{"id":23204,"date":"2019-09-16T14:42:55","date_gmt":"2019-09-16T18:42:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com\/?p=23204"},"modified":"2019-09-17T11:13:55","modified_gmt":"2019-09-17T15:13:55","slug":"i-tried-powerlifting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/","title":{"rendered":"I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. I\u2019m in the gym, lying on the floor underneath a barbell, and frankly, in total shock.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> Not in a good way, either.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Lying under this bar, trying to do eight reps of a floor press, I realize just how weak I really am.<\/p>\n<p>I haven\u2019t followed a consistent heavy strength-training plan before, but it\u2019s not like I do nothing. I\u2019m a health and fitness writer; it\u2019s part of my job to work out. I\u2019ve spent the last nine years putting my body through the paces, testing fitness class after class. Barre, spin, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/hiit-workout-benefits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">HIIT<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/yoga-for-beginners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">yoga<\/a>, boxing, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/crossfit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CrossFit<\/a>\u2014you name it, I\u2019ve tried it. Heck, I\u2019m also a seasoned half-marathoner.<\/p>\n<p>I truly thought the mish-mash of strength training I\u2019ve done over the years had helped me build some might. But here I am, beneath this barbell, unable to press more than 45 pounds for eight reps.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Getting Serious About Strength<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>That moment was humbling, to say the least.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also exactly why, after crossing the finish line for half-marathon number 14, I traded my running kicks for lifting shoes and committed to six weeks of powerlifting training at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.platformstrength.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Platform Strength<\/a>, a Denver-based strength and conditioning gym opened by Olympic lifting pro (and winner of MTV\u2019s <em>The Challenge Rivals II<\/em>) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/emilyschromm\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Emily Schromm<\/a>. The goal: build as much strength as possible.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/how-much-cardio-do-you-really-need\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How Much Cardio Do You Really Need To Do?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My first meet-up with Emily was eye-opening. In order to make sure my body didn\u2019t work too hard\u2014and fail to recover fast enough\u2014she said I had to give up almost all my cardio. This was crazy to me. I suggested running (at an easy pace!) the 2.3 miles from my house to the gym on lift days, continuing with my once-a-week run club, and tossing in a bike ride or hike on the weekends. I could tell that Emily, who was super-sweet, was trying to hold back laughter. \u201cThat\u2019s way too much,\u201d she said.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>I had to ditch the run-to-gym idea\u2014though she did say I could walk\u2014and we settled on this schedule:<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Monday<\/strong>: lift<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"><br>\n<\/span><strong>Tuesday<\/strong>: run club (usually a 5k)<br>\n<strong>Wednesday<\/strong>: lift<br>\n<strong>Thursday<\/strong>: yoga<br>\n<strong>Friday<\/strong>: rest<br>\n<strong>Saturday<\/strong>: lift<br>\n<strong>Sunday<\/strong>: hike\/rest<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>From there, I did an <a href=\"https:\/\/inbodyusa.com\/general\/inbody-test\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">InBody analysis<\/a>, which recorded every measurement I could possibly want, including weight, body fat, water composition, and muscle mass. It even measured the muscle in my right arm versus left arm, making it easy to spot imbalances. \u201cIt helps paint a much more accurate, holistic picture of what\u2019s happening inside of your body,\u201d Emily said.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"23206\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/photo-jun-03-6-53-41-am\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?fit=3024%2C4032&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"3024,4032\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone XR","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1559544822","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"64","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"Photo Jun 03, 6 53 41 AM\" data-image-description data-image-caption data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?fit=225%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?fit=740%2C987&ssl=1\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23206 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1\" alt=\"Samantha getting an InBody analysis before powerlifting\" width=\"740\" height=\"987\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?w=3024&ssl=1 3024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?resize=225%2C300&ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?resize=272%2C363&ssl=1 272w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?w=1480&ssl=1 1480w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?w=2220&ssl=1 2220w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"23206\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/photo-jun-03-6-53-41-am\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?fit=3024%2C4032&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"3024,4032\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone XR","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1559544822","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"64","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"Photo Jun 03, 6 53 41 AM\" data-image-description data-image-caption data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?fit=225%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?fit=740%2C987&ssl=1\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23206 aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%203024%204032%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Samantha getting an InBody analysis before powerlifting\" width=\"3024\" height=\"4032\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%203024%204032%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 3024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?w=3024&ssl=1 3024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?resize=225%2C300&ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?resize=272%2C363&ssl=1 272w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?w=1480&ssl=1 1480w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg?w=2220&ssl=1 2220w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jun-03-6-53-41-AM.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Emily, a nutritional therapy practitioner, also used the analysis to hone in on my nutritional needs. My main focus for strength-building: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/protein-powders\/N-cp99j4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">protein<\/a>, protein, protein. Emily said I\u2019d need about one gram of protein for every pound of muscle mass, plus healthy fats for satiety and some carbs (more on cardio days).<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>With that, I was off to the races\u2014or, rather, the Olympic lifting platform. Over the next six weeks, I\u2019d work closely with Platform Strength\u2019s certified trainers and strength coaches, learn new lifts, stack on the weights, and get stronger in six weeks than I ever thought possible.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> Oh, and learn a <em>ton<\/em> about myself and my fitness. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Being A Beginner Is A Good Thing<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>A naturally athletic person, I\u2019ve always thrived on quickly picking up new fitness activities and becoming a top performer. I expected lifting to be the same.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Each time I stepped up to the bar, though, I was humbled by how much of a powerlifting beginner I truly was. Regardless of the workout\u2019s main lift (be it some back squat variation, deadlift, or bench press), or who worked out alongside me, I consistently threw around the lowest weight.<\/p>\n<p>At first, this scared me. I didn\u2019t want to be perceived as weak or have anyone question why I was there. I constantly felt myself wanting to make up excuses…\u201cBut I\u2019m a runner! I bike! I\u2019m good at other things, I swear!\u201d<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"23207\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/photo-jul-03-8-04-53-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?fit=3024%2C4032&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"3024,4032\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone XR","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1562184293","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"","orientation":"6"}\" data-image-title=\"Photo Jul 03, 8 04 53 PM\" data-image-description data-image-caption data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?fit=225%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?fit=740%2C987&ssl=1\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-23207 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1\" alt=\"Sam and Emily practicing powerlifting\" width=\"740\" height=\"987\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?w=3024&ssl=1 3024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?resize=225%2C300&ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?resize=272%2C363&ssl=1 272w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?w=1480&ssl=1 1480w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?w=2220&ssl=1 2220w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"23207\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/photo-jul-03-8-04-53-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?fit=3024%2C4032&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"3024,4032\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone XR","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1562184293","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"","orientation":"6"}\" data-image-title=\"Photo Jul 03, 8 04 53 PM\" data-image-description data-image-caption data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?fit=225%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?fit=740%2C987&ssl=1\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-23207 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%203024%204032%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Sam and Emily practicing powerlifting\" width=\"3024\" height=\"4032\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%203024%204032%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 3024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?w=3024&ssl=1 3024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?resize=225%2C300&ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?resize=272%2C363&ssl=1 272w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?w=1480&ssl=1 1480w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg?w=2220&ssl=1 2220w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-8-04-53-PM-e1568380044674.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>I resisted, though, realizing that part of this process, for me, was fighting off that mental insecurity. Whenever my lifting partner had to strip off weight for me, instead of diving into excuses I simply shrugged and said, \u201cYou gotta start somewhere, right?\u201d Each time, I got an emphatic “yes!”\u2014followed by their personal story of where they started from, and encouragement that I, too, would get stronger.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>It was a refreshing perspective to take, albeit a hard one to put into practice over and over. But, truth is, you only get to be a beginner once. Choosing to embrace it\u2014rather than shame myself over it\u2014gave me the real opportunity to learn.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/women-strength-training\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Why All (Yes, ALL) Women Need To Strength Train<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sticking to lower weights (that still felt SO heavy to me) allowed me to really hone in on my form, nail the proper movement, and then add on weight. Had I been stuck in the \u2018I gotta prove myself\u2019 mindset, I likely would\u2019ve bitten off more than I could chew, adopted bad form, and potentially have gotten injured.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Community Matters<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s no secret that powerlifting, Olympic lifting, and just picking up weight in general can feel insanely intimidating. People fear getting injured, being judged, and simply not knowing what to do. A survey from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fitrated.com\/resources\/workout-worries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">FitRated<\/a> backs this up: After talking to 1,000 people across the U.S., they found that nearly 53 percent of gym-goers felt like they\u2019ve been judged for using equipment improperly, Meanwhile, 52 percent have felt nervous about not looking fit or avoided the gym altogether because of these (and other) insecurities.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Plus, there\u2019s gym culture itself. When I walked into Platform for the first time, I had only been living in Denver for a few months and was hoping to make new friends. Would I fit in? I\u2019d experienced other workout environments where I felt that if you weren\u2019t a part of the crew already, you had no shot in hell of breaking in.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>You can imagine how experiencing that as a newbie to a sport can completely destroy your motivation.<\/p>\n<p>Luckily, I came to appreciate the culture at Platform more than even the workouts themselves. Yes, I loved getting stronger and learning new exercises, but the community there kept me coming back for more.<\/p>\n<p>Honestly, it reminded me of what I love about running. Sure, it can be a solo activity, but many runners prefer to log miles with a friend. In fact, companies like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.runragnar.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ragnar Relay<\/a> base their entire ethos on bringing like-minded people together through sport.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>So, if you find you don\u2019t fit in at your current gym, shop around until you find one that fits. It can be the make-or-break difference between achieving the gains you want or slumping into a stagnant routine.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Lifting Forces You To Slow Down<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Note to, well, everybody: Powerlifting is not the same as HIIT. Rationally, this is something I knew\u2014but for some reason, I thought that my myriad of fast, heart-pumping HIIT classes would translate well to the platform. And while they did help to a certain extent, I was constantly reminded of just how hard it is to perform a given move with an extra 50 to 100+ pounds strapped to your body.<\/p>\n<p>The silver lining: Adding the extra weight forced me to slow down\u2014and it was a nice change of pace.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span>Instead of quickly performing as many reps as I could for 30 to 60 seconds, I learned to give my muscles time to recover so I could hit a one-, three-, or five-rep max.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"23208\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/photo-jul-03-7-43-49-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?fit=3024%2C4032&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"3024,4032\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone XR","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1562183029","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"125","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"","orientation":"6"}\" data-image-title=\"Photo Jul 03, 7 43 49 PM\" data-image-description data-image-caption data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?fit=225%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?fit=740%2C987&ssl=1\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23208 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1\" alt=\"Sam deadlifting\" width=\"740\" height=\"987\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?w=3024&ssl=1 3024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?resize=225%2C300&ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?resize=272%2C363&ssl=1 272w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?w=1480&ssl=1 1480w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?w=2220&ssl=1 2220w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"23208\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/photo-jul-03-7-43-49-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?fit=3024%2C4032&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"3024,4032\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone XR","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1562183029","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"125","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"","orientation":"6"}\" data-image-title=\"Photo Jul 03, 7 43 49 PM\" data-image-description data-image-caption data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?fit=225%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?fit=740%2C987&ssl=1\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23208 aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%203024%204032%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Sam deadlifting\" width=\"3024\" height=\"4032\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%203024%204032%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 3024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?w=3024&ssl=1 3024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?resize=225%2C300&ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?resize=272%2C363&ssl=1 272w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?w=1480&ssl=1 1480w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg?w=2220&ssl=1 2220w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-43-49-PM-e1568380131114.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not saying powerlifting is better than HIIT; just different. \u201cWhen you\u2019re doing any sort of anaerobic high-intensity interval training, you\u2019re just picking a weight and moving through it,\u201d Emily says. \u201cYou\u2019re not even limited by your strength, but by the amount of oxygen your body is getting.\u201d<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Emily thinks the two can go together quite well, though. While HIIT is really great for insulin function and getting your heart rate up, it\u2019s not necessarily about building muscle definition, she says. Powerlifting, on the other hand, is about changing your body composition, building muscle mass and reducing body fat.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Properly pair strength training and HIIT\u2014along with a solid nutrition plan, of course\u2014 and you\u2019ve got yourself a match made in workout heaven.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Supplements Can Really Help<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>While yes, we should all strive to get as much of our nutrition as possible through whole foods, seeing notable muscle gains can be pretty tough to do with just food.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cDespite what is on your plate, you are <em>not<\/em> what you eat,\u201d Emily says. \u201cYou are what you digest and absorb.”<\/p>\n<p>Many people have digestive issues due to stress, which means we end up deficient in key vitamins and minerals, which are key for performance. That’s why Emily encouraged me to embrace supplements.<\/p>\n<p>We started with the usual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/protein-powders\/N-cp99j4\">protein powder<\/a>. I opted for a beef variety, which Emily suggested I might digest better than my usual vegan picks.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/how-much-protein-do-you-need\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How Much Protein Do You Really Need?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>She also pushed me to add in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/branched-chain-amino-acids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">branched-chain amino acids<\/a>, or BCAAs, because I\u2019m an early-morning exerciser and don’t like to eat beforehand.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you don\u2019t have anything in your system when you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/bcaa-timing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wake up and work out<\/a>, what is your body going to get fuel from? It tends to pull muscle, saying, \u2018I\u2019m going to turn this muscle back into glucose and use this glucose,\u2019\u201d Emily explains.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>However, because BCAAs don\u2019t have to go through the process of digestion, we can use them as an immediate source of fuel and energy, preserving our hard-earned muscle gains.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>To boost recovery, Emily also suggested I add magnesium, which studies have shown can help support <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/23853635\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sleep quality<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5622706\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">muscle recovery<\/a>.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sure, the placebo effect could have played a role here, but, after six weeks, I found myself sleeping better and lifting more than ever before. I\u2019ll take it!<\/p>\n<h2><b>The Numbers Don’t Lie<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>After six weeks of training\u2014along with dialed-in nutrition\u2014I lost over two percent body fat and gained about three pounds of muscle mass.<\/p>\n<p>Oh, and my confidence? Through the roof.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>That floor press I struggled with early on? Six weeks after barely completing eight reps at 45 pounds, I dominated those same reps at 60 pounds. My back squat one-rep max skyrocketed from 70 to 120 pounds.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"23209\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/photo-jul-03-7-58-19-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?fit=3024%2C4032&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"3024,4032\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone XR","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1562183899","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"125","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"","orientation":"6"}\" data-image-title=\"Photo Jul 03, 7 58 19 PM\" data-image-description data-image-caption data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?fit=225%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?fit=740%2C987&ssl=1\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23209 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1\" alt=\"Sam doing a seated shoulder press\" width=\"740\" height=\"987\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?w=3024&ssl=1 3024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?resize=225%2C300&ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?resize=272%2C363&ssl=1 272w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?w=1480&ssl=1 1480w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?w=2220&ssl=1 2220w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"23209\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/photo-jul-03-7-58-19-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?fit=3024%2C4032&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"3024,4032\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone XR","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1562183899","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"125","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"","orientation":"6"}\" data-image-title=\"Photo Jul 03, 7 58 19 PM\" data-image-description data-image-caption data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?fit=225%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?fit=740%2C987&ssl=1\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23209 aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%203024%204032%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Sam doing a seated shoulder press\" width=\"3024\" height=\"4032\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%203024%204032%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 3024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?w=3024&ssl=1 3024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?resize=225%2C300&ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?resize=272%2C363&ssl=1 272w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?resize=740%2C987&ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?w=1480&ssl=1 1480w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg?w=2220&ssl=1 2220w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Photo-Jul-03-7-58-19-PM-e1568380195477.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Though my running times initially slowed, I honestly credit that to my vast reduction of cardio. Plus, whenever I did run, it was usually on tired legs.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Since my powerlifting program ended, I\u2019ve begun another cycle of half-marathon training. However, I’ve pledged not to ditch my strength-training goals.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>For now, I\u2019ll continue to dedicate two days a week to strength training\u2014and throw in a smattering of short lifting sessions after running on other days.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Three weeks into this approach, I\u2019ve continued to gain muscle and speed. In fact, I may have just found the perfect one-two punch for my physical and mental performance. I’ll never fear being weak again.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Diggin\u2019 What\u2019s Good? For more essential health facts, tips, and inspiration, joi<\/strong><\/em><em><strong>n our Facebook communities, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/EatingHealthyVitaminShoppe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Eating Healthy<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/StayingFitVitaminShoppe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Staying Fit<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/2181619318818336\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Keeping It Keto<\/a> today!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. I\u2019m in the gym, lying on the floor underneath a barbell, and frankly, in total shock. Not in a good way, either. Lying under this bar, trying to do eight reps of a floor press, I realize just how weak I really am. I haven\u2019t followed a consistent heavy<a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/\">Read More <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106,"featured_media":23211,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4,8,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness","category-stories","category-the-latest"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A long-time cardio lover, I swapped my running sneakers for a barbell and tried powerlifting for six weeks. Here's what I learned.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A long-time cardio lover, I swapped my running sneakers for a barbell and tried powerlifting for six weeks. Here's what I learned.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"What\u2019s Good blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/THEVITAMINSHOPPE\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-09-16T18:42:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-09-17T15:13:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/lauren-header-1024x424.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"424\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Samantha Lefave\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@VitaminShoppe\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@VitaminShoppe\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Samantha Lefave\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Samantha Lefave\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/36736470addec4f8054dc50d3242e8be\"},\"headline\":\"I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-09-16T18:42:55+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-09-17T15:13:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/\"},\"wordCount\":1902,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/lauren-header.jpg?fit=1484%2C614&ssl=1\",\"articleSection\":[\"Fitness\",\"Stories\",\"The Latest\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/\",\"name\":\"I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/lauren-header.jpg?fit=1484%2C614&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-09-16T18:42:55+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-09-17T15:13:55+00:00\",\"description\":\"A long-time cardio lover, I swapped my running sneakers for a barbell and tried powerlifting for six weeks. Here's what I learned.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/lauren-header.jpg?fit=1484%2C614&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/lauren-header.jpg?fit=1484%2C614&ssl=1\",\"width\":1484,\"height\":614,\"caption\":\"Sam lifting dumbbells\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Fitness\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/fitness\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"What\u2019s Good blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Vitamin Shoppe\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/v-logo.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/v-logo.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1\",\"width\":250,\"height\":250,\"caption\":\"The Vitamin Shoppe\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/THEVITAMINSHOPPE\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/VitaminShoppe\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/vitaminshoppe\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/the-vitamin-shoppe\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/VitaminShoppe\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/TheVitaminShoppe1\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/36736470addec4f8054dc50d3242e8be\",\"name\":\"Samantha Lefave\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bd7f5de2e92214ef699e4993089477bcdee367e65c969ac616062f6ec0c7c4ad?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bd7f5de2e92214ef699e4993089477bcdee367e65c969ac616062f6ec0c7c4ad?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Samantha Lefave\"},\"description\":\"Samantha Lefave is a fitness, health, and travel writer and editor, and she seems to always be hopping on a plane or stepping into a gym in search of her next story. Her work has appeared in Runner\u2019s World, Bicycling, Men\u2019s Health and Women\u2019s Health, Outside, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and more.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/author\/samanthalefave\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting","description":"A long-time cardio lover, I swapped my running sneakers for a barbell and tried powerlifting for six weeks. Here's what I learned.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting","og_description":"A long-time cardio lover, I swapped my running sneakers for a barbell and tried powerlifting for six weeks. Here's what I learned.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/","og_site_name":"What\u2019s Good blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/THEVITAMINSHOPPE\/","article_published_time":"2019-09-16T18:42:55+00:00","article_modified_time":"2019-09-17T15:13:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":424,"url":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/lauren-header-1024x424.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Samantha Lefave","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@VitaminShoppe","twitter_site":"@VitaminShoppe","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Samantha Lefave","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/"},"author":{"name":"Samantha Lefave","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/36736470addec4f8054dc50d3242e8be"},"headline":"I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting","datePublished":"2019-09-16T18:42:55+00:00","dateModified":"2019-09-17T15:13:55+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/"},"wordCount":1902,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/lauren-header.jpg?fit=1484%2C614&ssl=1","articleSection":["Fitness","Stories","The Latest"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/","url":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/","name":"I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/lauren-header.jpg?fit=1484%2C614&ssl=1","datePublished":"2019-09-16T18:42:55+00:00","dateModified":"2019-09-17T15:13:55+00:00","description":"A long-time cardio lover, I swapped my running sneakers for a barbell and tried powerlifting for six weeks. Here's what I learned.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/lauren-header.jpg?fit=1484%2C614&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/lauren-header.jpg?fit=1484%2C614&ssl=1","width":1484,"height":614,"caption":"Sam lifting dumbbells"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/i-tried-powerlifting\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Fitness","item":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/fitness\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"I Got A 6-Week Crash Course In Powerlifting"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/","name":"What\u2019s Good blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"The Vitamin Shoppe","url":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/v-logo.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/v-logo.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1","width":250,"height":250,"caption":"The Vitamin Shoppe"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/THEVITAMINSHOPPE\/","https:\/\/x.com\/VitaminShoppe","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/vitaminshoppe\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/the-vitamin-shoppe\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/VitaminShoppe\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/TheVitaminShoppe1"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/36736470addec4f8054dc50d3242e8be","name":"Samantha Lefave","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bd7f5de2e92214ef699e4993089477bcdee367e65c969ac616062f6ec0c7c4ad?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bd7f5de2e92214ef699e4993089477bcdee367e65c969ac616062f6ec0c7c4ad?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Samantha Lefave"},"description":"Samantha Lefave is a fitness, health, and travel writer and editor, and she seems to always be hopping on a plane or stepping into a gym in search of her next story. Her work has appeared in Runner\u2019s World, Bicycling, Men\u2019s Health and Women\u2019s Health, Outside, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and more.","url":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/author\/samanthalefave\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/lauren-header.jpg?fit=1484%2C614&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8QYGg-62g","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/106"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23204"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23248,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23204\/revisions\/23248"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}