Patrick,
Let’s look at the main players here:
- Bodyweight will ultimately determine what weight class you compete in. More muscle mass means more muscle cross sectional area, which increases the force production potential of the lifter, in general. Subsequently, with increasing body weights people tend to get stronger, as gaining pure adipose tissue is relatively uncommon. Additionally, “filling out” your weight class, i.e. competing with the highest bodyweight possible within a weight class, is thought to be an advantage though there are numerous examples where that doesn’t necessarily play out. Consider Asthon Rouska, who recently broke all the 105kg records weighing 95kg in his latest USAPL meet. While we shouldn’t use the exception to prove the rule, I think it’s also important to realize the limitations in our observations. There are a myriad of different variables that influence powerlifting performance other than bodyweight and confidently ascribing causation to one of them- in this case, body weight- is usually in error. Consider the poor performance of Ray Williams at this year’s IPF Worlds, where he bombed out in what is typically his best event, the squat. He was down 14kg in bodyweight from his last meet and failed to make his opening attempt of 440 kg, which was 10kg under his opener at his last meet. On the surface it would appear Ray’s reduction in bodyweight cost him a shot at another world championship. However it appears Ray was very sick coming into this competition, which resulted in the weight loss. In this example, we cannot know if it was the illness or the weight loss that hurt his performance. Given the magnitude of his weight loss, it was likely both, but what about smaller variations in weight? Do those matter?
In a review of the existing literature on weight cuts, dietary manipulations to make weight, and other studies on short-term weight loss and its effect on performance outcomes- my opinion is that short-term weight changes may not have much of an influence at all on performance. Additionally, any change in performance secondary to weight loss (or gain) appears to be much smaller than training effects. In short, your training has a much stronger effect than a few pounds either way based on present scientific evidence, which I am reviewing for the August issue of the Barbell Medicine Research Review.
Takeaway: Short-term changes in weight are probably don’t influence performance unless secondary to another process like dehydration, illness, etc. Long-term changes in weight that increase LBM improve strength potential in individuals. Gaining muscle is a relatively slow process, e.g. 0.5 to 2kg per month.
- Body Composition in powerlifting seems to have changed in recent times, with low body fat percentages becoming de rigueur. I don’t have any data to support that observation, but it does appear that present-day powerlifters tend to place a higher (perhaps unnecessary) importance on body composition compared to the lifters of yesteryear. In any event, at the highest levels of powerlifting there is a heterogeneity in observed body fat levels and performance. In other words, there are a lot of lifters performing very well with different body fat levels. That said, it’s hard to draw firm conclusions given the sampling bias. Theoretically, lifters with more LBM at a given weight should perform better, but individual differences in a wide variety of factors have shown time and time again this doesn’t always hold.
With respect to health, body composition is an important variable that influences all-cause mortality and morbidity of disease. Individuals who carry too much fat tissue, which can be determined by using BMI and waist circumference measurements, have worse health outcomes than their lean counterparts. Additionally, presence of obesity-related disease processes such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and/or insulin resistance, may respond well to weight loss despite the individual not meeting criteria for obesity per BMI and waist circumference.
Takeaway: Powerlifters can improve strength potential by increasing lean body mass and/or bodyweight, though there is no one-size-fits-all body fat level that produces optimal performance. Rather, there is likely a range of body fats that high-level lifters exhibit. Body fat levels and medical status should be monitored using BMI, waist circumference, and age-appropriate medical screening to reduce risk of obesity-related disease.
- Height is an interesting anthropometric measure in powerlifting. On one hand, it appears that individuals in a given weight class appear to cluster around a restricted range of heights, e.g. most 83kg lifters occupy the same height within 6" or so. On the other hand, we see all sorts of exceptions to this rule with both taller and shorter individuals producing world-class numbers. A few off the top of my head, Layne Norton (tall) and Jonathan Cayco (less tall) occupy opposite ends in the 93kg class, yet Layne was able to set the 93kg World Record in the squat in 2016 and Cayco recently set a would-be world record total at a local meet. Another example, Russ Orhii (less tall) and Charlie Dickson (tall) occupy opposite ends in the 83kg class, yet both are world champions.
Again, while theoretically a lifter carrying more lean body mass at a given weight has a higher strength potential, there are a number of other variables at play here including genetics, training history, leverages, a bevy of psychological variables, and much, much more.
Takeaway: The taller an athlete is, the more they are likely going to have to weigh in order to maximize their competitiveness, provided that’s even a possibility for them. There is likely a range of weights that are compatible with elite level performance in powerlifting, which takes into account individual differences between lifters.
- Goals for an individual will ultimately determine the management of bodyweight and body composition. An individual who is already fairly competitive and wants to participate at the highest level of sport will need to see where their predicted performances at different weight classes (higher or lower) put them. It can be problematic, perhaps even futile, trying to estimate how much strength an individual will gain if they go up a weight class or how much strength an individual will maintain if they go down a weight class. I actually don’t think that’s the way most individuals should manage their weight in powerlifting, as predicting strength gains or losses accurately is near impossible. Newer lifters and those who previously following inappropriate programming will both likely improve their strength while losing weight, independent of other factors like total body weight, body composition, or height. Will they make slower strength progress compared to if they had been gaining weight? Perhaps, but that really depends on the appropriateness of the programming for the individual and how well they respond to it. Remember, LBM increases are slow and so it’s unlikely that improvements in strength that occur secondary to weight gain are night-and-day different than strength improvements occurring during weight loss.
I think that individuals who compete in powerlifting should train intelligently and compete often in order to identify themselves as an elite level powerlifter. With respect to picking a specific weight class, an individual that is putting up elite or near-elite numbers in a given weight class will be able to determine if moving up or down a class makes sense, given the competition level in the new division and current performance level. In short, I think picking a weight class is almost a secondary concern for people who end up being elite level lifters, as they get really strong, compete, and then figure out what weight class suits them based on the competitive landscape and their own preferences. While it’s possible that there’s a would-be “world-beater” in the 105kg class who’s a national “also-ran” in the 93kg class, it seems rather unlikely based on current observation.
For those who want to compete for fun, but who also value health, I think the decision process is much more straightforward. Similar to our competitor above, it’s important to train appropriately (get strong) and compete, yet I think we need to have hard stops in place for weight gain (not so much with weight loss). For example, our poster here should likely not gain weight given a waist circumference is 36" or greater, as they are very close to the cutoff that indicates increased risk of obesity-related disease (37"). Rather, a trial of maintenance calories while attempting to reduce the waist via training would be my initial recommendation and failing that, engaging in weight loss to get the waist circumference under 34-35" before considering weight gain to increase muscle mass. An additional point here, advising individuals to rapidly gain weight in order to increase their strength numbers in a previously untrained individual is rather foolish considering their numbers were going to go up anyway with adherence to appropriate training. Furthermore, increases in muscle mass are slow and the extra calories will be stored as fat tissue, which may increase risk of obesity-related disease in both the short and long term. Unfortunately, people don’t tend to be very good at losing weight and keeping it off.
Takeaway: My bias is to combine health, performance goals, and personal preferences to determine the appropriate weight class for an individual. Additionally, elite level competitors are most likely going to identify themselves without needing prior specific guidance in determining their weight class. Given the global obesity epidemic, rate of muscle gain, and the spoils of a successful powerlifting career, it seems moronic to recommend rapid weight gain.
-Jordan