Hey Folks!
Being one of the lucky ones to catch a glimpse at an early release of “American Weightlifting”, I find myself with an expanded passion toward establishing and growing our own Weightlifting Club. If I had to choose an ultimate message behind the film, it would be get out there, lift something heavy, and to try as much as you can to expose kids at an early age to weightlifting. While the film is called “American weightlifting” we have essentially the same (but scaled down) situation here in Canada. A small, but passionate group of people who are lifting weights, and developing power in a small number of clubs scattered over the country.
We’re lucky to have athletes like Christine Girard and Marie-Ève Beauchemin-Nadeau as well as many up-and-comers to the sport, but like the film very somberly established, the sport needs much more exposure and cultural/social support in North America.
Being a CrossFit gym owner I am responsible for teaching many people the Olympic lifts for the first time. While I know I will always be improving at coaching the lifts, they are something I’m excited about teaching every time. As we establish our CrossFit Kids program, and our weightlifting club, I’m excited at the prospect of getting kids into the sport at an early age, and developing them as athletes into their best years.
All the coaches in the film ooze passion. Some for missed opportunities that they want to see actualized in their athletes, others because they know how great the lifts can make you feel. Being introduced to Olympic lifting through CrossFit, I haven’t been as exposed to the history and the sport worldwide, let alone in North America. This film does a good job of showing how FAR the sport has come, but also how much it has stayed the same. They’re something very comforting in knowing that while we can push to advance the sport and hope it gains lots of popularity, when it’s all said and done it will still be about one person versus the weight. It will be about what you can do through hard work, and physical & mental stamina. I’m honoured to learn about these other coaches through this film, but am even more excited about reading and looking up everything I can find out about them.
One thing that was constantly repeated in the film is that to be seriously involved in weightlifting, you just have to love it. You can love it because it’s difficult, because it challenges you, or because it makes you feel like a rock star but that unrelenting desire to return to the bar and try again is what is required to be successful, however you want to define that success.
I’m inspired to introduce more people the sport, and to try my best to introduce weightlifting to kids as an option to be their sport. I’m also very excited to see not only where the sport goes, in general but also where we can take it in North America.
Thank you to Greg Everett and Catalyst Athletics for the opportunity to screen the film and for being such a great ambassador for the sport.
If you’re interested in purchasing the film you can do that here:
If you’re interested in getting into weightlifting, some check out the weightlifting club! Click on the image to view details about the club!
If you’re interested in getting your kids into CrossFit and eventually weightlifting, Click the link below (currently offering classes for the 12-18 year age group)
See you in the gym!
Adam Ball
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