AS the likes of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, and rising stars Vanessa Sarno and Erleen Ando carry Philippine weightlifting to another level with their sustained success, Filipinos take more and more fascination with strength sports.
While weightlifting featured movements such as snatch and clean and jerk, a simpler but just as strenuous version falls under the spectrum of powerlifting.
The latter is a sport that consisted of three lifts namely squat, bench press, and deadlift wherein athletes have three attempts to do at maximal weight.
Though yet to be classified as an Olympic sport, powerlifting also has an international level of play in the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Championships, where a known Pinoy bet, Joyce Reboton thrives.
A gym come true
As much as the gym rats are familiar with the movements, the local community is looking out for its future stars.
The best thing? Entry to the scene can be done individually, no required club team or group, just skills, and interest.
Some of its practitioners also started out as casual fitness buffs hitting impressive personal records at the gym.
"I was just casually training in the gym in the US when I saw a guy doing weightlifting, got interested, and started inquiring about it. That's when I found out about powerlifting. I began competing in 2018 in the Philippines," Team PH's Raf Cahilig shared with SPIN Life.
Practitioner Angela Gonzalvo added: "My journey all started with me signing up for a gym membership not knowing what to do. So I went on Tiktok and saw a girl training in powerlifting, na-inspire ako because she's my size. Then I started doing the movements and found a community online."
Moreover, this is how Joyce Reboton, a former CrossFit athlete, found her new sport.
"I was just asked before if gusto ko mag-join sa powerlifting competition, when I joined, nanalo ako, before, lahat ng sport tina-try kong pagsabay-sabayin, tapos 2017-2018 I joined my first Asians then nagmedal ako. At that time, I decided na kailangan kong mag specialize para mas gumaling ako," she shared.
Buhat Buhat Basement
Having started about a decade ago, Reboton witnessed how the industry grew bigger over the years.
In fact, it's best to try it now, more than ever, with the arrival of available resources like the recently-opened Buhat Buhat Basement in Pioneer St., Mandaluyong.
"Before nagte-train lang ako sa crossfit gyms, malaking bagay na may Buhat Buhat kasi nakakapag-training kami sa equipment na kung ano mismo yung gagamitin sa competition. Malaking bagay makapag-train ng competition condition," she said.
The fitness center is a by-appointment training studio, equipment store, and showroom for all things powerlifting.
Buhat Buhat is run by TheRack.Co, an e-commerce equipment site for strength sports.
Headstart
The Powerlifting Association of the Philippines holds around eight to nine local competitions all-year round where everyone is free to join for affordable a registration fee.
It is encouraging interested people to follow their social media pages for updates and announcements.
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