The appearance of a larger stomach in weightlifters, as opposed to a more muscular appearance, can be attributed to their high intake of carbohydrates and calories. This dietary strategy is essential for providing the energy needed to lift exceptionally heavy weights throughout their training programs.
It’s all about calorie consumption
I guess it’s pretty obvious that “fat” in relation to the body generally occurs through calorie consumption.
You must eat a calorie surplus if you want to get bigger and stronger.
So if you’re wondering why you’re not gaining muscle, even if you train like a fiend, it will be because of your diet and nutrition.
Weightlifters are all about muscle and strength, so it makes perfect sense that they need to eat a huge amount of calories.
The truth is that they are almost in a constant state of swelling.
The heavyweight divisions of powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting, as well as World’s Strongest Man competitors, typically reveal very large bellies.
The difference between powerlifters and bodybuilders
When you consider a bodybuilder, he will also go through the bulking phase.
This involves training with high intensity and eating a lot.
Basically doing everything they can to build as much muscle as possible.
Unfortunately, fat is part of all the extra calories.
However, a bodybuilder will then usually go through a cutting phase.
This involves following a very strict diet in order to eliminate fat.
In fact, I’m sure you’ve heard a lot bodybuilders live on chicken, broccoli and rice.
However, even an ingredient like rice is likely to take a back seat during a bodybuilder’s cutting phase.
They will also slow down their training, but do just enough to maintain as much muscle mass as possible.
That being said, the cutting phase will also deplete a lot of strength from the athlete.
Essentially, they become much weaker.
Now, if we look at it from a weightlifter’s perspective, the last thing they want is to lose strength and become weak.
Powerlifting is all about developing as much raw strength as possible.
This allows you to lift the heaviest loads within your capabilities.
So a weightlifter will not go through a cutting stage, especially when training for a competition.
Certainly, moving a huge amount of weight will burn a huge amount of calories.
The solution is once again to consume even more calories.
You need to remember that you can eat as “clean” as you want.
But excess calories are just that. If they are not burned during your normal daily activities, they will be stored as fat.
However, this is of little importance to a weightlifter.
More body mass means being able to move more dumbbell mass.
Weightlifters train with lower volume
Another thing to consider is the overall volume of work a lifter performs during a session.
Okay, I already mentioned that moving a lot of weight will burn a huge amount of calories.
However, it doesn’t work the same way as high volume training.
Additionally, let’s not forget that it is impossible to reduce body fat.
But the same can’t be said when it comes to adding body fat.
For the vast majority of us, excess calories usually go straight to our stomach.
If you’ve ever changed training protocols, you’ve probably noticed the same thing yourself.
Let’s say you’ve had a real focus on hypertrophy and conditioning for a few months.
You then decide to focus on pure brute strength training.
Even if you lift with just as much intensity, if not more, you will usually notice that you are getting bigger.
You’ll likely end up consuming more calories because your energy levels seem severely depleted from the workout.
Plus, even if you’re moving much heavier loads, your overall volume will have decreased significantly.
The type of workout can produce a big belly
Now, when I talk about the “type of training” a weightlifter does, it’s not so much about a lack of cardio and abdominal work.
In fact, weightlifters will definitely train their abs and core.
Almost every movement we perform comes from the core, so it is essential that a weightlifter have an extremely strong core.
In fact, heavy sit-ups are part of a weightlifter’s training regimen.
Oh yes, even though weightlifters are in a constant state of bulking up, they still train the abs.
But these are no ordinary weighted sit-ups.
Depending on the athlete, you might be talking about performing sets of 15 reps with 300 to 500 pounds.
Yes, it will work the abs, but it will also build large patches of abdominal muscle.
You will also need to think about how these athletes use their weight belts.
While most of us will use a belt to stabilize the core and protect the lower back, a weightlifter also uses it to target their breathing.
During extremely heavy squatsdeadlifts and bench presses, athletes will literally push their stomach as hard as possible.
The goal here is to press the stomach as hard as possible against the belt to provide additional support.
If you do this several times a day, for weeks, months and years, you will end up with a bigger belly.
Former weightlifter and current strength coach, Louie Simmonsonce said: “If you want a thin waist, then powerlifting is not your sport.” »
The role of steroids
Steroids may play a role in producing a big belly.
In fact, there is a term known as “roid intestine”although this is more common among bodybuilders than powerlifters.
It’s actually known as palumboism.
This is when the oblique muscles thicken and force the rectus abdominis muscles outward.
The truth is, it’s not actually steroids that cause that “big belly”, but rather other performance-enhancing drugs.
These include insulin, human growth hormone, and various anabolic peptide hormones.
That being said, the opposite can also be said of some steroids.
This is because some steroids will increase metabolism and increase your total daily energy expenditure.
This will actually make you burn calories and body fat, while also improving recovery so you can train harder and longer.
So, from a weightlifter’s perspective, to combat this “calorie burn”, the obvious solution is to eat more.
And then we return to where we started: higher calorie consumption equals more body fat.
Key learning points
- Weightlifters must consume a large number of calories in order to support their training.
- It’s not uncommon for weightlifters to eat DURING their workouts.
- Powerlifting training involves straining the stomach a lot. The stomach is usually “forced” into a weightlifting belt so that the athlete can target their breathing.
- Ab training for weightlifters involves huge weights that will build large patches of abdominal muscles, making the stomach appear bigger.
- Steroids may play a role, whether due to palumboism or the need to consume more calories.
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Hello, I’m Partha, owner and founder of My Bodyweight Exercises. I am a Level 3 Personal Trainer and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the Register of Exercise Professionals, UK. I have been going to the gym regularly since 2000 and coaching clients since 2012. My goal is to help you achieve your body composition goals.
