I am currently powerlifting for a little over a year...
......and I've taken part in two other smaller competitions before the National Student Championships (NSK), which are organized by our association Ijzersterk. What drives me to participate in the NSK is that it is organised by our association, and it's in Delft, so I have many family and friends who can come and watch. Normally, competitions are quite far away, so it's really exciting to be able to showcase the sport I do. Additionally, it's great that it's a student competition. It allows me to meet other people of the same age with a similar passion for the sport.
The NSK is a big competition with strong lifters, and participating in competitions serves as a biannual benchmark. It's a moment to see how I'm progressing with my lifts. You can certainly track your progress in a gym, but there's something special about the hype and adrenaline of a real competition.
Powerlifting wasn't always on my radar...
.... Before I started powerlifting, I played hockey my entire life, from the age of seven until the last season. Powerlifting became a shift in focus for me as a young woman. From concerns about appearance to focusing on my strength, mentality, and discipline. The stronger your mindset, the more powerful you can become in the gym, at least initially. I found this to be a more meaningful goal and a better challenge to work hard for than constantly worrying about appearance and presentation. Additionally, it helps with performing under pressure. Powerlifting has brought more structure into my student life, as I now have a fixed training schedule, requiring me to go to the gym at least four times a week. Especially after the COVID period, where students became accustomed to studying at home or alone, the gym has become a social place. Powerlifting allows social interaction, given the longer rest periods between the sets. We're known for that in the gym community.
As a powerlifting enthusiast...
...I believe the most significant lesson for me so far is that a motivation to be seen is not a sustainable motivation. Ultimately, the most sustainable motivation is when you do it for yourself and when the challenge lies in pushing yourself, in a healthy way, to see how far you can go. The more you are concerned with what others think of you, the more pressure it adds to your performance, and you end up focusing too much on the numbers rather than your personal development.
I never expected to come this far in less than a year and a half, and to stand against such strong competitors at the NSK. I've also made many new friends, adding to the charm of the sport. The goal is to improve yourself. Preparing for a competition involves much more than lifting heavy things in the gym and eating protein. It's much more than that.
As advice to other lifters...
...I would encourage them not to be afraid of achieving a negative result or not reaching their goals in a competition. Ultimately, these "failures" are the most instructive moments. If it were easy, you wouldn't really progress. I think the challenges and difficult moments can motivate you even more to move forward and perform better in the following period. So, see a tough period as an opportunity. All you have to do is stay in the game. Keep going, keep training, and work through it!
What I hope to achieve with my participation in the NSK is at least a squad and a bench PR. I switched from conventional deadlifting to sumo deadlifting, so for deadlifts, anything above my old PR would be fantastic. However, I don't necessarily count on it because my own preparation hasn't been ideal. But, most importantly, I hope to feel the presence of my association, to see and experience people supporting me, enjoying what I do, and being there for my friends who are participating. To encourage each other and feel the energy that I experienced last year at the NSK at X.
The solidarity in the sport is truly remarkable...
...You find yourself cheering for someone you don't even know. When you see someone struggling, you think, "come on!" It's a moment of reflection, setting things in order, and seeing what you've learned during this period. Also, in collaboration with my coach. I've done some things differently this time. Did it work well? Did it not work well? All of that will be revealed this weekend, so I'm really looking forward to it!
