Mobility Exercises For Powerlifters: Better Your Performance and Prevent Injuries

Introduction

Powerlifting requires enormous stability to withstand heavy weights placed on the back, hips, shoulders, and knees during the squat, bench, and deadlift. To create strength and stability for the big three lifts, powerlifters take advantage of the ValSalva Maneuver to brace the core and increase intra-abdominal pressure. When combined with a sturdy weightlifting belt, bracing the core helps powerlifters lift a tremendous amount of weight in all three of the big lifts. To lift weights efficiently, powerlifters stack their joints and arch their back on the bench press to minimize shoulder range motion (ROM). But does that mean we should always be stiff and tight in order to be strong? Not so fast.

Research shows that lifting weights does not reduce flexibility, and can actually improve mobility as well as stretching when the exercises are performed through a ROM.1 But what about powerlifters? Powerlifters try to lift the most amount of weight by minimizing the ROM required to lift more weight. This is totally fine for their sport, but problems can arise when powerlifters don’t spend enough time working to maintain their mobility in other ways. 

Research on elite powerlifters and their mobility is mixed. While some studies have found ROM deficits in the wrists, hips, shoulders, and knees, others have found only deficits in shoulder mobility.2,3 Another study of elite female powerlifters from New Zealand found no significant differences in the upper body and lower body ROM compared to age-matched control groups.4

So what gives? Does less flexibility mean more strength? Probably not.

Let’s consider the fact that peak performance in powerlifters at world championships occurs around the age of 35.5 This would require an incredible amount of longevity in the sport in order to be truly successful. To do that, powerlifters should be focused on injury prevention and long-term solutions to managing their injuries before they affect their performance and training regimen. Maintaining adequate mobility for their sport and all the accessory exercises commonly performed (like the overhead press) can pay off in the long run. 

Performing these exercises before your next workout could be the secret you need to reach depth in the squat easier, build a stronger bench press arch, and reduce excess stress on the low back. Ensuring you maintain good mobility can help you to continue building your powerlifting total for years to come.

Mobility for the Squat

One of the most common issues lifters face with the squat is reaching good depth. You can be strong as an ox, but if your squat depth is questionable and you struggle to consistently get the crease of your hips *slightly* below the knee, good luck getting three white lights at your next powerlifting competition. For the squat, good ankle mobility is essential. Ankle dorsiflexion allows the knees to travel over the toes and balance the workload between the quads and the posterior chain.

Even if you can reach depth in the squat, but your ankle mobility is limited, you will have to flex the hips and trunk more in order to do it, placing more unnecessary load on the low back. Compounded over years of training and progressive overload, that stress could add up and limit your training potential.

Ankle Dorsiflexion: Knee Drivers

Hip Flexion: Banded Hip Flexion Mobilization

Mobility for the Bench Press

Good mobility is essential to a strong bench press. If your upper back or hips are tight, it will be harder for you to bench press with a sturdy arch and powerful leg drive. Using an arch on the bench press isn’t cheating, but it can help protect your shoulders by placing less stress on them at the bottom of the ROM. Improving your thoracic spine and hip mobility will help you to improve your arch. A common cause of back pain while bench pressing is overarching the lumbar spine. If we have sub-optimal mobility at the T-spine or hips, we are more likely to compensate by arching the lower back excessively, leading to inefficient leg drive and potential low back or shoulder pain down the road.

Thoracic Spine Extension: Extension on a Foam Roller

Hip Extension: Banded Hip Anterior Mobilization

Mobility For the Deadlift

The conventional deadlift requires the least amount of mobility of the big three lifts, so mobility deficits are usually not an issue here. Still, a few quick mobility drills in your warm-up is recommended before you start throwing around heavy weights, especially when you’ve been sitting all day at work or school prior to the gym.

Full Body: World’s Greatest Stretch

It’s called the world’s greatest stretch for a reason! It will hit a ton of muscle groups in the legs, hips, upper back, and shoulders. Try this one out before any workout for a full-body dynamic stretch.

Thoracic + Lumbar Flexion and Hamstrings: Jefferson Curls

Lumbar flexion?! Say what?!

You heard that right. Despite the old adage that lumbar flexion is inherently evil and will lead to a herniated disc, the truth is a little more complicated than that. Yes, lifting heavy weights with a weak, untrained rounded lower back is an injury just waiting to happen. However, it’s not realistic to live our whole lives fearing lumbar flexion, keeping the core braced at all times, and remaining stiff as a board every time we go to pick something small up off the floor. 

This doesn’t mean you should just disregard your deadlift form and let your low back round when you deadlift. Instead, we’re suggesting that a light, conservative introduction to lumbar flexion, via Jefferson Curls, is a healthy and safe warm-up exercise to build versatility of the low back, improve the dynamic strength of the spinal extensors, and reduce fear of movement for a normal and safe movement pattern.6,7,8

Jefferson Curls

Importantly, remember that this should be treated like a mobility exercise. Using a small weight, medicine ball, or barbell is safe, as long as you keep the weight relatively light and do not train to fatigue. A neutral low back and braced core should still be used while performing heavy barbell lifts.

Mobility for the Sumo Deadlift

While the exercises mentioned above will still be beneficial to the sumo deadlift, the one unique requirement of the sumo deadlift is the amount of hip external rotation that’s required to perform the lift. If sumo deadlifts don’t feel comfortable due to tight hips or hip pain, try this mobility exercise before your next workout.

Hip External Rotation: Banded Hip Lateral Distraction Piriformis Stretch

Is an injury or plateau affecting your powerlifting performance? Consult a Doctor of Physical Therapy for a comprehensive evaluation of your injury. A Physical Therapist can help determine the right exercises for you to overcome nagging injuries and overcome sticking points in your barbell lifts. At Trifecta, you will receive a thorough analysis of your technique and receive expert recommendations to modify your training and take your performance to the next level.

Schedule an Initial Evaluation today.

Works Cited

1. Morton SK, Whitehead JR, Brinkert RH, Caine DJ. Resistance training vs. static stretching: effects on flexibility and strength. J Strength Cond Res. 2011;25(12):3391-3398. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e31821624aa

2. Chang DE, Buschbacher LP, Edlich RF. Limited joint mobility in power lifters. Am J Sports Med 16: 280–284, 1988.

3. Gadomski, Stephen J.; Ratamess, Nicholas A.; Cutrufello, Paul T. Range of Motion Adaptations in Powerlifters. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research32(11):3020-3028, November 2018. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002824

4. Spence AJ, Helms ER, McGuigan MR. Range of Motion Is Not Reduced in National-Level New Zealand Female Powerlifters. J Strength Cond Res. 2021;35(10):2737-2741. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000004117

5. Solberg PA, Hopkins WG, Paulsen G, Haugen TA. Peak Age and Performance Progression in World-Class Weightlifting and Powerlifting Athletes. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2019;14(10):1357-1363. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2019-0093.

6. Grant Mawston, Laura Holder, Peter O’Sullivan, Mark Boocock. Flexed lumbar spine postures are associated with greater strength and efficiency than lordotic postures during a maximal lift in pain-free individuals. Gait & Posture. Volume 86. 2021. Pages 245-250. ISSN 0966-6362.

7. Saraceni N, Kent P, Ng L, Campbell A, Straker L, O'Sullivan P. To Flex or Not to Flex? Is There a Relationship Between Lumbar Spine Flexion During Lifting and Low Back Pain? A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2020;50(3):121-130. doi:10.2519/jospt.2020.9218

8. Knechtle D, Schmid S, Suter M, Riner F, Moschini G, Senteler M, Schweinhardt P, Meier ML. Fear-avoidance beliefs are associated with reduced lumbar spine flexion during object lifting in pain-free adults. Pain. 2021 Jun 1;162(6):1621-1631. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002170. PMID: 33323888; PMCID: PMC8120682.