Powerlifting
Three lifts, and everything that supports them.
Photo credits
Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Haiden Morris · Public domain · cropped
Start with these movements
Examples to support your sport
What it asks of you
Squat, bench and deadlift, plus the accessory work that keeps all three moving. The programme is the sport, so the question is usually volume management rather than exercise selection.
Where to build durability
Lower back, shoulders and hips. Accessory volume is what lets the main lifts keep going.
Training guidance, not medical advice. Pain that persists is a question for a clinician, not a programme.
Qualities to train
- Explosive power
- Grip and forearm strength
- Balance and control
Movement emphasis
- Squat
- Hinge
- Horizontal Push
- Horizontal Pull
- Core
Year round, built around meet dates.
Where to train
Search all 57 →
Denver Barbell Club
601 W 29th Ave · Denver, CO
Goodwin Barbell Club
1086 Greene Ave · Brooklyn, NY
Industrial Strength Gym
2034 NW 26th Ave · Portland, OR
Miami Strength Club
13499 Biscayne Blvd · North Miami, FL
Powerlifting
999 11th St · Miami Beach, FL
Precision Powerlifting Systems
Somerville, MA
PWRGRLS - Women's Strength Club
4537 Sepulveda Blvd · Los Angeles, CA
Austin Barbell Club
500 Victor St · Austin, TX
Austin Barbell Club (South)
714 Shelby Lane Unit G · Austin, TX
Powerlifting by city
A plan built for powerlifting
Tell us your sport, your experience and how many days you have. The plan weights the patterns above, picks exercises your gym can actually support, and gives you the durability work that most programmes leave out. Free, and no account needed to see it.
Questions
- How should I train for powerlifting?
- Squat, bench and deadlift, plus the accessory work that keeps all three moving. The programme is the sport, so the question is usually volume management rather than exercise selection. On GymGuide you can build a free plan that weights those patterns automatically and scores nearby gyms by whether their equipment supports it.
- What gets sore or breaks down in powerlifting?
- Lower back, shoulders and hips. Accessory volume is what lets the main lifts keep going. This is training guidance, not medical advice — anything painful or persistent is a question for a clinician.
- When is the powerlifting season?
- Year round, built around meet dates.
- Where can I play powerlifting near me?
- GymGuide maps 57 places that support powerlifting across the US, including clubs, gyms and general gyms whose facilities cover it. Use the finder to see the closest ones.