POWERLIFTING WORTH THE RISK?

This week I felt the certain urge to discuss something that i think might benefit a lot of people. Something that used to be not very popular has struck the fitness “industry” in full force. Powerlifting has never been such a big thing before but now its bigger than ever and its for good reasons. For one its a lot of fun and the fun factor was what really attracted me to it back in 2013. With that said tho all the recent bout of injuries I have gone through lately have really made me question - was it worth it? Be ready for a long rant today my friends. If you enjoy this one please give it a share as i know others are struggling with some of these issues as well. Happy Reading Folks :D

My Story of Powerlifting

So as i stated above i started powerlifting in the January of 2013 and it started out with Layne Norton’s PHAT strength and hypertrophy trainer and i then later transferred in my own conjugate style of programming, then in the end of 2015 i created SHDUPA which really got me going full force into powerlifting and i was really able to make some great gains with that. Then in March of 2016 i decided to do Layne Norton's PH3 Program from Bodybuilding.com and the last week of that program as i talked about in this blog I really messed my back up and it put me out of really any training for about a month and while its been 3 months since the injury i can do pretty much anything except any compound movements (loaded flexion exercises to be specific) (besides bench) without sciatica flare ups. I might never be able to squat and deadlift ever again. I fought over and over trying to re-introduce those lifts even when i had no pain but after 2 months and i still had no pain i started going very light again on the movements and it was ok for a while but just this last week when i was doing only 65lbs on some rack pulls (very light) my back gave out on the 3rd set of 5 and the pain i had that night i never ever want to have again. That night i realized for me i am done with powerlifting as the risk is not worth the reward (anymore). When i had to face the fact that my powerlifting journey was over it was really hard to accept it. For one i have never been a quitter. I believe in the quote and famous hashtag #NEVERQUIT me following that though made me fight over and over again to try and come back but i finally realized its never going to come back. While my days of powerlifting are over i will always have the memories of when i used to power lift. I will always remember the day i pulled 300lbs for the first time. and the time i squatted 200lbs for the first time. Those are some of the proudest moments i ever had in my life and i will miss this sport dearly but the decision i made is final and I'm happy i made it.

When You Sustain An Injury Like I  Had Your Perspective Changes Completely

When i was able to lift normal with no injuries it was awesome. I remember always feeling indestructible and i was always confident with every lift i made. My mindset was what kept me in this for the 4 years i did it. Powerlifting builds a strong mentality towards life that you really can’t get from anything else. Powerlifting really taught me the strength i had in me when i needed it to come out. Powerlifting taught me how to lift in a calm rage state meaning i could lift without amping myself up on the outside but on the inside i had created a powerful rage that would then carry me on through whatever sets i had planned for the day. Man just talking about it makes me miss it so much. Mental strength was not the only thing i had developed either. While many people believe powerlifting will ruin a good physique i never believed it and i still don’t. The size and density i was able to add with powerlifting compares to nothing i had ever done without it. My back and legs grew incredibly well and i was just feeling like a beast after 4 years of it. Powerlifting had increased my total body muscle density. I remember a few months back in the middle of PH3 i looked in the mirror one day and i was just shocked how thick i had become i was so proud of myself as i have always had the hardest time putting on any solid mass. It’s been 3 months since the last time i deadlifted and that being my favorite exercise i can not describe how much it sucked when i realized i could no longer do them ;( I'm really going to miss it and training will never be the same without it but life is what it is. After having my bout of injuries though and the pain i went through really made me realize that even though i loved this type of training style so much that its not worth it in the long term. I will never forget the sciatica pain i had when i first had my bout of injuries. I could not even bend over to put my socks on in the morning. I could not sit down for any longer than an hour without my legs tightening up. Just the simple daily task we take for granted were taken from me and i felt so ruined. In my opinion that was Gods message saying stop as i apparently have other callings i have to go for in my life and powerlifting is not one of them.

Looking For A Powerlifting Program That Won't Break The Bank or Your Back? Check Out SHDUPA!

Everything Happens For A Reason

I know not everyone believes this and i know some people really say it’s stupid to say it but its something i have always lived my life by and its my number one rule that always helps me make it through whatever situation i face. I learned early on in my life that every negative will attract a positive and every positive will sadly attract a negative eventually. You ever notice this???? For example here are some situations in my life that went through this cycle;

 

Positive - getting out of school and finding a job in my field after only 2 weeks of job searching i was so happy!

Negative - The job sucked and put me through a depression that took a year to recover from.

 

Positive - Bought a new car last year my second car i ever had and i love it.

Negative - I have had many electrical issues with the car.

 

It even happens in mother nature

Positive - This last winter was the one of the warmest and easiest winters we have ever had in Ohio, really no snow at all and it was awesome!

Negative - Thats a sign of global warming and that caused a lot more Bees this summer.

(stupid example but I'm just trying to make a point.)

 

This next one was the worst in my life

Negative - My sister went into cardiac arrest and her heart stopped. We did not even know if she would make it.

Positive - She made it and she also brought a lot of attention in the state that more places need defibulators. My sisters accident might have just saved a ton of lives!!!!!!

 

Now its my turn to turn this lifting negativity into a positive. I actually have already seen some positives from this! Here we go...

 

Negative - Messing my back up and ending my powerlifting journey

Translated into.......

 

Positives i have had happen so far;

- Joined a local YMCA to have access to more machines and a pool to get back into swimming and hopefully beat some of my old times from high school. Also i might meet some new friends!

- I never have bad workouts anymore because any training that i can do i am so thankful for being able to still lift and that thankfulness always translates to a good training day.

- Made me realize that lifting is not the number one thing in life. Before my injury i was addicted to it and it took presence over anything else in my life. Now a days tho i train when i want. I take rest days whenever i feel like it and lifting is just a part of my life now and its not my life anymore.

- I put even more focus on my lifting form now. I have always had decent form but ever since my injury i focus on perfect form or as perfect as i can.

- My bench has always been the lift that sucked most for me. Now its my best lift! I can now bench more than i can squat :D #BenchForLife #200lbBenchIsTheGoal

- My workouts are no longer 2 hours. Squats and deadlifts took so much time and now i can be in and out of the gym in an hour and have so much more time for other hobbies.

- I take so many more walks now than i used to. Before my injury i never took many walks because i wanted to save as much energy for training as i could each night. I might only have averaged 1500 steps a day. Now tho i walk all the time! I walk for 20-30 minutes on my lunch break. I may take a bike ride after work and i average now about 4,000 steps a day! #HealthGains

 

As you can see it’s only been 3 months not being able to squat and deadlift and it has already benefited me more than i ever could have imagined!

 

“Shawn How On Earth Did You Do That Just Now”

Ha ha sort of amazing how i took such a negative thing and turned it into such a positive but i have done this my whole life. Its sort of a skill i developed early on in life and it only gets stronger and stronger with every challenge i face.

 

The Second You Take Things For Granted Is The Second You Loose It.

Seriously i stand so strong by this. anytime you have something you take for granted the chance of you loosing that is so high. It sounds crazy but in my experience this is so true and needs to be paid attention to. For those of you that don’t know I'm a very religious person and being grateful for everything you have each and every day is some of the best advice i can provide to you. Every night you go to bed just think of everything great you have in life and you will be amazed how your attitude can change in an instance. At the end of the day just have faith in no matter what your going through that things will get better and you will find a way to make it through. The hardest thing no doubt i ever had to go through in my life was my sister almost passing away. Seriously i don’t think i would have made it if she didn’t but every night she was in the hospital i had faith and i just knew she would pull through and be stronger than ever and my prayers were answered. After that situation everything else in my life really did not even come close. I can’t squat or deadlift anymore. - Yea that really does not matter to me compared to everything else i have in my life.

 

I Hope I'm Not Bringing Anyone Down

I realize i might have brought some of you (including myself into tears with that last paragraph but i really felt that had to be said. In this day, age and century lifting has become a big part of a lot of peoples lives but you have to realize that even the biggest PR you hit in the gym does not compare to the rest of your life and everything else going on in your life.

So You Decide- Is It Worth It?

Back to original point of this post. Powerlifting is it worth it? You decide! If your absolutely loving it and you think you found a new passion of yours and you truly enjoy it then do it! You have to take risks in life to reach levels of success only being imagined by others. Taking risks in life is the only way to change your life. It’s called a risk for a reason tho so be prepared for the worst if it happens and have your plan B, C, and D.

 

Do I Regret Powerlifting?

 

Not one bit! like i stated early on in this post Powerlifting brought so many good things into my life and new experiences along with new friends, and even knowledge! Heres a quick list of everything i got from taking the risk to lift heavy shit.

 

- Learned new found mental strength to push through anything in life

- Learned the ability to lift in a state i like to call “Calm Inner Rage”

- Learned how to program to get stronger and Allowed me to coach online clients and help others accomplish their goals :D

- Learned a ton of math skills (more than i did in high school and college LOL) and how to program with percentages

- Meant great people

- Got to experience the thrill of all the PR’s i had

- Got to experience Adrenaline like no other times in my life (other than the time i was chased by a horse from TPing one of my X's houses in high school LMAO- thats a story for another time)

- Put on serious size and muscle density

- Learned the proper form to perform the big lifts

- Learned how to use the Vasalva Bracing technique to generate more strength and power than breathing naturally.

- Learned how to brace under heavy loads

- Learned many mobility techniques to help with performing the main lifts.

- Learned all sorts of different recovery techniques that will extend my lifting career

- Gained a huge respect for professional powerlifters and what they do and put there body's through.

- Learned that the more simple and old school movements are the best for size and strength, nothing fancy needed.

- Learned how to eat for performance and fuel my training

- Learned how to just put down my head and go to work on the weights even on the worst days.

- AMRAP's really showed me how much i have in me when i need to call on it.

- Learned my favorite new way of programing each individual training day, by starting with the compound movement, then assistance, then accessories and core.

- Was able to learn Blood Flow Restriction Training which is one of my favorite ways to train and helped me maintain and build muscle even when i was injured.

- And more that i can’t even think of right now!

 

See how many things i gained from taking that risk in powerlifting!!!!!!!

So like i said - you decide!

Just remember that every risk you take can gain you more and more knowledge and experience in life that you did not know before and who knows that simple knowledge may change your life for the better!

 

I leave You Here

So today i really hope this post can touch some of you that have gone through similar situations not only in the gym but in life as well and i hope it can help some of you that are going through similar situations. Who knows maybe i will heal and be back to powerlifting but as of now there is no time table. If you have something you would like to share in the comments below please feel free to do so as i would love to read it! Till next time guys

 

Stay Positive :)

Shawn Fausey

• Shawn Fausey is the Founder and CEO of Fausey's Fitness. With Over 6 years experience in Bodybuilding, Powerlifting and Nutrition. Shawn offers services of online fitness coaching, programing and consulting. Shawn is also a Graphic Designer and can be reached for graphic services on www.rev-graphics.com
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