3 years ago I decided to start
competing again in Olympic weightlifting. It had been almost a decade since I
last represented my country internationally. Straight from the onset I set
myself the goal of winning a World Championship Title. Last week I did just
that by taking the Gold medal at the 2015 World Masters Cup. 3 years might seem
like a long time but that is a normal training cycle for many athletes. Most
top athletes will train in 4 year cycles along with the Olympic Games.
I believed when I started training
again that I was capable of winning the World Masters. I trained and set my
goals accordingly to reach that goal. It started out with a few local meets.
Then moved on to the U.S. Open Masters Championships, and finally the World
Championships.
Set your own goals well in advance,
3, 4 years down the line. Pick a tournament or competition you want to take
part in, the US Open, World Champs, or Crossfit Games and set your sights on
achieving it. I see too many athletes in the gym looking for that quick fix
that is going to put 50 lbs on each of their lifts. The only thing that puts 50
lbs on your lifts is years of practice and dedication.
Start by making a list of the next 5
years of your life. After four years write in the goal you want to achieve. Now
work your way back. Start with the National meets you want to attend each year.
Then look at local meets roughly three months apart leading up to those events.
That's it; there you have your plan. Now you can focus on your periodization
between each.
Now that I have a World Gold medal,
I have my sights set on the 2017 World Masters Games in New Zealand. I don’t just
want to win the Gold; I want the Gold and the World Record. That is my goal, that is what I am training for, and that is what I intend on achieving.
I Can, I will, Watch me.
