Topic: Please Introduce Yourself

[John Wheeler]

Hi A/all,

My name is John Wheeler, am a former olympic-style lifter now returning after a 15-year layoff.  Love the sport, but was very busy in raising my kids and making a career.

Reached Category II status in the old scheme of lifting at 100 kgs.  Now am enjoying my re-entry.  My age is 52, my occupation is Professor and Associate Dean and specialize in the research and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the site and thank you Chris for the excellent job in developing and maintaining it.

Happy Training to All and a Happy New Year!

[Michael Cayton]

Name: Michael Cayton
Age:67
Gender:M
Occupation: retired economist
Location:Sofia, Bulgaria (most of the time); Sweetwater, TX (some of the time)
Team:  Pittsburgh Barbell Club
How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: received gift of exercise barbell set as a teen
Years involved in weightlifting: 52 or so
Athletic achievements: NMex AAU champ as high school senior, various competitions in college, won US masters  3 times
Role in weightlifting: mostly train, but now would like to promote better management in intl weightlifting
Coaching/educational credentials:no coaching credentials
Favorite weightlifter: Tommy Kono, Kroum Veltchev (Bulg. friend who has been competing since 1951!!)
Interests other than weightlifting: windsurfing, literature, languages, etc.
Other information you would like to share: see my (coming) post about my concerns on IWF

[Duimstra]

Name:Jacob Edwin Duimstra
Age:16
Gender:M
Occupation: High school student
Location:sioux falls sd
Team: Team Dakota
How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: First saw 1996 olympics with Kakhiasvils in his prime and 2000 with the greatest liftoff ever in the 85kg and +105 kg.  I was a powerlifting for a short time, then started doing olympiclifts after seeing a very inspartional MV of Pyrros Dimas and reminded me of what my dream was when i was little.
Years involved in weightlifting: less than 1 year about 6 months.
Athletic achievements:Sd state record holder
Role in weightlifting:Athlete, tecnique coach
Coaching/educational credentials: learning technique from Steve Bliss (does that count)
Favorite weightlifter:Pyrros Dimas, Kakhi Kahiasvils, Ronny Weller, Marc Huster, Stefen Botev, Andrei Rybakou (Just his snatches) and Vyssilya Aleexv
Interests other than weightlifting:hunting, other languages, planets, history, video games, telling jokes, making movies, talking in german
Other information you would like to share: Snatch style: Dimas/Own Clean and jerk syle: Kakhiasvils/Gouzheng
Snatch: 95kg Clean and Jerk:120 kg Total:215 kg never competed in a USAW sponsered meet.  in the 105 kg class, trying to drop down to the 94 kg class. Coming back from Menuscus tear and rotator cuff strain.

[Ross Miller]

Name: Ross Miller
Age:35
Gender: Male
Occupation: Strength & Conditioning Coach for a mid major university
Location: Jonesboro, AR
Team: n/a
How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: I began learning the lifts about 10 years ago so I can teach others and now weightlifting has become an obsession for me
Years involved in weightlifting: 10 years
Athletic achievements: none
Role in weightlifting: Coaching; I use variations of the lifts in my programs for athletes in different sports
Coaching/educational credentials: BS, CSCS, SCCC, and was USAW club coach certified
Favorite weightlifter: I don't have favorite
Interests other than weightlifting: Music

[Matthew McNees]

Name:
Age: 22
Gender: M
Occupation: software analyst
Location: CT
Team: Connecticut
How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: About a year ago I decided I wanted to get fit and quit being skinny
Years involved in weightlifting: less than 1
Athletic achievements: n/a
Role in weightlifting: Athlete
Coaching/educational credentials: n/a
Favorite weightlifter: Haven't really followed it until just now
Interests other than weightlifting: Music, Movies, Motorcycles
Other information you would like to share: n/a

[Kevin Hinkle]

Name:Kevin Hinkle
Age:21
Gender:m
Occupation: Student, wrestler, musician
Location: Greeneville TN.
Team: n/a
How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: I started when I was little because I was picked on.
Years involved in weightlifting: Not necissarily weightlifting, but I have done lots of lifting for 6 years.
Athletic achievements: I competed in a Strongman Competition and placed 8 out of 11...I was completely out weighed and classed, but my goal was not to be last.
Role in weightlifting:Not sure how to answer this.
Coaching/educational credentials:haha.
Favorite weightlifter: Jesse Marunde
Interests other than weightlifting: Strongman, Powerlifting, Music, Media
Other information you would like to share: Thank you for having this forum.

[Philip Middleton]

Hi All

Name: Philip Middleton

Age: 20

Gender: Male

Occupation: Crime Intel Analyst

Location: New Zealand

How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: Having always held an interest in physical excellence I played with bodybuilding for about 6months, being more satisfied with lifting heavier weights I moved to power lifting, did that for about 4months and after Beijing 2008 and some soul searching decided OL was the sport I wanted to pursue to the highest level; that brings me up to about 4months ago, been training OL since then.

Years involved in weightlifting: 4 months

Athletic achievements: Nothing really notable - give it a few years

Role in weightlifting:
Aspiring Champion

Coaching/educational credentials:
None

Favorite weightlifter: Yevgeny Chigishev

Interests other than weightlifting: Not a lot... all weight lifting entails (nutrition etc), computer games, good company, outdoors.

Other information you would like to share:
I have found myself here today because I'm basically crying out for some guidance, there are no resources about New Zealand weight lifting on the internet.

So hoping will be able to get some good training help here.

[Emmy Vargas]

Name:Emmy M. Vargas
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Occupation: Student
Location: Colorado Springs, CO & Panorama City, CA
Team: We've changed our name a bit...Van Nuys Tribe-->Phat Elvis WC-->Van Nuys WC
How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: Wanted to improve my throwing (shot & discus) ability, I'm short, I had to compensate with strength!
Years involved in weightlifting: 10+ years
Athletic achievements: World Team Member and Pan Am Games Medalist
Role in weightlifting: Athlete, but I have officially retired as of Dec. 2008 and hope to continue in weightlifting as an Athlete Representative to the new Board of Directors.
Coaching/educational credentials: None, while I pursue a position in USAW governance.  Maybe in the future when I have finished my education.
Favorite weightlifter: I have 3, Nicu Vlad, Stefan Botev and Mária Takács.
Interests other than weightlifting: I enjoy reading Sci-Fi and Non-fiction literature, playing video games, etc...