Viewing entries tagged
competitive athlete

Comment

Meet Recap: Industrious Fall Classic Weightlifting Meet

Another great competitive training cycle is in the books! Nine Olympic weightlifting athletes represented Fulcrum Barbell Club at the Industrious Fall Classic meet this past Saturday. Each individual competitor was successful in their own way - whether that was a result of increasing their meet total, pushing their opening numbers, facing fears and insecurities, or sticking to their commitments through the challenges and difficulties of meet week.

The first session saw three different Fulcrum lifters. Kelley had a rough morning unrelated to the meet, but was able to get herself to the meet, put on a positive attitude, and come away with five successful attempts. She finished with 40 kg in the snatch and 60 kg in the clean and jerk.

Tal, in her first meet on American soil, came away with top lifts of 60 kg in the snatch and 69 kg in the clean and jerk. Tal proved herself to be a fierce competitor, and has big things ahead of her as she intensifies her training schedule in anticipation of her next meet!

Janice blew everyone away as usual, totaling 123 with 55 kg in the snatch and 68 kg in the clean and jerk. This qualifies her for USAW Nationals as a 45 kg lifter, and shows once again what a phenomenal athlete Janice is. As she shifts her focus towards training solely for weightlifting, it will be exciting to see where she takes her talents!

Our second batch of lifters was full of variety - some are experienced competitors, others relatively new to the sport. Some had great training cycles with few interruptions or distractions, others overcame many obstacles in simply showing up to train. Everyone came away with a successful outcome on meet day, and we are grateful for the experience to work with such a wide variety of personalities and people. Strong work everyone, and congratulations on your big day!

Akansha’s total has increased in leaps and bounds since she began competing last year, as her technical proficiency catches up to her impressive strength. She finished out this meet with best lifts of 52 kg in the snatch, and 69 kg in the clean and jerk, taking her total to 121 kgs. It will be exciting to watch Akansha continue to grow into her potential as an athlete over the next several years. 

Sarah was able to open up with the numbers that were third attempts in her last meet. While a seven kg increase on her total initially doesn’t seem like much, three kilos is a wide margin in the long game of weightlifting. The work she has put in to refining the technical aspects of the lifts really showed on the platform, and there is even more to come from Sarah! 

Rachel finished the day with a strong showing in the snatch, topping out at 56 kgs, and a competition PR of 72 kgs in the clean and jerk. Rachel had an emotional lead up to meet day, but on the day of, her experience as a competitor showed in her calm and composed approach to each attempt, and the numerical results speak for themselves!

Jen spent much of this training cycle traveling for work, and thus spent many sessions training alone in an unfamiliar gym across the country. Those difficult and lonely hours paid off on meet day, resulting in meet PRs of 61 kg in the snatch and 75 kg in the clean and jerk. Jen’s dedication and focus to her training is admirable - we are excited to continue supporting her wherever her travels take her!

The last session of the day saw some great lifting. Lesley flourished in the organized and structured approach to competition day, putting up a PR total of 138 kgs. She finished with a competition best snatch at 63 kgs, and a strong 75 kg clean and jerk, narrowly missing the jerk on her third attempt at 80 kgs. We look forward to supporting Lesley’s continued growth and progress as both a lifter and a person!

Kristen’s quiet and focused attitude in competition was easy to work with and reassuring for her teammates. The consistent progress she has made over the last few years, both numerically and in her technical proficiency, continued to show where it counts the most - out on the competition platform. She had a perfect day, going 6 for 6 with meet PRs of 69 in the snatch and 81 in the clean and jerk. Those numbers also match her all time best lifts, and she increased her meet total by seven kgs. Strong work Kristen! 

Overall, yet another very successful day for the Fulcrum Barbell crew. The support from the Fulcrum Training Hall community was wonderfully evident in the crowd of spectators, well-wishes at the gym, and positive vibes felt throughout the meet day experience. The next training cycle has already begun, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support each athlete in their individual journey towards strength and health!

#strengthmatters #fulcrumbarbell

Comment

Meet Recap: Industrious Weightlifting Championships, April 2018

Comment

Meet Recap: Industrious Weightlifting Championships, April 2018

The first competitive training cycle in the new space culminated in a successful day of competition last Saturday. Through the hard work put in over the last three months, the challenges presented by meet day, and the relationships developed along the way, every lifter learned something about themselves, gained valuable experience under the bar, and had the opportunity to celebrate their personal journey towards strength and health! 

Five of ten lifters in the first session were representing Fulcrum Barbell Club. For some it was a new and unfamiliar adventure, for others a chance to improve upon previous competition experience. Donna had a personal record total at 89 kgs (196 lbs) and displayed huge technical improvements to her lifts. Dede had a great first meet, posting a total of 98 kgs (215 lbs) in her first weightlifting meet, and further exploring what it means to be a part of a competitive team. Kelley battled the flu for most of the week, but still came out strong on meet day, with solid and strong lifts of 43 kgs (95 lbs) in the snatch and 58 kgs (128 lbs) in the clean and jerk. Giannina brought intensity and passion to the platform, eclipsing her numbers from last meet to finish with 45 kgs (99 lbs) in the snatch and 57 kgs (125 lbs) in the clean and jerk. Rounding out a busy first session, Akansha looked strong, snappy, and confident. She hit a personal record clean and jerk of 64 kgs (141 lbs), and improved her meet total by 24 kgs. Overall, an excellent display of lifting to start off the day! 

Session two brought both experienced athletes and first-time competitors to the platform. Janice had a successful day, staving of a nagging elbow injury to finish 10th overall by Sinclair formula. Her best lifts were 54 kg (118 lbs) in the snatch and 66 kgs (145 lbs) in the clean and jerk, done at a bodyweight of just under 46 kgs (101 lbs). 

Rachel was a composed and graceful competitor as usual, and her technical proficiency stands out on the platform. While she didn't set any personal records this meet, she had a positive performance and quite the cheering section in the crowd. She finished with a 53 kg (116 lb) snatch and a 68 kg (149 lb) clean and jerk. 

Sarah had a successful first meet, going 4/6 and finishing with 58 kgs (127 lbs) in the snatch and 68 kgs (149 lbs) in the clean and jerk. She is still relatively new to the sport of weightlifting, and will look to continue refining her positions and gaining strength over the next cycle of training. 

Jen was also competing for the first time, fishing with lifts of 54 kgs (121 lbs) in the snatch and 72 kgs (171 lbs) in the clean and jerk. She has made huge changes in regards to both bodyweight and technique over the last training cycle, and she proved herself to be a fierce competitor. 

Strong work by everyone in the second session - we are excited to see where your training takes you next!

Skinner was consistent and calm on meet day as always, and has also made significant strides in technical proficiency since her last meet. She had a stellar day, finishing with competition PRs in the snatch (66 kgs / 145 lbs), clean and jerk (77 kgs / 169 lbs), and total (143 kgs / 315 kgs).

Meaghan’s training all came together at the right moment, resulting in a 72 kg (158 lb) snatch, and 90 kg (198 lb) clean and jerk - a new personal record in both lifts! Meaghan's work ethic and positive attitude are always admirable. It was great to see her persistent training style pay off on the competition platform. 

Our last lifter for the day was Nate Miller. His goals were to make his openers and then shoot for the moon and that is exactly what he did. In a session full of missed openers and sloppy attempts, Nate was calm and professional in the warm up area, and looked confident and strong on the platform. He made his opening snatch of 100 kgs (220 lbs), and his second attempt clean and jerk of 126 kgs (277 lbs), for a total of 226 kgs (497 lbs). 

 

Industrious ran an efficient and professional meet as always, with plenty of resources and attention to detail. The backing from the Fulcrum Training Hall community was overwhelmingly positive - lots of well wishes, a loud cheering section, and a pervasive feeling of connection and support. The competitive crew has jumped right back into training this week, looking to continue improving upon the success of this meet. We are thrilled to be celebrating these 12 athletes, and look forward to their continued success! #strengthmatters #fulcrumbarbell

Comment

True Competition

Comment

True Competition

20171001-8W7B0433.jpg

     

       The root word of “competition” is a Latin word meaning “to strive for” and a preposition meaning “with”. In the words of Joe Ehrmann, “Competition therefore is not defined by winning or losing, but by the degree to which all competitors realize their fullest potential. True competition is a mutual quest for excellence”. In this context, we never work against our competitors, or look to conquer or depose someone else. We strive towards excellence in conjunction with, and because of, our competitors. Competition is a wonderful opportunity to work with others - your coaches, your teammates, your opponents - to learn, develop, and grow into the best possible version of yourself. 

Comment

The Flow State

2 Comments

The Flow State

     

     In all of athletics, there are quiet, sacred moments where an athlete must make the decision to stay present in their body. Upon choosing to be fully immersed in the moment, time slows down and the athlete feels rather than knows what to do, where to go, how to move. The athlete returns to this choice over and over again, practicing the feeling of sinking deeper into themselves, deeper into what psychologists call “the flow state”.

     Flow state is the idea of being so fully present in the current moment that actions happen naturally and automatically. Distractions, anxieties, fear, and the ego fall away. Preparation takes over. The athlete is absorbed in the activity for the sake of practicing the skills required to perform the task. This is the flow state, the present moment, the place we strive to train from all the time. 

     Barbell training lends itself well to the practice of finding flow state. There are many quiet moments in barbell training, many times that it is just you and your breath and the weight in front of you asking you to show up as your whole self. These moments are found in other sports as well - in this context, barbell training can have a profound impact not just on the body, but also on the mind.

     Any athletic or performance endeavor will include unquestionable brushes with the flow state. Can you hold your focus to recognize where you are? Can you re-frame your experience with the bar to apply what you are learning out on the field, court, mat, or competition platform? Will you stay with your breath and chose to remain present, or continue to let extrinsic distractions siphon away your potential? 

2 Comments