Powerbuilding is a mixture of powerlifting and bodybuilding. It’s for those who want to focus both on aesthetics and strength.
Typical bodybuilding exercises focus on:
- high repetition
- muscle isolation
Typical powerlifting exercises focus on:
- Medium and low rep
- compound lifts
So a powerbuilding workout mixes these two concepts together.
Here is our favorite powerbuilding workout:
Day 1: Lower Body
Dumbbell Globlet Squat 4×12 (70% max)
Dumbbell Split Squats 4×8 (80% max)
Leg Press 10/8/6/4 (go up in weight with each set)
Superset for 3 Rounds:
- Leg Extension x 15
- Leg Curl x 15
Day 2: Upper Body
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3×8
Neutral Grip Cable Lat Pull Down 3×12
Incline Dumbbell Bench 3×10
Seal Row 3×10
Shoulder Super Set for 3 Rounds (this maximizes shoulder hypertrophy):
- Lateral Raise 3×12
- Rear Delt Raise 3×12
- Kettlebell Front Raise 25/15/10 (go up in weight as reps decrease)
Day 3: Full Body
Hex/Trap Bar Deadlift – 12/10/8/6/4/2 (Go up in weight each time)
Decline Dumbbell Press 3×12
Dumbell Curl / Hammer Superset:
10 regular dumbbell curls, followed by 10 hammer per set x 3 (60 reps total)
For added difficulty and range of motion try these on an incline bench
Dumbbell Shrugs 3×15
Pullovers 3 x 15
Optional: Day 4: Creative Day
Listen to your body and do what feels right. You can rest. Or you can hike. Or you can do 1000 pullups. Whatever you feel that your body needs today.
One option is to whip out a barbell and do all of your standard power lifts:
- Deadlift
- Shoulder Press
- Bench Press
- Squat
- Bent over row
With powerlifts it’s good to alternate weeks between 3×10 and 5×5 style sets. With 3×10 sets you’ll use about 65-75% of your max weight and with 5×5 sets you’ll use 75-85% of your max.
