How long did elite lifters take them to become elite?

[LionLord]

How long did it take you to total elite starting from the day you began training seriously to the first time you achieved a high status in Powerlifting?

[LionLord]

You guys are my idols. All of you.

[HP666]

You guys are my idols. All of you.

Ass kisser.

[nhlfan]

You guys are my idols. All of you.

Thanks

[Lunar Effect]

6 months

[LionLord]

Ass kisser.

lol.

[LionLord]

6 months

Please be serious.

[mastermonster]

When I finally gave up bodybuilding and focused totally on powerlifting in 2002 I was 46 years old. It took me until 2004 at age 48 to finally total elite in AAPF and 2005 at age 49 in APF. That being said, I'd trained seriously since age 14 til age 30 for football, bodybuilding and some powerlifting meets skattered in. Then just skattered training for about 14 years out of competition chasing 1st a coaching career (football) and then a singing, songwriting, and recording career (fair success at both).Started training seriously again about 2000 for competition, when I hung it up singing; as a bodybuilder. My joints felt better and better the longer I was training so I got the bug to powerlift again in 2001. By 2002, as I said; I gave up the bodybuilding and that's when my lifts took off...and I'm still hitting some of my best lifts at age 52 (53 in January).

[LionLord]

When I finally gave up bodybuilding and focused totally on powerlifting in 2002 I was 46 years old. It took me until 2004 at age 48 to finally total elite in AAPF and 2005 at age 49 in APF. That being said, I'd trained seriously since age 14 til age 30 for football, bodybuilding and some powerlifting meets skattered in. Then just skattered training for about 14 years out of competition chasing 1st a coaching career (football) and then a singing, songwriting, and recording career (fair success at both).Started training seriously again about 2000 for competition, when I hung it up singing; as a bodybuilder. My joints felt better and better the longer I was training so I got the bug to powerlift again in 2001. By 2002, as I said; I gave up the bodybuilding and that's when my lifts took off...and I'm still hitting some of my best lifts at age 52 (53 in January).

Boy, there's alot going on in your life. To total elite within two years of powerlifting is not bad. Not bad at all. Your bodybuilding training and football training probably has alot to do with it but, two years of powerlifting training? And then total elite? Not bad at all.

[Travis Bell]

It'll depend on your knowledge of training, the kind of coaching you have and the people you train around. Its going to be different for everyone

[WILD BILL]

Did Powerlifting from 1999-2003 I was 15 when i started and 20 when I got into an accident and couldnt lift for 3yrs. Never got an elite in those yrs but didnt train for powerlifting mainly trained for football. Started lifting again Nov 22nd of 07 after 3yrs off. Made my elite total 9months later. 4months later hit an Elite in another weight class.

If you just lift or train to be strong I think it will take some time but if you focus and train to be nothing but a powerlifter I think you could do it in about 12-16months.

[accuFLEX]

With gear, a solid diet, routine/coaching, and motivation, I'd say you could hit elite in under 5 years.

[LionLord]

Wow. It's actually alot quicker than I thought. Lots of you guys made the elite in less than 5 years! great job.

[accuFLEX]

Wow. It's actually alot quicker than I thought. Lots of you guys made the elite in less than 5 years! great job.

Well, errr, I didn't really say that.

For me, competing in the 198lb class, I would need to total 1780. After 4 years of working out, I can total around 1150-1200 raw ...Although, my training was sub-par for about 2 years and my diet was even worse…

With a well put together diet and training plan and a bit of motivation, I think "elite" should be achievable within 5 years.

[LionLord]

I was expecting more like 8-10 years.

[Guido]

I think if I trained around a lot of really strong people who were experienced with gear I could have made it by now. I think I need an 1840 total to be elite but am probably good for 1,550-1,600 if I used my single ply gear for all three lifts. In multi-ply I just might be not far off from hitting that elite total. I've been training seriously for a bit over 4 years, powerlifting for about 3.5 years.

[LionLord]

I think if I trained around a lot of really strong people who were experienced with gear I could have made it by now. I think I need an 1840 total to be elite but am probably good for 1,550-1,600 if I used my single ply gear for all three lifts. In multi-ply I just might be not far off from hitting that elite total. I've been training seriously for a bit over 4 years, powerlifting for about 3.5 years.

3.5 years sounds like a reasonable time to total 1550. Although i wouldn't really count it when you said "training seriously for a bit over 4 years". I only wanna know how long it can take for a lifter to reach elite from the moment he started "doing things right" such as:
1. The very first time you burnt all your FLEX mags. (lol)
2. The time where you left your commercial gym for good and started training in a hardcore gym, or building a home gym.
3. The time where you bought your very first mini bands from elitefts.com
4. The time where you started doing things the WESTSIDE WAY.

Stuff like that... Please exclude the times when you trained for a different sport UNLESS if it's olympic lifting and/or strongman. Bodybuilding does not count... Oh, 5x5 and 3x3 counts too...

[joey54]

Forgive my ignorance. Are there different elite totals for single ply and multi ply gear?

[Sidior]

3.5 years sounds like a reasonable time to total 1550. Although i wouldn't really count it when you said "training seriously for a bit over 4 years". I only wanna know how long it can take for a lifter to reach elite from the moment he started "doing things right" such as:
1. The very first time you burnt all your FLEX mags. (lol)
2. The time where you left your commercial gym for good and started training in a hardcore gym, or building a home gym.
3. The time where you bought your very first mini bands from elitefts.com
4. The time where you started doing things the WESTSIDE WAY.

Stuff like that... Please exclude the times when you trained for a different sport UNLESS if it's olympic lifting and/or strongman. Bodybuilding does not count... Oh, 5x5 and 3x3 counts too...

Dude you have a lot to learn about strength training. There are tons of different way to get strong and many have nothing to do with the westside methods.

[Sidior]

Forgive my ignorance. Are there different elite totals for single ply and multi ply gear?

Yup, it also depends on the federation. Overall though, raw elite would be lower then single ply elite which would be lower then multi ply elite.

[LionLord]

Dude you have a lot to learn about strength training. There are tons of different way to get strong and many have nothing to do with the westside methods.

Bill Starr's 5x5, Madcow's 5x5, Rippetoe's ABC workout, GVT, Korte's 3x3, and other stuff like that. Please feel free to include the times when you started doing things that are solely based on strength. Doesn't have to be exclusively westside related.

[SELK]

im getting closer to an elite total, my best comp lifts would give me an elite total at 198/220, but i havn't put that all together in a single meet.

started training in january 06, started training for powerlifting (ie real training) around september 07.

totally depends on the lifter, their drive and their knowledge of powerlifting gear i think. the elite totals are not very high when you consider that the same totals where used when people used z suits and blast shirts (im not against gear, actually, i love it! just cant be compared).

I think the Pro-Am 'pro' total for multiply lifting is more accurate with current lifting.

[LionLord]

im getting closer to an elite total, my best comp lifts would give me an elite total at 198/220, but i havn't put that all together in a single meet.

started training in january 06, started training for powerlifting (ie real training) around september 07.

totally depends on the lifter, their drive and their knowledge of powerlifting gear i think. the elite totals are not very high when you consider that the same totals where used when people used z suits and blast shirts (im not against gear, actually, i love it! just cant be compared).

I think the Pro-Am 'pro' total for multiply lifting is more accurate with current lifting.

You started training at january 6, 2008 and are already about to become elite? Did you have genes by your side or what?

[Guido]

3.5 years sounds like a reasonable time to total 1550. Although i wouldn't really count it when you said "training seriously for a bit over 4 years". I only wanna know how long it can take for a lifter to reach elite from the moment he started "doing things right" such as:
1. The very first time you burnt all your FLEX mags. (lol)
2. The time where you left your commercial gym for good and started training in a hardcore gym, or building a home gym.
3. The time where you bought your very first mini bands from elitefts.com
4. The time where you started doing things the WESTSIDE WAY.

Stuff like that... Please exclude the times when you trained for a different sport UNLESS if it's olympic lifting and/or strongman. Bodybuilding does not count... Oh, 5x5 and 3x3 counts too...

Okay, so Ive been "training for strength" for 3.5 years. It should be noted, though, that I started out at ~150lbs so had to gain about 50lbs over the course of a year to get to the weight class I'm in now. I may have reached elite already if I'd stayed at 148-165 class.

[Ben Moore]

After making the switch from strongman to pl and learning the gear - 8 months or so. I've been training for strength for 15+ years though.