General Physical Preparedness For Powerlifting
GPP work: it’s a longstanding conversation in Powerlifting programming, dating back to the old Westside days. While Powerlifters are often minimized to “squat, bench, deadlift,” the truth is- we’re athletes, too. Specifically, further out from a meet, developing other qualities, building a solid foundation, and embracing variety are essential to long-term success. This application is where general physical preparedness comes in; training that’s programmed with less specificity to support overall work capacity. It lays the groundwork for what’s to come, preparing you for bigger numbers in the future. There’s a great deal of misunderstanding surrounding GPP-with myths about what it entails, its necessity, and when to incorporate it. While- of course- programming is an art based on a science, and there are a lot of variances, below I’ll outline my general thoughts and recommendations surrounding this aspect. That way, you'll be equipped to build your sharpest, most bulletproof & badass self yet.
What is GPP?
“General physical preparedness” is a distinction from “special physical preparedness,” which are both essential qualities to athletic development: just at different times & phases.
Periodization is the concept in which your training year is divided into different periods to develop the adaptations necessary for sport. The contents of your training center around the timing of your next competition. Every workout is based on the one that came before it, the one that follows, the ones three months down the road, etc. Rather than viewing each training session as a standalone event, as an athlete, you realize the bigger picture & long-term strategy.
General and specific preparedness fall directly into this category.
On the one hand, “General” Physical preparedness refers to skills less specific to sport, focused on developing overall athletic capabilities, promoting recovery, addressing weaknesses, and adding variety.
For a Powerlifter, this would include doing cardio, for example. While cardio is not directly beneficial to your SBD numbers, it can help drive adaptations to support your goals in the future. The same applies to even other forms of lifts: take front squats, for example. While there are no front squats on the platform, they can be a helpful training tool to develop certain qualities.
To put it into perspective, for a softball player, going into the weight room and doing some squats would be considered GPP since squatting is not a literal expression of sport for this athlete. GPP's definition changes depending on the necessary qualities of the individual.
On the contrary, “Special” Physical preparedness is defined by skills that are precisely impactful to the sport. For a marathoner, this would be long-distance running; for a Powerlifter, this would be heavy deadlifts. Special physical preparedness drives the direct adaptations needed as an athlete and is the training focus as competition approaches. When you’re a few weeks out from a meet, you need more time dedicated to the exact qualities you’ll be using on the platform- to perform at your best.
Essentially, GPP for Powerlifting composes all modalities outside of pure, maximal strength- and specifically- the ones lower on the specificity scale.
The target adaptations can be:
Cardiovascular endurance (the efficiency with which your body can distribute blood and oxygen),
Having a base level of cardiovascular endurance can help you recover better, handle more volume, and improve your work capacity.
Muscle hypertrophy (improving the size of your muscles),
A bigger muscle is often a stronger muscle- so Bodybuilding-style training to some degree- supports Powerlifting.
Mobility (the ability to move a joint actively through a range of motion),
The ability to: a) achieve a greater bench press arch, b) hit depth in a squat, or c) create a comfortable low bar position is essential to optimizing these lifts.
Muscular endurance (your muscles’ ability to contract for greater periods),
Some level of muscular endurance is required for straining through a heavy squat- as well as getting through higher-rep work.
Work capacity (the ability to handle greater stressors and recover from them),
Progressive overload is the nature of this sport, so you must be accustomed to the increased demands as you advance.
Technique (the execution of a lift with the “proper sequence and form of movement to move the weight with both maximal effect and reasonable safety.” -Juggernaut*)
High-standard technique is essential for movement efficiency, so developing body awareness and improving your positioning holds priority.
” Power” (the ability to exert the most force in the shortest time).
While heavy lifts move very slowly, the *intent* to accelerate them is how you can generate more force- so some level of speed production/acceleration- enhances your performance.
Building these abilities, to some degree, boosts your Powerlifting potential. Now, the extent of compatibility is different for each one and must remain specific to the sport. There should always be a reason why behind your programming:
-Will going for long runs or practicing your splits make you a better Powerlifter? No.
The qualities between the two are dissimilar and potentially interfering.
These modalities can be more or less specific-depending on their application- but the point is that spending some time focused on improving the ones you lack- will make you a better athlete. While it’s a waste of time to do “GPP work” that has no relevance to your performance (unless it’s something you enjoy/helps keep you mentally fresh, which is a benefit itself)- such as shooting hoops or running 20 miles, including non-specific qualities that do benefit you, is fundamental for longevity. Attempting to train only at high-RPE 1RM singles year-round is how you plateau. Devote a couple of phases to becoming more athletic- (especially in your specific weaknesses) to truly improve over time.
2. Why use it?
Powerlifting requires some level of athleticism and work capacity. The purpose of GPP is to prepare you adequately to adapt to training & progress down the road.
-If you can’t get through a set of 8 or an AMRAP set without your lungs giving out,
-If you consistently can’t recover between sessions,
-If you lack the mobility to achieve your bench press arch-
You’re not ready for the work required- to stimulate the outcomes you want. GPP is there to give you a base level of fitness necessary to train for success in this sport.
Additionally, outside of a meet prep, it provides variety and an opportunity to develop weaknesses. The high-specificity demands of competition season are not sustainable year-round, and GPP helps fill the gaps. Only doing the same style of training all the time will lead to staleness- and prevent you from diverting attention to other necessary qualities. It can also be a chance for a mental and physical break- when you’re:
Feeling sick of heavy SBD,
Constantly sore, or
Experiencing some pain-
GPP allows you to recover & work on addressing those struggles. You can embrace other forms of fitness & let your brain and body heal- so you’ll feel ready to train heavily again, eventually.
Essentially, the point behind GPP is “readiness for sport.” It’s the groundwork you lay before adding weights to the bar- so that you're better equipped to do that- when the time comes. There are different phases to program it, but the goal remains the same: set yourself up for success in the future.
3. When to program it?
As briefly touched on above, GPP should be programmed further out from a meet, as, during meet prep, it violates the law of specificity. GPP work should taper down as you approach closer. In this case, it works best in an “off-season” or “post-meet” block, where you won’t be competing/prepping for a couple of weeks/months.
GPP does not need to take up a large portion of your programming- if your goal is to be the best Powerlifter out there. As you advance more and more, your training should become increasingly more specific. Additionally, GPP does not mean NO competition work: squat, bench, and deadlift variations should be included to maintain strength- but just in different varieties, less frequency, etc. That said, there are multiple instances in which programming GPP stuff makes sense:
A) An off-season block
The best time to program more GPP-focused work is after a meet: when you aren’t competing soon. Use this phase to recover from the taxing nature of meet prep and address any before you embark on another.
Cardio capacity spent?
Certain lagging muscle groups?
Want to work on being faster?
Now’s the time to do that. Set specific goals here, and use objective metrics to measure them- such as muscle size, recovery time, increasing volume, etc. This data keeping can help keep your brain inspired & help you enjoy some experimentation in the gym. The percentage of non-specific work after a meet will be higher, then progressively decrease as you work toward your next one. That way, once the time comes, you’ll feel refreshed & sharpened as an athlete, ready to dominate those weights.
B) As a new powerlifter, or after taking time off
The specificity demands of programming are not only predicated on time before a meet- but also- on experience level. The Russians had a “Rule of Three” for athletes of all sports: GPP work was the basis of training for THREE years before they specialized in sport. While this is a relatively extreme example, it showcases the point that building a foundation before specializing in a single modality is essential. The same holds for new Powerlifters:
If you’ve never squatted a barbell in your life, yes, practicing that movement is important- but a lot of your training should be focused on developing general fitness, too.
If you’re brand new to training, you’ll lack high recovery times, hypertrophy levels, and potentially mobility- so improve these qualities before splitting hairs over your different squat variations or rep ranges in your training week.
Focus on a more well-rounded program covering a variety of qualities, then increase specificity as you advance.
The same applies if you’re returning to training after a significant period off. It will take at least a block or two to get back to your baseline levels, so re-developing your work capacity, technique, muscle hypertrophy, etc., should hold priority.
C) In need of a mental/physical break
Beyond specific periodized training phases, you may reach a point where you need a break from intense Powerlifting training. The answer is not to stop lifting (or even stop squatting/benching/deadlifting entirely), but instead, pivot. Maybe you’re undergoing a severely stressful life period- where allocating lots of intensity and energy to the gym is too much to ask. Or, you’ve been having lingering hip pain- and want to focus on addressing it immediately. In these cases, removing some SBD intensity & incorporating more variety in your programming can help you recover- physically and mentally. Acknowledging these experiences & emotions is crucial. Ignoring them is how you stall out, hurt yourself, or ruin your perspective of the sport. Have a conversation with your coach when you find yourself feeling less than normal.
D) “Always”
To some degree, “GPP work” always holds a place in programming. Not EVERY exercise we perform is a heavy squat/bench/deadlift. Accessory or conditioning work is incorporated to support/maintain those other qualities. These programming decisions should depend on the individual and may be considered more “specific” to programming needs. If you're doing tricep pushdowns for lockout strength, there's specific reasoning for that choice. There’s always a benefit to including other movements in your training sessions- they support your main lifts:
The Dumbbell presses you do to help grow your bench,
The Suitcase carries to improve grip and core strength,
The Kettlebell swings to build explosive lockouts and get your heart rate up:
There’s methodical reasoning behind non-barbell work. The percentage, intensity, and amount of these exercises will depend on the training phase: but they’re almost never- excluded entirely. In the same way that if you stopped squatting, deadlifting, and benching entirely- you’d lose strength in those movements- if you stop doing ANY conditioning work, it’ll decrease. Obviously, more time and attention should be given to your SBD vs. conditioning since it’s your sport, but maintaining a base fitness level is imperative. Some of these qualities may decrease as you approach a peaking phase, and that's what the post-meet blocks are for, to regain them.
Now that you know why & when to include GPP, let’s briefly discuss some examples. Remember, GPP can take on a variety of definitions- depending on the qualities you’re looking to build.
4. Examples of GPP in Programming
Higher-rep work in your main movements: helps build work capacity and hypertrophy. Volume phases (as mentioned in this article here: Submaximal Training ) are beneficial for many applications in Powerlifting and could be considered GPP. AMRAP sets can be a gnarly way to do this, but any work exceeding that 5-rep range counts.
Different SBD variations can help emphasize hypertrophy (for example, close grip bench, SSB squats), add a new stimulus, and improve technique, depending on their intention.
For improving mobility, certain lift variations that put you in more end-range positions, implementing specific stretches or drills (such as Deep Squat holds, T Spine extensions), etc. can be helpful.
For hypertrophy, as well as muscular endurance: higher-rep accessory work, circuits, supersets, drop sets, etc., can be programmed after your main lifts. Cables, dumbbells, and machines work well here.
Manipulating rest times can also change the adaptation gained: increasing muscular endurance or work capacity gains.
For explosive power and acceleration, dynamic movements such as jumps, kettlebell swings, and banded lifts can support your goals.
Typically, GPP is thought of in a cardio/work capacity/conditioning format, which is highly beneficial and underrated for Powerlifters. The minimum effective dose is relatively small since it’s so different from our typical form of training! Even 5-20 minutes of a brutal circuit can be all you require- one of my favorite ways to program:
Choose 2-6 exercises, set a timer, do it EMOM or AMRAP style, choose a number of sets-however you want to go about it- and get reps in. Avoid including overly technical movements: the goal is to get some blood flowing, not hurt yourself. Some of my favorite tools are:
Sleds (pushes/pulls/drags/rows-minimally taxing on the body, very effective at getting your heart rate up, ability to move in different directions),
Kettlebells (Swings, Marches, Carries, Goblet squats, push presses, etc.)- easy to load, variety of movements, get you working in multiple planes,
Barbell Complexes: wicked effective at getting your heart rate going in a minimal amount of time,
Carries: (Overhead, Farmers, Front Rack, Suitcase)- provide the extra benefit of grip and core strength,
Marches (Overhead, Front Rack) challenge core stability, upper back, can be loaded heavily,
Machine Cardio Options: The assault or stationary bike, the erg, etc. can be another time-efficient way to improve your conditioning. These tools are also low-impact on your joints- and you can do them sprint-interval style. Powerlifters generally don’t need long-duration endurance- because we possess more Type 2 (fast-twitch) muscle Fibers- and short-duration, high-intensity bouts of effort are more specific. Low-intensity, long-duration endurance work is more conducive to Type 1 fibers. Bear that in mind when getting your cardio in.
There are many ways to include GPP work, and that’s part of the appeal. It pushes you outside of your self-imposed box consisting of SBD- and into movement variation. Determine your intended outcomes, choose the things that keep you inspired, and do the stuff you suck at!
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As Powerlifters, our training consists of a lot of repetition, the same movements performed to no end, with varying rep ranges, exercise selections, etc. This method is how you build strength and technical mastery- specificity is essential when seeking to advance in your sport. However, outside of a meet prep period, as a new Powerlifter, when experiencing physical or mental stress, etc., it makes sense to include more variation. These phases are where GPP comes in: to develop less specific- yet still supportive- qualities to make you more well-rounded. It strengthens your foundation, adequately preparing your body for more. There are many ways to program it, but the main goal is to develop your weaknesses & build up your base. While it’s a less exciting aspect of training, its importance is undeniable- so embrace the demands of those GPP periods, and you’ll be a stronger Powerlifter for it.
References
Israetel, Mike, et al. “Specificity.” Scientific Principles of Strength Training: With Applications to Powerlifting
Gardner, Adam. “GPP Workout for Powerlifters: What Is It? How to, Benefits.” PowerliftingTechnique.Com, 15 June 2022, powerliftingtechnique.com/gpp-workout-for-powerlifters/.
