From left, Marcus Yap, Matthias Yap and Matthew Yap.
PHOTO: MATTHIAS YAP
The Yaps are a unique family. When eldest brother Marcus gave powerlifting a try, he quickly became enamoured with the sport. He roped in middle brother Matthew in 2013 and youngest brother Matthias in 2015. Today, they are arguably the most prolific powerlifting family in the region. The brothers have set many Asian records and swept many international meets. Most of all, they divulge that their shared passion has made them wiser and fostered an unbreakable bond between them.
Here to Play: How did your family get into powerlifting?
Marcus: I was introduced by my friend, Valen, when we met in our school’s gym. Shortly after, Matthew came aboard because I kind of forced him, then came along Matthias, because he thought that powerlifting was kind of cool too.
Matthew: Marcus got me into powerlifting back in 2013 when I was 14 years old. Back then, I just wanted to train to get bigger and not be scrawny. I had completely zero interest in going to the gym, but slowly fell in love with it and a passion developed. The rest is history.
What have been your favourite milestones in powerlifting?
Marcus: My favorite milestone would probably be the time the three of us competed together in India.
Matthew: There have been many milestones throughout my career in powerlifting. From my first local competition to my first international competition and breaking the Asian and World records. Then after that, the beginning of my coaching career. Notably, the 2017 Asian Championships where I avenged my loss and beat the world champion that trashed me six months before that. During that competition, I also broke three world records.
Matthias: My biggest personal milestone is when I fell short of the gold at that Asian Championships meet in 2017. I won it the year after, which made all the sacrifices worthwhile. The moment I’m most proud of is when I flew overseas and competed for Singapore at that same international competition as my brothers, which is of inestimable value to me.
What is powerlifting to you? How has it benefited you and how can it benefit regular people who would like to give this sport a try?
Marcus: The meaning of powerlifting has evolved over the years. At first, it was about challenging the norm. We Singaporeans can excel on the world and Asian stage and, of course, on a personal level. When I started out, I too wanted to excel in something. I slowly moved towards grooming the next generation, because I acknowledge how much this sport has taught me about myself and overcoming challenges.
Matthew: Powerlifting has become our lives. Everything we do is planned around the sport of powerlifting. This means things like our social lives have to be taken into consideration because after every training session, you want to maximise recovery as much as possible. On rest days, we try our best to stay at home and reduce our activity levels so that we can recover better. Our wholehearted conviction definitely has its returns too. Speaking for all three of us, we’ve become more confident people.
Matthias: Powerlifting has definitely become part of who we are and our identity. It is something that will never change. I think looking beyond just being strong physically, being in a sport teaches an individual how to harness one’s full mental capacity and confidence, which are important skills to have in life.
What do you enjoy about coaching powerlifters?
Marcus: I enjoy it when my athletes manage to do better than they did months or years before, knowing that if they put in effort, they will reap the rewards, be it in their technique, recovery or mental strength.
Matthew: Powerlifting has given me the opportunity to impact lives positively, and groom my athletes both physically and mentally. On top of that, I like to give people the chance to experience the immense joy that comes with giving your very best on stage; it’s something money can’t buy. In the 2019 Asian Championships, I competed with my very own team of athletes, which was one rollercoaster ride. Performing on stage myself is not difficult, with my years of competition experience, but relaying that to my athletes and watching it happen for them is magical. One of my female trainees won the Asian Championship and knowing that I’ve played a big part in making that happen is a memory that I think I will hold onto for life.
“I feel like it’s almost my second home, simply because I spend so many hours of the day at the Singapore Sports Hub,” says Jia Min, who trains twice a day at the OCBC Arena unless she has physio appointments at the Singapore Sports Institute or is engaging in off-court training. “When the going gets tough, I’m reminded that it’s not meant to be easy. I want to be a good influence and role model for the people around me.”
Matthias, Marcus and Matthew posing for a photo just after collecting more medals.
PHOTO: MATTHIAS YAP
As brothers, colleagues and teammates, how do you support one another?
Marcus: I guess we make up for one another’s weaknesses. We know what our respective strengths are, so we can focus on bringing our best to the table.
Matthew: We keep each other in check, both in training and work. For example, if training doesn’t go well, we’d be there to comfort one another and lend a listening ear. As for coaching, both Marcus and I have very different skill sets and we will keep working on bringing our coaching abilities to the next level.
Are there any competitions or goals on the horizon for you?
Matthew: Personally, I have my full focus on coaching. I want to be able to send a team of athletes to compete in international competitions and also continue to expand our reach to our neighbouring countries. As for competitions, I had my eyes on several of them, but they were all postponed due to the pandemic. I’m keeping my eyes peeled for any upcoming international competitions.
Matthias: Currently, I have forgone my goal to compete at this year’s edition of the Asian Championships due to the pandemic. I will work towards next year’s Asian Championships with the goal to beat the Asian records for squat and deadlift, which are held by my second brother, Matthew.
Do you have any advice for recreational athletes who would like to become stronger, physically and mentally?
Marcus: I think it’s pretty much the same as life. Get good at the basics first, get someone who knows what they are doing to help guide you. From there, focus on developing that skill. Understand that progress is not always linear and understand that there will be bumps here and there, but never give up on becoming that best version of you.
Matthew: The fastest way to improve is to have someone to guide you. A coach can groom you mentally too, but the fundamentals remain the same. Constantly challenge yourself, because it’s only with resistance that you develop certain skills, like knowing how to perform under pressure. Lifting is not something that you can get right by being thrown in the deep end. The right technique to perform movements will prevent injury. The right technique is somewhat efficient, but an individualised technique best catered to your strengths will give you the most improvement.
Matthias: For recreational athletes who would like to become strong physically, my advice would be to programme your mind into recognising that you are limitless, because that is quintessential to any goal that you set out to achieve, and that takes time to nurture.
Read more about the Yap brothers and the athletes whom they have trained on their website.
