Coach Ted defines a powerlifter (hint: It’s not someone who uses powerlifting exercises to improve strength and fitness).
To Be a Powerlifter
arrow_drop_down_circle
Divider Text
[Block//Author//First Name] [Block//Author//Last Name] [Block//Date Added %M j, Y g:i a%+0d0h0m]
[Block//Comment]
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
This is the Ted O'Neill Program where we explore the science and philosophies for performance optimization, and the elevation of the human experience from the mind of Ted O'Neill with Jon Leon Guerrero.
0:25 Ted
I want to take a moment because this is something that's been a thorn in my side for decades. All right, because this doesn't have to be a little delicate. So here we go with the debit to disclaimers. Again. What is bizarre, we're going to live in a disclaimer free. I just want you to promote disclaimers. But here's the thing because I really want to say this delicately because I don't want to exclude anyone who is excited about what they're doing. But we hear now all the time that so and so as a powerlifter, or people say I'm powerlifting now, and to me powerlifting is a sport. And to be a powerlifter, requires you to not only train as a powerlifter, but then compete as a powerlifter. So, powerlifting as an activity would be a means of a contest. One would not be a powerlifter until they've competed in said contest. Where they're contesting the squat, the bench-press and the deadlift. However, we can use the power lifts, the lifts that are performed in competition, sometimes the same competitive standards sometimes not very overt variations of the lifts in a properly structured strength training program, now in saying this, I'm recognizing, I'm way too late to turn the title on this, because everyone now in their mind is a power lifter. And they often think of powerlifting as a verb. I'm lifting with power. Okay, in other words, I'm making an attempt and I'm doing real lifts. So, there's this perceived grid that goes into this element of claiming the identity of a powerlifter or just not knowing and doing barbell lifts and thinking I'm powerless I must be building power.
2:19 Jon
Here I am lifting with power.
2:23 Ted
It's not a verb. It's a sport so much the same way if you and I had a football. And maybe between episodes, we stepped out to the front and tossed football together.
2:32 Jon
That doesn't make us football players.
2:34 Ted
We're not football players. We're using a football. Which is part of the sport. It's central to the sport. of football. And we're playing catch. Right? So, someone can be training. Someone can be training hard. Someone can be training quite seriously. Using the power lifts and not being a powerlifter. Because the sport of powerlifting is a noun. It's a thing. It is a thing or organized sport. It's not a verb.
3:01 Jon
Yeah. No different than if you got some, some running shoes and took a couple laps around the track. That would make you a track and field athlete.
3:09 Ted
Yeah, you're going for a jog. You went jogging. So, I can't even ask you to take that out. Because I don't want to burst anyone's bubble on this. Well, let's just for now, let's leave that as that Okay, and let's move forward. Okay, so why specifically?
3:25 Jon
No, That's okay. Leave it in there because people who are powerlifters. I've never claimed myself to be a powerlifter although I do use those exercises.
3:36 Ted
And you might be shocked to hear how many people claim to be powerlifters. And it's just a misunderstanding. So, I've made the segment. So, I'm going to go a little deeper since he's now agitated.
3:49 Jon
I wouldn't say that about myself in front of those people. You being one.
3:58 Ted
But you get it that way. I've had people who have explained this very gently, thoroughly to me. Yeah. And then literally at the next conversation, I hear them telling someone, so I told someone that I'm a powerlifter now that I'm you know, okay. I'm just going to leave that there.
4:11 Jon
Right and on the bottom Miata, you know you are a racecar driver. Yeah, or something like that.
4:15 Ted
So again, you know, it's, there is a nuance and subtlety to all things. Maybe I'm just a little hyper obsessed. Sometimes on nuance and subtlety.
4:26 Jon
I think that you have a right to be nuanced. On those subtleties. When they are your own, much the same as if you took those same individuals you describe and said, Well, wait a minute, aren't you a competitive race car driver? And they said yes. And you said well, would you consider me a competitive race? Car Driver, because I bought this Mazda Miata, and they would say, similarly now. However, I am a powerlifter.
4:49
So yeah, that's where that goes. Now, again, and this gets lumped into this whole thing. This is why it used to bug me so much. Because people would say, oh, yeah, you know, and I'd ask them so what was the last competition? Well, you know, I don't do that. But I do you know, those big tires like I flip those, and I do some of these, and I do some of these and that's, that's odd to me. I'm having a difficult time in this conversation. We're not actually done talking about powerlifting. So, all right. I'm hoping no one's listening to this. I thought this whole time that I was a powerlifter, it's okay, you're going to have a great training day. I promise. I'll make it up.
0:25 Ted
I want to take a moment because this is something that's been a thorn in my side for decades. All right, because this doesn't have to be a little delicate. So here we go with the debit to disclaimers. Again. What is bizarre, we're going to live in a disclaimer free. I just want you to promote disclaimers. But here's the thing because I really want to say this delicately because I don't want to exclude anyone who is excited about what they're doing. But we hear now all the time that so and so as a powerlifter, or people say I'm powerlifting now, and to me powerlifting is a sport. And to be a powerlifter, requires you to not only train as a powerlifter, but then compete as a powerlifter. So, powerlifting as an activity would be a means of a contest. One would not be a powerlifter until they've competed in said contest. Where they're contesting the squat, the bench-press and the deadlift. However, we can use the power lifts, the lifts that are performed in competition, sometimes the same competitive standards sometimes not very overt variations of the lifts in a properly structured strength training program, now in saying this, I'm recognizing, I'm way too late to turn the title on this, because everyone now in their mind is a power lifter. And they often think of powerlifting as a verb. I'm lifting with power. Okay, in other words, I'm making an attempt and I'm doing real lifts. So, there's this perceived grid that goes into this element of claiming the identity of a powerlifter or just not knowing and doing barbell lifts and thinking I'm powerless I must be building power.
2:19 Jon
Here I am lifting with power.
2:23 Ted
It's not a verb. It's a sport so much the same way if you and I had a football. And maybe between episodes, we stepped out to the front and tossed football together.
2:32 Jon
That doesn't make us football players.
2:34 Ted
We're not football players. We're using a football. Which is part of the sport. It's central to the sport. of football. And we're playing catch. Right? So, someone can be training. Someone can be training hard. Someone can be training quite seriously. Using the power lifts and not being a powerlifter. Because the sport of powerlifting is a noun. It's a thing. It is a thing or organized sport. It's not a verb.
3:01 Jon
Yeah. No different than if you got some, some running shoes and took a couple laps around the track. That would make you a track and field athlete.
3:09 Ted
Yeah, you're going for a jog. You went jogging. So, I can't even ask you to take that out. Because I don't want to burst anyone's bubble on this. Well, let's just for now, let's leave that as that Okay, and let's move forward. Okay, so why specifically?
3:25 Jon
No, That's okay. Leave it in there because people who are powerlifters. I've never claimed myself to be a powerlifter although I do use those exercises.
3:36 Ted
And you might be shocked to hear how many people claim to be powerlifters. And it's just a misunderstanding. So, I've made the segment. So, I'm going to go a little deeper since he's now agitated.
3:49 Jon
I wouldn't say that about myself in front of those people. You being one.
3:58 Ted
But you get it that way. I've had people who have explained this very gently, thoroughly to me. Yeah. And then literally at the next conversation, I hear them telling someone, so I told someone that I'm a powerlifter now that I'm you know, okay. I'm just going to leave that there.
4:11 Jon
Right and on the bottom Miata, you know you are a racecar driver. Yeah, or something like that.
4:15 Ted
So again, you know, it's, there is a nuance and subtlety to all things. Maybe I'm just a little hyper obsessed. Sometimes on nuance and subtlety.
4:26 Jon
I think that you have a right to be nuanced. On those subtleties. When they are your own, much the same as if you took those same individuals you describe and said, Well, wait a minute, aren't you a competitive race car driver? And they said yes. And you said well, would you consider me a competitive race? Car Driver, because I bought this Mazda Miata, and they would say, similarly now. However, I am a powerlifter.
4:49
So yeah, that's where that goes. Now, again, and this gets lumped into this whole thing. This is why it used to bug me so much. Because people would say, oh, yeah, you know, and I'd ask them so what was the last competition? Well, you know, I don't do that. But I do you know, those big tires like I flip those, and I do some of these, and I do some of these and that's, that's odd to me. I'm having a difficult time in this conversation. We're not actually done talking about powerlifting. So, all right. I'm hoping no one's listening to this. I thought this whole time that I was a powerlifter, it's okay, you're going to have a great training day. I promise. I'll make it up.
LISTEN TO MORE EPISODES
LISTEN TO MORE EPISODES
clear
Lifted Academy is the next movement in human evolution, offering specific high-level strength training of any and all weaknesses found in the four planes of your existence: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
Turn your biggest weakness into your greatest strength.