UW junior Emma Rogers making a name in Olympic weightlifting

She is now ranked as the second-best weightlifter in her age group (17-25) and ranks fourth nationally among all categories.

”If you want to be good (at Olympic weightlifting), you have to get your ass in the gym,” Rogers said. “You’re going to get out of it what you put in. I spend around two-and-a-half hours in the gym everyday.

”I lift by myself and not at a facility or anything. So, there is a lot of holding myself accountable and being disciplined. My coach has been with me for awhile, and we have a good idea for what intensity and volume I can handle.”

Rogers mentioned prioritizing training over life’s responsibilities — such as work and school — being her biggest thing to work on as athletics have always come natural to her. The Pinedale native was a standout in swimming, track and basketball with offers to play in college.

She sought out Mariana Green — founder of Iron Kitchen Weightlifting — to train for swimming as a sophomore in high school. By the end of her senior year, her interest in being a student-athlete had dwindled and the idea of becoming an Olympic weightlifter started to pique her interest.

”(Mariana) kept me coming back,” Rogers said. “I’m also a very active person, and I needed to find something that would keep me active. She’s had a big impact on my life and been a great coach.

”She made this not feel like a sport and more like fun.”

Green — a firefighter — originally opened her gym as a way to train her crew before turning it into a strength and conditioning facility. The gym has been open 13 years in Pinedale and primarily works with younger age groups.

Rogers originally had the intent of competing at a high level for a little over two years, but Green feels her technique and form are ahead of the curve. Her ability as an overall athlete has helped her pick up different techniques seamlessly.

”In the Olympic weightlifting world, they say it takes about seven years to reach your technique potential,” Green said. “She is willing to put in the amount of time and focus that she needs. She’s always been very coachable.

”When I tell her to do something, I know she’s going to do it.”

Prior to moving to Laramie for college, Rogers’ training was much simpler. She showed up to a gym session with Green and did what she was told.

Since the move, Rogers felt a sense of shock realizing she was now on her own and responsible for her ability. However, training by herself has given her a heightened sense of body awareness and left her feeling more confident in her form.

”I’ve gotten a lot more confident,” Rogers said. “I know what certain percentages are supposed to feel like now. When I first moved, I felt like I still didn’t know what I was doing.

”The thing with Olympic weightlifting is that everyone does it a little different. You have to figure out what works for you. I have long legs, and there are not a lot of weightlifters that are shaped like me.”

Green believes Rogers’ build is a hidden benefit because it allows her to hold more muscle. She also didn’t leave Rogers to sink or swim after the move to Laramie and continued to write and send workout plans weekly.

”She sends me videos, and I’ll send back a critique,” Green said. “We’re lucky that videos are so easy to share, because it wasn’t that way when I first started coaching.”

In the gym, Rogers only does workouts that directly help her lifts. Workouts include squats and technique work with heavier weights meaning she attempts to snatch and clean and jerk from different positions.

At the University Nationals, Rogers competed against lifters ranging in age and weight. She competes at 87 kg (191.8), but remains one of the lightest competitors in her class.

Rogers also goes against the typical stocky weightlifting build and is one of the taller athletes at 5-foot-10. Being taller than most in the sport, she feels inspired by 5-9 weightlifter Marry Theisen-Lappen due to her being an 87-plus kg weightlifter and Olympian.

Rogers starts her preparation for larger meets such as University Nationals about six months ahead of time. This includes nightly visualization of seeing herself complete the lift along with cutting out any extracurricular activities.

”I visualize myself as a third party watching myself complete the lift,” Rogers said. “I also envision myself failing so that, if it happens, its not such a shock to me.

”I expect failure, and that’s why I’ve overcome a lot of trials.”

Rogers is a superstitious athlete and believes wearing lucky socks — particular leggings under her singlet —or wearing black during a meet gives her good luck. She is also very close to her faith and listens to Christian music before a meet to calm herself down.

”I compete my best when I’m happy,” Rogers said. “I’m grateful that I’m there and have people cheering me on. I celebrate every lift, success or fail, because it still takes a lot of work to get the weight over your head.”

Green currently has Rogers on a year-long workout cycle while peaking her for big meets. In addition to University Nationals, there is also USA Weightlifting Nationals.

”I have her on three-month cycles where she can continue to build muscle and peak for the next meet,” Green said. “Six months out is when we start to dialing down on nutrition and making sure she’s getting appropriate sleep.”

Perhaps the thing that makes Rogers feel most proud is the ability to put Wyoming on the map. She wants to give back to her weightlifting club and give them the recognition she feels they deserve for developing her.

Green, a Star Valley native, admitted she was brought to tears while in Columbus because of the notice Rogers earned. Rogers’ dream is to eventually lift for Team USA, either in the Olympics or on an international team.

”There were a few people that were like, ‘Wyoming? Like Wyoming, Ohio?’ and I said ‘No, like Wyoming, Wyoming,’” Green said. “It was special for all of us, and I had multiple coaches come up to me and tell me that we had a wonderful athlete.”

Added Rogers: “It’s a huge honor for me. ... Wyoming is very underrepresented in Olympic weightlifting.”