Topic: Looks like Moser is training with Abadzhiev full time

[Dave Almeida]

John that lift that I posted was 150kg. He bombed with 165 on the clean.

Chris, I'm sure the age was the issue as your profile says you are 35 now. Very few lifters win internationally at that age and I guess since you are dealing with the greatest coach of all time you have to face that stigma even though you can definitely still win at the national level.

What is everyone's opinion on Nikolay Hristov possibly taking an olympic spot from a US lifter if he gains citizenship in time? I'm personally all for it.

[Matt Foreman]

Chris, it was probably more a money issue than anything.  They'd probably take anybody who was willing to cough up the dough.

I'm totally against a foreign lifter getting citizenship and taking an Olympic spot from an American lifter because the foreign lifter has not had to pass through our drug testing program the way the American lifter has.  If the foreign lifter has taken and passed all the same random tests over the course of several years as the American has, then I wouldn't have a problem with it.  But that's usually not the case.  A foreign lifter got away with this in 1996 and made the US Olympic Team.  An American lifter named Greg Scouten, who played by the drug testing rules and had been in the random testing program all along, got screwed out of his Olympic spot.

I don't know much about the Bulgarian SHW (Hristov?) training in California, so I can't comment on his situation.  None of this is about him personally.

But I do know this: if two weightlifters go to a meet and one of them totals 420 while the other one totals 405, and the 420 guy is a drug user while the 405 guy is clean, then the 405 guy is a better athlete and he's not a cheater.  But unfortunately, sports don't reward those who play by the rules.  Sports reward scumbags and liars like Marion Jones.  If I wasn't addicted to weightlifting the way a junkie is addicted to crack, I'd just quit the whole thing and start painting or playing golf.  Plus, I'd hate to give up all the money and hot groupie chicks that accompany good weightlifting performances.....(?) 

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Matt,

That bring up a good point. How many young, highly talented lifters (and families) will not only have the money to pay for Abajiev's services but will be willing to pay it? It seems like the numbers are going to be very, very low considering the lack of popularity of the sport in this country and the lack of ability to earn the money back through lifting big weights. Of course, if he can produce World and Olympic medalists, the money will be there then. But, it seems like the same old chicken and egg problem. The reason I asked about a "scholarship" was because I figured having the best lifters to work with would fit with their long range plans. But, I hope they are successful anyway.

Regarding foreign imports making our Teams, I don't think its as much a concern anymore really because you have to be in the OOC program for an extended period before the qualifying meets to be eligible. I suppose its possible a foreign "cheater" could still have an advantage from years of previous use, but the same could happen with any lifter. They could just not compete, train and use drugs for an extended time period, and then start competing and enroll in the OOC program at the proper time. Either way, they will face considerable time in the program if they wish to be eligible.

Cheers

[Andy Dick]

I was looking at that site you posted about Moser and they said that the coach's model can have them lifting up to 6 times a day (which is also why I posted the other topic asking how many times you all lift a day).  That seems like a lot and for someone who is not young to go out there and lift would mean they would need the money to do it as well as money to support them while there training since they will probably not have the time to earn any income while lifting with the coach.  Although as posted in the pervious post if the coach can produce significant gains in the lifter's total then it might be worth it.

[Dave Almeida]

Six times a day would be someone like Suleymanoglu in his prime and on drugs. The lifters there aren't training that much as its impossible with our drug testing policy.

The money problem that you mentioned, well you just brought up a big reason as to why the USA can't compete internationally.

[Matt Erdman]

Six times a day would be someone like Suleymanoglu in his prime and on drugs. The lifters there aren't training that much as its impossible with our drug testing policy.

The money problem that you mentioned, well you just brought up a big reason as to why the USA can't compete internationally.

I think they typically refer to each lift as a workout, because they rest after each lift. So if you snatch, C&J, and squat in the morning and afternoon, that could be considered 6 workouts. I don't think recovery would be tough, because the volume is low. The issue, as mentioned, is how can you support yourself? The only real hope is to have some kind of internet business that requires less than 20 hours a week, and lets you work whenever you have time. Like a couple hours between morning and afternoon workout, and then a few more in the evening.

[Dave Almeida]

Money is truly a huge issue. All of the countries that do extremely well all have government support for their athletes. In many countries they athletes end up very wealthy if they are continuously successful in world / olympic competition.

Yes, at times they do consider each lift a workout if it is treated that way. Example:

Snatch close to max
30 minute break
clean and jerk close to max
30min break
FS max
2-3hours break

Repeat above

I believe I read about something similar being used by Naim in his preparation for the olympics. The above was repeated 2-3 times a day, not all days heavy of course.

[Shaun Le Conte]

The only real hope is to have some kind of internet business that requires less than 20 hours a week, and lets you work whenever you have time.

Exactly, that's how the newly refurbished Bulgarian team finally found some more funds. Now they all have late night web cams and charge by the minute.