Topic: Interview with Yuri Vlasov circa 1964 pre-Olympics

[Rob Macklem]

Q—Where and when were you born?
A—I was born in Moscow in 1936.
Q—Your family?
A—My father was a remarkable man who spoke and wrote fluently, in six languages. From General he became Ambassador to Malaysia and later to China. I am married and the father of a daughter, Natasha. l work as an aeronautical engineer and am a sports editor, which has won me the enmity of certain directors of our federation. But above all. I am writing some books. I look upon Hemingway as my model, and I was especially lucky to carry out a professional stay in Cuba last winter, which permitted me to visit his house.
Q—When did you make your start in weightlifting?
A—In 1956. I was a young heavyweight of 220 lbs., and I won the first time with 187-209-253-649. 1 have had the good luck not to be beaten since then.
Q—Are you conscious of being a phenomenon?
A—I live very normally without complexes. My daughter only weighed nine pounds at birth, so you- see we are not a breed of monsters
Q—How many times a week do you train?
A-1 cannot train more than three times a week—at most three hours per session.
Q—Which is your favorite lift?
A--The clean and jerk. It is the basic lift. It makes use of all the fundamental qualities of strength, speed, coordination, suppleness ttrid quick starts. I have worked on it especially. Iii competition the clean and jerk is the surest decider. the final determiner of victory.
Q—Which is your basic training exercise?   
A—The deep knee bend, bar behind neck. I have not established my absolute limit lift, but I have done three reps with 661 pounds.   
Q--Do you practice other sports?   
A—No. The fact is I am only a weightlifter. People often ask me how far I put the shot and although I have done 52 ft. 5 inches without training—which is rather ridiculous in world competition—I have not tried to improve on a performance which does not prove anything to me personally. It hurts my shoulders and stops my progress in weightlifting.   
Q—What do you think of the ZhabotinskyVlasov duel?   
A-1 don't like to talk about that.   
Q—What are your predictions for the Olympic Games?   
A—I'll do my best to carry away another gold medal. Unfortunately last winter I had to stop all training for three months, so I don't know exactly where I am in my plan for maximum lifts. Nevertheless I should make a new record total in Paris or Moscow.   
Q—What will you do after the Games?
A—I think I'll retire. I must devote myself more completely to my other activities, I shalt not do so cheerfully. However, nothing is indispensable, in sport as in other matters,
Q—What about Russian methods of preparation for lifting'?
A—We have several hundreds of thousands of men in training and this number is growing regularly. In fact sonic dozens of hooks, both technical and popular, are making our sport known throughout all the republics. Soon nearly every collective farm village will he equipped. That is how Pluykfelder, Kaplunov and Vhakonin recently, and Novak some time ago, came to us from Siberia. We prefer to put the emphasis on physical condition. It is evident that the Poles are the hest stylists in the world: we will catch up to them progressively.
Q—Do you use apparatus of the guided type in your training?
(note: means the adjustable sliding and leverage type machines I saw in every gym l visited in France.)
A----Never. Guided weights disturb neuro-muscular coordination and are worth nothing for us. During the winter of 1961-62 wishing to improve my press I made an experiment, I did pushes on a highly inclined bench against a sliding adjustable machine. and that brought on persistent arthritic pains in my shoulders. They ceased only after a slow re-education with a barbell. I had lost a year and a hall.
Q—What advice can you give to young lifters in general?
A—Carefully to coordinate skill and style with speed. strength and fast reaction starts. Carefully stretch all muscles both before and after every training session. Above all, at the end of each season take a complete rest for one month.

end of interview

IMO There are some universal truths in this article, we can always learn from the wisdom of  older champions.