Mind of Michael: Weightlifting fills gap

By Michael Leek
Sports Editor

One of the hobbies I have picked up over the past two years after I stopped playing sports in high school is weightlifting; as well as fitness in general.

Many athletes who do not continue to play sports after high school resort to weightlifting to fill in that physical activity void. I am one of those athletes.

There are many different types and forms of fitness and weight training, and athletes can take them down different paths.

For me, bodybuilding and powerlifting have piqued my interest the most. On the surface it just looks like big human beings who take steroids and lift heavy weights, but both sports have much more depth to them.

Bodybuilding does have a huge use of steroids attached to it, but there are natural competitions as well. The other factors within the sport play just as big a role as steroids do.

The biggest factor among them all, especially for natural competitors, is the diet. Most bodybuilders have a loose diet during the offseason, but once their “prep” starts diets become strict.

A prep is basically the time competitors have to prepare for the show they will be in. These preps can range from eight weeks all the way up to 40 weeks.

The majority of bodybuilders hire coaches to help them through the prep phase of competition because there are so many complex factors that can affect the body.

Although I do not actually compete in the sport, training like a bodybuilder is more than fun to me. It almost comes down to a science. Finding out what days to train what specific body parts, and what exercises will stimulate those muscles the best, is an experiment until one finds what works for them.

On top of bodybuilding training, doing powerlifting is equally fun. Powerlifting has many small intricate details that will aid athletes in lifting the maximum amount of weight they can.

For example: warming up to reach a top set or a personal record will directly affect if they will be able to complete that weight.

If one does not warm up enough, muscles might not be stimulated enough to get the weight up, or it can leave one susceptible to injury. If someone warms up too much then their muscles will get fatigued going into their top set.

Finding a balance during the warmup is an experiment for each individual that will take trial and error.

Now the actual science that goes into both sports is a conversation for a different day, but just getting in the gym and competing against myself in these sports has allowed me to stay physically active after high school sports.