Choosing Olympic weightlifting

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December 31, 2003

Choosing Olympic Weightlifting

1) Olympic weightlifting The oldest and well- investigated weightlifting scheme is the "Olympic weightlifting". It has been recognized as an Olympic games since its birth. In 1920, Olympic weightlifting consisted of the one-hand snatch, clean and press, and clean and jerk. In 1924, the one hand snatch was replaced by the two-hand snatch. In 1972, the clean and press was eliminated. Modern Olympic weightlifting consists on the two-hand snatch and the clean and jerk. Both start from the floor to an arm stretch above the head without using any aiding devices. No other weightlifting scheme participated in the Olympic games but this scheme. Its training strategy has evolved over a hundred years to establish concrete foundation of strength training as a science. The essence of Olympic weightlifting are:

(1) free style-lifting that mimics natural human activity in real life situation without any artificial supporting gadgets,

(2) maximizing the entire body strength, flexibility, coordination, endurance, and agility without increasing the bodyweight inappropriately.

As science has developed in this century Olympic weightlifting has endured the critical test of being an enhancement of health rather that a precipitating factor for potential ailment. Even if you do not want to compete in Olympic weightlifting, choosing this scheme will save you enormous health expenses by developing well conditioned levers of extensors: thighs, glutei, back muscles, shoulder extensors, no other sport will provide you with such specific muscular performance as Olympic weightlifting.

The disadvantages of Olympic training are the lack of sufficient number of coaches that can follow up a lengthy plan of training, the complexity of lifting dynamics that require years of refining the lifting skill, the formidable physiologic changes a lifter has to acquire to build strength, and the need for a designated platform for free-style lifting. The latter is as formidable as changing personalities and lifestyles of people, it require the teacher, psychologist, nutritionist, social support, and financial resources. Like other sports that require close relationship with a trainer, the trainer might become a liability rather than an asset. Most Olympic weightlifting trainers, if not all, believe in competitive goals. Many would advise you to quit if your age exceeds a certain age, or your records are declining for long periods. Thus the fun, joy, and benefits of weightlifting might be substituted by anxiety and depression by the nagging of a pushy trainer. Vasily Alexyeev is a typical example of a top competitor, convinced to retire and train others, his health deteriorated sharply in few years.

The enormous advantages of Olympic weightlifting that are lacking in the other schemes are the proportionate strength of functioning muscles in full range of motions, the very developed neural coordination that is only acquired by a natural full range free style lifting, and the exquisite readiness of the lungs-heart-nervous system to perform an agile powerful process in perfect harmony. Over the years of Olympic weightlifting, a well developed system of proprioreceptors will distinguish an Olympic lifter from all other lifters. The coordination of the feet sensors with the neck and hand sensors via the cerebellar and cerebral coordination would master the dynamics of all parts of the body to perform a free lift. To a modern man, such outstanding of snatching, squatting, jerking, and supporting weights exceeding multiple of our bodyweight is a far reaching goal.

The performance of Olympic lifters cannot be solely analyzed by any statistical method of training ideology. These are persons with their own secrets that made them different. A combination of the right rules would put the person on the top of his entire generation. However, these secrets would never exceed the three basic rules: nutrition, rest, and exercise. Excess or less would deny a person a golden opportunity to be a leader. The rule of best nutrition does not require drugs nor exquisite food ingredients, it requires simplicity and common sense. The rule of rest would preclude a dysfunctional heart, lung, and nervous system and is the most expensive rule in middle class working population. The rule of exercise deals with less bodyweight, invigorating the breathing muscles: abdomen and chest lifters, and conditioning the body extensors to counteract gravity.