It ain’t that heavy

MANILA, Philippines — I turned 55 this year and for the second time in my life, I qualified for the Philippine Powerlifting Team that competed in the Asian Bench Press Open in Manila recently.

Although I am a fitness enthusiast, 15 years have passed since I last joined a powerlifting competition. I was 40 the last time I competed in the Asian Bench Press Open, which was held in Delhi, India.

This year, I decided to return to the sport of powerlifting as a Master 2 (50 to 59 years old) to see if I still had lift in me.

Last April, I joined the National Powerlifting Competition. And, yes, I can still carry ‘em heavy weights. I won a gold medal for my efforts, a best lifter trophy and booked a seat on the Philippine team that competed in the Bench Press Open.

I grew up in a very athletic family. Three of my brothers were football players who at one time in their lives wore the Philippine colors to represent the country in tournaments abroad. I have another brother who was a weightlifter and at one point was also on the Philippine team. It made me both happy and proud when they came home with medals and made the country proud because of their achievements.

Yet, as I was growing up, sports for me meant spending the summer playing football with the kids in the neighborhood. In school, it only meant being a member of the intramurals team. I liked to play. I did not like to compete.

About 30 years ago, I turned vegetarian and 25 years ago, I got into fitness and opted to make being a vegetarian and a fitness buff a lifestyle for me.

But getting into powerlifting is another story. So, what is powerlifting? Well, it is actually a very simple sport: All you have to do is carry heavy weights. (And no, the sport is not the same as weightlifting.) Powerlifting has three events: benchpress, squat and deadlift. I did not really make a conscious decision to become a powerlifter — it sort of just happened.

You can do it: The author lifts 55 kilos.

Rene Dio, a bemedalled powerlifter and body builder and the man responsible for getting me into the sport, would encourage me to try the sport out whenever he saw me at the gym.

I joined my first competition in 1999. I can still remember how nervous I was. “Just do the best you can,” Rene told me. At the end of the competition, I broke a few records in the novice category.

2017 is a come back year of sorts for me. This time no longer as an eager-eyed novice, but as an older eager-eyed master 2 competitor.

What benefits does an older competitor like me get out of lifting weights? Let me share a few with you:

 •A longer and happier life:  While most forms of regular exercise can add years to your life, strength training in particular has big benefits. As we get older, the more muscle mass we have, the less likely we are to die prematurely, according to a 2014 research paper from UCLA. “In other words, the greater your muscle mass, the lower your risk of death,” study co-author Arun Karlamangla, MD said in a statement. “Thus, rather than worrying about weight or body mass index, we should be trying to maximize and maintain muscle mass.”

•Better sleep: Regular exercisers report the best sleep, and weightlifting is no exception.

•Better protected bones: Weight-bearing exercise, particularly strength training, is thought to increase bone density, reducing the risk of fractures and breaks among older adults.

•Better balance: Of course, one major cause of bone breaks as we age is falling. Some of weightlifting’s benefits in protecting against osteoporosis are improved strength and balance, resulting in fewer falls. Indeed, research suggests that various resistance routines can reduce an older person’s rate of falling by around 30 percent.

•Burn more calories: Simply having more muscle on your frame helps your body burn up extra calories — even when you’re sitting completely still.

•Healthier heart: Cardio isn’t the only form of exercise with cardiovascular benefits. A resistance training routine has been shown to lower blood pressure, in some cases as effectively as taking medication. The American Heart Association recommends that adults aim for at least two strength training sessions a week.

I learned a lot by being part of this team.

I now know what it means to give up personal goals for the good of the team. I know that if we do what we are told to, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem to us, it will be good for everyone on the team. But best of all, I know that our victory was sweeter because we helped each other.

I am older than most of my competitors who are in their early 20s or 30s. But, hey, age is what we make of it and so, too, is life.

Maybe you’re convinced that you shouldn’t lift weights because you prefer not to look like The Hulk. Maybe you figure you just wouldn’t like it, since you’re not one of those CrossFit types.

We hate to be confrontational about it, but frankly, you’re wrong. Despite a prevalent allegiance to cardio machines for things like weight loss and overall health, strength training not only builds muscle but can also prevent disease, improve mood and — really! — help you lose weight.