Topic: Some things I have observed about the sport in my area.

[Gabriel Grinstead]

Just wanted to write in my feelings of the sport here and wanted to see what everyone else thought.

I live in Minnesota and weightlifting isn't very big here.  It appears to be that way over the nation.  I was introduced to the sport by an old mean coach. I am very thankful for him taking the time to show me these important lifts. I feel that olympic lifting is superior to any other lifting sport. However, I am respectful of other lifting sports and give credit where credit is due.

Over here, I was shunned by the Twin City Barbell Team Coach, or one of them based on my own personal preferences.  Actually, it was the old coach that taught me originally. I was catching up with him, telling him my plans to get back into olympic lifting once I hit my weight class and then just started talking about other plans.  I had mentioned that I wanted to be diverse and train in several different weight training type deals. This includes strongman, power lifting and of course, olympic lifting.

After I told him my personal plans to do that he basically said "good bye" to me.  He and others like him are very disrespectful to all other sports, besides olympic lifting. So, basically, I was told I cannot do any other sport if I am to train with Twin City Barbell, who is struggling to keep lifters in the first place.

So, my question is this... Is this how olympic lifters act? Are they disrespectful to other sports? Do all olympic athletes abhor the bench press, hate power lifting with a passion, give no respect to strong people where it is do?

This is where I stand, I feel that the Clean + Jerk and Snatch are the best lifts in the world.  However, just because I feel they are the best lifts, doesn't mean that I think that Dead Lift, Squat, and Bench Press are "worthless" lifts.  I don't think they are worthless at all, just not as good as the foundation olympic lifts.

My thoughts are, no wonder olympic lifters are sparse here in Twin Cities, if they carry with an elite attitude, all or nothing, then the sport is eventually going to be a handful of people for state meets.  This would be such a shame, because the sport itself is very great, if only the all or nothing attitude was removed from it here in the twin cities.

[Pete_Stewart]

I do not know about the politics of USA Weightlifting but both in the UK and in Ireland there are often poor relationships between Olympic and Power lifting.  This is over many 'issues' but often due to funding and until recently both disciplines were in the same association which meant one pot of money.  Olympic lifters, who are in the minority, usually brought this money in through applications to Sports Councils which they were entitled to do as they were a sport that took part in the Olympics whereas powerlifting is not.  Powerlifters were then often saying that they should be entitled to larger %'s of this money as they had larger numbers.  In Ireland this led to a split in the association which enabled Olympic lifters more money for travel and equipment.  A lot of lifters I speak to also complain that there is a lot of 'cheating' going on in powerlifting, whether that be by drugs or the use of powersuits etc.  

All in all it leads to a lot of bad blood between the two disciplines back home and I know a few people have tried recently to bridge this divide by trying to compete in the other discipline and having demonstrations of olympic lifting at powerlifting events.

[Mike Wittmer]

Oh yes, the old rivals, the "half" lifters versus the "trick" lifters.  

My guess is that your wanting to get involved in some of the other strength endeavers signals a lack of seriousness in any one as any serious weightlifter could not spend valuable training time on the strongman events or the powerlifts.  Not that you are not serious about your training, but I don't think you'll find anyone who would say that you'll be able to do your best at weightlifting if doing all the other stuff as well.

When I lifted in local meets, 25 or so years ago, it would not be unusual to find up to 30 or 40 powerlifters there taking in the competition, very supportive.  I went to the powerlifting meets myself, but I'm a chiropractor and most of those guys were patients.  I didn't care for the meets, however.  My problem isn't the lifters of the lifts themselves, but the judging.  It's way too inconsistant (maybe just difficult) and subjective.

[Jim Storch]

How can it be that Fred Lowe can retire from lifting and take up marathon running, come back to lifting and break an American record, but it's impossible for someone to compete in a combination of powerlifting and/or weightlifting and/or strongman and do well in that combination?

I do not understand this or see any logic in it.  

I can kind of see the logic in specialization, but that can be taken to the extreme (for example "let's drop the snatch", but personally I'm against that).

[Mike Wittmer]

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:43 pm    Post subject:  

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How can it be that Fred Lowe can retire from lifting and take up marathon running, come back to lifting and break an American record, but it's impossible for someone to compete in a combination of powerlifting and/or weightlifting and/or strongman and do well in that combination?
 

Jim, I don't think it is impossible, just difficult.  Of course one can "do well."  But, I think there would be better results focusing on one or the other.  I don't know, but I doubt Fred was training for the marathon, or even running very much, when he did that 182.5.

[Gabriel Grinstead]

Well, you certainly make some good points.  Things that I had thought of before.  However, I just don't think that is how any sport will thrive.  You want people to be lifting... You want people to attend meets.  Even if they only do one meet, there is another person and their family that learns about this great sport. If you shun an athlete because they want to take their personal life in many directions, then, well... Be prepared to spending time by yourself talking to the drywall.

I have nothing but respect for the sport, but I can't say I have respect for some of the lifters I have come into contact with. I know there is always a few bag eggs in every corner of this earth, but it is a darn shame, in my opinion.

Who knows, maybe after training a few years, I would have dropped the other sports to focus completely on Olympic Style? Yet, if the opportunity isn't present, it will never come to be.

It is a simple stastistic... 99% of people who attend meets will never be a national champion, let alone a world champion. Yet, do you throw out those who simply don't have the ability to hit those levels? Do you shun people if they cannot neglect their children to train on a certain day? I mean, the question is, where do you draw the line? At what point is someone deemed "worthy" of time?

I guess it is just frustrating to me because of the following:

1) The lack of respect I was shown

2) The lack of respect for other sports. Talking them down, calling them "stupid" or "fake" lifts and the such.

I am not one of those tree hugging, love everyone type of people, but I do think people should have an open mind on the issue. I mean, the coach wanted me to train back... He was happy to see me, kept saying "You should join up" when I wasn't even asking to join.  I just wanted to catch up with him, then the minute I share my PERSONAL plans, out I go... Asked to leave... I think that is ridiculous.

[Jim Storch]

Mike,

I don't think it is impossible, just difficult.

I agree and I also think that setting an American record is a difficult task in itself without extra distractions (not to mention a world record).

Of course one can "do well." But, I think there would be better results focusing on one or the other.

I mostly agree here too, but I think that if one is too narrowly focussed for too long stagnation will result and that a change of focus for a time may (in the long run) bring greater results.  I also think that if the "change of focus" is strength related it is even more likely to bring about those greater results.

I don't know, but I doubt Fred was training for the marathon, or even running very much, when he did that 182.5.

I expect that is correct, but I have to wonder if his results could have been even better if he'd "played" with some powerlifting (for example) instead of running (or even while running).  It's all conjecture on my part at this point.  It would be interesting to get Freds perspective on this.

After having said all of that there is no good excuse, that I can think of, for the way Gabriel was treated.  Also, I don't mean to cast any doubt ('cause I don't doubt his story, it sounds much too likely) in Gabriels direction, but we do only have his side of the story.

[Gabriel Grinstead]

Mike,
After having said all of that there is no good excuse, that I can think of, for the way Gabriel was treated.  Also, I don't mean to cast any doubt ('cause I don't doubt his story, it sounds much too likely) in Gabriels direction, but we do only have his side of the story.

Always wise to know the other side of the story. I welcome anyone from TCB to help explain this.

Thanks for the post Jim.