n this episode of Rebuild Stronger, John and Wyatt dive deep into the often-overlooked skill of self-handling at powerlifting meets. They argue that while having a handler can be valuable, every lifter should experience managing themselves at competitions to truly develop as an athlete.

Key Topics Discussed:

Why Self-Handling Matters

• Learn to advocate for yourself in the warm-up room
• Understand meet logistics and flow without hand-holding
• Develop critical assessment skills for evaluating future handlers
• Build genuine confidence in your abilities

Common Pitfalls for First-Time Competitors

• The infamous kilos vs. pounds mix-up (and one lifter's catastrophic opener)
• Why personal trainers without powerlifting experience can spell disaster
• The overwhelming nature of production-heavy meets

The Handler vs. Self-Handler Debate

• When you actually need a handler (spoiler: probably later than you think)
• What separates a great handler from someone who just makes calls
• Why self-handling builds a foundation that elevates your entire lifting career

Compete More, Peak Less

• The math behind competing 4-5 times per year with modest PRs
• Why treating every meet like nationals is holding you back
• Real examples of athletes hitting PRs without full peaks

Memorable Stories

• Self-handling through a knee injury to hit a first 2K total
• The meet that lasted until 2 AM
• Training like an elite athlete before mastering the basics

Quotable Moments:

"If you've never self-handled and you get somebody who's trash at handling, you're not going to know any better."

"You don't need to win a bunch of local competitions with the only person in the weight class. Nobody cares at the highest level."

"Stop taking yourself so fucking seriously. You need to chill."

The Bottom Line:

Compete more. Handle yourself. Stop being spoiled. Your future lifting career will thank you.

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