IWF World's Medalist and overall badass Mattie Rogers took to Reddit on Friday for an hour-long AMA ( Ask Me Anything) to answer the most burning questions from the r/weightlifting community. Here are our favorite tidbits and exchanges from the thread. 

You can check out the entire AMA for yourself here. 

On Competing & Lifters Who Dope

From u/Flexappeal:

1. Does Camargo decide your openers/attempts at big meets or is it collaborative?

2. What's your least favorite exercise that you have to do regularly?

3. Have you beaten your comp bests in the gym or do you save that max effort for the platform?

4. What was going through your head when you called 141 to get a spot on the Rio team?

5. To what degree do you think that being popped for any banned substance tarnishes the merits/achievements/character of that lifter?

Mattie: 

1. Collaborative.
2. RDLSSSSSSSSS fuck those.
3. I don't "save" anything, if I hit a max in that part of the cycle, swweeeet, if not oh well. Same goes for on the platform.
4. Tbh I have never felt so horrible in my entire life as I was struggling with borderline adrenal fatigue/failure leading up to trials from the months of training prior. I knew I needed something crazy like that going into trials and was prepared for it to come down to that, but day of I just did not have it in me at all.
5. I think it ruins that lifter. It is cheating. It completely alters your body. I don't care about their character, they cheated to try and be a step ahead of everyone else and that is a person I can just never respect.

On Mindset

From u/cferica

Hi Mattie! Congrats on your silver medal! I look up to you so much because your mental game seems so strong. What kinds of things do you do to train it? Do you ever feel fear before big lifts (it doesn’t show if you do!) and how do you overcome it?

Mattie:

THANK YOU! I answered the mental stuff in another one somewhere in here, look for that. I don't think I have ever felt fear before a lift, maybe doubt or nervousness, but that can be helped with visualization and just a TON of training.

On Overcoming Joint Pain

From u/avmenza

For real tho. Been lifting for 10 years and my joints are garbage. Tendinitis in both elbows, wrist surgeries, and I’m 26. I guess my question is... how your joints feelin?

Mattie: 

Oh my feel like absolute shit, but that comes with training at the elite level year round even though I've only been in the sport for 4 years. Glucosamine & chondroitin & fish oil help me I think.

On Squatting

From u/Agent21EMH

Hi Mattie, my question is do you pay any attention to your efficiency from yours squats to the lifts (does squatting more help you personally have a bigger clean and jerk, snatch) if not, what seems to help the lifts out the most other than repetition which is obviously the key driver.

Only other thing would be how you're approaching the restructuring of weight classes.

It piss, thanks for doing this!

Mattie: 

Ok first: all the Olympic lifters that have massive squats, cool tight rad, but what are you comp numbers? That's all that matters in this sport.

Obviously, a bigger squat means you have stronger legs which is great for both lifts. I personally have never been a great squatter and my clean has always been very close to my front squat (within 10-12 kilos).

Squat adequately, I love volume to start off a cycle in ALL lifts.

As far as the weight classes, its just a wait and see game. I have no idea what they will be so can make no plans at this point in time.

It sick it piss.

On Training & Mindset

From u/Lui_Kang_baking_a_pi

The amount you train is insane. What mental techniques do you use to stay focused and consistently train at such a high intensity?

Mattie:

Honestly, I don't feel like training a lot of days. It sucks just as much as it does for anyone else. I just know what needs to get done & not pushing as hard as possible in training is just not an option.

On Being Starstruck

From u/Ceto_Ruiz88

Have you ever been star struck? If so, by who?

Mattie:

Yeah forgot how to talk first time I met Lydia.

Lu Xiojuns coach told me I couldn't take a picture with him & I wanted to die of embarrassment.