Jim Schmitz served as the 1980 & 1988 Head US Olympic Team Weightlifting Coach and Assistant Coach for the 1992 Olympic Team, USAW President from 1988–1996, IWF Executive Board Member, and Chairman of the IWF Scientific and Research Committee from 1992-1996.
ON TRAINING IN GENERAL
1) Can you describe your basic training philosophy?
To teach one how to do the snatch and clean & jerk to the best of ones ability. I try to fill a lifters gaps (weaknesses)!
2.) What exercises are typically done?
The snatch, clean & jerk, dead lifts, squats, and presses, the classic movements plus the many variations.
3.) What are your feelings of the relative value of the exercises you utilize? Are some done more often or more intensely than others? Are some more important than others?
The five exercises I mentioned above are the most valuable and which ones we utilize the most depends on the lifter and their experience and level of ability. The degree of intensity and importance depends on the lifters experience, level of ability, and goals.
4.) How many training sessions are typically done in a week?
My basic training program is three times per week, but it really depends on how many the lifter can do.
5.) What kind of weekly intensity and volume of training are typical?
I train people as hard as they can train, but I am always adjusting training intensity and volume according to a four to six week periodization cycle.
6.) What are your feelings on the importance of detailed planning of training programs versus being flexible on the basis of the coach’s judgment of the athlete’s daily condition and the athlete’s feelings and personal situation?
I think it is very important to have a detailed training program, but it must be flexible as everyone’s physical, psychological, and everyday life situation is never perfectly stable.
7.) What do you feel are the key components of training that are necessary to improve in order to increase an athlete’s competitive total?
The coach must have a realistic training program and the athlete must have a minimum of distractions and be able to follow the program as closely as possible.
8.) What do you feel are the most important things for the coach to do in order to best help an athlete improve their competitive total?
A good training program based on the athlete’s ability and realistic, attainable goals. And if possible the coach needs to watch every lift over 80% so as to make the finite adjustments that are necessary.
9.) How do you modify training as athletes develop and progress?
I increase the intensity and volume and the individuality of the program.
10.) Do you feel it is necessary to increase the athlete’s ability to handle higher intensities of training over time in order to advance all the way to the international level?
Absolutely
11.) Do you feel it is necessary to increase the athlete’s ability to handle higher volumes of training over time in order to advance all the way to the international level?
Absolutely
12.) Do you feel it is necessary to increase the athlete’s ability to tolerate an increased number of training sessions over time in order to advance all the way to the international level?
Again, most definitely!
13.) How high an average intensity, average volume, and number of training sessions do you think are necessary to achieve the greatest possible performance from an international elite lifter at their peak?
This depends on the lifter, but it has to be high intensity, a substantial amount of volume and as many training sessions as one can do and recover without overtraining or getting injured. I can’t put a specific number here as it really depends on the lifter, but it has to be as much as the athlete can handle.
14.) At around what age do you think athletes should begin to train as weightlifters?
I think 10 years old is as young as one should train as a weightlifter, but it really depends on the kid, because no matter what age one begins, they must be able to be disciplined enough to accept coaching and follow a training program.
15.) How important do you think it is for weightlifters to begin training at this optimal age?
Optimal age is when the athlete decides they want to be a weightlifter and do what is necessary to achieve success and commit themselves to the necessary training program.
16.) Are there definite “stages” that most lifters go through in their lifting careers, and if so, what are they and how long do they tend to last? How does the training differ from stage to stage?
We progress in plateaus; it’s not a straight line of progression. That is, one will make steady progress then level off for a while, then progress again. So, you increase the training, but carefully so as not to injure or over-train them.
17.) How important is it to modify training based on individual weightlifters?
It is very important to have a proven plan, but it must have room for modifications as injuries, illnesses, and personal issues happen that call for adaptations to the program.
18.) Could you describe how you have adjusted your training methods for individual athletes in the past?
Adjustments have been made in number of training sessions and which days, the order of exercises, the sets, reps, volume, and lifts performed, depending on the athlete and their circumstances.
19.) How would the training for a lifter with strength as their weak point be different from a lifter whose technique is their weak point?
I always design my training programs to stress the individuals weaknesses, whether it be strength or technique, but I don’t neglect the strengths.
20.) From your experience coaching Bruce Wilhelm, Ken Patera, and Mario Martinez, three of America’s best big men, do you feel it is necessary to train super-heavyweights differently than lighter lifters?
You definitely train the big lifters differently than the lighter ones, however, Bruce Wilhelm could train as hard and long as the lightweights, he could really do a lot of work. I guess that was because he was a high level wrestler before becoming a shot putter, discus thrower and finally a weightlifter.
21.) If you feel super-heavyweights lack the work capacity of lighter lifters, would you still have the same overall strategy toward conditioning supers as lighter lifters, but starting at a lower level and possibly not advancing as far?
Yes, I try to condition all my weightlifters regardless of size or gender to best of their capability.
22.) In what other ways, besides consumption of calories, do you think supers need to be trained differently?
Supers have big bodies that they also lift with each lift and therefore require and burn more calories and require more time to recuperate.
23.) What can be done to avoid injury, and if injury does occur, what can be done to aid recovery?
Avoiding injury is a real big thing for lifting success, so first you need to teach the absolute best technique the athlete is capable of, you need to train the athlete within their limits and not push too hard, but only as hard as they again are capable, this is a fine line sometimes. When injuries do occur you first analyze the nature and extent of it, then it is usually rest and ice and training around it.
24.) What is the longest an athlete can continue to make gains and/or continue at their respective competitive level, Is there a specific age range?
My experience is that a lifter will hit their potential between 5 and 10 years and they might be able to hold on for 10 years. That is why we have very few 10 time National Champions. Also, it seems one hits their peak years between 21 and 31 plus or minus a couple of years.
25.) As a competitor in masters weightlifting to this day, what can you tell us about what you get out of it?
I love doing Olympic Style Weightlifting as much as I do coaching and teaching it. Besides getting all the positive health benefits from doing it, it helps keep in touch as a coach, I can feel a little more of what my athletes are going through. I am just dumbfounded that more people don’t do Olympics Style Weightlifting for health and for fun.
26.) What are your objectives in participating in masters weightlifting?
It is a great athletic sport requiring speed, balance, coordination, power, flexibility, concentration, strength, cardio/vascular fitness and therefore very healthy. My objectives are to continue doing it for as long as I’m able because I enjoy it and it is good for me.
27.) Can you offer any advice for lifters to achieve their ultimate potential?
Train hard, train smart, be patient, be persistent. Don’t let failure or setbacks defeat you, everyone fails, but if you don’t give up you’ll eventually be successful!
Jim Schmitz Snatches 245
ON TRAINING FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTERS
1.) Can you tell us some of your memories and thoughts about the development of women’s weightlifting?
When I began weightlifting in 1960, women not only didn’t want to do weightlifting, but they didn’t even want to associate with us. That all changed in the 1970’s. My first woman weightlifter was USA’s woman 1972 Olympic team shot putter, Jan Svendsen. She did it for her shot putting, but she trained with me and my lifters and competed in a few local meets in 1973. Then more and more women began taking up weightlifting and I have many, many fond memories and great experiences with women’s weightlifting, but it wasn’t all roses. I was very lucky to have Rachel Silverman and Giselle Shepatin, they were strong, tough, good athletes, and were extremely determined. I could go on and on about this subject.
2.) What do you think weightlifting has to offer women?
The exact same as for the men. It is the absolute best way to train for all sports and physical activities and it is a fantastic sport to participate in whether you are male or female.
3.) Can you please tell us what you think are the best ways to recruit female weightlifters?
Number one, you need good facilities and coaching that are accessible and not intimidating. Number two, you need well organized and run competitions that are fun. Number three, if the woman has ability you need to get her to national competitions.
4.) Do you think women are beginning to understand the value of the sport of weightlifting and, if not, what needs to happen to get the positive message to them?
I think women get it, but there is still some resistance to weightlifting for women by high school and college athletic coaches. Nothing specifically needs to happen except maybe a famous soccer, basketball, volleyball, golf or tennis player attributes her success to weightlifting or if one of our top women lifters becomes a media “darling” like Olga Korbett (URS) in 1972, Nadia Comenaci (ROM) in 1976, and MaryLu Retton (USA) in 1984. I think those three did more for women’s gymnastics than anything else.
5.) Do you think the sport of weightlifting is accommodating and welcoming to women, if not, what needs to happen to make weightlifting more inviting to women?
I think weightlifting is accommodating and welcoming to women to the highest levels ever, but still maybe not as much as the men as the sport is male dominated in numbers and history. Men have always been interested and competitive in strength, but women are still new to this I think if the women’s lifting continues to be as competitive and as exciting as the 2005 Senior Worlds were, that their lifting will become more inviting.
6.) Do you think that female weightlifters are as concerned about their body image, especially weight, as females in other sports?
Body image might be the biggest drawback for women’s lifting. Being big and muscular is perfectly okay for men, but still not for women. Mothers and fathers don’t mind if their son grows up and looks like the famous Chicago Bear linebacker, Brian Urlacher, but not too many want their daughters to look like Natalia Zabolotnaya, Russian Silver medalist at the 2005 Worlds and 2004 Olympics. It’s unfortunate and I certainly don’t like it, but that is the way it is.
7.) What do you think is the best way to deal with this issue?
We need a super star that can lift the big weights, look strong and muscular and maybe find the cure for cancer or do something noteworthy that would show it’s okay for a woman to be big and muscular.
8.) Do you think male coaches should handle it differently than a female coach?
I don’t think so. I think it depends on the personality of the coach as well as their coaching ability more than whether the coach is male or female.
9.) Do you think that it is better to have either a female coach or a male coach for a female athlete?
No, as I said to question #8, it depends on the coaches ability and personality.
10.) What do you think is most challenging about coaching female weightlifters?
It’s the same challenge as for the men, which is getting them totally sold on and dedicated to the sport.
11.) What do you think is easier about coaching women than men?
There is nothing easier about coaching women or men, if they are dedicated, talented, and train as hard as they can it is the same. When I was Chairman of the IWF Scientific and Research Committee 1992-96, I asked the Chinese member of the committee, Mr. Cao Wenyuan, if in China the women trained differently or were treated differently than the men and he simply said, “No”.
12.) What do you think is most rewarding about coaching female weightlifters?
When you coach any athlete to success, that is reward enough, male or female, junior, master, or Olympian.
13.) What do you think are some of the most important differences between training women and men?
When I began training women, I thought the women needed nurturing and the men needed to have their butt kicked, but over time I learned that is an individual thing and not gender related.
14.) If you program differently for female athletes as opposed to male athletes, what do you do emphasize and what is different?
This goes back to my coaching philosophy, “fill their gaps”, in other words the training is designed with emphasize on correcting their weaknesses, same for men and women.
15.) Should you have higher volume and a little lower intensity for women as the majority of coaches seem to advocate?
No, train women the same as you train men, as hard and as heavy as possible depending on the individual.
16.) Do women need less or more variety of exercises or need any exercises that the men do not need?
NO!
17.) Does the difference in how best to program training for men and women depend on the level of the female athlete?
The answer here is the same for men and women, and that is training programs will change with the increased performance and increased level of the lifter, male or female
18.) Should women train more like men as they get better?
From their first workout their training should be solely based on their physical capability and not on their gender.
19.) Do you encourage your female weightlifters to compete in other sports? And, if so up until what age?
Again, the answer for this question is the same for women as men. I want all my weightlifters to train and compete in any sport or activity that they desire and for as long as they choose to do so. Usually, if weightlifting is their first love other sports and activities will fade away while they are trying to achieve their weightlifting goals.
The Sport Palace First Ever Senior National Championships Team Title
Front Row: Howard Parker, Mario Martinez, Bruce Parker, Butch Curry, Jim Keef, Gipp Tremper, Jeff Sunzeri, Kevin Winter, Mike Vierra, Pete Cline
Back Row: Don Wilson, Ric Eaton, Kurt Niver, Jim Schmitz, Tom Hirtz, Ken Clark, Bruce Wilhelm
ON USA COMPETITIVENESS
1.) Can you please tell us whether you think the USA’s results are trending toward improvement or remaining steady?
There are times when I think we have a great group of young lifters that can win us some World and Olympic medals, but then something always seems to happen that causes our winning medals not to happen. So, I guess we are staying steady with small peaks and valleys.
2.) What level of improvement from our present standing in the world do you think is realistically possible, assuming all internal political differences are set aside and assuming that the best possible decisions are made at the administrative level within the USAW?
Well, if all was fair and correct in the weightlifting world, I believe USA would win some more medals and maybe be a little more competitive, but the present powers in world weightlifting, China, Russia, Bulgaria, and others would still be the top medal winners because weightlifting in their countries is a major sport and the can recruit and reward their lifters to a level that I don’t think we’ll ever be able to do in the US.
3.) What do you think we need to do in order to achieve these best possible results?
The first thing we need to do is somehow get our lifters to consistently have their best performances at the most important competitions of the year. This has been one of our problems for years.
4.) Do you think there is something each one of us can do – athlete, coach, administrator, referee, or fan?
Be prepared, work together, keep trying, never give up, show up early, stay late and do something, just don’t talk about it.
5.) What do you think are the major internal or external obstacles toward achieving these best possible results?
There are two major obstacles that keep USA Weightlifting from being at the highest levels in the world. Number one is internal, we just aren’t popular in the US and therefore we don’t have enough support or resources to recruit the best talent possible. And number two, I just don’t have confidence in the international drug control program. How can the IWF still be having the same drug problems from the same countries?
6.) What do you think are the best ways for us to deal with these obstacles?
I think both obstacles are pretty much out of our control. How do you make Olympic style weightlifting appealing to the masses without money and why should some one invest in a sport that isn’t popular? It’s the famous “catch 22”! The drug issue is extremely difficult to deal with internationally when the US has it’s own problems with Track & Field, Baseball, and American Football.
7.) What are your expectations for US Weightlifting in the next three World Championships and the 2008 Olympic Games? For the 2012 Games?
My hope is for more of our lifters to lift their personal bests or better at these events. I only see Cheryl Haworth as our chance for medals at this time. We do have some young talent, but will they continue to progress? I hope so.
8.) What do you think the focus of the USAW should be for the present and the future?
It would be wonderful if the USAW had the resources to do so much more, such as promotion (television and publications), grass roots development (clubs & local weightlifting committees) and financial rewards for many levels of success. However, I feel they are doing as good a job as can be done, given what resources we do have.
9.) Who do you see as the potential next great champions like Mario Martinez coming up? Anyone on fire in The Sports Palace to watch for? What are your predictions on the National scene?
Tough question, from 1972 through 1996, I had many of the US’s best weightlifters, male and female, Dan Cantore, Ken Patera, Bruce Wilhelm, Butch Curry, Tom Hirtz, Tom Stock, Ken Clark, Mario Martinez, John Bergman, David Langon, Thanh Nguyen, Rachel Silverman, Giselle Shepatin, and Carol Cady. Since 1996, I have not had the good fortune to have such high level athletes walk through my doors, but I keep hoping, because you know what makes a great coach, “great athletes”! I think the US National scene will continue as it is, but it sure would be nice if we got a young Shane Hamman and Tara Nott to go along with Cheryl Haworth.
ON BUILDING A CLUB
1.) Would you please tell us when and how The Sports Palace evolved from Alex’s Gym?
I will try to keep this story short. I joined Alex’s Gym in November of 1964. Alex and I became partners in another gym, Alex’s Sports Palace in 1968. I bought Alex out and dropped his name in 1972, therefore becoming The Sports Palace, which is still an active club, but I’ve had to change locations a couple of times since 1998 due to business issues.
2.) Can you tell us about the Oakland YMCA and the Wilson’s?
The Pacific Weightlifting Association (PWA) began around 1934 and all the competitions were held in the local YMCA’s, San Francisco, Berkeley, San Jose, and Oakland. My very first contest was on April 30, 1966 at the Oakland YMCA. Don Wilson was the announcer and Dick Notmeyer was the head referee, They are still active today officiating and helping out whenever they can. They brought a high level of organization and officiating to the PWA, which I feel has been a major reason for my success and the PWA’s .
3.) What was coaching the club like then compared to coaching it now?
Then being the 1960’s and 70’s, I would say we didn’t have a formal coaching situation. We just all trained together and coached each other, however, I had a pretty good eye for technique and a good sense for what people could lift and I wasn’t as strong or as good as the top guys, so I evolved in to being the coach.
4.) Can you tell us some of your thoughts and memories of Karl Norberg?
This could be quite lengthy, but I’ll keep it short. When Karl retired at age 68 from 50 plus years working as a long shore man and fisherman, he joined the San Francisco YMCA and just began working out as he felt, no instruction or coaching. At age 73, he bench pressed 460 pounds, at age 80 he did 400, at age 85 he did 300, he died at age 90 from old age. I feel so fortunate to have known him and to have him train at my gym. He was so incredibly strong that I could go on and on with Karl Norberg stories and feats of strength. But, it has already been done in Strength & Health and IronMan magazines. But the thing about Karl is that he is personal proof to me that people can lift fantastic weights without drugs, and I just wish that someday when I see a World or Olympic Record being lifted that I would feel confident that the lifter is and has always been “clean and free of drugs”!
5.) What were some of the more difficult challenges in developing a nationally competitive club?
Well, first you need lifters with some talent that you can develop to the national caliper or beyond, then you need facilities and equipment, good quality local competitions, so they can develop their competition skills properly, and then money to make sure they can get to the national events.
6.) What do you think were some of the key actions, decisions, and/or events that assisted in developing The Sports Palace into a nationally competitive weightlifting club?
First we had an LWC with a long history of organizing weightlifting, bodybuilding, and power lifting competitions, so we had many guys (no women in those days) who wanted to be big and strong. Tommy Kono is from the PWA, Sacramento, Clancy Ross, Jack Delinger, Steve Reeves, and Jack Lalane are all from the San Francisco / Oakland Bay Area. There were many quality weightlifters in the area when I got into it, Walt Gioseffi, Bob Kemper, and Bill Stripling to name just a few, but no national champions. So, when I opened up my gym, Alex’s Sports Palace, I put two platforms in and everything was new so the guys started to come and train there on Saturdays. We had lots of great workouts and developed a camaraderie and they were all much better than me and for the reasons I stated in question #3 I became the coach and we formed a team and our first nationals as a team was 1972, we placed 3rd in 1973, 3rd, in 78, 2nd in 79, 80, & 81 and finally beat York Barbell in 1982 and then won 6 more National Team Championships 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, & 89.
7.) What do you think a coach can do to build and support a team atmosphere in their club?
I think you need a training facility that has enough equipment and space for several lifters to train together, which will help develop the camaraderie. Then the team needs to organize and run competitions with everyone helping out and cheering on their team mates and not just showing up to lift and then leave, sometimes not even staying around for their awards. Having team lifting suits, sweats, t-shirts and taking team pictures really helps. Getting parents, spouses and friends involved really helps too.
8.) What do you think are the most difficult challenges in directing a nationally competitive club?
Once you have all of the above things in line, then the big issue is raising money to make sure your athletes can get to the Nationals.
9.) What advice could you offer a young or new weightlifting coach trying to do the best for his athlete(s)? For Training? For Competition?
I would advise a young or new coach to study and learn as much as they can about olympic style weightlifting, read anything and everything about weightlifting, history, how to do it, watch and study videos, read what other coaches have written, just learn as much as you possibly can. However, be careful not to over coach, that is, try to take all your knowledge and unload it on your athletes, you might confuse them. Keep your instruction simple and to the point of what you are trying to accomplish. Be careful not to have your lifters "paralyzed by analyses", that is thinking so much that one can't do the movement. Try to keep the training sessions serious, but fun, let your lifters know that there will be more bad workouts than good workouts, but the good workouts are worth the struggle and the sweat. For competition, have your lifters only attempt weights they have made in training, because doing them in competition is quite different than training. Also, have beginners and intermediate weightlifters compete quite often 6 to 10 times a year would be okay. That way they will learn to not let competition distract them and then they can better focus and maybe not get too nervous. Watch your lifters closely and pick their weights so that they have a good chance of making them, build upon success. I like to say, "a little success is better than a big failure"! Have your lifters total out the week or two before
competition and try to simulate competition conditions if possible, such as waiting for the down signal, with their feet and body in line, legs, arms, and body all erect and motionless, and then not to drop the bar. I known of three of our very best weightlifters who failed to make an Olympic Team because they dropped the barbell after successfully lifting the qualifying weight overhead.
Always be honest, encouraging, prepared, AND KNOW THE RULES!
10.) Can you tell us some of your thoughts and memories of being chosen National Team Coach or winning the Team Championship in 1982?
I was first selected to be the coach for the World Team in 1977 after I had established myself as a qualified coach because I had coached Dan Cantore, Ken Patera, and Bruce Wilhelm to the Olympics and US National Records and because I said I would pay my own expenses. However, I was thrilled and honored for the opportunity and it was a fantastic experience. Winning the 1982 National Team Championship was also one of my greatest thrills in weightlifting. I thought and had hoped we would do it in San Francisco in 1981 when I sponsored the Nationals, but injuries to Butch Curry, placed 3rd, and Mario Martinez, bombed, and Blair Kephart also bombed so we came in 2nd again. But when we won in 1982, it was sweet, the first time York Barbell had been beaten in 29 years! What I enjoyed about this victory was that my entire team was local, San Francisco and San Jose (and we all trained together every Saturday) versus the York Barbell “National All-Stars” from all over the US.
11.) What was it like to be meet director for the 1984 Olympics? Was it disappointing at all due to the boycott? Was it more thrilling than ever imagined? Was it extremely difficult to organize and get done? Did you learn anything from the experience?
The 1984 Olympics was another fantastic experience, it was like dying and going to weightlifting heaven. It was very disappointing that the Soviet block boycotted, but once the Games started it was their loss. It was a shame, but those that showed up lifted their hearts out and it was a great Olympics, maybe the greatest. It was very difficult to organize, but money was no object, so problems could be solved. I felt I earned a PhD in organizing a weightlifting competition and that was a big benefit to me when I was president of USAW and we hosted the 1989 Junior Worlds and the 1996 Olympics.
12.) I understand that you have been to a great many World Championship events. Can you tell us how many? What was the first Worlds like compared to the last one, besides the Press being removed? Do you see a trend in the nature of the competitions? What do you think weightlifting competitions will be like in the future?
I’ve been to every World Championships and Olympic Games since 1976 (except for the 1980 boycott). That’s 22 World Championships and 7 Olympics and then there are several Junior Worlds, Women’s Worlds and Pan American Games and Championships. When I first began going to the Worlds, the Press had already been eliminated, so I can’t really comment on that, but my first Worlds in Stuttgart, Germany in 1997 and my last in Doha, Qatar in 2005 were quite different. Germany has a great weightlifting tradition so their organization was great and they had fantastic crowds, Qatar doesn’t have a sports tradition let alone a weightlifting tradition, so there was virtually no crowd and the organizing committee was very inexperienced. But from my very first World Championships to my latest, it is the absolute best weightlifting competition you will see that year. The biggest trend I see is the dominance for the men going from Eastern Europe to Asia and the Chinese women’s dominance being challenged by Thailand, Russia and Korea. I’m not sure what the future of weightlifting competitions will be like, but the new 1 kilo rule is making it very interesting and I wonder if some unforeseen issues will develop?
13.) Can you tell us about your thoughts and memories of your term serving as USAW President? What was most rewarding about the job? What was the most difficult? The most frustrating? What did you learn from the experience? What would you do differently?
I could write small book on this question, but I’ll keep it short and concise. It was an honor to be USAW President, a tremendous amount of work, a great responsibility, and quite often a “no win” job. The rewarding part was that while I was president the USAW reinstated the resident program at the Olympic Training Center, we hired a national coaching director, a national coach, women’s weightlifting was added to the Olympics, and we came up with an anti-doping program that everyone bought into and I believe it has been very effective in making USA Weightlifting clean and fair. The most difficult thing was going to court to fight athletes who had positive drug tests or avoided drug tests. The most frustrating thing was nationally people thought I wasn’t fighting drugs at the international level hard enough and internationally they thought I was being a nuisance about the drug problem. What I learned from my experience was more than I really can say here and what I would have done differently doesn’t matter now because it’s done and past, but there certainly are things I would have done differently knowing what I know now.
14.) Besides competing and coaching weightlifting, what else do you do with your time?
Well, I guess my order of priorities are, coaching weightlifting and looking for the next Mario Martinez or Rachel Silverman are number one, then making a living, which I used to do by owning and operating a gym/health club, but for the past year or so I now do personal training as the large franchise health clubs have pretty much put the small individually owned gyms out of business, as happened to me. Then I do weightlifting for my health and fitness as well as running and stretching. As a young man, I wanted to be a strong, powerful successful athlete, now as I’m leaving middle age, I just want to be a very healthy old man. I always want to be in “demonstration shape”, that is always able to demonstrate the correct form for the snatch and the clean and jerk! I have written a training manual and done a videotape to coincide with it, which I sell through IronMind / Milo, and I am now working on a re-write and update of it. I also write training articles for Milo Magazine. I’ve video taped every World Championships and Olympics since 1986, which I sell copies to interested weightlifters. My hobbies are hiking and photography, which is really an enjoyable and healthy activity, especially here in Northern California.
