Why I Started
My powerlifting journey has been relatively short so far, with about eighteen months of training under my belt. As the weeks turned into months and soon enough years, my confidence has grown significantly compared to when I first started. Feeling strong is a powerful thing and was my main motivation to embark on my powerlifting journey. I had felt physically weak and wanted to challenge myself, no longer feeling inferior. I'm happy to say that I have made great progress thus far, but there is still plenty more to come. What I appreciate about powerlifting and the gym, in general, is the idea of bettering yourself, moving closer to your best version. The challenging aspect of training is also something I enjoy because I believe that pushing myself in the gym will translate to other aspects of my life.
What I'm Doing to Progress
Initially, I created a training program based on what I learned from YouTube videos and TikTok, making significant progress, often referred to as "newbie gains." However, as I delved deeper into powerlifting, I realized that training to failure every session was not a sustainable approach for long-term progress. Overexerting my body would have detrimental effects on the next session. This is when I decided to buy my first-ever program, taking the unconventional route and purchasing one from TikTok. I bought the program from Yando, a powerlifter with a respectable following who has competed at the British level, all for just £16. I followed his intermediate program for a little over a year, making great progress on all my lifts except for the bench press. Eventually, I switched to his 4-day split program, which essentially means I now have two more rest days a week. This seems to be the most optimal approach for strength gains because the six days a week I was initially doing was making me tired all the time, and my strength gains were beginning to plateau.
Competitions
As of now, I have competed in two competitions and thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie and support from my fellow competitors and spectators. There's a very positive atmosphere surrounding powerlifting that makes you want to be part of this community of individuals seeking to improve themselves physically and mentally. Competitions give me a rush of adrenaline and endorphins, making me feel almost euphoric, like a drug. On the competition day, you only perform the squat, bench press, and deadlift—the movements you practice extensively in the gym, aiming to master them. During competitions, you enter a zone, feeling the need to do yourself justice and push past limits you once thought were insurmountable. Though I haven't come close to winning one yet, I will continue to seize every opportunity to compete for the feelings I've mentioned and to inch closer to achieving first place in a powerlifting competition one day. My ultimate goal is to compete at the highest level, realizing my body's full potential and discovering how strong I can truly be in all aspects of the word.
Personal Training
Just last week, I enlisted the help of my friend and newly certified personal trainer, Cameron Blears. Cameron has followed the powerlifting path and aspires to step onto the bodybuilding stage. He has already been a tremendous help, making minor tweaks to my form on all three lifts. After my second competition, seeing numerous fellow competitors with coaches, I felt I needed that extra support—anything to give me a competitive edge, while, of course, staying natural. Cameron will be joining me at my next competition and is also helping me eliminate foods from my diet that offer little to no nutritional value, taking me further away from my goals. He aims to take me as far as he can before passing the torch to the next coach who can help me reach the next level. I'm grateful for his support and understand that his success with me also contributes to the growth of his personal training clientele. The next competition is in December, so with Cameron's support and my dedication to training and nutrition, there's ample time to become an even stronger and more resilient version of myself once again.