At MWBC we believe in the power of the “team”
Weightlifting may be an individual sport at a competition level, but having amazing relationships with your team will bolster everything you do during training and competing.
here’s why supporting your team is so integral to being part of the MWBC community, and the other standards we hold our teammates to at MWBC.
STOP AND SUPPORT HEAVY LIFTS:
Going for a heavy attempt can be scary, exciting, confrontation… (insert feeling here). One thing that makes MWBC special is the yells of support and the cheers you hear when a lifter is preparing for a heavy attempt. Stopping and supporting your team when they are going for a heavy attempt helps build atmosphere, show support and help create the special environment MWBC has.
RESPECT MWBC SPACE AND EQUIPMENT:
We are so lucky to no longer be hitting our programs in local “globo-gyms” that do not cater for weightlifting athletes. MWBC has IWF-grade equipment along with everything you could possibly need to execute your program well. Show respect to the space by booking your classes in advance, not walking through others’ eye lines when lifting and keeping your platform area safe. Show respect for the equipment by not dropping bars with only 5kg plates loaded, changing plates up for the biggest plate option (ie. 20kg rather than 2 x 10kg), putting equipment back exactly where you found it, using collars and wiping down equipment after use.
ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT:
Your coaches and teammates are here to support you in any way they can. Whether you need a spot for safety, or have a question about programming there will always be someone happy to help. Don’t sit back and be shy if you have a question, however, take the time to diligently read your program, watch your hyperlinked video, or ask your bar buddy if you have a question you think they may be able to answer. If not, head to one of the coaches for support as needed.
PROCESS OVER OUTCOME:
Weightlifting technique and development is a journey, that will have plenty of ups and downs along the road. As an athlete at MWBC, we work to find joy and fun within that journey by falling in love with the process of learning about weightlifting. Ask any of your teammates and they will tell you how one day they’ve sworn they have lost their ability to snatch, only to return back next session and have absolutely no problem snatching. Keeping the bigger goal of the process of learning weightlifting in the forefront of our minds, can stop the decent into worrying about the outcome of one specific lift, or one specific session. In weightlifting, today is never about today. We are always building a total. Keep building by loving the process of building and not just worrying about today’s training outcome.
PRACTICE SAFE TECHNIQUE OVERLOAD:
Even in competition, no one lift is ever worth a lifter’s safety, health or well-being. At MWBC safety is our absolute priority and we do not encourage technical regression in order to successfully achieve a lift. If the bar is going overhead and behind you, let it go. If you are getting dizzy, put it down. If you need a spot but no one is around, drop the weight back. We always want to make sure you live to lift another day!
CHALK ETIQUETTE:
MWBC is happy to provide chalk to help with grip, safety and execution of lifts for our athletes. As an MWBC team member, our expectation is that chalk is used modestly inside the chalk boxes and any extra spillage is cleaned up with the mops provided post-training. If you have a team mate who forgets to clean please give them a gentle reminder.
TURN UP FOR YOUR TEAM:
Weightlifting competitions require a huge amount of planning from an athlete and coach standpoint, but mostly from a volunteer standpoint. MWBC requires any lifter who competes to make themselves available to volunteer and support at competitions so their teammates can also compete. Turning up for your teammates on the lead-up and during competition day is part of what makes MWBC so special.
GREET YOUR TEAM AND COACHES:
How you greet your team will set the mood for your training on any given day. Walking into MWBC is an opportunity to leave any external stress, worries or hard things at the door and step into our community to lift heavy. Be sure to say “Hi” to all of your teammates and coaches to start your training session on an uplifting note.
EQUALITY ALWAYS:
At MWBC you will be part of a caring and unique weightlifting club where all lifters are treated with equality and respect. As a team member that expectation also extends to your behaviour. This means leaving your ego at the door and handling frustrations with respect to the team, coaches and environment around you. Your training session is just as important as everyone else’s, so please show respect to your team by upholding your standard of behaviour.
TRAIN HARD:
Coming to MWBC is your opportunity to develop your weightlifting practice, increase your strength and technique and learn about the sport. Warm-up time is the optimum time to catch up with your team, but once hands are on the bar we dial up the focus. Being present during your training, being mindful of the cues your coach is working with you on and putting in the effort are the minimum standards to help achieve success at MWBC. Rest periods of 60-90 seconds between sets are optimal for your Olympic lifts. These will increase when working on strength during squats, presses and pulls. Ask your coach for more guidance if you are unsure.
PAIR UP AND SHARE BARS:
Depending on what sessions you attend at MWBC, you will notice it can often get very busy. This itself is a small part of why we encourage all our lifters to share bars, but there are many more important reasons. Weightlifting can be a lonely and challenging sport. Sharing bars not only saves space but also allows you to support your team, help uplift their session and create relationships with your teammates that are very special. I challenge you to try to pair up with different lifters within our community each week and get to know all the great humans we have in our club. I also challenge you to try to use different platforms, different bars and different racks. The more you can adapt to your changing training environment, the stronger mental resilience you will build!
INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO NEW TEAMMATES:
Starting at a new weightlifting club can be scary, especially when the only person you may know is the coach. When you see a new face in MWBC be sure to welcome them, show them around if needed and introduce yourself to this person. They will be eternally grateful for your initial support and our MWBC community will continue to be strengthened.
PHONES ARE FOR VIDEOING:
At MWBC we have boundaries around when phones are on the gym floor, to help use them for the positives they bring in and not the drawbacks. If you record your lifts during training, hold off analysing them until after training so you can stay in your body, remain focused and continue to feel the timing and tempo of the lift you are working on. If you have questions about how a lift is looking, ask your coach before you defer to your videos. This enables your coach to help filter the key parts of the lift you are currently working on and stop any potential overwhelm. If we use your phone as feedback for every lift you may begin to feel disconnected to the lift and rely on the video to tell you where your body is in space. There is no video on competition day.