RIGOROUS REGIMEN. The Ateneo powerlifting team trains weekly in the gym of the Moro Lorenzo Sports Complex. Photo by Kat A. Mallillin

THE POWERLIFTER focuses and takes a deep breath. Slowly but surely, he gets his hands and back properly positioned and then explodes upward for the dead lift. After a few seconds, he finally lets the barbell go and its sound echoes throughout the Moro Lorenzo weights room.

He then calmly goes back to his seat as if he didn’t break a sweat. He lifts with the perfect combination of proper form, conditioning and strength, which is what the Ateneo powerlifting team aims for.

As professional bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman would say, “Lightweight. Ain’t nothing but a peanut.”

Basics of powerlifting

Powerlifting is all about a display of strength through a competition in three events: the dead lift, the bench press and the squats. All of these events are classified under separate age groups, different divisions and weight classes. “It’s not in the body type, but more of the strength and how much you can lift,” shares team manager and fellow lifter Aida Concepcion.

Just like any other sport, the athlete must master the fundamentals of technique and proper form in order to succeed. Coach Roberto Gayanes does his best to embed this into his athletes as he shares that it can get very dangerous if one disregards the correct manner of lifting.

Proper form would not only prevent freak accidents; it also maximizes the lifter’s full strength. “Hindi kailangan maganda katawan mo, basta malakas ka. (You don’t need a beautiful body, but you need to be strong.),” said Gayanes.

The success

The Ateneo powerlifting team has constantly been competing in various tournaments locally and internationally. Some of the Philippine team members include alumni of the Ateneo powerlifting team, such as Ralph Aguinaldo, Ralph Hidalgo and Isaac Cortez.

Currently, the team is already training for the inter-Luzon competition set for 2013. “We don’t just train just right before the competition,” explains Concepcion. The team makes sure to practice proper pacing in order for them to peak at the right moment and to ensure maximum performance when each powerlifter’s name is called to compete.

“May cycle yung program na gagawin mo. Hindi pwede na heavy kaagad yung bubuhatin mo, kailangan dahan dahan. (The program has a cycle and you’re not supposed to be heavily lifting immediately. It has to be done slowly.),” added Gayanes.

Despite the high-impact demand of training, powerlifters have the luxury of straying away from a diet. “Pwede ka kumain! (You can actually eat!),” exclaims Concepcion and Gayanes.

Kidding aside, power lifters only need to worry about making the weight in their desired weight class. “Walang restrictions, huwag ka lang lalampas sa weight mo. (There are no restrictions, just don’t go over your weight.),” Gayanes says.

Challenges

The sport of powerlifting may not be the number one sport in the country, but it has made some noise internationally. “The Philippine team has already joined a lot of international tournaments—not just nationally, not just in Asia, but worldwide. Hindi lang narerecognize. (It just doesn’t get recognized.),” says Concepcion.

The effort of training and preparing for these tournaments burns a lot of time and energy and to have it go unnoticed sets a big frustration for these powerlifters. “It’s very difficult,” says Concepcion, as powerlifting does not even come close to the spotlight as compared to the attention that other sports are receiving in the country.

Senior Gab Palanca shares his frustration. “We’ve been pushing for accreditation for a long time now, even before I joined the team. We’re having a hard time kasi ‘yun nga, hindi familiar yung sport (the sport is not that familiar).”

With their unaccredited status with the University Athletics Office, the team shells out money to cover all their expenses.

The team trains weekly in the Moro Lorenzo Sports Complex and pays for their own membership, since their trainings are held in the ground floor weights area. They also pay for their own equipment and attire such as the power belts and the proper shoes, which roughly cost around P3,500 to P8,000. Despite funding their own training and development, they have been consistent during their competitions.

Based on recent performance, it appears that the team’s efforts have paid off. The Ateneo powerlifting team has emerged victorious in various tournaments. One tournament that they have been dominating lately is the inter-school powerlifting tournament.

For three years, Ateneo has bagged the first place prize against the University of the Philippines, the University of the East, De La Salle University and Guagua National College. “Lahat, may bus pa, may baon pa—everything. (They had everything: a bus, food—everything.),” says Concepcion.

The glory of the powerlifter

Despite the frustrations the Ateneo powerlifting team may have, the pride and glory of being an Ateneo student-athlete is still evident in every one of them. According to them, the best thing about being a powerlifter is not the perks they receive or the physical strength they build, but the journey they undergo in working towards their goal.

“Ang pinakamagandang bagay ay ang displinado ka. Hindi ka pwedeng uminom ng alak, hindi ka pwede magsigarilyo, hindi ka pwedeng magpuyat. Dapat mayroon kang oras para sa training. (The best thing is that you become disciplined. You can’t smoke, can’t drink and can’t stay up late. You have to set time for training.),” says Gayanes.

Furthermore, the discipline that these lifters develop from training is what keeps them motivated to work harder. “Noong first year ako, medyo patapon ako. Tapos summer before second year, sumali ako kayna coach at talagang nag-improve ‘yung self-control ko. (When I was in first year, I was a slacker. But when I joined Coach [Gayanes] and company during the summer before second year, my self-control improved.),” shares Palanca.

These powerlifters gain more than just a good workout. They pick up the values every athlete gains when giving their all for a team: proper time management, discipline and hard work.

“Everything has to be managed,” Palanca continues. One can talk all about how powerlifters develop physical strength, but perhaps the mental toughness needed in this sport is the one that builds character and instills values.

As Gayanes shares, “‘Yung samahan, magiging close talaga na parang magiging family. Once na sumali ka, hindi ka mapapabayaan. Once na sumali ka, welcome ka. (The togetherness brings the team together like a family. Once you join, you won’t be left behind. Once you join, you’re always welcome.)”

The training sessions may be difficult, but the members help each other and this is what’s important for the team.

Looking ahead

With a hardworking team and a dedicated coaching staff, the Ateneo powerlifting team has the essentials needed to achieve success.

Should the team become accredited and sponsored by the school in the future, there is no telling what kind of glory the team may attain. This bunch of collegiate powerlifters are driven and motivated—as Concepcion says, “For the love and passion of the sport.”

Photo by Kat A. Mallillin