I’m Not Training For Anything, And That’s The Point

Training for fun is still training. I am able to train hard, commit, focus, and be intentional; I just no longer need an external destination for my time with the barbell to be meaningful.

I found Olympic Weightlifting in 1995, and for more than three decades, the barbell has been one of the great constants in my life–it has been my longest relationship, my greatest education, my passion and my career, and a great love affair. I’ve spent years competing and even more years coaching, and somewhere along the way, this sport became far more than something I did; it became part of who I am and is in my soul. 

Why the barbell still feels like home

I still love the feel of a barbell in my hands. I love securing a hookgrip and knowing I can be in complete control, mentally and physically. I love to snatch. I love the challenge, the precision, the frustrations, the misses and the makes, and that almost indescribable feeling when everything comes together, and the rare moments when a lift feels so effortless, like poetry in motion. 

I love feeling strong, and not just physically, but mentally. And I love competing, and I will probably always love the thrill of stepping onto a competition platform, especially as a Masters lifter. But my life in this sport is constantly changing and evolving. These days, my athletes come first. I want my time, energy, focus, and experience to go toward helping them become the lifters they want to be, and right now it is more rewarding to help others’ dreams come true than to give training to compete, which I believe it deserves. 

Stepping away from competition is not stepping away from the sport

What I’ve realized as I approach 50 is that stepping away from competition doesn’t mean stepping away from weightlifting. I don’t need a meet on the calendar, a qualifying total to chase, or a reason to peak. I can walk into the gym, put my hands on a barbell, snatch because I LOVE to snatch, feel strong, have fun, give everything I have to the barbell, and then go home. 

I’m not training for anything anymore—and that’s exactly the point.

For years, “training for something” might have meant a competition, a qualifying total, a PR, a medal, or proving that I STILL GOT IT. I love winning, and I want to be the best. If I am going to compete, I am going to be prepared, and that dictates why I walk into the gym. At times, I know I will not or cannot compete; now I am removing that requirement. Does that mean I just suddenly become lazy in the gym? Absolutely not. It simply means I am not chasing a total; I don’t need to be in top shape; I don’t need to hit certain totals; I can train less if I want to; and I can train because I genuinely love Olympic Weightlifting. 

Training for fun is still training

People may think “that sounds like a lack of purpose”.

But I have turned I’m not training for anything—into a new kind of purpose.

I have learned how to train for fun. Some years, my coaching schedule is demanding, and I do not have the time and energy to put into training for competition. People find themselves in different phases of life, and there are many reasons one may not want to or be able to focus on competing, yet still want to lift because they LOVE IT. 

Listen, there really aren't as many rules as you may think. There is NOT a one-size-fits-all approach. You can train because snatching is fun. Because you love the feeling of a really solid heavy jerk. Because you love having strong legs.  Because you like being strong and fast and explosive. Because you like experimenting with your training. Because the gym is part of your life. Because you are almost 50 and want to snatch 80 kg for as many years as your body allows. And maybe because after years of competition, you finally get to ask, “What do I actually feel like doing today?”

For me right now, not training for anything fits beautifully, and oh so perfectly, with getting older, coaching athletes of all levels (including many who have NO DESIRE to ever compete!) and entering a new Olympic quad. My relationship with weightlifting isn’t ending because I have closed down any idea of competing right now; my relationship with weightlifting is ALWAYS evolving.

I am not saying I will never compete again, because I know I will. I am saying that if you don’t feel like competing, or other things in life are pulling you from competing, then it is OKAY to say: I used to train because I had something to accomplish. Now I train because I love it.

So what does this look like? Stay tuned for my next blog post about how I train for fun, and how I coach some of my clients who want to be the best lifter their garage has ever seen, with no desire to ever compete. 

Just a closing reminder–you do not need to be an elite athlete, a competitor, or a certain age to love Olympic Weightlifting. This is a sport for all ages, all levels, and even for those who have no desire to compete. When I feel lost about training, I often tell myself these 3 things:

• Training doesn’t have to consume your life to be an important part of it.
• You don’t have to train for something! Sometimes loving the way training makes you feel is reason enough.
• The barbell doesn’t care why you showed up, only that you did, and maybe that’s enough. There are times when you can train less, expect less, and demand less of yourself, and still love this sport just as much, because sometimes the best reason to lift is simply that you LOVE having the barbell in your hands.

I am not retiring from Weightlifting! Quite the opposite actually. This is a peek into how someone who has spent more than 30 years in the sport strips away the obligation and discovers that underneath all the competitions, goals, coaching, and accomplishments…

She still just really LOVES  lifting weights.