In any sport there is always a risk of getting injured, however there
are several things you can do to reduce the likelihood of an injury:
1: Always warm up properly before training any strength sport.
Dynamic stretches are a good way to warm up your muscles before lifting.
Powerlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0WUFHKuguY
Weightlifting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF5LLh7kmfk
2: Stretching and Rolling.
3: Be careful of over-training, or training too hard!
While it is tempting to lift heavy all the time, making sure our muscles are getting the recovery time they need is vital to preventing injuries. A good way to make sure you’re
not over-training is by following a program - take a look here for our recommendations.
4) Finally, sleep and nutrition are key in both improving your lifting and avoiding injuries!
As with any exercise, the more lifting you do, the more food and sleep your body needs. There is plenty of information around this online, or you can have a chat with our resident expert, Alex Jackson.
Find more info on preventing injury here
In any sport there is always a risk of getting injured, however there
are several things you can do to reduce the likelihood of an injury:
1: Always warm up properly before training any strength sport.
Dynamic stretches are a good way to warm up your muscles before lifting.
Powerlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0WUFHKuguY
Weightlifting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF5LLh7kmfk
2: Stretching and Rolling.
3: Be careful of over-training, or training too hard!
While it is tempting to lift heavy all the time, making sure our muscles are getting the recovery time they need is vital to preventing injuries. A good way to make sure you’re
not over-training is by following a program - take a look here for our recommendations.
4) Finally, sleep and nutrition are key in both improving your lifting and avoiding injuries!
As with any exercise, the more lifting you do, the more food and sleep your body needs. There is plenty of information around this online, or you can have a chat with our resident expert, Alex Jackson.
Find more info on preventing injury here
Powerlifting
A Message From Our Powerlifting Captain
Hi, I’m Maya, a first year Linguistics with French student and I am your Powerlifting Captain this year.
I have been interested in powerlifting for a long time now but I always felt intimidated with how to start the competitive aspect of the sport. However, I found that after coming to university the process of starting to compete was very simple and welcoming especially due to the community and support provided by Warwick Barbell.
My first experience of the competition environment was the internal competition in November and I then went to compete at Varsity in February. I found that this was an extremely accessible way to start competing as the environment was not competitive or intimidating but instead supportive and fun. This pathway allowed me to gain so much confidence in myself and my lifting throughout the year. After joining Barbell, Powerlifting has become a very important part of my life and I have really found a deep passion for the sport. The community in Barbell has been a particularly important part of my love for Powerlifting as there is unwavering support from everyone as well as the fact that be strong is really cool!
My aim as Powerlifting Captain is to continue to ensure a supportive and encouraging environment around Powerlifting so that less confident or less experienced lifters still have the opportunity to compete and discover how cool Powerlifting is. The weekly training sessions are a great way to get started and get involved within the club and alongside a club program that is accessible to everyone this will provide a simple way to get started on your Powerlifting journey. The internal competition will be hosted in Term 1 again which will provide an initial opportunity to test out your new found strength in a low pressure, supportive environment. I will be making sure that everyone’s lifts are to comp standard and that everyone is aware of the rules so there are no worries around that when it comes to competing. We will also have Varsity in Term 2 which is a comfortable step up from the internal and as it is a registered meet you will have the opportunity to achieve a qualifying total for BUCS. If you are already a confident lifter there will also be opportunities to do more high stake competitions through out the year as well for which support will also be provided.
I can’t wait to be Powerlifting Captain for this year and if you are interested in starting Powerlifting or you have any questions, please feel free to reach out anytime! You can message me directly on Instagram (@mayaw._3) or reach out through the Warwick Barbell account (@warwickbarbell)
Programmes and Coaching
Many of our lifters run different programmes that are built to provide the best results for their specific sport. Lots of programmes exist out there, and it is often down to personal preference as to which programme people to use. We've provided a list of programmes below for you to have a look at and compare! If none of the programmes here are leaping out at you, head over to liftvault.com and take a look around! There's plenty more programmes out there, many of which can be found at Liftvault.
We also have our own club programme designed for those new to powerlifting. This will take you from the beginning of Term 1 to the Internal Meet in December and from then to Varsity in late February.
Recommended Coaches
Competitions
Local Competitions (no QT Needed)
To find a competitions local to Warwick University check out the the West Midlands Powerlifting page
More Competitions
For a wider range of competitions check out the British Powerlifting website
Varsity
Every year we hold a competiton against Coventry and Birmingham Unviersity. This is a great opportunity to try out a powerlifting for the first time with the support of the club. It is also great you're an experienced powerlifter needing a qualifying total for BUCS.
Qualifying Totals
If you're new to the world of lifting, you might be wondering, "What is a qualifying total?"
Qualifying totals are competition totals that a lifter will earn at a smaller meet, which is then used to qualify them for a larger meet. The idea behind qualifying totals is that it creates a minimum requirement to be able to compete, narrowing the field of available competitors.
British Powerlifting Qualifying Totals can be found here.
Equipment
In order to compete in an IPF Powerlifting competition, you will need:
-
IPF approved singlet
-
Shoes
-
T-shirt
-
Deadlift socks (any knee high sock will do)
-
IPF approved belt (optional)
-
IPF approved knee sleeves (optional)
-
IPF approved wrist wraps (optional)
Whilst the belt, knee sleeves and wrist wraps are optional, they are highly recommended for anybody looking to compete.
Where to Find Equipment
The cheapest IPF approved equipment on the market is from Strength Shop, with a lever belt starting at £69.99. These are good quality and you will get all the support you need from them however, if you want something more robust and long-lasting we would recommend either SBD or A7
As a Barbell member you have access to our bulk SBD order which will give you 20% off (see our Sponsors and Partners page for more details).
You will also have access to our kit locker which allows you to borrow kit for a competition. Please reach out to one of our exec to find out more.