You Are At: AllSands Home > Sports > Power lifting
Power lifting is a sport that combines the strength of weight lifting with the concentration of a Zen master. Power lifting is a hybrid sport. It was created in the middle 1960’s by people who were tired of weight lifting and Olympic lifting. Power lifting consists of only three exercises, the bench press, the dead lift, and the squat.

Since the sport's inception it has steadily increased its presence in the worldwide arena. It is popular for a few reasons. The first is that it is a lot easier to learn than Olympic lifting, which can take years to perfect. When you train for power lifting it is usually for a specific event, such as a meet. Power lifting is really more of a discipline than other lifting sports because it combines speed, strength and sheer concentration of will. Speaking from personal experience, people underestimate how strong they really are. Power lifting helps to focus your mind and allow you to tap into your deeper subconscious.

When squatting, bench pressing, or dead lifting a maximum weight in a competition in the gym or a meet, the slightest mistake could mean the difference between making the lift or possible injury or sometimes death. Power lifting has a few key benefits to everyone, not just people looking to get strong.

The first is that it gives you a priority. Almost all power lifters compete in meets at one time or another. When you train in this way there is more of a sense of urgency to perform at your peak then if you have no goals whatsoever. The Zen part of power lifting is very simple to explain. Power lifting combines deep breathing such extreme concentration and force of will.

Power lifting is about lifting the weight but really its more of a yardstick by which you measure your own progress as an athlete and individual. Power lifting helps to create more discipline your life, helps you move forward with your goals and keeps you focused.

Power lifting is a worldwide sport with countries such as the US, Japan, China and Russia, competing to name but a few. The next step for the sport that is have it become an Olympic sport. Serious efforts are being made to try to bring the sport to a more public perspective.