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Is it cheating if you are performing within the rules of your given federation? Is it cheating if you are performing the lift in the most efficient way possible while involving as many muscle groups as possible? Is it cheating if I'm using safety equipment that is deemed legal by my particular federation while still remaining RAW? Is it cheating if I've discovered ways to limit the range of motion of a particular lift while still following the criteria set forth by the governing rules of the federation in which I compete? The way I look at it, you can choose to not be a cheater and continue struggling to bench the pink dumbbells at your gym while simultaneously bashing real lifters under some anonymous screen name or you can embrace your darkside. If, like me, you want to become the target of all those internet lifting experts out there… read on. The goal of powerlifting is to lift as much weight possible through a full range of motion that has been determined by one's particular federation. Each powerlifting federation has their own idea of what full range of motion is. In addition, each federation has rules governing how the lift must be performed. Taking these facts into account, you as the lifter can then adjust your lifting style to lift the most weight possible. Obviously the best way to improve your lifts is to get stronger at them. That can take some time though. I know for me, adding five pounds to a lift can take many months to achieve. In this article I'm going to give you some tips that I've discovered to add pounds to your lifts immediately without having to get any stronger. Some may call it cheating. I'll leave that for you to decide. One of the best ways to add pounds to your lift is to find ways to shorten the distance that you have to lift the weight. Let's start with the deadlift. One of the easiest ways to shorten your ROM is to look at your shoes. I see a lot of people pulling in shoes that have a sole that's at least an inch thick. That's an extra inch that you will have to pull that bar. Some may think that's not much but often the difference between completing a lift and not, is the difference of inches. I personally pull in a pair of wrestling shoes. The sole on them can't be more than an eight of an inch thick. Even better are a pair of deadlifting slippers. It's like lifting barefoot but with the added advantage of being legal in competition since all lifters must have some sort of shoe when competing. Without even walking up to a bar, I've already shortened your ROM by at least an inch. Let's see if we can do better. I'm a short, fat, stubby armed guy. This comes in handy when I'm squatting or benching but it makes pulling a real chore. I've experimented with pulling conventional (narrow stance with arms on the outside of my legs), but I end up doing some weird Good Morning style of lift. Needless to say, it wasn't pretty and definitely not condusive to pulling maximum weights. I needed to find something that worked for me. I started experimenting with Sumo deadlifting. When pulling Sumo, the lifter takes a wide stance and grips the bar inside the legs. Sumo deadlifting is a great way to decrease one's range of motion. The farther out you place your feet, the shorter the distance you have to lift the bar. I'm constantly working to get my feet farther and farther out. The process can take some time though. In this instance, you will need to develop strength in the hips and groin to achieve success.
About The Author
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