Maddie Here we will be talking about how you can use the FABULOUS sport of powerlifting for weight loss. As somebody who lost 60 pounds and now powerlifts at a national level, I’d say that I’m (almost) an expert in both areas.
Truly, I owe my long-term weight loss success to heavy barbell training, more specifically, powerlifting. Prior to formally participating in powerlifting, I loved to do heavy barbell lifts, and I loved seeing the strength progress I had continued to make. And the best part was, the number on the scale was consistently going down.
Overall, powerlifting is super rewarding, and (at least for me) it makes going to the gym more fun. Here is the best way you can use powerlifting for weight loss. *Keep in mind that this content is not ideal for those who are already in the sport and need to cut some weight.
This post is all about the best way to use powerlifting for weight loss.
*Note: This post includes several Amazon affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link (at no extra cost to you). Please read full disclosure here. Also, I am not a doctor or dietician. I am a personal trainer and powerlifting coach. It’s always best to speak with your doctor before making any changes to your diet and/or lifestyle.
Powerlifting for weight loss:
What we’ll cover…
- What is powerlifting?
- Weight loss: what is it and how can we achieve it?
- How you can use powerlifting to lose weight
- Nutrition
- Lifestyle
After reading this post, don’t forget to check out…
7 Awesome Tips You MUST Know for Strength Training to Lose Weight
4 Valuable Benefits of Resistance Training: Does Weight Lifting Burn Fat?
What Is a Calorie Deficit and Why Is It Important For Losing Weight?
11 Important Things You NEED to Know Before Weight Loss 60 Pounds
Powerlifting Program for Women
What is powerlifting?
Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three main lifts: the barbell back squat, bench press, and deadlift. The powerlifts are known to be fairly “beginner-friendly;” they are quite simple compared to the Olympic Weightlifting lifts: the clean and jerk and the snatch.
Since this post is focused on weight loss and powerlifting, I won’t be discussing the competition aspect of the sport very much. However, if you’re interested in learning more about powerlifting meets, I have other posts that go into more detail.
All three powerlifts are compound movements, meaning they “have the most bang for your buck.” Compound movements burn more calories than isolation exercises do, and they build muscle across more areas of your body.
Therefore, powerlifting for fat loss will definitely help you reach your goals!
Weight loss: what is it & how can we achieve it?
I think we all know what weight loss is, but what exactly happens inside our bodies for weight loss to occur?
Well, if we eat too much food (calorie surplus), our bodies will store those extra calories as fat. Our bodies store fat because we need some of it to protect our vital organs; however, too much of it can be detrimental to our health.
Oppositely, if we eat in a calorie deficit (meaning we consume less than our bodies burn throughout the day), we will start to burn off our stored body fat.
With this said, eating in a calorie deficit is the ONLY way to lose fat. We can do this by eating less and/or exercising more; doing a little bit of both is suggested.
How you can use powerlifting to lose weight
As we discussed earlier, the powerlifts are all compound movements–they burn more calories than most other strength exercises do. IN ADDITION, building muscle increases your metabolic rate over time, and this is because muscle tissues burn more calories than fat tissues do.
So, if we have lots of muscle, our bodies are constantly burning more calories throughout the day. This allows us to eat more without gaining weight, and I am a firm believer that strength training is CRUCIAL for long-term fat loss. This post will ultimately answer how to lose belly fat while powerlifting.
Workouts
Within this section, we will discuss powerlifting weight loss strength workouts and programs as well as cardio selection, as it’s a good idea to incorporate both into your training. I will go into more detail below.
Powerlifting workouts
When I discuss powerlifting workouts and ways in which to go about them, I’m going to assume you have little to no powerlifting experience under your belt; this advice is all about powerlifting for beginners.
Although, the nutrition and diet information given below can be considered for any experience level.
Important programming factors to consider
When powerlifting, our goal is to lift as much weight as possible.
But as a beginner and as someone who is trying to lose weight, you should keep your rep ranges for the “big three” in sets of five to six reps, and three sets of each exercise is a good starting point.
Keep in mind that low rep ranges does not mean EASY–you need to go heavy enough to push yourself. You can also take ~3 minutes rest between SBD (squat, bench, deadlift) sets.
Your workouts should be centered around SBD, but you can add in a few accessory movements, too. Your accessory movements can be done in sets of 8-12 reps with less rest time between sets.
Here are a few example workouts.
| SETS/REPS/ REST BTWN SETS | EXERCISE |
| 3×5, 3 min. rest | Back Squats |
| 3×5, 3 min. rest | Deadlifts |
| 3×8, 2 min. rest | Good Mornings |
| 3×12, 90 sec. rest | Leg Press |
| 3×12, 90 sec. rest | Leg Extensions |
| SETS/REPS/ REST BTWN SETS | EXERCISE |
| 3×5, 3 min. rest | Bench Press |
| 3×8, 3 min. rest | Incline Bench Press |
| 3×12, 90 sec. rest | DB Bench Press |
| 3×8-12, 90 sec. rest | Tricep Dips |
| 3×12, 90 sec. rest | DB Bent Over Rows |
| 3xAMRAP | Dead Bugs |
Cardio
Cardio obviously has great health benefits, and it will 100% help you reach your fat loss goals easier. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it when you powerlift. I would avoid running and long bouts of intense cardio.
HIITs (high-intensity interval training) and low-intensity cardio, however, will be beneficial to your goals and will have minimal impact on your strength levels. I like to walk on an inclined treadmill for my low-intensity cardio, and I recently started incorporating HIITs into my workouts.
I use an air bike, and I go all out for 30 seconds. Then I take a 90-second break and go all out for 30 seconds again. I repeat that process about six times. And let me tell you, it leaves me breathless. I’m able to complete such a good cardio workout in less than 15 minutes.
Nutrition
As we went over earlier in this post, a calorie deficit is necessary to achieve fat loss, and your nutrition will account for 80+% of that. It’s extremely difficult to exercise your way to success, especially with a crappy diet.
I can’t give you an exact calorie number, but my best advice is to watch your portion sizes and start adding more protein and vegetables into your diet–try your best to avoid super fatty foods.
In addition, if you have an urge to snack but aren’t actually hungry, try drinking some water. Sometimes I like to add flavor packets to mine.
I should also let you know that carbs are not the enemy (unless you have a medical condition that says otherwise). Strength athletes typically consume LOTS of carbs because they give us quick energy. As long as you are eating in a calorie deficit, CARBS WILL NOT MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT.
As for protein, most sources agree to consume around one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight (especially if you are strength training). This rule will have some exceptions, but it is a good general guideline to follow. Protein is so important because not only is it satiating and works in reducing our appetite, but amino acids also play a very direct role in muscle recovery.
We NEED protein in our diet to gain strength.
(RELATED POST: The BEST Protein Powder for Muscle Gain: 10 Amazon Must-Haves)
(RELATED POST: 10 Amazing High-Protein Snacks on Amazon for Weight Loss)
Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed Protein Powder
I’m not kidding when I say this is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE protein powder on the market. Dymatize ISO100 Fruity Pebbles protein powder mixes well, and it seriously tastes SO good; just like Fruity Pebbles milk!
Lifestyle
In this section, we will be talking about sleep and managing stress levels. Sleep is so important for losing fat and gaining muscle. You should be aiming to get 7-9 hours of GOOD sleep every night. High-stress levels can have detrimental effects on your weight loss in addition to your strength gain goals.
It is important to do what you can to manage your stress–try to minimize high-stress events by taking action sooner than later. For example, I’m a college student, and cramming for my exams causes me to be extremely stressed. I can avoid this stress by studying far in advance.
In all, more sleep and lower stress levels equal better quality of life–so they are two things you should be striving for daily.
The takeaway
Powerlifting is a strength sport composed of three compound lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. SBD are fairly simple and easy to learn (although they are definitely not easy to MASTER).
A calorie deficit is needed for weight loss which is achieved by eating less and/or exercising more. Building muscle through powerlifting increases your metabolism over time.
And as a beginner powerlifter, your powerlifting program should consist of rep ranges from one to five reps per set (for SBD). Three sets for each movement is a good starting point.
