I got asked the other day ‘what is this, target, stretch, super stretch, thing you wrote about in your first blog?’
A) Oh my gosh someone read my blog!
B) It’s really quite simple – you first set a target of what you know you can do, then you add a little more and then you add a little more that might make you wet your pants if you achieve it!
I use this strategy when l compete in Weightlifting. I send my totals through to my Coach that l would like to achieve on comp day. She will either A. go yeah that’s great or B. go yeah that’s great, never giving too much emotion away at any time or even C. give the classic head nod.
The reason l like to set the different totals, is because you never know what can happen on the day. I have also watched a few athletes over the time put all of their cards onto one number. Then the pressure builds and builds and when it’s time to perform it kinda doesn’t go to plan. Then they lose all of their cards and have to re-build all of their confidence and belief in themselves again – and some have even quit because of it.
There is so much to learn when it comes to Weightlifting, l think it is a sport where you will never stop learning. The sport is just like an onion, peeling back layer by layer as it makes you cry on the inside and sometimes on the outside.
I spoke to Coach the other day and asked ‘so when do you stop being shit at this sport’ – her response ‘NEVER!’ Oh it brought me so much JOY, and tears so many inside tears!
There is so much to the sport that people don’t see… like the 500, 000, 050 squats that you do in 80% (meaning you are working with weight being at 80% of your max – if your squat is 100kg, then working at 80kg, makes Maths so much fun!)
Or the time that you nearly and in some cases do knock yourself out with the barbell – sending a clip to your Husbo, saying if you need to take me to hospital later here’s why. Or that not one thing goes to plan in training, you pull too high, you pull too short come on bar this isn’t Goldilocks and the three bears looking for the right chair to sit on! Get your shit together!!!
And then there is making weight…. Oh the joys, you check the scales, you get off, you check again and just one more time in case something magically happened for you to drop the weight in those few seconds of not standing on the scales. But really weighing in, it’s not the disappointment of not making weight it’s the fact l can’t eat ice cream for another two weeks! For some reason every time this happens the best ice cream is on sale… the world is against me!
So as you can see there are many different factors on what you can measure your success on. This is why l have different targets on game day. Some may think it’s to ease the pain of not hitting the numbers that you are after or the total that you want. Others may think it’s a great idea, and some may just want to see me wet my pants when l hit my super stretch total (bit weird).
Weightlifting is Sport that you will love and hate all at the same time. It’s a sport that will keep you honest, humble and knowing your place. It’s a sport that will remind you to stay kind to yourself, and as you get older look after yourself more.
It’s a sport where you will meet amazing people, who have no idea who you are but want you to do your best and hit that lift. It’s a sport that is super addictive and will keep you coming back for more, after it has given you a little taste of what’s ahead.
There are too many factors to pin point on the way to measure success, this is why l use my targets.
How long do l have left competing as an Athlete….. Not sure, but l will ride the wave for as long as l can, without knocking myself out (hopefully!).