Why bodybuilders build more muscle
Bodybuilders often look more muscular than powerlifters, even though both train with weights and use the same compound exercises. The simple truth is that one sport judges physical appearance, while the other measures maximum strength. That accounts for much of the difference.
Why bodybuilders look bigger
This can be puzzling when you first start going to the gym. A powerlifter might squat, bench press or deadlift weights that leave the whole gym speechless, yet may not look as defined or as broad as a competitive bodybuilder standing next to them. That does not mean the powerlifter lacks muscle. They do have muscle. The question is what that muscle was built for and how much body fat is covering it.
The original comparison cited Donnie Thompson, Ryan Kennelly and Benedikt Magnusson as examples. As of 2011, they were known for exceptionally heavy squats, bench presses and deadlifts, respectively. These men are big and powerful. Yet their physiques serve a different purpose from those in bodybuilding, where the goal is maximum muscle mass, symmetry and sharp definition under the stage lights.
A powerlifter can be heavier, carry more fat and be very strong, because greater body weight often helps move the barbell. A bodybuilder, however, needs to make that muscle visible. As body fat percentage drops, the shoulders, back, thighs and arms become more defined. This can create a completely different visual impression, even if the powerlifter has greater absolute strength.
Bodybuilders and powerlifters train for different goals
In powerlifting, one thing matters: how much you can lift in the squat, bench press and deadlift. Sets may be short, the tempo explosive and the entire program built around getting your nervous system to deliver its maximum output in a single attempt. That is a very specific skill.
Bodybuilding has a different emphasis. What matters is the volume of work your muscles do, controlled movement, maintaining tension and how well different muscle groups develop. A bodybuilder may use heavy weights, but they do not train solely to perform one repetition. They want to give the muscle enough work so that it recovers and grows before the next workout.
Konstantin Konstantinovs is a good example. He was a big, muscular deadlifter. But put him next to Ronnie Coleman and the picture changes immediately. Ronnie Coleman was a bodybuilder whose physique was built to be judged onstage: rounded muscles, detail and whole-body proportions.
Stan Efferding is an interesting example of someone who straddles the two sports. In 2010, he won the “World’s Strongest Bodybuilder” competition and was very strong in raw powerlifting among bodybuilders. Yet he was not the most massive bodybuilder onstage. Comparing him with Johnnie Jackson and Ben White makes it clear, particularly in the lower body, that maximum strength and the ideal amount of muscle mass for bodybuilding do not always go hand in hand.
What the Tom Platz and Fred Hatfield comparison shows
In 1993, Tom Platz competed alongside a man named Fred Hatfield in a powerlifting competition. Hatfield was the first man to squat 1000 pounds, 455 kg. Platz, meanwhile, had some of the most famous legs in bodybuilding history. His thighs were legendary, but that did not necessarily make him stronger in a single maximum-effort attempt.
Hatfield won the 1-rep max contest. Hatfield squatted 388.5 kg for 1 repetition, while Platz performed one squat with 347.5 kg. But things changed when the barbell was loaded with 238.5 kg to test muscular endurance. Platz performed 23 squats with that weight, while Hatfield managed just 11 squats.
So what is actually happening here? Hatfield was better at a single explosive, maximum-effort attempt. Platz was better at a longer set, where his muscles had to work for longer. This helps explain why bodybuilding training often produces more visible muscle size. The muscles get more repetitions, more time under tension and more volume.
What bodybuilders can teach the everyday gym-goer
If your only goal is a record, you need to train like a powerlifter: focus on technique, the nervous system, short sets and a specific selection of lifts. If your goal is more muscle, you need to think like a bodybuilder. That does not mean posing in front of the mirror after every set. It means making your muscles do the work.
Writing in “Muscular Development” magazine in 2010, Jay Cutler said that he had been stronger in some compound lifts earlier in his career than he was as a top bodybuilder. Yet his physique improved by bodybuilding standards when he shifted the emphasis toward volume, control and feeling the muscles work. The key point is this: a heavier barbell does not always mean bigger muscles.
In practice, this means you should not focus solely on chasing a new record every week. Do compound exercises, but add exercises that help lagging muscle groups catch up. Keep your technique clean. Make your muscles do the work, rather than just your joints and your ego. If you finish a set feeling that the target muscle really did the work, you are on the right track.
FAQ: bodybuilders and powerlifters
Are powerlifters actually less muscular?
Not always. Many powerlifters are very muscular, but a higher body fat percentage and a different training goal leave some of that muscle hidden. Bodybuilders train and eat to make their muscles more visible.
Do you need to train like a bodybuilder to build muscle mass?
If your main goals are appearance and muscle size, then yes, bodybuilding principles help. That means sufficient training volume, controlled repetitions and balanced development across muscle groups.
Does great strength always mean big muscles?
No. Strength also depends on technique, the nervous system, body weight and the specific demands of the exercise. Bigger muscles contribute to strength, but a single maximum-effort lift does not reveal the muscular development of your entire body.
To be continued…
Author: Janar Rückenberg (translation)
Source:Turg.Fitenss.ee
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