Power lifters peaking.

[SamKeyworth]

Why do power lifters don't peak until their 30's or 40's, or is that simply another misconception?

Does training smarter have to do with it? I would have thought physiologically they would be in their prime in the 20's.

I guess knowing this is not going to affect how I train, but I am just interested.

Thanks.

~ Sam

[TrackJunkie]

The mathematician in me supposes that the reason for this might be similar to the reason that a region of the earth isn't at its coldest during the winter solstice, and the reason current in a circuit isn't necessarily at its peak when voltage peaks.

The reasonable person in me admits that I don't know enough about it to deserve an opinion.

[Jason B]

Just the opinions is my head, there are several reasons for this:

-Most people are done growing by their 30's, and when you're done growing you get to learn to lift in the same body so to speak, enabling one to adapt and get stronger easier, without having to worry about form issues due to size changes

-Sort of related to the above, despite what some people think, the powerlifts are very technical and require years to "master," if that's possible, so more experienced lifters are usually better lifters

-People who start young and make it to their 30's and 40's still lifting hard will tell you it took them a looooonnnnng time to dial in their training and learn what works and what doesn't, a process that is always ongoing. Again, more experience = advantage.

-The longer you've trained a physical quality (such as maximal strength), the more resilient that quality will be. Take someone who trains for a month then takes two weeks off, they will most likely lose a majority of the gains they made. Now take someone who trains for a year and takes two weeks off, they will lose very little. Now take someone who has trained for 30 years...you get the idea. Eventually you just become "strong."


Again, just me talking here, that's my guess. There could be other reasons as well, more related to physiology.

[ZKP]

I may be wrong but from what I understand males wont reach our strength peak physiologicaly until out mid 30's-40. Our endurance, sexual, etc peaks are younger. The years of training lifters in their 30's have also contributes to this. Strength takes time. If it can be gained quickly, then what you and I consider strong are different things.

[Chewie_jrc]

The mathematician in me supposes that the reason for this might be similar to the reason that a region of the earth isn't at its coldest during the winter solstice, and the reason current in a circuit isn't necessarily at its peak when voltage peaks.

The reasonable person in me admits that I don't know enough about it to deserve an opinion.

So powerlifters are stronger in their 30s+ because they are a reactive load and therefore cause current to lag/lead the voltage signal?

[Rodolfo Bryant]

I may be wrong but from what I understand males wont reach our strength peak physiologicaly until out mid 30's-40. Our endurance, sexual, etc peaks are younger. The years of training lifters in their 30's have also contributes to this. Strength takes time. If it can be gained quickly, then what you and I consider strong are different things.

This. We as humans keep getting stronger for a long time. Think about dad strength. Dad is strong because he's been doing relatively hard shit for a long time. Strength is also a quality that hangs around, power and work capacity seem to diminish sooner than strength.