Why we Suck

[BendtheBar]

Why we ACTUALLY Suck at Olympic Lifting

[MikeM]

Some very good points. I am studiously ignoring the fact that Chinese 8 year old was able to clean and jerk more than I can C+J successfully right now.

Tommy Kono has a great quote in his book about lifting relative to your era. He says he was pressing 300+ pounds at a 150 bodyweight, but merely 20 years earlier, 240 pound guys like Reg Park were pressing 300+ pounds and it was amazing, yet Kono was doing it 20 years later with arms 3 inches smaller than Park. His point was that since 300+ pounds had been reached, then it becomes ordinary. So when 500 pounds is reached, then 300 pounds might seem weak. It's all relative to the moment.

Now, that said, I think it is interesting with all the knowledge, training, etc we have now, most records are still held by guys in the past. Apparently now we need suits and gear to beat out guys that just lifted in t-shirts and blood 15 years ago.

[Carl1174]

Some very good points. I am studiously ignoring the fact that Chinese 8 year old was able to clean and jerk more than I can C+J successfully right now.

My thoughts exactly...

Carl.

[BendtheBar]

Well, on the other side of the coin our children in the USA play soccer in droves yet USA soccer is still sub-par. But there is little passion, and thus very little urgency or desire or need to be successful.

This quote speaks to me:

European and Asian athletes are able to achieve more success in Olympic weightlifting, discus/hammer/javelin throw, not necessarily because of superior training methods, drugs, support, or athlete selection, but rather organization.

Organization comes from some degree of passion and desire to be successful, adding a sense of urgency.

Using my soccer example, sure, there are some passionate in the USA about soccer. But in general most parents could care less about it, no disrespect meant.

[Carl1174]

I agree that it is all down to passion of the parents. Most parents in the USA and Britain dont really push their kids in to thinkgs like Javelin, Weightlifting and things like that because they are not passionate about it, dont understand it etc etc, but in Britain we all want our kids to be good at soccer (even though we still suck in Britain most of the time, but that is due to over expectation, funding and the way the game has gone, but thats a different debate), or rugby. We could care less for things like ice hockey, basketball things like that and thus we dont do very well at it, then there isnt the funding because interest is low and it becomes an ever decreasing circle. I dont believe that the chinese, the russians the eastern europeans are genetically better than the west at weightlifting or other such things, just that it what interests and always has interested them and therefore it is what they are passionate about.

There is a lot to be said for passion and enthusiasm in ANY chosen sport, or any other life choice for that matter, without it you are doomed before you even start.

Carl.

[BendtheBar]

I was once told that Olympic Lifting sucks because of lifters like me - by a top Olympic coach. The reason he said this was because I was weak and did not want to train 7 days a week.

I don't want to train 7 days per week, so perhaps he was spot on in a sense.

[Carl1174]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I was once told that Olympic Lifting sucks because of lifters like me - by a top Olympic coach. The reason he said this was because I was weak and did not want to train 7 days a week.

I don't want to train 7 days per week, so perhaps he was spot on in a sense.

What a tool....

Just because you dont want to train 7 days per week doesnt cause the whole of the countries failure at Oly weightlifting...

If people had the passion for it then they would do it, you have a passion for lifting really heavy stuff, so thats what you do, some people have a passion for oly lifts, thats what they do, I have a passion for eating Indian food so I do that lol

Seriously though, if the culture isnt 'that' passionate about something then they will always perform below where facilities funding and population size would dictate that they 'should' do

Carl.
Carl.

[BendtheBar]

I invest time in things I enjoy.

I like movies and watch them 7 days a week when I can.
I like cooking and watch cooking shows 7 days a week.

I don't like Olympic lifting so I don't perform it 7 days a week.

I once liked basketball and played it 7 days a week.

He was partially correct. But he was missing the importance of "passion". I think we as a country suck at Olympic lifting because powerlifting seems more American, if that makes sense. At least ti does to me.

Powerlifting is raw, it is smelly, it is men and bars and freedom. It is men with beards, and men that drink beer (some), and men that wear black, and men with tattoos.

Olympic lifting is precision, and timing and coordination.