Powerlifting to Bodybuilding Transition

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

I’ve been doing Wendler’s 5-3-1 ever since I started lifting weights. I’ve become accustomed to building movements rather than muscles. My question is: how does one transition from training like a powerlifter to training like a bodybuilder? What changes should be made to his/her routine and approach to lifting weights.

How should he/she program a routine to prefer hypertrophy, but still continue to gain strength. Wendler states that 99% of bodybuilding programs lack a week to week progress scheme to get you stronger. Just looking to pick some of your guy’s heads for opinions on this matter and anyone that has experience with this transition should give their $0.02!

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Dc training

3

I thought Wendler said that apart from the main four lifts, you should be training the muscle and not the movement.

Get the 2nd Ed 5.3.1 Ebook and he goes into how you can integrate 5.3.1 with DC training etc.

You could always pick a conventional bodybuilding routine and do the main lifts 5.3.1 style hitting the basic reps before doing the bbing stuff.

4

[quote]Trocchi wrote:
I thought Wendler said that apart from the main four lifts, you should be training the muscle and not the movement.

Get the 2nd Ed 5.3.1 Ebook and he goes into how you can integrate 5.3.1 with DC training etc.

You could always pick a conventional bodybuilding routine and do the main lifts 5.3.1 style hitting the basic reps before doing the bbing stuff. [/quote]

This has worked well for me. 5/3/1 gives me a specific way to progress on the big stuff and then I set up my “accessory work” with my physique goals in mind.

The biggest difference between “training like a PLer” vs. “training like a BBer” for me has been exercise choice (specifically front squat vs. back squat) and how I approach my main lift/accessory work. With PL goals I would focus on the main lift then get accessory work in, but with physique goals its more like destroy main lift then destroy everything else.

5

I’ve been doing the same thing, it has worked very well for me so far. It really isn’t much different from 5/3/1 as written, I just push the accessory work hard and add in more volume. Also I lowered my deadlift training maxes as I hit them at the end of back/bi sessions

6

[quote]Dlouda wrote:
I’ve been doing Wendler’s 5-3-1 ever since I started lifting weights. I’ve become accustomed to building movements rather than muscles. My question is: how does one transition from training like a powerlifter to training like a bodybuilder? What changes should be made to his/her routine and approach to lifting weights.

How should he/she program a routine to prefer hypertrophy, but still continue to gain strength. Wendler states that 99% of bodybuilding programs lack a week to week progress scheme to get you stronger. Just looking to pick some of your guy’s heads for opinions on this matter and anyone that has experience with this transition should give their $0.02!
[/quote]

There is a 5/3/1 for bodybuilding template, google it, but basically you hit just the required reps on the main lifts, and then push the assistance work.

7

The biggest difference is shifting how you define your weak points.

I think in bodybuilding and power lifting, you train the basics, then add stuff to address your weaknesses. The only real difference is that when powerlifting a weak point is something that is holding back one of the main lifts, in BBing a weak point is something underdeveloped in your physique.

So train the basics, then pick other movements to address the weak spots physique wise instead of movement wise.

8

In the same boat you are, Dlouda, so I’m glad you posted this.

Having trained powerlifting movements for the last about six years, I’m unsure of what to look at now. So much is the same and yet so much has changed (in regards to all of the different programs/templates, etc). To me, buckeye girl has what I would consider to be the perfect physique and I know that she is a powerlifter.

Can anyone think of any logs that really stand out as far as results from people that did the same? I’d be interested to know where they started from and their progression.

9

[quote]Jackie_Jacked wrote:
In the same boat you are, Dlouda, so I’m glad you posted this.

Having trained powerlifting movements for the last about six years, I’m unsure of what to look at now. So much is the same and yet so much has changed (in regards to all of the different programs/templates, etc). To me, buckeye girl has what I would consider to be the perfect physique and I know that she is a powerlifter.

Can anyone think of any logs that really stand out as far as results from people that did the same? I’d be interested to know where they started from and their progression.[/quote]

Woah, Thank you Jackie!

I started to make the switch from PL to BB last winter and used the 5/3/1 set/rep scheme for a good amount of the time. I’ve experimented with a few other things (adding a back/bi day, switching to front squats, using DBs) and tried out another program or two, but tend to eventually fall back into some bastardized 5/3/1 setup.

Once I got deeper into contest prep, things got more intuitive and less structured and I switched to having 8,5,3 rep days (no percentages or AMRAP sets) and really did my own thing in the gym. Now that I’m “offseason” and back to eating like a pig, I’m using 5/3/1 again and as of right now I’m KILLING my workouts and loving it, but I guess only time will tell how effective this approach is.

I have logged my training throughout the whole process, though my log on here has not been kept up. Its really not anything special and has definitely been a learning process, but if you want to see some of the stuff I’ve done, I’ll show ya.

10

[quote]buckeye girl wrote:

[quote]Jackie_Jacked wrote:
In the same boat you are, Dlouda, so I’m glad you posted this.

Having trained powerlifting movements for the last about six years, I’m unsure of what to look at now. So much is the same and yet so much has changed (in regards to all of the different programs/templates, etc). To me, buckeye girl has what I would consider to be the perfect physique and I know that she is a powerlifter.

Can anyone think of any logs that really stand out as far as results from people that did the same? I’d be interested to know where they started from and their progression.[/quote]

Woah, Thank you Jackie!

I started to make the switch from PL to BB last winter and used the 5/3/1 set/rep scheme for a good amount of the time. I’ve experimented with a few other things (adding a back/bi day, switching to front squats, using DBs) and tried out another program or two, but tend to eventually fall back into some bastardized 5/3/1 setup.

Once I got deeper into contest prep, things got more intuitive and less structured and I switched to having 8,5,3 rep days (no percentages or AMRAP sets) and really did my own thing in the gym. Now that I’m “offseason” and back to eating like a pig, I’m using 5/3/1 again and as of right now I’m KILLING my workouts and loving it, but I guess only time will tell how effective this approach is.

I have logged my training throughout the whole process, though my log on here has not been kept up. Its really not anything special and has definitely been a learning process, but if you want to see some of the stuff I’ve done, I’ll show ya.[/quote]

You deserve it and I’m sure anyone else here would say the same.

Anything that you have the time for or are willing to share, you have my attention. Diet/training - I’d love to hear it.

11

Appreciate the responses guys! I do have all of the 5/3/1 books. I was thinking of moving away from 5-3-1 for some time and doing something completely different and more bodybuilding-like.
Also glad I’m not the only one with the same question, although I’m probably over thinking it.