Perspective: Training in A Team-Based Environment
We’ve conveyed this sentiment before ad nauseam, yet it’s a message that cannot be overstated.
Training alone vs. training in a group of like-minded individuals are two entirely different experiences.
Even the most introverted and shy humans can benefit from surrounding themselves with others in their athletic endeavors.
Your teammates uplift you, provide unique insight through difficult periods, build an intimate connection- that you can’t (necessarily) replicate outside the gym- and add to your training repertoire for continual growth.
They increase your chances of continual participation, accountability, and joy- in the process.
The impact is profound- and one that can’t be fully reduced into words, but I’ve witnessed it firsthand on countless occasions. Athletes who find themselves immersed in a consistent, stable, positive environment become transformed in similar facets; among their teammates experiencing the same. Everyone deserves to have this special & sacred aspect in their life.
Find your community, and you’ll find your strength, capabilities, potential- and most of all, meaningful relationships.
5 Benefits of team-based training
Gaining Support
This point is seemingly obvious, but maybe you don’t quite fathom its full effects- training with others provides additional support on your back.
Training can be an emotional and vulnerable experience, especially as you progress through months and years. You'll undergo some of your most raw, natural moments in the gym. Lifting can release varying stored expressions and feelings depending on both internal and external circumstances. And as an athlete, you invest a hell of a lot into that whole pursuit.
Your teammates are there to witness this. They watch your breakthroughs on the days when something finally clicks, and you unravel this wall you didn’t know was built, previously preventing you from continuing to progress.
They see you through your breakdowns- when everything feels impossible, and whether the reason why is clear, it hurts- these struggles hit something deep inside of you that pours out.
They see you through your tremendous victories- when you finally burst through a plateau and hit the milestone that shaped every day leading up, and they know what it means to you. They celebrate with you, provide comfort and encouragement when you need it- and watch you grow as a human on your own- while they do the same in the rack beside you.
While your goals, backgrounds, and patterns may differ, the journey is similar- exploring your potential, revealing your strength, and chasing improvement in every direction. The number on the bar serves as a data point into your quest for betterment. They “get it,” especially when you’ve gone through similar phases- starting at the same time, having backgrounds in common, doing the same meet; you experience a lot of that growth on a collective level- which helps you feel less alone.
You go through the process knowing that you have people to fall back on, to help you rise onward, as well as ones who will cheer loudly for your every win- and genuinely want to see you do it, too. And as much as humans will try to deny that, stating hyper-independence as a strength, the truth is- we all need it.
We need people in our corners, habitually interacting with others who leave us feeling reassured and invigorated- and holding close to people who think like us- in some ways- to keep us on our paths and add layers to each step. And when you want to develop your strength, uniting that necessity to your personal journey will benefit you immensely.
2. Experiencing Mutual Suffering
Semi-joking, but really.
You’re more likely to push a little harder, eek out that extra rep, go for the percentage prescribed even when your head hasn’t been in it-
When you’re surrounded by others doing the same.
Watching your teammates do badass shit, exert themselves, and go the extra mile (when called for), changes the entire energy and environment in the room. It’s harder to psych yourself up in a grave, cold, dark, empty room alone than with five others whose fires are lit, ready to murder every set. The people, vibe, and values we surround ourselves with will influence our actions and how we respond to difficulty. We like to consider this pursuit a solo game, where we have entire control over everything- (and to some extent, we do). You have autonomy, agency, and the ability to choose how you build habits, develop yourself, and take on the hard days. When you’re alone, you can find ways to make training fun & engaging and get the work done just the same. It’s much harder to achieve the same result, though, and with a group, you won’t have to exert nearly as much energy or mental space to get yourself ready to push.
You’ll watch yourself advance further than you knew you could, with that healthy dose of competition under your ass- and the desire to express your skill around a group of highly skilled individuals.
Plus, you get the benefit of having a group of people to complain with, experiencing the same pains as you (Athletes on EDT right now- you know this well). It's more enjoyable that way.
3. The Ability to Learn from Your Peers
A potentially overlooked aspect of training in a community is the opportunity to derive lessons from your teammates & the work they do beside you. While you may conceptualize your programming, technique, etc., on the level of your unique improvements & education, as well as your coach, those around you can also act as a resource, even unintentionally.
Seeing others work on the same weaknesses can serve as both examples of success and what could be possible for you- expanding your knowledge scope. Hearing a cue that resonates with you, seeing someone else’s body do the movement and the changes they make to it, watching them grasp something new and have an epiphany moment- enhances your brain’s understanding and awareness of your own lifts.
When you:
Watch someone learn how to squat for the first time,
Listen to your coach instruct them, witness their bench breakthrough- where they finally utilize their leg drive, something you’ve been struggling with, or
Add 10 lbs to their deadlift, just from better lat engagement-
that adds to your brain space: how often you’re thinking about Powerlifting, how to implement these values into your lifts, etc.
As peers, we learn from seeing and doing- and as lifters, we constantly chase improvement. Marry those two facets together in your training environment, and you’ll continue growing- in many aspects.
4. Fostering Valuable Relationships
In most gym communities, the people you train next to do not significantly impact you. The other people in your group class, or even on a lower scale, the random dude shadow-boxing next to you at 24 Hour Fitness, aren’t people you’d necessarily call “friends” or go out of your way to spend time with.
Yet, that changes when in a small-group, team training setting. Seeing the same people two or three times a week at the same time of day, engaging in an entity that makes up a large part of your life or identity, and experiencing some of your most critical moments together- bond you on a deeper level. Your shared interest becomes more than that: an introspective door unlocking your lives, desires, and passions- and weaving them together. The commonality of Powerlifting opens up eventual opportunities for relationships and connection, bridging the gap between “gym life” and everything outside of that. These friendships broaden outside of the training hall's scope, and these people add support to other areas of your world, too.
The journey you’re both on is unique, and the consistent, predictable community you find in your teammates-unlike the nature of life in general, is also a distinct experience. I’ve seen it in myself and others: the gym can provide a breeding ground for the budding social connections we've always needed. Especially for those who lack that same community outside of it- who’ve moved somewhere new, don’t vibe with their coworkers, are deficient in those established roots-
Powerlifting can bring that into your life even when you least expect it. The people who see you in your maximal peaks and your substantial pitfalls build a sense of rapport and understanding of you that’s hard to recreate. And the people pursuing something at this level share similar qualities to you, even beyond just lifting:
Desire for improvement. Self-development. Empowerment. The ability to take on obstacles and accept challenges with open arms. Maybe even some of the same past struggles- disordered eating, lack of self-trust, being a misfit in the gym (or outside of it). The gym can link you to your tribe, the people who “see” you and will positively fabricate your life through many different threads.
5. Increasing the "Athlete" Mentality
Powerlifting can be a team sport, even though you’re (in most cases) solely competing against yourself on that platform. As an adult, most of your past athletic experiences will include memories of a team-whether positive or negative. Soccer, basketball, dance, gymnastics, hockey, tennis, chess- all of these sports put you in an environment with other humans, all working together for successful performances. Powerlifting is unique in that when you’re stepping into the competitive environment, it’s just you and the bar. But, on the days of meet prep where you’ve got something big planned, you’re particularly struggling with your technique or self-belief, motivation feels low- squatting in a corner by yourself doesn’t feel much like “sport.”
When you’ve got a group to prep with, it adds to the experience of your meet as a whole. Being on the same schedule and wavelength with your fellow athletes expands the benefits further. You’re all testing on the same week, re-loading together, taking your openers next to one another- you have a consistent base of predictability & comfort to fall back on, and you can share all of the emotions together- rather than letting them ruminate in your brain alone. On the day of competition, you can debrief with one another, cheer each other on, give hugs of consolation or celebration, and deepen the memories you’re creating. It adds a sense of youthfulness, nostalgia, or maybe the experience you’d always dreamt of as a kid to your Powerlifting career. You find the joy in being athletes together, having fun in the process- like you would’ve as an eight-year-old trying out the thing your heart felt called to. A little “let’s go!” “you got this!” or “Yeah, I fucking hate those too,” or “I’m so nervous for this meet” from your teammates during prep can strengthen your path along the way & perception of it.
We associate “sport” with “team,” not “that thing I do alone in my basement,” in most cases. Both are helpful- the individuality and the camaraderie, but the sport wouldn't be whole without either one. Embracing the communal aspect of it will strengthen your success, too.
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Powerlifting is often conceptualized as an individualistic pursuit; consisting of lifting enthusiasts who just want to see how strong they can get. And yet, it can be far more than that, and when it is- the endeavor profoundly impacts a wide array of individuals. Powerlifting does not, and should not, have to be a solo game. Surrounding yourself with a team of people chasing similar goals will add significance to everything you could gain, on your own. You’ve got a team to learn with, witnessing their teachable moments and applying them to your own. You can trust a group of people to uplift you, help you push harder, never settle, add that extra pound, cheer you on, and share similar experiences, regardless of individual performances. It adds to the “athlete” feel- reminiscing on similar environments you may have had growing up. You build friendships, long-term relationships, gaining people who will remain in your life beyond the gym. Even for the most introverted and hyper-independent souls, training with humans will serve you. Don’t deprive yourself of the multiple advantages you can take from that- find your community, the one that resonates with you, and soak it all in. Embrace it in every aspect.
