, and hamstrings.

Training Splits

For?powerlifting, your training split would be broken down to the 3 main movements, as a squat, bench press, and deadlift day. You would probably also add accessories on those days targeting back, legs, shoulders, triceps, and more.?

For?bodybuilding, it is common for it to be lower and upper body alternating, with maybe a focus on push on one day and pull on the other for upper body, and glutes and hamstrings on one day, and then quads and calves on the other.

Weights Used?

As mentioned earlier, since powerlifting maximizes the weight lifted, they will use heavier loads and bodybuilding will use lighter loads. For example, a powerlifter may lift at 80-95% of their 1 rep max (1RM), as opposed to bodybuilders who may lift at 65-80% of their 1 rep max. This doesn’t mean that powerlifters are putting in more effort or working harder than bodybuilders; due to the difference in reps and 1RM percentage, both training styles are exerting close to maximum capacity. Learn more about 1RM and the rate of perceived exertion in our article?here.

Rep Ranges

Since?powerlifting?aims to maximize the weight lifted, the reps tend to stay in lower rep ranges of 1-5. Lower rep ranges produces strength adaptations, and powerlifting tends to spend a 3:1 ratio in lower rep ranges in comparison to higher rep ranges.?

Bodybuilding?on the other hand, utilizes higher rep ranges of 6 to 15 to produce hypertrophy adaptations, and spends a 3:1 ratio in higher rep ranges in comparison to lower rep ranges.

Rest Times

The higher the 1RM percentage that you’re lifting, the longer you’ll generally need to rest to recover before your next set. So powerlifters can rest anywhere from 3 to 7 minutes between sets, while bodybuilders will rest for 1 to 3 minutes. We talked more in depth about optimal rest times based on your goals, the types of exercises you’re doing, and more in our article about?optimal rest times.

Final Thoughts

Both training styles are beneficial, but target completely different end goals. Powerlifters aim to maximize their 1 rep max for squat, bench, and deadlift, while bodybuilders are aiming to increase muscle mass and muscular symmetry.

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To learn more, visit?Train Fitness.