Need some advice

[Stark]

Hiho all - hope you all had a great christmas.

So, I am getting more and more interested in Powerlifting - mainly because of the fun factor, so my questions are...

a) I am used to an thumb behind grip - Should I get used to use a full grip?
b) I've had a look over google for good powerlifting forums - any you can recommend?
c) Any good books and or mags you can recommend?

[burn2live]

Hiho all - hope you all had a great christmas.

So, I am getting more and more interested in Powerlifting - mainly because of the fun factor, so my questions are...

a) I am used to an thumb behind grip - Should I get used to use a full grip?
b) I've had a look over google for good powerlifting forums - any you can recommend?
c) Any good books and or mags you can recommend?

a) If you are competing, it's best to check the rules, some associations have rules on full or thumbless grip. If you're not competing I'd just do whatever is comfortable
b) powerliftinguk is good in terms of powerlifting news and having high profile lifters posting etc, though this forum has also always answered any questions I have had. Tbh I haven't really bothered looking at many others
c) Books I read a bit here and there, though I find the EliteFTS website the source I find most informative. Subscribe to their newsletter. Every week they send an email with articles, that way you can just pick out from a short email which you want to read.

Above all, find a good powerlifting gym and talk to people with experience

[BB]

1) Learn to use Hook and full grips. The thumbless is more trouble than it's worth.

2) www.powerandbulk.com, www.EliteFts.com, www.outlawpowerlifting.c om are my main boards. www.fortified-iron.com and www.goheavy.com are pretty dead, but some decent stuff does show up there occassionally. The Tight Tan Slacks of Dezso Ban is a great old school blog- ditillo2.blogspot.com . www.Deepsquatter.com is a great page too.

3) John Kuc Speaks on Powerlifting, Bill Seno's "Pushing for Power", Inside Powerlifting by Todd, Dinosaur Training by Kubik, Only The Strong Shall Survive by Starr, Anthony Ditillo's books, and Steve Justa's "Rock, Iron, Steel". Fred Hatfield's stuff is decent too, so is Wendler's.

Some of these are easy to find. Some aren't.

Milo and Powerlifting USA are the big magazines. Milo is usually pretty good, but expensive. Powerlifting USA is hit or miss.

[Hedgehog]

Stark, if I were you...

Use volume training to build the foundation of strength.

Then 3-5 weeks out of a meet, use heavier weights and less volume.


So what does this mean?



I am suggesting you try something like Sheiko. There are plenty of Sheiko program xls calculators available on the net. All you do is put your maxes in for the three lifts and you get every lift you will do for the next 4 weeks.

I also suggest you pick very conservative raw maxes, like 10% under your true 1RM, and perform all lifts without belt. It helps build the core strength.

Most Sheiko routines are three times a week. I am doing #37 currently.

start with that one or #29.

If you want to do a 4 time a week workout there is the CMS program. But then you really need to go very low with your 1RM's. and you will be totally banged up after 4 weeks and will need to follow it by a less volume program.

Sheiko is all about training volume.

Not so much about training high weights really.

I try to keep a fast pace in the gym.

[Stark]

Great info guys thanks a lot

To clarifiy - Since a lot of you know that I am trying my best not to give in to the "dark side" I cannot see me really having much fun for another 10 years just going to the gym.
I think the way I look is pretty much as far as I can go and I really want to get away from the whole look thing and more back to the sport of lifting weights.
I was in the perfect gym "the Hercules" and may join them again but with the baby on the way I have to seriously consider what is best for my wife and the baby - time wise, In any way I cannot stop training since I have a fatliver and need to do sport on a regular basis for my own personal health.
But even If I don't consider myself a talent when it comes down to weightlifting my recent breakthroughs of my personal bests leads and the fun that I still have in simply lifting weights I say it is best If I give the old "bodybuilding" training a pass and do something I have never done before.

Thanks again for all your help the links are excellent.