Let's be honest...we love our girlfriends, wives, husbands, boyfriends, children, pets, and friends...But there is one love that is truly unique. It is unconditional. Rare. Steadfast. True. It is a beautiful love—a beautiful relationship—that will never die.
Our love for powerlifting.
And once you fall in love, there is no turning back.
On this very special Valentine's Day, we are spreading the love and sharing your answers as to why YOU love powerlifting...
*****
Josh: Because I'm stronger than the 200+lb football players that used to make fun of me.
Amber: Because I can either move the weight or I can't. I complete the rep or I don't. I love that I'm not judged according to my hair, makeup, posing, or whether I have on a dark enough tan. I love that it isn't subjective like bodybuilding is! That's why I <3 powerlifting!
Matias: "Strength is never a weakness." —Mark Bell
Ty: I love powerlifting (not just training for it, but the actual sport of powerlifting), from this one single moment: My first meet was some podunk state meet in the SPF, and I recall it coming down to the last deadlift for my weight class. If I made my attempt, I'd win, if I didn't I'd get second. The guy yelling at me and getting me all amped up was a guy I'd never met before but told me that I better get that lift or he was going to be pissed. That guy was the guy I beat, who ended up taking second in our weight class since I got white lights. The amount of camaraderie and support in the powerlifting community is amazing and why I keep coming back year after year.
Paul: The feeling after hitting a big PR.
Alexis: To make the impossible, possible.
Jeff: Because it reminds me how small I still am and to never quit pushing the limit.
Leigh: Because there is no "end."
Jim: Because there is always more weight to be lifted. It doesn't end with the medals, records, or trinkets; it ends with you becoming mentally and physically stronger for life.
Dustin: It's who I am and what I do. I LOVE every aspect about it—the adrenaline rush, the strength, the blood and sweat, the pressing or pulling a new PR...I fucking love the sport. It's home.
Matthew: Because most people live their lives with people telling them they can't do something, or they shouldn't. When I wrap my fingers around that bar, the only thing that can stop me is me.
Tim: Because it takes me away to that special place.
Mike: So many things, but probably the biggest is that it's the one thing I've ever been around where pure, simple hard work is guaranteed to pay off.
Moose: I love having goals that 98% of the people I meet will never understand.
Danielle: Lifting empowers me. It reminds me day in and day out that I am capable of more.
Lance: There is no place for complacency. You can always learn more. You can always push yourself harder. To be a successful powerlifter, you must be honest with your weaknesses and address them. It simultaneously teaches control and flexibility. Discipline, focus, and sufficient rest. I love powerlifting because it is a microcosm for what makes all of life worth living. Lessons learned under the bar can carry over into all aspects of your life, both personal and professional...Also, you get to eat a lot!
Hugh: Because you compete for you, but in a way you are part of a team...everyone who powerlifts is in that team! Band of brothers (and sisters).
Umer: Strength of body also strengthens the mind
Mac: For it's purity and simplicity
LeAnn: The rush of pulling 355, and knowing that almost no other female I know can do that too.
Paul: It gives my life purpose.
Charles: With all the things that happen in my life, powerlifting is the one thing I don't have to worry about what anybody else says or thinks. I don't have to worry about breaking anything I can't fix. I don't have to worry about getting hurt unless I choose to do something stupid. If I fail at a lift, I can try again today or tomorrow and get it as long as I don't quit on me. I can prove, to me, that I have what it takes every time I pick up the weight. In other words, it's the one place I can go and earn my self-respect based on who I am, not what someone else says or thinks I am. It centers me. That's why I love powerlifting.
Russell: The dedication, drive, and discipline required to succeed makes for more productive and valuable members of society. You stand alone on that stage and if you fail, you fail. No blaming the teammates if that weight doesn't go from point A to B.
Rodrigo: It's a sport made by blood, sweat and tears, and anything that's earned through these three secretions is worth admiration.
Gloria: Because it makes me powerful!
Happy Valentine's Day!
