I may never compete in powerlifting again. The sport just doesnt mean the same thing to me as it once did. When I was 14, powerlifting was a godsend. I was a really fat, fairly unhealthy kid in elementary school. In middle school, when I hit my growth spurt 3 years before my friends, I took up basketball seriously, got in shape, and my life improved substantially. Then, summer between freshman and sophomore year of highschool, I suffered a serious enough concussion during football camp that the neurologist said I needed to give up any sport with a contact element or risk long-term brain damage. That meant basketball as well - at least at a highly competitive level. As luck would have it, Id JUST started working out with Travis Mash and learning to lift weights seriously when I had my concussion. I had a natural aptitude for powerlifting, so that quickly filled the competitive void. It kept me active, gave me something to concentrate on, and helped me deal with losing the sport Id poured so much time into (Id been playing and practicing basketball for 3-4 hours most days for 3 solid years at that point). Then, with the insecurities that accompany youth, powerlifting helped me fill the need to prove myself. And, as any powerlifter will tell you, you prove yourself on the platform, not in the gym. A lot has changed since then. Theres no void left for powerlifting to fill. My competitive drive has decreased quite a bit. Its a fire that still flares up when Im in the moment, but its not something that really animates my day to day life anymore. I want to build relationships with, help, and collaborate with other people, not defeat them. As is probably the case with a lot of teenagers, I had a me against the world mindset that was fairly antisocial and unhealthy - but great for an individual sport like powerlifting. Such isnt the case anymore. I also dont feel the need to prove myself. I doubt Ill ever be THE best. Odds are pretty slim that I could catch Dan Green or Andrey Belayev - and even if I could, I wouldnt be willing to sacrifice the balance I have in my life to do so. Ive held 3 all-time records. 2 have been broken, and Im expecting the third to fall within the next year or so. And thats totally fine with me. I feel like Ive done enough to say Ive walked the talk. Would I gain any more credibility if I had a 2000 total on the books instead of 1885? Maybe, but not the type of credibility Im interested in having. 16 year old Greg wanted to be known as the guy who could lift more than anyone else. 22 year old Greg (sorry for the third person) wants people to know he practices what he preaches, but the specific numbers are irrelevant. This isnt to criticize people who are still all-in when it comes to powerlifting (or any other sport). Powerlifting was exactly what I needed 8 years ago. It may be what you need today. I know a lot of people who wouldnt work out if they didnt have a definite goal (hitting a certain total or running a certain 5k time, etc. on a certain date) they were working toward. Thats totally cool. If thats how youre wired, by all means stick with it. For me, though, lifting used to BE my life. Now its just something that enhances my life. Im not going to get depressed if I have a bad workout, or miss a social engagement because its deadlift day. Im not going to pick a meet 12 weeks out and make my life revolve around my gym time because I want to crush a certain total. I train for me, and no one else. I only have but so many hours in the day and so much energy to expend. I want to use it building relationships, helping people, and enjoying life. If I could give up 10% of those things with the promise of becoming a 50% better lifter, I wouldnt do it. Its just not the type of priority it used to be. When I was 16, I couldnt understand the concept of just working out because you enjoyed it - what was the point if you werent competing at something? Looking back, the opposite is true - Im not sure how I let something so small consume such a large portion of my life. Am I still trying to get stronger? Heck yes. Because thats the type of training I enjoy doing, and it keeps me excited to work out. It keeps me active and healthy (but active and healthy is the priority, not necessarily to be the strongest I could possibly be). I really want to squat 800, bench 500, and total 2000, but I want to do it for me. If I do it in the gym, and I know the lifts were legit, thatll be enough. If I feel strong and theres a meet within comfortable driving distance, I may taper for 2 weeks and enter it. Thats not out of the question. But the purpose has changed. I wont be doing it to prove my mettle to anyone, or to gain more credibility or to get more exposure. If I do it, Ill do it solely because I want to. And for me, now, thats enough.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 23:16:50 +0000
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