How Far Are You Willing to Go? Reflecting on Your Powerlifting and Performance Goals
In strength sports, and especially in competitive powerlifting; the further you go, the more you’ll face hard decisions about how far you're willing to push your body, your mind, and your lifestyle to achieve your goals.
If you're chasing extreme results, it often takes extreme methods. Nobody squats 800, 900, or 1,000 pounds without intense training cycles, calculated risk, and sometimes sacrifices in other areas of life.
This isn’t just about drug protocols or supplement stacks. It’s about the wear and tear on your joints, the toll on your sleep, the strain on personal relationships, and the mental energy it takes to perform at your limit week after week.
When you're young, it’s easy to ignore the long-term consequences. I remember being 19, 20, 21, brushing off the warning signs—aches, pains, skipped meals, poor sleep—because the only thing that mattered was putting kilos on the bar. But if you stay in the game long enough, you’ll eventually have to ask yourself, "Is it worth the cost?"
For me, the answer was yes. For many athletes I coach, the answer is yes. But for you? It might not be. And that's okay.
The Honest Conversation Every Athlete Needs
At some point, whether you're a powerlifter aiming for national records or a lifestyle athlete trying to look and feel your best, you’ll reach a fork in the road:
Can I sustain this level of training long-term?
Am I willing to trade some physical comfort or longevity for the thrill of hitting my goals now?
What am I neglecting outside of the gym that I might regret later?
These are personal questions, and as a coach, I encourage every athlete, whether lifestyle, performance, or competitive to reflect on them.
There might come a time when your back hurts every morning, or you can’t raise your arms without discomfort, and the price of those years of heavy lifting catches up. Will you regret it? Or will you smile, knowing you gave everything you had?
Coaching That Respects Your Goals: and Your Life
The point isn’t to scare you away from your goals. It’s to remind you that your training, nutrition, recovery, and lifestyle choices should be intentional, aligned with what you truly want out of this.
If you’re an advanced powerlifter chasing your next big total, or someone who wants to be strong, healthy, and active for years to come, a great coach will help you navigate this balance. That’s what we focus on:
Smart training cycles built for performance and longevity
Real-world recovery strategies that fit your life
Honest conversations about what you're sacrificing—and what you’re gaining
It’s your body, your goals, your life. Own the choices.
If you’re looking for a bespoke coaching service which takes all of these variables into account - we can help.
Click here to get in touch with us today
