# Negative long-term effects of powerlifting...?



## Squaggleboggin (Nov 30, 2004)

As you can tell from the title of the post, I lift for power. I know that with certain sports, you can get injured over long periods of time (bad knees from jogging, and stuff like that), so I was wondering about the negative long-term effects of powerlifting. Does it make your bone structure worse, or make your heart work too hard or anything like that (I'm just thinking of things to use as examples, so they might have zero truth)? Is there anything bad about it really? Thanks in advance.


----------



## Squaggleboggin (Dec 2, 2004)

Sorry about the, uh, red words... don't know how that happened...

 Anyways, has anyone experienced or heard of anything bad that comes from lifting over time, given that one uses correct form?


----------



## Tha Don (Dec 2, 2004)

good question man, i'm not all that sure myself... i know that long term lifting dose (obviously) put a lot of strain on joints and therefore i'd assume this would eventually catch up on some people meaning they are more likely to need stuff like hip/knee/shoulder operations when old and grey?

thats just an assumption though not sure how true it is, i'm pretty sure lifting intense would not have any adverse effects on the heart or circulatory system - any form of exercise is gonna be good for your heart and your lungs and your mind and stuff like that


----------



## Dmwrss (Dec 2, 2004)

to much of any abuse on the body is not good.  its good to do different rep ranges all year long.  I'm also a power-mass lifter.  I've noticed lifting heavy in the 3-1 range is tolling on the body so much that after 2 months I'm injury proned and a half.  I remember I would get an injury every week after so long of doing heavy weight.  The body can only take so much wear and tear till it starts to rebel.  Keep it guessing as most say.


----------



## LAM (Dec 2, 2004)

Dmwrss said:
			
		

> its good to do different rep ranges all year long.



that is why anyone who is serious about resistance training should incorporate some form of periodization into their training...


----------



## Dmwrss (Dec 2, 2004)

sometimes the obvious is overlooked,  people think simplicity and automatically think its not going to work.


----------



## SquatBenchDead (Dec 2, 2004)

During close to max and max attempts, blood preasure levels are raised much higher than normal.  If a person already suffers from high blood preasure, lifting extreamly heavy could be dangerous.


----------



## LAM (Dec 3, 2004)

SquatBenchDead said:
			
		

> During close to max and max attempts, blood preasure levels are raised much higher than normal.



I've never read anything that would collaberate that statement...


----------



## zl214 (Dec 3, 2004)

i think it makes you TOO SEXY.


----------



## CowPimp (Dec 3, 2004)

LAM said:
			
		

> I've never read anything that would collaberate that statement...



I think he's referring to holding your breath during the concentric part of the motion.  This definitely leads to increased blood pressure during the lift.  However, it also helps to protect your spine by increasing intra-abdominal pressure.


----------



## LAM (Dec 3, 2004)

CowPimp said:
			
		

> However, it also helps to protect your spine by increasing intra-abdominal pressure.



during a squat yes, but not during a bench press...


----------



## ponyboy (Dec 3, 2004)

We actually measured this in university to see the effects.  During a deadlift (not a bench press, but...) the subjects blood pressure went from a normal 110/70 to 290/130 while holding their breath for a 4RM.  While breathing normally it still went up but not quite as significantly.  

I agree with the statement that it helps protect your spine by increasing the intra-abdominal pressure.


----------

