IronMind Resource Pages
Olympic-style Weightlifting and Weight Training
Pyrros Dimas, Naim Suleymanoglu, Hossein Rezazadeh, Ivan Abadjiev: the biggest names in Olympic-style weightlifting are the guys IronMind has been rubbing elbows with for over 15 years, and that’s why when we talk about weightlifting—whether it’s how to do a power clean correctly or what the Bulgarian weightlifters really do in training—you are getting it straight from the horse’s mouth. IronMind publishes MILO, the only iron game publication that was credentialed for weightlifting at the last three Olympics. And through its landmark training hall videos, IronMind introduced the concept of the no-no-no squat and turned Ivan Chakarov and Stefan Botev into household names in the U.S. weightlifting community. The president of IronMind, Randall Strossen, Ph.D., has covered weightlifting at the last 14 World Weightlifting Championships and 13 European Weightlifting Championships, and the last three Olympic Games. Throw in his coverage of weightlifting at the last two Asian Games, weightlifting at the 1990 Goodwill Games, and the last three Asian Weightlifting Championships, and you know why IronMind stands apart in the field. The sign on our door reads Weightlifting Spoken Here.
Ken Patera was so strong that even strong guys, and guys used to seeing strong guys, were amazed . . . whether he was ripping a parking meter out of the sidewalk, shrugging a York bar so violently that he bent it, or just pressing more than 500 pounds overhead, Ken Patera was S-T-R-O-N-G.
Here it is, straight from Sofia, the top dogs in the weightlifting world going through their final paces prior to leaving for the 1998 World Weightlifting Champions. What you see will stagger your imagination—here’s a unique opportunity to get a glimpse of their world.
1998 European Weightlifting Championships Training Hall DVD
See many of the top Bulgarians in action, along with a very rare opportunity to watch Russian star Andrei Chemerkin train.
1997 World Weightlifting Championships Training Hall DVD
After watching this tape of Botev, Chakarov, Yotov, Suleymanoglu, Leonidis, Lara, Huster, Nerlinger, and Weller in Guanzhou, you’ll want to train like a madman.
A dozen and a half of the world’s top lifters taped during their final training sessions before the big one, including Halil Mutlu, Suleymanoglu, Chemerkin, and Kurlovich.
This is the one-and-only original video that introduced the whole concept of training hall tapes and put them on the map. Watch Dimas, Suleymanoglu, Weller, Kakiachvili, Tournefier, and Nerlinger, among others, and see Ivan Chakarov do a “no-no-no” squat with 270 kg for a triple.
Want to see Hossein Rezazadeh snatch 210 kg with ease? How about his 263-kg clean and jerk? And we guarantee you that when Zlaten Vanev comes out of eighth place in the 85-kg class to take home all the marbles, you’ll be on the edge of your seat.
Start with a world record snatch by Halil Mutlu and end with Saeed Jaber sweeping the golds in the supers with 210/263.
2000 European Weightlifting Championships Competition DVD
There was some sizzling lifting in Sofia prior to the Sydney Olympics, with everyone from Mutlu to Danielyan strutting his stuff; Vanev or Kolecki fans must have this tape, and if you don’t know the name Asanidze, this tape will make you a believer.
1999 World Weightlifting Championships Competition DVD and Super Sunday DVD
What a Worlds! Top lifts from all classes are featured and what you see will blow your mind, with 77-kg Zlaten Vanev cleaning 212.5 kg, twice. Dimas appears to have locked up the 85s, but there’s one attempt left and Nassirinia calls for the winning 215 kg. The Super Sunday DVD has full coverage of the super heavyweight A session, so if you want to see it all, from Weller bombing out to Chemerkin winning it all on his final clean and jerk, here it is.
Riveting performances by new kids was the name of the game at the 1999 Europeans. See a ferocious dogfight in the 69s and 77s, Huster pushed to the limit by the young Gardev in the 85s, and 17-year-old Szymon Kolecki defeating two-time Olympic gold medalist Akakios Kakiashvilis in the 94s.
The 1998 Worlds was the beginning of the countdown to the Sydney Olympics—don’t miss the close battles, world records, and do-or-die lifts. And yes, the Greek team was there in force, locking horns with the mighty Bulgarians for the team title.
Intense, world-standard lifting from one superb contest. You’ll see the Bulgarians back in top form, the Germans rolling out their ever-improving stars, and two titans of the weightlifting world—Ronny Weller and Andrei Chemerkin—locked in an epic battle.
See Wenhua Cui’s near miss with a world record attempt 200.5-kg snatch, and Chemerkin’s mind-boggling 262.5-kg clean and jerk, not to mention the clutch clean and jerk Wes Barnett made to end the USA medal drought.
1997 European Weightlifting Championships Competition DVD
See the Turkish team hit the platform running; Huster and Gotfried go after their respective world records in the clean and jerk; the latest crop of Bulgarians, and much more.
1996 European Weightlifting Championships Competition DVD
One of the major tune-up meets coming into the 1996 Olympics, see what many of the world’s premier lifters looked like several months before Atlanta. Here’s your chance to see Leonid Taranenko in his last meet.
1995 World Weightlifting Championships Competition DVD
Performance here determined the number of 1996 Olympic weightlifting berths awarded to each country, so everyone came out of the woodwork to score team points—see the top lifts in each class.
Best of Cellar Dwellers: Vintage Strength Training by Steve Jeck
Highlights DVD of the first 20 episodes of "Cellar Dwellers," the cable access weight training show that Steve Jeck and Chris Kennedy produced from 1996–1998. You'll get 20-rep squats (of course), all the major lifts, odd lifts, stone lifts, some Highland implements—even a truck pull. Train alongside the master philosopher of stones and strength in real workouts for real people living in the real world.
Articles in MILO: A Journal for Serious Strength Athletes
Read all about the rule changes in weightlifting and the impact they will have on future competitions.
Results from the 1992 Junior European Championships.
“Tornado in Bulgaria: 1993 European Weightlifting Championships” by Lyn Jones (Vol. 1, No. 2)
The first major competition after the breakup of the Soviet Union, the 1993 European Championships showed the world what the future of weightlifting would bring.
Check out the contest report, results, and photos from the USWF 1993 National Championships.
Read all about the lifting at this fantastic Junior World Championships, featuring Halil Mutlu, Sevdalin Minchev, Viacheslav Osipov, and Viacheslav Kanutkin.
Read about the competition that determined which American weightlifters would attend the 1993 World Weightlifting Championships in Australia.
“Up and Overhead Down Under: 1993 World Weightlifting Championships” by Lyn Jones (Vol. 1, No. 4)
The 1993 World Weightlifting Championships saw incredible lifting from Chemerkin, Taranenko, and Chakarov, and the Ukrainian, Bulgarian, and Turkish teams.
“1993 American Open Weightlifting Championships” (Vol. 2, No.1)
Results from the 1993 American Open Weightlifting Championships.
“73rd European Senior Weightlifting Championships (Vol. 2, No.2)
Results of the 73rd European Senior Weightlifting Championships.
“1994 Men’s U.S. National Weightlifting Championships” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 2, No.2)
Contest report and lifting results for the 1994 Men’s U.S. National Weightlifting Championships.
“1994 U.S. Olympic Festival—Men’s Weightlifting” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 2, No.3)
Follow the record-breaking men’s weightlifting at the 1994 U. S. Olympic Festival.
“1994 XXth Junior World Weightlifting Championships” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 2, No.3)
Check out the lifting at the 1994 Junior World Weightlifting Championships.
“Let’s Talk Turkey: 1994 World Weightlifting Championships” by Lyn Jones (Vol. 2, No. 4)
Thirty-six world records were made at the 1994 World Weightlifting Championships; read all about the great lifting and review the contest results in this article.
“74th European Weightlifting Championships" (Vol. 3, No. 2)
Results of the 74th European Weightlifting Championships.
“1995 National Weightlifting Championships” by Lyn Jones (Vol. 3, No. 2)
Read about the highlights of the 1995 National Weightlifting Championships.
“XII Pan American Games” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 3, No. 2)
Read all about the lifting at the XII Pan American Games.
“Olympic Festival Men’s Weightlifting” (Vol. 3, No. 3)
Results of men’s weightlifting at the 1995 U. S. Olympic Festival.
The Russian, Chinese, and Bulgarian teams performed exceptionally at the 1995 Junior World Men’s Weightlifting Championships.
This all-star super heavyweight lineup at this contest made for great lifting and a happy crowd.
The 1995 World Weightlifting Championships saw fantastic lifting from many, including Pyrros Dimas, Marc Huster, Valerios Leonidis, and Naim Suleymanoglu.
Here are the results of the 1996 Men’s U.S. National Weightlifting Championships.
"Stavanger Strength Fest: 1996 European Weightlifting Championships" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 4, No. 2)
Re-live the excitement of the pre-Atlanta Olympics 1996 European Weightlifting Championships.
"U.S. Olympic Weightlifting Team Trials" by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 4, No. 2)
Jim Schmitz reviews the team trials that led to American lifter selections for the Atlanta Olympics.
Read about weightlifting’s most-favored for a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics.
Re-live the excitement of the Atlanta Olympics, with weightlifting seeing nineteen world records and fifteen US records broken and too many outstanding performances to mention here.
The Atlanta Olympics was very well organized, and the lifting couldn’t have been better.
The 1997 U.S. National Weightlifting Championships saw some excellent lifting and a host of new American records.
Re-live the great lifting at the 76th European Senior Weightlifting Championships.
"1997 U.S. World Team Trials" by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 5, No. 3)
The 1997 U.S. World Team Trials saw a number of American records broken, and good lifting in general.
The 1997 World Weightlifting Championships produced some good weightlifting, and Andre Chemerkin ended it well with a world record 262.5-kg jerk.
Share the excitement of the 1998 Weightlifting European Championships, which saw exceptional lifting from the Greek, Bulgarian, and German teams.
"1998 United States National Weightlifting Championships" by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 6, No. 2)
Recap of the lifting at the 1998 United States National Weightlifting Championships.
"Fireworks in Finland: 1998 World Weightlifting Championships" by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 6, No. 4)
The Bulgarian and Greek teams were the stars of the 1998 World Weightlifting Championships, with outstanding performances from lifters such as Halil Mutlu and Pyrros Dimas.
"The New Kids Come Out in La Coruna: The 1999 European Weightlifting Championships" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 7, No. 1)
The 1999 European Weightlifting Championships saw great lifting from the Bulgarians and the emergence of Szymon Kolecki as a future champion.
The 1999 Junior Weightlifting World Championships saw new records, great competition, and a strong showing by the American team.
Read about the great lifting at the 1999 U.S. Weightlifting Championships.
High quality lifting abounded at the 1999 Weightlifting World Championships, where men’s weightlifting set fourteen senior world records and four junior world records.
Read all about the exceptional 2000 USA Weightlifting National Championships, which saw many good lifts and lifters.
Re-live the Olympic-year 2000 Men’s European Weightlifting Championship, with multiple world records broken and phenomenal lifting by many.
Re-live the excitement of weightlifting at the 2000 Olympics, which saw the emergence of the Iranians as the lifters to beat, and also the first American gold medal in weightlifting in a long, long time: Tara Nott in the 48-kg class.
"Chemerkin the Lion-Hearted: Editor’s Choice for the Most Courageous Attempt at the Sydney Olympics" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 9, No. 1)
Andrei Chemerkin’s attempt at a 272.5 kg clean and jerk at the 2000 Sydney Olympics was an incredibly effort; re-live the lift with this article and photo-series of the lift.
The 2001 European Weightlifting Championships saw some great lifting, with outstanding performances from Halil Mutlu and Oleg Perepetchenov.
"Quality and Security in Turkey: 2001 World Weightlifting Championships" by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 9, No. 4)
Re-live the great lifting of the 2001 World Weightlifting Championships, which saw Saeed Salem Jaber win three gold medals and very close competition in women’s lifting.
"USA Weightlifting’s 2002 National Championships" by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 10, No. 2)
Read about the 2002 National Championships in weightlifting, where Oscar Chaplin, Shane Hamman, and Chad Vaughn had exceptional lifts.
Mutlu lifted in the 62s under provisional suspension, Yilmaz jumped from eighth to first in the clean and jerks, Smorchkov shone in the 105s, and the most popular lifter was Russian Evgeni Chigishev.
The 2005 Junior World Weightlifting Championships in Korea was a good example of how the new 1-kg rule sorted things out on the platform.
Asian weightlifters have gained such a firm foothold in the highest echelons of the sport and this competition gave some younger up-and-coming athletes a chance to lift at one of the sport’s top competitions.
The men were superb all around, and 17-year-old Ilya Ilin won the 85s with some fantastic lifting.
IronMind hosted Chinese, Georgian, and Bulgarian Olympic gold and silver medalists in an exciting exhibition, with Velichko Cholakov cleaning and jerking a big 500 pounds.
“2006 Arnold Sports Festival: Weightlifting Championships: Really Great Show” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 14, No. 1)
The big guys in the 105s didn’t disappoint anyone and put on a fantastic display of competitive weightlifting.
“2006 European Senior Weightlifting Championships: New Records, New Champions” by Per Mattingsdal (Vol. 14, No. 2)
Hometown favorite Marcin Dolega won gold in the 105s amidst thunderous cheering in the hall, and local hero Szymon Kolecki had a wonderful comeback in the 94s, winning silver.
Asia is the new home of many of the superpowers in the weightlifting world, and it was a rare privilege to get a glimpse of what might be coming down the road, with several possible new star sightings.
“2006 USA National Championships: Countdown to the Worlds” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 14, No. 3)
As the final qualifying event for the 2006 Worlds, the Nationals had great battles and efforts to make the team, including Vaughn vs. Bruce and Ukpong vs. Farris.
In this Olympic qualifying event, France’s Dabaya ended an 84-year drought with his gold in the 69s; teen-ager Ilya Ilin won his second Worlds; and a surprise super from China got everyone’s attention.
As a multi-sport event, the Asian Games are second in size, scope and stature only to the Olympics. In Qatar, Ilin continued to dazzle and Joughili won the gold on the last attempt.
“The 2007 Arnold Weightlifting Championships: Records Galore” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 15, No. 1)
Jim's report from the Arnold Sports Festival, where three American records were set, along with many PRs, and an appearance was made by Arnold himself.
“2007 European Weightlifting Championships: Who’s Looking Good for Beijing?” by Per Mattingsdal (Vol. 15, No. 2)
An in-depth report on the world’s top Olympic weightlifters from Strasbourg, France, with stunning action shots by Randall Strossen.
“2007 World Weightlifting Championships: Old Stars Dim. . . New Stars Shine” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 15, No. 3)
Jim Schmitz reports from Chiang Mai, Thailand, as world champion weightlifting teams vie for positions at the 2008 Olympics.
“2008 Arnold Invitational Weightlifting Exhibition: Champions Have Fun” by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 16, No. 1)
Randall Strossen’s photo essay featuring Junior World champions from China along with lifters from the U.S. shows that while weightlifting involves tremendous power and athleticism, it is also a lot of fun.
“2008 USA Weightlifting National Championships & Olympic Team Qualifier: How It’s Stacking Up” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 16, No. 1)
Jim Schmitz reports from the Arnold Sports Festival, where the premier weightlifting event saw lots of personal records and good lifting in this Olympic year.
Good Luck Beijing 2008 was weightlifting’s dress rehearsal for the Olympic Games later this year in August. German super heavyweight Mathias Steiner took the gold medal, signaling bigger things to come.
“2008 European Senior Weightlifting Championships: Supers Drama Caps Event” by Per Mattingsdal (Vol. 16, No. 2)
A thorough report from this Olympic weightlifting qualifying event that had a dramatic and fitting end.
“2008 Asian Weightlifting Championships: Large Hall, Small Crowd, Tiny Room” by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 16, No. 2)
Randall Strossen’s first-hand account of the Olympic weightlifting championships held in Kanazawa, Japan.
“Mattias Steiner Delivers an Al Michaels Moment” by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 16, No. 3)
The dramatic story of weightlifting champion Mattias Steiner’s journey to Olympic gold.
“2008 Olympic Games: The Big Story on Steiner and One Lift to Go” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 16, No. 3)
Jim Schmitz’s in-depth Olympic Games weightlifting coverage—with the most exciting super heavyweight finish for the strongest man in the world!
“2009 IronMind Invitational: The Arnold Experience and Weightlifting Diplomacy” by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 17, No. 1)
The 2008 Olympic German weightlifting team dove head first into the Arnold weekend with a packed program of training, goodwill, and camaraderie . . . not to mention a meeting between Olympic gold-medalist Matthias Steiner and Arnold Schwarzenegger, plus a weightlifting exhibition that wowed the California Governor!
“2009 European Men's Weightlifting Championships: Newcomers Make Names for Themselves” by Per Mattingsdal (Vol. 17, No. 1)
These weightlifing championships showcased up-and-coming weightlifters like Juergen Spiess, who used the Arnold Sports Festival a month earlier as part of his training presentation.
At this year's weightlifting championships in Minsk, Belarus a new weightlifting star was born, and the fight for the gold medal in the 85-kg class could not have been more thrilling if it had been written for a movie.
"2010 World Weightlifting Championships: Supers Bring Surprises" by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 18, No. 3)
Close results, a new world record, missing Bulgarians, and incredible weightlifting made up this Olympic qualifying event, where Behdad Salimi bested Matthias Steiner and Evgeniy Chigishev in the supers.
For the first time in 28 years, a continental weightlifting championships was held in Russia. Russian lifters put on a show that wll be remembered for a long time, setting three new senior world records.
This weightlifting championships, held in Malaysia, was full of exciting competition for top honors in each class, some with surprising outcomes.
Pore over this in-depth article on the great Paul Anderson, some of whose incredible weightlifting feats will never be equaled.
"They Never Come Back? Some Do: The Ronny Weller Story" by Klaus Arndt (Vol. 1, No. 1)
The story of Ronny Weller’s proverbial return from the grave to finish second at the 1990 World Weightlifting Championships is an inspirational read.
Read the story of Antonio Krastev, super heavyweight lifter and two-time world champion.
This interview with Leonid Taranenko will give you great insights into the training and mindset of a champion lifter.
"Ivan Chakarov: A Very Good Day" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 1, No. 4)
Meet Ivan Chakarov, the surprise gold medalist of the 1993 World Weightlifting Championships.
"Alexander Kurlovich: King of the Hill" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 2, No. 2)
Read this interview with Alexander Kurlovich for insight into this world champion and Olympic gold medalist.
"Clyde Emrich: A Bear on Strength" by Paul E. Young (Vol. 2, No. 2)
This interview with Clyde Emrich has some gems of training and exercise advice and information.
"Paul Anderson: A Legend Who Will Live Forever" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 2, No. 3)
Paul Anderson was almost universally considered to be the strongest man in the world; read about the extraordinary lifting of this extraordinarily strong man.
"Louis Riecke: On Iron and Steel(ers)" by Paul E. Young (Vol. 2, No. 4)
Meet the man who was the last American to hold a world record in the snatch, and review his lifting and training advice for incorporation into your workout routine.
"Andrei Chemerkin: His Moment Hasn’t Yet Come" by Vladimir Saltykov (Vol. 3, No. 1)
Check out this fascinating interview with Andrei Chemerkin, one of weightlifting’s great super heavyweights.
"Norbert Schemansky: Sweet Performances, Bitter Memories" by Bruce Wilhelm (Vol. 3, No. 1)
Read all about Norbert Schemansky, one of the greatest American weightlifters of all time; article includes an interview.
"Masters in Action" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 3, No. 2)
See former champions in action as Olympic medal-winning lifters Urik Vardanian and Dragomir Cioroslan in an impromptu lifting competition behind the scenes at the 1995 Nationals.
"Joe Dube: Unsung Champion" by Bruce Wilhelm (Vol. 3, No. 2)
Meet Joe Dube, champion weightlifter, and check out his training program.
"Team Savannah's Secret Weapon" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 3, No. 3)
Meet the six-year-old who does clean and jerks with the best of them at the Paul Anderson-Howard Cohen Weightlifting Center.
"Tommy Kono: One of a Kind" by Bruce Wilhelm (Vol. 4, No. 1)
One of the United States’ best-ever weightlifters, Tommy Kono made 26 world records. Read about this man, his training, and what has made him such a successful lifter.
"A Few Good Men" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 4, No. 1)
Read about Tom Gough, a genuine good guy and a talented weightlifter.
Read about the mighty Greek lifter Valerios Leonidis, and the training that has led him to smash world records.
"Wes Barnett: All-American Medal Detector" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 4, No. 3)
Meet Wes Barnett, who snatched 175 kg for a U. S. record at the 1996 Olympics, and read about his training program and outlook on weightlifting.
Unfortunately, a partially herniated disc prevented Leonid Taranenko from lifting in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
"Alexander Kurlovich: The Courageous King" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 4, No. 4)
Alexander Kurlovich bid farewell to the sport of weightlifting at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in a courageous attempt at a 247.5-kg clean and jerk.
"Marc Huster: 'Believe in Yourself'" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 5, No. 1)
Marc Huster is a truly inspirational lifter; read this article about his lifting and training, and what propels him to success.
"Youth Profile: Jeff Wittmer" by Dr. Ken E. Leistner (Vol. 5, No. 1)
Meet Jeff Wittmer, the twelve-year-old Olympic lifter.
"The Rise and Fall of the Meteor Called Barski" by Bill Starr (Vol. 5, No. 1)
Read the story of Bob Bednarski, who flashed across the weightlifting world in the sixties and was an inspiration to many.
"Xiong Han Yang: Taking Charge of Chinese Weightlifting" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 5, No. 2)
By any measure, China is a budding superpower in the sport of weightlifting. Learn about the coaching that is driving the Chinese team towards new competitive heights.
"Training with a Top Turk: Sunay Bulut" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 5, No. 2)
This incredibly detailed breakdown of Sunay Bulut’s training is an inspiration for you and your workout routine.
"Stefan Botev: The Little Big Man" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 5, No. 3)
Discover the training and thought that has powered Stefan Botev to the top of the weightlifting world.
"Oscar Chaplin III: 'Little Oscar' Lifts Big Weights" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 5, No. 3)
Follow the training and development of Oscar Chaplin III.
"Akakios Kakhiashvilis: Still Waters Run Deep" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 5, No. 3)
Kakhi Kakhiashvilis’ workouts work wonders for him—read all about them and this exceptional Greek weightlifter.
"Wes Barnett Brings Home the Bacon" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 5, No. 4)
Read about the medal aspirations of Wes Barnett.
"George 'Ernie' Pickett" by Bill Starr (Vol. 5, No. 4)
Ernie Pickett was a member of the 1968 Olympic weightlifting team, and an outstanding personality in the American weightlifting scene.
"Manfred Nerlinger: The Bavarian Colossus" by Wolfgang Hasenmaier (Vol. 6, No. 1)
Read about Manfred Nerlinger, a master of the clean & jerk and Olympic medal winner.
"Wenhua Cui: Golden Aspirations" by Hongjian Yang (Vol. 6, No. 1)
In this profile, the training and goals of Olympic lifter Wenhua Cui are reviewed.
"Shane Hamman: Is There Life After Powerlifting?" by Marty Gallagher (Vol. 6, No. 2)
Shane Hamman was a powerlifting world record holder when he decided to switch to Olympic lifting. Read about his transition, his training, and where he is headed.
"Bill March: March to the Top (Part I)" by Bill Starr (Vol. 6, No. 3)
Meet Bill March, and follow his path to the top.
"Bill March: King of the Press (Part II)" by Bill Starr (Vol. 6, No. 4)
Read all about Bill March, champion presser.
" 'Czech Lion': Joseph Soukup" by Josef Svub (Vol. 6, No. 4)
Meet Joseph Soukup, one of the very first weightlifters.
Meet Kaarlo Kangasniemi, the first and only Finnish Olympic gold medal winner in weightlifting.
Paul Anderson: The Mightiest Minister chronicles the rise of lifting great Paul Anderson, including his gold medal win at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
Read this article for the scoop on Szymon Kolecki’s training routine.
This article profiles the training and diet of the man behind three world records — in the snatch, clean and jerk, and total — at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Pirros Dimas.
The revolutionary training program that has powered the Greek weightlifting team is outlined in detail in this must-read article, guided by none other than head coach Christos Iakovou.
Galabin Boevski, world record breaker and world champion, trains hard: read all about his workouts in this article.
Read about the strength career of Evgueniy Popov, which has spanned Olympic lifting and powerlifting, and the workouts and training behind the national champion.
"Petar Tanev" A New Passport and a Golden Year” by Randall J. Strossen (Vol. 8, No. 1)
Meet Petar Tanev, one of the top Bulgarian weightlifters, and study the training routine that made him European and world champion.
"Pete George: Secrets of Success from the First Bulgarian Weightlifting Superstar" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 8, No. 2)
Meet Pete George, Olympic lifting superstar, and the training and thought behind his many successes.
"Naim Suleymanoglu: Born to Lift" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 8, No. 4)
Meet Naim Suleymanoglu, the first weightlifter to the win three Olympic gold medals, and trace his record-breaking career.
"Plamen Asparukhov: The New Face of Bulgarian Weightlifting" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 9, No. 2)
Meet the man who is responsible for Bulgaria’s weightlifting future, national coach Plamen Asparukhov, and read about the approach he takes with his lifters’ training.
"Dimas as Midas, Again" by Randall J. Strossen (Vol. 10, No. 1)
In 2000, Pyrros Dimas won his third Olympic gold in the total; read about the epic lifting from Dimas, Marc Huster, and Georgi Asanidze that led to this history-rewriting accomplishment.
"Yanny Marchokov and Salem Saeed Jaber: Two Names for One Super Super" by Randall J. Strossen (Vol. 10, No. 1)
Meet the man who put Qatar on the weightlifting map, and learn about his training and future aspirations.
"Pablo Lara: A Little Homage to the Best Spanish-Speaking Weightlifter Ever" by Lucio Doncel (Vol. 10, No. 2)
Meet Pablo Lara, winner of the silver medal at the 1992 Olympics and the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics.
"Bill Kutzer: Grass Roots Grower" by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 10, No. 3)
Meet Bill Kutzer, one of the individuals working from the ground up to push weightlifting forward in the United States.
"Javier Gonzalez: Weightlifting in Cuba" by Lucio Doncel (Vol. 11, No. 2)
Meet Javier Gonzalez, Cuban iron master.
"Hossein Reza Zadeh: Not Just the Best" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 11, No. 3)
Meet Hossein Reza Zadeh, Olympic champion and multiple world record holder.
"The Continuity of Austrian Weightlifting: Josef Grafl" by Gherardo Bonini, (Vol. 11, No. 3)
Read about historic Austrian weightlifter Josef Grafl.
"The Classic Figure of Austrian Weightlifting: Josef Swoboda" by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 11, No. 4)
Read about this old-time Austrian sporting hero.
"The First British Olympic Champion: Launceston Elliot" by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 12, No. 1)
Meet Launceston Elliot, British gold medal-winner in weightlifting at the 1896 Olympics.
"Mario Martinez: A Weightlifter's Weightlifter" by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 12, No. 1)
Read about the career of Mario Martinez, one of America’s great lifters and an Olympic medal winner.
"Nely Yankova, Bulgarian Weightlifting Prodigy" by Michael Cayton (Vol. 12, No. 4)
Meet Nely Yankova, ten-time European champion, and learn about the training behind her successes.
"Weightlifting at the 1976 Olympic Games or Lessons from Lee and Smitty" by John Drewes (Vol. 12, No. 4)
Lee James won a silver medal at the 1976 Olympics; read about the interactions of James and his coach, and how James became a champion weightlifter.
"Weightlifting at the 1976 Olympic Games or Lessons from Lee and Smitty" by John Drewes (Vol. 12, No. 4)
Lee James won a silver medal at the 1976 Olympics; read about the interactions of James and his coach, and how James became a champion weightlifter.
“The German Master: Heinrich Rondi” by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 13, No. 2)
The most popular German old-timer, Rondi won the European Championships in 1906 in both weightlifting and Greco-Roman wrestling, and he went on to set many records via his aggressive mental attitude and desire to improve his performance.
“Catching Up with Yani Marchokov” by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 13, No. 3)
This Bulgarian lifter who lifts for Qatar under the name of Salem Saeed Jaber has his own ideas about what is “normal” lifting and training.
“The German Wonder Boy: Heinrich Schneidereit” by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 13, No. 3)
Heinrich Schneidereit was the enfant prodigé of German weightlifting, eventually setting four world records recognized by Professor Desbonnet, the French master of physical education.
“Georgi Asanidze: Meet the Man Behind the Gold Medal” by Natalie Grikurova and Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 13, No. 4)
To talk about Georgi Asanidze isn’t only to discuss an Olympic champion, world champion, and world record holder in weightlifting — it’s also a story that includes lessons in will power, and it underscores the central role of a great coach, while giving evidence of the humility and humanity not often considered in the context of world-class athletes.
“The German Meteor: Hermann Gassler” by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 13, No. 4)
A brilliant Greco-Roman wrestler turned weightlifter, Gassler held two world records at the same time for the same lift—one in Paris and one in Germany.
“Joe Dube: America’s Last Man to be the Senior Weightlifting World Champion” by Thomas E. Van Vleck (Vol. 14, No. 1)
Thomas Van Vleck remembers the career of American superheavy Joe Dube, who competed in the 1960s and early 1970s—and whose favorite exercise was the squat.
“The King of the One-Hand Snatch: Louis Vasseur” by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 14. No. 1)
This greatest of French lifters took the performance of the one-hand snatch to a new level in a great long-time duel with the German Rondi.
“MILO Talks with Ivane Grikurovi: The Coach Who Conducts a Weightlifting Symphony” by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 14, No. 2)
Who is this quiet but potent grandmaster weightlifting coach behind Olympic gold medalists George Asanidze and Kahi Kahiashvili and what can we learn from this most talented and unique man?
“The Greatest All-Round Weightlifter Ever” by Roger Davis (Vol. 15, No. 1)
Roger Davis’s massive project compares data on all-round weightlifters through the ages to answer the question of who was the greatest ever.
“The Father of German Weightlifting: Theodor Siebert” by Gerardo Bonini (Vol. 15, No. 1)
Gherardo Bonini explains that Theodor Siebert’s training methods still possess stimulating elements that are practiced today.
“Jim Schmitz: Coach and Trainer of Champions” by Bruce Wilhelm (Vol. 15, No. 2)
Jim Schmitz is one of the greatest American Olympic weightlifting and weight training coaches that this country has produced: his story is told by Bruce Wilhelm.
“Naim Suleymanoglu: Defection” by Paul Coffa (Vol. 15, No. 3)
Paul Coffa’s first-hand account of the story of Naim Suleymanoglu’s defection from Bulgaria to Turkey in 1988.
“Dutch Men of Might: Philipp de Haas” by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 15, No. 3)
Philipp De Haas was the first Dutch athlete of international standard—Gherardo Bonini tells his story.
“Some Recollections of Alexeev’s 105-kg Single-Arm Snatch” by John Drewes (Vol. 16, No. 1)
John Drewes remembers the day in Las Vegas when he saw Alexeev easily lift 105 kg, in an exhibition at the Record Makers event.
“The Wild Bunch” by Paul Coffa (Vol. 16, No. 1)
The “Wild Bunch” story started at the 1990 Goodwill Games in Spokane, Washington: Five Bulgarian weightlifting greats made secret plans to migrate to Australia, causing an uproar about competing in the 1992 Olympics. Paul Coffa’s amazing firsthand account is a must-read.
“An Epitaph for an Inquisitive Soul” by Brian J. Mangravite (Vol. 16, No. 1)
Arthur Jones put much of himself, his time, and his own fortune into exercise research. He trained football players, powerlifters, and even Olympic lifters with amazing success, and his theory was that a bigger muscle was a stronger muscle.
“Nauru: The Beginning” by Paul Coffa (Vol. 16, No. 2)
Don’t know where Nauru is? Neither did Paul Coffa until he met Marcus Stephen. Read the story of Olympic weightlifter Marcus Stephen—the first-ever athlete from Nauru to compete at a world championships in any sport, and who went on to compete in three Olympic Games.
“My Grandfather Can Outlift Yours—and You, Too! The Dan Takeuchi Story” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 16, No. 2)
Jim Schmitz is inspired by Masters competitor Dan Takeuchi, and you will be, too!
“The World Champion of Burden Lifting: Paul Trappen” by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 16, No. 4)
European super-heavy weightlifting champion and world champion of burden lifting, strongman Paul Trappen is still considered the most important athlete of his town in Germany.
“Al Feuerbach: Evolutionary Thrower” by Thom Van Vleck (Vol. 17, No. 1)
Al Feuerbach was the best in two sports: a world-record holder in the shot and a national champion in Olympic-style weightlifting. Read about how he got the work ethic and focus that made him a champion—"While the mind is not really a muscle, it has to be trained like the most important muscle in the body."—and what he's doing now.
“Ironheart: Jack King's Story” by William Crawford, M.D. (Vol. 17, No. 2)
Olympic-style weightlifter Jack King has a physique that has to be seen to be believed at age 72. Bill Crawford and Steve Jeck both trained at Jack's gym in North Carolina, and Bill tells Jack's life story and how he got where he is today.
“German Men of Might: Andreas Maier” by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 17, No. 3)
Andreas Maier was one of the most beloved German weightlifters; even as an amateur he became an idol.
"German Men of Might: Alois Selos” by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 17, No. 4)
In Germany, Alois Selos—a butcher by trade—took on Hans Beck's heritage and challenged Josef Steinbach.
“A Neglected King of Middleweight: Miro Gamba” by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 18, No. 2)
Gamba was one of the most acclaimed professors at the prestigious Polytechnic University in Turin, Italy, as well as a famous engineer. Unfortunately, his fame as a weightlifter was neglected—even though as a middleweight he defeated heavyweights such as Maspoli in the French Championships.
“The Search for Harold Wood” by Roger Davis (Vol. 18, No. 2)
Weightlifter Harold Wood twice represented Britain in the Olympics, challenged the world-famous strongman performer "Samson," and in 1929 held 19 British world weighlifting records in the heavyweight division. Roger Davis digs deep to compile a history of Wood's life.
“Russian Men of Might: George Hackenschmidt, 'the Russian Lion'” by Joseph Svub (Vol. 18, No. 3)
Legendary strongman and wrestler George Hackenschmidt won championships and set world records—and stopped heavy lifting at the age of twenty.
“Rick Meldon: A-One All-Round Competitor” by Roger Davis (Vol. 18, No. 3) Rick Meldon is held up in the all-round weightlifting scene as one of the best drug-free lifters of all time. Read about the confidence that makes Rick say, "I just know how to win!" “Early Austrian Heroes” by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 18, No. 3)
In the 1880s some Austrian strength heroes contributed to the development of the early standardization of weightlifting: Georg Jagendorfer, Carl Rippel, Johann Bader, and Michael Walz. “Austrian Mighty Men: Three Competitors” by Gherardo Bonini (Vol. 18, No. 4)
Josef Hofböck, Johann Eibel, and Karl Swoboda II were three colossuses who brought honor to Austrian weightlifting.
“Karl Norberg: World's Strongest Senior” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 18, No. 4)
Jim Schmitz writes about the famous Karl Norberg, a man who was and is still an inspiration. Everyone who ever met him, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, said his strength was unbelievable—read his story and his amazing feats and decide for yourself.
“Karo Whitfield: Weightlifting in the South” by Thom Van Vleck (Vol. 19, No. 2)
Known as "the Bob Hoffman of the South," Karo Whitfield's influence in weightlifting has been extensive. Read about his connections with the York gang, Paul Anderson, and Mr. America.
"Lighter Stars of Weightlifting Before World War I" by Gherado Bonini (Vol. 19, No. 3)
An introduction to the historically neglected under-70-kg (lightweight) weightlifters of the early 1900s.
"Wilbur Miller: Lifting Perfection" by Thom Van Vleck (Vol. 19, No. 3)
Wilbur Miller not only became one of the greatest deadlifters of all time, but John Grimeck once commented that Wilbur was a "powerlifting perfectionist".
"Emil Kliment: The First Continental Double Raiser" by Gherado Bonini (Vol. 19, No. 4)
Read about the historically under-appreciated, sensational performances of the great Austrian, Emil Kliment. Before "lightweight" became a weight class, Kliment had to compete against lifters who outweighed him by 20 kg.
Before the rise of Charles Rigoulot and Ernest Cadine after World War I, Jean Francois held the records in the two-hand clean in both the jerk and the snatch, challenging the stronger weightlifting champions of Central Europe.
"Lift More, Using Matveyev's Principle" by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. (Vol. 1, No. 1)
Boost your training program with Matveyev’s Principle for a greater maximum lift.
Tom Hirtz lays out the importance of dynamic, explosive finishes when doing pulls.
Every weightlifter’s true challenge is to contest the barbell, as Ted Willi writes.
The lack of recent U.S. success in international weightlifting competition is not due to foreign athletes’ taking drugs, but rather the small pool of American weightlifters, as Randall Strossen writes.
In this article, a select group of weightlifting experts share their thoughts on what needs to be done to improve weightlifting here in the United States.
How to generate maximum power when doing power cleans and power snatches.
Lyn Jones discusses the pros and cons of the split technique and squat technique for snatching and cleaning, and tells which technique works best for which weightlifters.
Lyn Jones provides pointers on how to teach the split snatch and split clean.
Learn about the OBSID training principle, and make it a part of your workout program for a major impact on your technique.
Bill Starr explains the Barski Clean, a great exercise for adding pounds to your clean, and tells some of the history behind the lift.
Visit Coffee’s Gym, which produces a number of top American weightlifters, and the Paul Anderson-Howard Cohen Weightlifting Center, another top Olympic lifting gym and the home of Team Savannah.
Training without a coach doesn’t have to mean limited gains — introduce the drill into your routine to boost your snatch and clean.
Disect your technique in the jerk for greater confidence and ability in the clean and jerk.
Does powerlifting aid Olympic lifting? J. V. Askem analyzes Olympic pulling movements to find out the answer.
Bill Starr advocates the press as a great way to develop shoulder strength, and urges its inclusion in every lifter’s program.
Attack your pulling technique and strength to pull yourself out of a plateau in the power clean and power snatch.
Should Olympic lifters do powerlifts to improve their lifting? Find out how you can incorporate the tonnage system into your workouts for increased gains.
Lower back strength is the foundation of overall strength and good health. Bill Starr guides you through several exercises and techniques for training and developing your lower back.
For an added boost to your Olympic lifting, consider adding some powerlifting movements to your routine; J. V. Askem tells you how.
Add to your functional strength through ab work, as Tom Hirtz explains.
In this article, Lyn Jones sheds light on training to improve your pull.
J. V. Askem writes about crossing between powerlifting and Olympic lifting, and how powerlifters can become successful Olympic lifters.
Central to a recovery are food and sleep; read this article for the scoop on these basic keys to continued gains.
Unfortunately, the front squat has been neglected recently by all but Olympic lifters; Bill Starr explains why this exercise is beneficial to anyone seeking greater strength, and how you can incorporate it into your routine.
Learn how to clean and jerk some serious weights, in what Jim Schmitz calls “the greatest test of one’s total strength, power, toughness, and athleticism.”
As C. Jack Lano explains, no formula for comparing the lifts of two lifters of different bodyweights actually works.
Learn the ropes of two great assistance exercises, the Zercher Lift and the Zercher Squat, and how you can incorporate them into your Olympic lifting, powerlifting, or strongman training routine.
The middle section of a lift is often the most-neglected, but with Bill Starr’s expert advice you’ll be improving your pulling, pressing, and squatting movements in no time at all.
In this article, Jim Schmitz lays out the basics of the jerk and the push jerk — two important exercises you’ll want to do.
Anthony Ditillo provides a detailed overview of the Olympic assistance movements that are the foundation for increased strength.
In the third article of the series, Jim Schmitz explains the clean, starting from the very basics and working from there.
In the second article of Anthony Ditillo’s series he extends the information from the first article to provide a number of routines for improved physical conditioning and greater lifting strength.
Many variables must be kept in mind when training young beginners, but Luke Borreggine clears the fog with this article in which he provides strategies and workout programs for successfully training the beginning lifter.
Increase your lifts by thinking about — that’s right — your feet.
In the fourth article of the series, learn how to squat clean, and put it all together for an improved clean and jerk.
Acceleration is essential even for lifts like the squat and the deadlift, helping you through “zero-velocity” sticking points that might otherwise cause a failed lift.
Sometimes change is vital for avoiding injury, enhancing your strength, or even maintaining you current level of fitness.
In this article, the fifth and final in the series, read about assistance exercises for the clean and jerk and a training routine designed specifically to work the clean and jerk.
Steve Miller is Shane Hamman’s coach, and first spotted Shane as a potential Olympic lifter.
Understand the basics of good coaching with this article, in which Tom Hirtz gives you three essential principles for increased strength.
The hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors should work in tandem when you train; J. V. Askem gives you several exercises that will make those three crucial muscle groups do just that.
Hard work is sometimes confused for more work; no longer with this article by Anthony Ditillo, where he outlines the training tools necessary for building size and strength.
Structuring your workouts well is essential; learn how to order your exercises for maximum gains.
The importance of training volume can hardly be overstated. In this article, Anthony Ditillo addresses the implications of training volume on your workout routine.
Sometimes, missing a workout or several just cannot be helped; Jim Schmitz tells you how to make the most of the situation and come back strong.
Anthony Ditillo tells you how to find the balance between sets and reps that works best for you and the gains you want to see.
Check out this installment in the history of the Jackson Weightlifting Club.
Randall Strossen had the great honor of observing the Bulgarian National Team train firsthand; read all about their lifting in this article.
Pulls come in many variations; Jim Schmitz reviews a number of them, providing tips on which you should add to your training program.
Your traps are responsible for high pulls, protecting the shoulder, and stabilizing the neck, shoulder girdle, and upper back; Bill Starr guides you through some exercises to develop this incredibly important muscle.
"Analysis of Olympic-style Squatting" by J. V. Askem (Vol. 7, No. 1)
Squats were the foundation of Paul Anderson’s phenomenal strength, and they should play the same role for you as well.
"The Jackson Weightlifting Club: 1925—The Beginning" by Thomas E. Van Vleck (Vol. 7, No. 1)
Read about the dedication and spirit behind the beginning of the Jackson Weightlifting Club.
Warming up well can spell the difference between average lifting and outstanding lifting; do yourself a favor and read Jim Schmitz’s article to brush up on your warm-ups.
By building exercises into your weightlifting program that help you pull higher and more explosively, you will greatly improve your lifting ability.
Update your knowledge of the jerk with Tom Hirtz’s analysis of the current theory that’ll lead you to even bigger clean and jerks.
Re-live the history and philosophy of the Jackson Weightlifting Club with this article.
Overhead lifting is especially important for athletes; Bill Starr explains which exercises to do to maximize your gains, and how to make overhead lifting a part of your training program.
Olympic exercises are a powerful way to create a stronger, faster, and fitter football player.
"Adaptive Planning" by Steven Plisk, M.S., C.S.C.S. (Vol. 7, No. 3)
Learn how to find the right balance between fitness and fatigue with this exceptional article, which will help you train to maximize your lifting abilities without outpacing your capabilities for growth.
Overhead lifting is especially important for athletes; Bill Starr explains which exercises to do to maximize your gains, and how to make overhead lifting a part of your training program.
Olympic exercises are a powerful way to create a stronger, faster, and fitter football player.
Learn how to find the right balance between fitness and fatigue with this exceptional article, which will help you train to maximize your lifting abilities without outpacing your capabilities for growth.
Past your prime but still want to work out? Don’t worry - here’s an excellent training program for you, courtesy of expert weightlifting coach Jim Schmitz.
The Lost Past. A Story of the International Weightlifting Federation is a fantastic book about the history of weightlifting, written by none other than the President of the IWF.
In this article, Bill Starr lays out what could be done to return America to its former position as a top power in the weightlifting world.
Learn about several exercises designed to increase your power, strength, and technique in the classic lifts.
The front squat is a great exercise for anyone who wants stronger legs. Jim Schmitz writes about proper technique for the front squat, and how you can make it a part of your training program.
Success in a weightlifting competition frequently comes down to strategic attempt selection. Realize your potential by choosing attempts wisely; Tom Hirtz tells you how in this article.
Learn the key ingredients of successful training programs with this article by Rob Haan, which explores the workouts behind the gains of lifting heroes such as Milo of Crotona, Paul Anderson, Bill Kazmaier, and the Bulgarian Olympic lifters.
You can’t make a good lift if you don’t a have a good start; kick your lifting into high gear using Bill Starr’s expert advice on beginning a lift well.
Overlooked by too many strength athletes, stretching should be an essential part of your training. Jim Schmitz runs through a number of stretches that target everything from your ankles to your whole body.
In this article, Charles Fraser lays out the basics of the one-arm dumbbell swing and press and the dumbbell clean and press.
Everyone should include Olympic-style movements in his training; learn how from this article.
For trap development, look no further than the power shrug, a great way to boost your power and ability to lift big weights.
Learn how to train for cardiovascular fitness without compromising your strength level by including selective circuit training in your workout program.
Adding some lifting to a boxer’s workout undoubtedly gives him an edge over his non-lifting competitors, as Ned Beaumont writes.
Read about the training behind Olympic gold medal-winner Tara Nott.
Jim Schmitz provides the basics on the snatch - technique and workout pointers.
If you’re looking to rejuvenate your squat program, look no further than this article. Bill Starr lays out a number of ways you can target different muscles, target the same muscles in a different way, or simply add some mental stimulation to your squat workout.
Learn how to work around the body parts that take the longest to recover and give the faster-recovering body parts an extra workout.
Confused about how many sets and reps you should be doing on each exercise? Read this article.
J. V. Askem presents the history of the clean and press, as well as plenty of technique and training advice.
Learn how to do the power snatch from the platform, hang squat snatch, and snatch high pull, and check out training routines incorporating the lifts.
This article explains how to help the slow-recovery body parts to recover faster in the squat, and to squat as often as your legs allow.
In this article, Ollie Whaley explains several models for preventing bomb-outs in weightlifting competitions.
Use the scoop technique, based on extensive biomechanical research, to improve you lifting in the snatch, clean, and pull.
Read about a month of training with Vladimir Popov and Mihail Vihodet, including their workout routines.
In this must-read article, Randall Strossen shares with you his time in Poland observing coach Ivane Grikurovi training two of the world’s top lifters, Szymon Kolecki and Georgi Asanidze.
The incline bench press works wonders for size and strength in the shoulder girdle, and should be part of everyone’s training routine.
Mike Burgener shares his method for teaching the snatch.
Bill Starr shares some tips on getting the necessary training done, even when time constraints loom large.
Need a platform? Build one: here’s how.
"Training Around Injuries" by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 10, No. 1)
Treating each “injured” area separately, Jim Schmitz guides you through training with an injury, with the aim of getting back into top shape without injuring yourself further.
The split snatch was the preferred by many of weightlifting’s greatest until relatively recently; incorporate it into your training program and see gains in your top pull.
In this article, Charles Fraser works through two routines designed to boost your strength and muscle building efforts.
Jim Schmitz, long-time owner of the famous Sports Palace Gym in San Francisco, gives you the basics on running a weight room, including equipment, scheduling, and layout.
Worried about sore knees? This article explains three knee problems that are typically blamed on squats, but that really originate from other exercises.
Power pulls build athletes’ explosive power, useful in sports from football and basketball to sprinting. Learn how to incorporate them into your training routine with Tim Swords’ expert advice.
Tommy Kono’s book Weightlifting, Olympic Style is an indispensable guide for anyone attempting to enhance their explosive movements, competitive lifting, or athletic abilities. A four-time Olympic gold medal winner, Tommy Kono’s lifting advice is well worth listening to.
For your clean to improve, you must maintain correct form; learn how in this article.
J. V. Askem lays out techniques for squatting well that will minimize your risks of knee injury.
As Bill Starr writes, “Your jerk can never be too strong.” This is a great article on improving your jerk for increased shoulder and back strength.
Get the scoop on the Olympic weightlifting training that has propelled Jesse Marunde to the top of the strongman world.
Lifters sometimes face the dilemma of whether to lift in the A group or the B group; Jim Schmitz offers some suggestions and thoughts.
In 1973, the press was eliminated from the Olympic weightlifting. This article traces the impact of that change on the world’s best weightlifters.
In this article, learn how to orient your weight training towards building stamina, and achieve your highest level of personal physical development.
Learn the secrets of fast-paced heavy lifting, and incorporate it into your training program today for increased muscular, skeletal, cardiovascular, and pulmonary functions.
Learn an efficient pulling technique from USAW Regional Coach John Drewes.
"Salvaging a Crummy Workout" by Bill Starr (Vol. 11, No. 3)
Everyone has a bad day here and there, but, with Bill Starr’s article as inspiration, don’t let it stop you from training productively.
"Body-Maintaining" by J. V. Askem (Vol. 11, No. 3)
Increase your circulation, cardio-respiratory abilities, and strength level by following the insights presented in this article. An especially important article for older lifters.
"The Art of Coaching Weightlifting for Beginners" by John Drewes (Vol. 11, No. 4)
Learn the ropes of coaching lifters new to the sport, from increasing their motivation to introducing them to lifting technique.
"Three Photos That Changed My Weightlifting Life" by Dionysis Metaxas (Vol. 11, No. 4)
Photographs have the capability to alter your training, as Dionysis Metaxas has found.
Just in case you were losing your faith in lifting, Steven Helmicki gives you a solid philosophical argument for continuing with your training.
Learn how to get in a good workout even when that hotel gym lacks the equipment that an Olympic lifter considers vital: a platform, racks, a straight bar, and bumper plates.
The clean and jerk is an invaluable exercise for football strength training, making you bigger, stronger, quicker, and more flexible.
Confidence when lifting overhead weights is absolutely essential - follow John Drewes’ tips and feel comfortable with the snatch, jerk, and squat.
This article is indispensable for anyone for whom the jerk is not a completely natural movement. John Drewes provides thorough analysis of the movement, with tips for the places where you may go astray.
For balanced and continued gains, long-term planning and devotion is required of a weightlifter, as Charles Fraser writes.
The deadlift is a great movement for increasing strength in the back, hips, and legs, and is especially useful for boosting a lifter’s clean.
Overhead squats are perfect for building core strength, improving balance, and increasing shoulder, back, and hip flexibility and stability.
Learn how to keep your strong years going as long as possible with this article, which explores the training and attitude that will keep you strong and healthy.
Don’t let bad attempt selection foul a good effort; this article will have you selecting the right weights in no time at all.
Read this fascinating history of the two-hands jerk, and the impact of the clean and continental styles on the great weightlifters of the Golden Era of Strength.
Many lifters are confused about the relationship between height, weight, and the proper weight class. Cast that confusion away as this article by Jim Schmitz lays out how you can select the appropriate weight class.
Learn about the Turkish weightlifting team’s training routines, and check out some photos of the team in action.
Bill Starr challenges American throwers and lifters to match the training intensity, determination, resolve—and results!—of their foreign counterparts.
An in-season program is crucial to an athlete’s overall success during the competitive year because if he stops all his strength work, he will lose his newly acquired strength rather quickly. How much is enough and how much is too much?
Developing athletic, explosive power in the upper body with the Olympic press will benefit you in all areas of strength training and sports.
Discover why back angle is so important in the start position of a snatch or clean, and three basic rules which will ensure the proper start position, no matter what your body type.
Do your homework on strength training, starting with the squat, starting with a 13-week cyclea la Paul Anderson, and some squat variations you might have missed.
Detailed programs for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced lifter are based on the principle that you must train very hard to make progress; however, you must be able to recover from your workouts.
If you cannot press 80% of your best bench press, your muscular education has been sadly neglected; learn techniques to improve your press based on the training of Paul Anderson.
Strength and technique do not represent some sort of dichotomy in this sport; either one of these qualities need not be developed at the expense of the other . . . one without the other can only lead to mediocrity.
Jim shares his proven — but flexible — system for reps and sets in weight training, with a variety of programs and combinations based on the individual lifter and other factors.
Strong calves play an important function in all sports, not just to enhance athletic performance, but to allow freedom of movement. Bill shows you how to transform your baby cows into raging bulls.
Spotting needs to be coached, just like the lifts; Tom Hirtz discusses spotting the front and back squat.
Bill Starr’s thoughts on why, although technique is important, the lifter should be devoting the bulk of his energy toward pure strength work.
You’ll find some out-of-the mainstream ideas about how bodybuilding, pressing, and training frequency can affect your weightlifting capabilities.
Does a big, non-muscular abdominal girth, like that of Alexeev or Rezazadeh, assist in lifting heavy weights, or is a lighter, trimmer physique, like Chigishev’s more desirable?
Jim Schmitz simplifies CPP training and outlines a sample yearly workout plan, broken down week-by-week and month-by-month, for competition preparation, as well as example cycles and weekly workout programs.
For those older lifters who want to retain a certain level of strength for a healthier lifestyle, Bill Starr guides you in “learning to adapt” and making the necessary changes to your routines as you grow older.
How you arrange the sequence of exercises in your training program may be the most important variable of all: certain principles must be adhered to for a program to be successful.
Rest is the key to strength. Do not be afraid to experiment with different lengths of training cycles and layoffs, or “active” rests if you choose to do some type of different exercise.
Based on data gathered on what the best weightlifters in the world did at the 2005 Worlds, Jim Schmitz helps answer common questions about weightlifting practices.
A good coach can help anyone improve his ability, and if a lifter has a lot of ability, then you can develop a champion. Jim Schmitz provides invaluable coaching advice based on years of exceptional experience.
Charles Fraser’s “jack-of-all” training is a universal routine done over a six-day or four-day schedule that allows you to combine weightlifting, bodybuilding, and strength training.
Using intuitive training and being flexible—that is, able to adjust your training to fit how you’re feeling on that particular day—will enable you to leave the gym with a positive attitude about what you’ve accomplished.
Newcomers to weight training will want to master the technique of specific exercises and prepare their bodies for the stresses of advanced lifts during a period of basic preparation.
“Olympic Lifting Training for Beginners and Intermediates: Getting Started in the Clean and Jerk” by Charles Fraser (Vol. 14, No. 4)
The specific demands and characteristics of Olympic lifting are discussed, along with a suggested warm-up routine and training exercises for the learning the clean and jerk.
The pre-exhaustion technique that has traditionally been used by bodybuilders to increase the size and shape of the target muscle can also be adjusted to increase the size and strength of a target muscle group.
Jim Schmitz’s advice on how to get started with serious weightlifting with basic weight training programs to build a foundation.
Dr. Ken sings the praises of the overhead press for strong shoulders, triceps, and upper back, and encourages you to incorporate it into your training program.
Your entire success on an exercise depends on how your body and mind respond to the exertion; find out how a heavy weight warm-up leads to first-rep success.
Movement efficiency is an important but often forgotten variable in all strength and conditioning work. Brian discusses how to decide when to train for efficiency and when for effort.
Advice on how to prepare your body for the snatch—the lift we love to hate, and perhaps the most difficult event in all athletics.
Jerks are valuable in any sport that relies on quick feet—Bill Starr explains why he includes the jerk in all his athletes’ routines, with tips for perfecting your technique.
The lung booster workout will help you improve your endurance, recovery time, lung strength, and energy, with greater relief from stress.
Sleep is important for anyone wanting to gain size and strength, Bill Starr explains.
Learn the tried-and-true weight gain methods used successfully by the authors when striving to increase lean body mass without drugs.
Jon Bruney shows you advanced exercises that will take your lung power to the next level and condition your entire body—you’ll be amazed at the results.
Few other exercises can provide the full-body anaerobic overload of burpees, making them an ideal choice for conditioning work. Brian Jones shows you the basic form of the burpee, as well as a number of variations to modify its difficulty.
Ken Best’s thoughts on the importance of training for conditioning first and then strength, including various dumbbell exercises, and three different circuit training routines.
Push-ups are excellent for developing upper-body and core strength. Brad Johnson describes several different methods of manipulating the stability of the push-up, for a much more challenging workout.
“Exercises That Teach Technique” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 15, No. 2)
Jim Schmitz gives you his favorite lifts and drills—“the magnificent half dozen”—for improving your weightlifting technique, along with the objective of each exercise.
John Brookfield shows you a new method of training—using your car!—that will not only motivate you, but also rev up your progress.
Follow Jon’s lead and learn how to make your body function as one unit for greater full-body strength.
For those who need a training break, try Steve Helmicki’s Hise shrug program and see what it does for your other lifts when you come back.
Bill explains that becoming proficient in the snatch or the clean and jerk makes one an overall better athlete, and it all starts with enhancing strength in the bottom position.
John moves that we all re-focus a majority of our efforts on the basics: increasing your strength and muscle size through a renewed commitment to big basic compound movements, like the squat and the press, as well as neck and grip work, and stretching.
Brian takes a look at the principles behind effective warm-ups and how they can be implemented to improve your performance in training and competition.
“Upper Extremity Flexibility: Why Rocky Can’t Clean” by Mike Waller, M.A. and Tim Piper, M.S. (Vol. 15, No. 3)
Upper extremity flexibility is important not just for weightlifting movements, but for any power or strength activity as well.
“Try Calf Work to Energize Your Workouts” by Joseph H. Wolfenberger (Vol. 15, No. 3)
Calf work will benefit you in many ways: increased poundage on lifts, increased jumping ability, and enhanced running ability, to name a few.
The bench press is a great lift and arguably the best single exercise for developing upper-body strength and muscle. Jim Schmitz covers all aspects of the bench press, including technique, training, and assistance exercises.
“The Single-Arm Barbell Snatch” by Roger Davis (Vol. 15, No. 3)
Roger Davis shares the performance history and technique of one of the oldest and most dynamic of all weightlifting movements—the single-arm barbell snatch.
Randall Strossen’s inside view at the very beginning of the training cycle aimed at putting two of Grikurovi’s lifters on the podium in Beijing in 2008.
How to sort the wheat from the chaff when considering new training products or methods.
The back injury problem is the number one concern people have about lifting. Learn how to prevent low back injuries and repair injured low backs, as well as to increase low back strength.
In order for anyone to reach the next rung of the strength ladder, he must push his muscular, skeletal, and nervous system to their absolute limits. It is merely a part of the overall process of getting stronger and stronger.
Want to develop great low back strength—and hit the glutes and hammies hard in the process? Meet the arched back good morning and learn about two methods of performance.
Stronger biceps will allow you to handle more weight on your compound upper-back exercises, improve your pulling strength, and help to prevent injuries. Follow John’s training suggestions to strengthen your weak link.
Training the one-arm swing provides greater leg power, explosiveness, increased coordination, and greater chest expansion. Joseph Wolfenberger encourages you to add some variety to your training program.
Sean Burns shares an intensive 12-week strength and power program that helps members of a Special Ops unit in New South Wales, Australia, prepare for and reach their fitness goals. Results for four tactical members are shared at the end of the 12 weeks.
Dr. Ken shares football coaches’ thoughts on why periodization is not applicable to football players, who need to be strong and healthy for an entire season.
The single-arm clean and jerk is one of the oldest lifts on the weightlifting menu. Roger shares the history and performance of this dynamic and interesting lift.
Sooner or later every athlete will experience some sort of injury, regardless of how careful and thorough he is. Bill Starr offers preventative measures as well as post-injury training suggestions. As he says, “You can be hurt and weak or hurt and strong. It’s your choice.”
Due to age or injury, some people just don’t have the flexibility to do squat snatches and cleans or even decent power snatches and cleans. Jim shares with you the hows and whys of the split exercises, sharing technique, assistance movements, and training programs.
Time-focus workouts are most effective as a means of blending strength and conditioning work, developing anaerobic endurance, and developing the capacity to exert force under intense fatigue. Add a new dimension and recharge your enthusiasm for training with this alternative method.
This program is a targeted application that addresses the development of the posterior chain, spinal erectors, and back musculature for increased lifting strength.
Grab a deck of cards and get ready for a great circuit training workout. Brian Jones lays out sample deck training workouts for general strength & conditioning, metabolic conditioning, and heavy lifting.
Use the cable exercises in this routine to develop explosive power and core strength for your sport or activity.
The performance and history of one of the most physically challenging of all of the all-round lifts.
It’s time to take stock of what you’ve done so far this year. Did you do what you set out to do? If not, what are you going to do about it? John shows you that it’s not too late to make your training productive.
Roger Davis introduces one of the most challenging and historical weightlifting exercises of all: the barbell and dumbbell anyhow.
When you’re training in the gym, you should never sacrifice safety for a gain—Gabriel learned the hard way.
Mental toughness, one of the most important factors in the quest for strength, can be developed through this strength and endurance training program.
John Brookfield's Battling Ropes training system pushes athletes to their limits on their cardiovascular system and muscular endurance.
When embarking on a mission to get stronger, you must build a solid foundation and learn proper techniques on all weightlifting exercises, including focusing on your weak areas.
John Christy’s study on how to increase strength by adding (fast-twitch) muscles for go, not muscles for show.
Strength athletes put tremendous demands on the knee joints. Ernest Roy describes two of the more common knee injuries and some basic things you should be doing to either prevent them or recover more fully from them.
Whether or not to include singles in a strength program is a source of confusion among many coaches and athletes. Singles can be most benficial in your quest for greater strength or they can be a huge deterrent—Bill Starr teaches you how to use them wisely.
Roger Davis discusses the history, technique, and records for these all-round lifts. The pullover and press/push, says Davis, requrie "a fearless mindset."
Power is a product of strength and speed. The coaches break down the difference between strength–speed and speed–strength to help you choose the best method to enhance your overall power production.
When it comes to effective, results-producing training, one thing works and it is the same concept that has ruled any lifter's or athlete's attempt to become muscularly larger and strong: one must train very hard and do so consistently.
Use the 80–20 rule to get max results in minimal time when training, and to avoid marathon workout sessions.
There is a definite order of body parts that should be observed for maximum effect from training. Use the rule of indirect stimulation to get the most from your program.
4-D training—deadlifts, dips, dumbbells and dousing—will force the body to adapt, helping you to shatter old strength plateaus and reach your strength goals.
After a bulking-up program that just left him fat, Gabriel Josiah shifted his focus and lost fat, gained strength, and hit new PRs.
With no equipment needed, partner exercises can be easily incorporated into a regular weight training program, especially for teams and other groups of athletes. Brian Jones highlights two exercises that are particularly effective.
When dropping bodyweight for competition you want to maintain your strength, power, speed, coordination, and concentration. Jim Schmitz shares common mistakes when making weight that can lead to disaster, and recommends proper techniques to make weight for effective competition.
Pavel outlines the pros and cons of the high explosive deadlift, who should use it and who should not, and helpful tips if you dare try it.
To be a complete athlete you must also incorporate speed into your workouts. Jon introduces five speed exercises that will build new muscle, burn fat, and raise your heart rate.
Going organic could be the smartest training decision you will ever make, even smarter than switching from leg extensions to 20-rep squats.
After an injury, John discovered the unsupported one-arm dumbbell bench press, which he found to be more productive than a regular dumbbell bench press. Learn how to use this exercise to maximize your potential.
Sled pulling is highly valued for its ability to improve speed and acceleration power. Learn how to make your own sled for a low-cost way to add some variety to your training that will pay off with some nice results.
Sumo wrestling training combines strength and bulk-building with speed-based high-rep squats and push ups, plus back and core work. This training can produce huge gains in size and strength. Ken Best developed his own sumo training routine after a trip to Japan—find out what happened after his 10-week program.
Coach Doherty, of Sacramento High School, has enjoyed success at both the team level (with multiple national team championships) and the individual student level (with national titles and spots on Pan American and World teams) Read about where his labor is focused while developing skill, dedication, enthusiasm, and success in his student athletes.
The single-hand deadlift is one of the ultimate tests of a lifter's overall strength. Learn about the equipment used, record performances, and how-tos on performing this lift.
Bill Starr's short course for those who do not understand exactly how to drop excess bodyweight rapidly while still maintaining a high level of strength. All the principles can also be applied to losing unwanted bodyweight over the long haul.
Training hard, working hard at any physically demanding task, and lifting very heavy weights is a learned skill. The more often you train hard, the better you become at training hard.
Steven shares his six-week training program for developing explosive power–endurance.
Working out on a training bag is an excellent way to vary your weight training program and a good antidote when it has gone stale. Col. Wolfenberger introduces eight training exercises to get you started.
Aging is inevitable—this article looks at a few of the major benefits that high-intensity lifting can have for older individuals and how it can improve both health and quality of life.
Jim Schmitz tells you why he thinks that of all the types of physical training, he believes that Olympic-style weightlifting is the best method for developing your body for any and all physical activities.
Add negatives and negative-accentuated movements to your workout routine for muscle gains.
If an athlete becomes stronger, he will be faster, be able to generate more force in most movements, and be much more resistant to injury. Shouldn't you work as hard as possible to build strength?
Coach Doherty places minimal importance on programming in his approach to develop high school weightlifters. Find out what is most important, and how the program fits in the academic year and plans for competitions.
Understanding how to use the heavy, light, and medium concept is critical for long-term success in strength training. Bill Starr clears up the confusion so you can get the most out of this technique.
To perform a maximum-loaded dumbbell swing calls for a high level of technique and practice—Roger's hints and tips can make all the difference between a mediocre and a supreme dumbbell swing.
Read about the history of the Zercher lift, one of the classic all-round lifts developed by Ed Zercher. Want to give Zercher squats a try—you'll find detailed instructions here.
Does correct technique matter? Yes! Read about how to recognize common technique errors in your weightlifters and athletes, and how to fix them for maximum efficiency.
There are really only two groups of lifters who claim they want to get big: those who genuinely do; and those who want to get big . . . but not fat. Which category do you fall into?
Bill Starr presents several lesser-known weightlifting exercises to help an athlete improve a weak area on a specific lift.
Basketball rebounding is a valuable exercise for developing quickness, power, and explosiveness—especially for those who train solo.
John uses his Battling Ropes to simulate traditional exercises with barbells and dumbbells, building strength and working your muscles in a totally unique and effective way.
Approaching the big 4-0, Steve wanted to create a new workout that was challenging and that would allow him to gain in size and strength. Read about his three-day-a-week program that emphasizes some mass-building exercises and general physical preparedness work.
Public protection personnel should maintain a high degree of strength and fitness to meet the demands of their roles and to maximize health and safety. With experience in PPP, Ken offers some tips and tricks for making gains when keeping a strict schedule is difficult.
Train as hard as you possibly can, but don't push your body to its max all the time. Weightlifting coach Jim Schmitz shows you how to maintain your body for the highest level of performance.
Almost every athlete overestimates his ability to recover. Brian shows you a method for monitoring the state of your recovery to help you learn when you've fully recovered from a workout.
Jon shares a workout that combines kettlebells and a treadmill to produce results quickly. If you push yourself on this workout you'll see fat loss, accelerated recovery, and an improved mental outlook.
Football coaches need to focus on the right tests and right drills that translate into superior performance on the field of play.
Dr. Ken explains why Olympic-style lifts formed the basis of strength training for football and how the strength portion of strength and conditioning has taken a back seat to technique and conditioning.
Here's an alternative to barbell training with a bar modified to jo (a traditional Japanese fighting stick that is 4' long and 1" in diameter) measurements: perfect for deadlifts, shrugs, rows, presses, swings, curls, and hip-belt squats, to name a few. Martial artists, take note.
If you are already or are thinking about becoming a strength and conditioning coach, Dr. Ken's overview of the strength and conditioning coach for professional athletes might give you a new perspective.
CrossFit is both a training philosophy and a sport and incorporating it into your existing weightlifting routines will increase dramatically your training intensity—and make you a better lifter.
Dr. William Crawford provides guidelines for a safe way to pursue cardiovascular conditioning as you get older. How high should you take your target heart rate?.
On a mild level, overtraining can ruin a good training cycle. When it hits full force, it can lead to physical and emotional burnout, injury, and even depression. The best way to handle overtraining is to not fall into the trap in the first place.
Dezso Ban thinks that weightlifting is the best activity a person can do to improve and preserve health, and he presents his argument that weightlifting reduces blood pressure.
Training heavy can lead to tweaked shoulders and elbows. Club training can help restore, rejuvenate, and even prevent sore shoulders.
A set formula-type routine will almost always make you stronger in the beginning, but once you move into the intermediate and advanced levels, you have to start utilizing the concept of individual differences and design a routine that fits you.
Training with Jim Schmitz helped the author become stronger, get fitter, and hold off some of the effects of aging that he was beginning to feel. Read about the three lessons that helped him reach his goals.
Your beliefs about your training matter, and they matter in tangible ways.
Building and maintaining a strong upper back has many benefits for anyone wanting to improve his overall strength and achieve a high level of fitness—including those in competitive or contact sports.
While rehabbing from a work-related injury, Ken modified his weight training equipment, which allowed him to train harder without costing a lot of money or taking up precious space.
The all-round weightlifter needs to be battle-ready to approach weightlifting in its many forms. Roger suggests guidelines for strength, power, flexibility, balance, and proper technique.
In a hectic life, how do we time our training to leverage our daily rhythms or body clock to maximize results? Learn about hormonal fluctuations—in particular growth hormone and cortisol—as they relate to resistance training progress and our daily lives.
Pacific weightlifters lift with passion—they tackle the bar fearlessly and lift with an energy that can only be described as brute strength. Paul Coffa answers the question, "How can young Pacific Islanders be so strong?"
Learn how to preserve your chest and shoulder muscles through kinematics, speed, grip width, and arm angles, and rethink your training on benches, presses behind the neck, flyes, inclines, etc.
Dr. Ken presents a program to strengthen one's "core." It comes, as does gaining strength in any muscle or muscle group, from slavishly hard and heavy work.
Have a busy life? Consolidate more strength training work into less time with this two-day-per-week program of combination lifts.
Pavel's plank-based drills will help you acquire a level of pre-tension skill that is used to improve performance by elite athletes in weightlifting, powerlifting and gymnastics.
Your attitude and application of a workout will cause you to succeed or fail. Steve Jeck shares the best workout he's ever used for competing and stone lifting quests—a program that will work, if you do.
Stress can drive up blood pressure, promote cardiovascular disease, deter training progress, and cause a loss of strength. Read about the physiological effects of stress, the hidden signs of stress, and how to combat this silent killer.
Jim Schmitz talks about some of his lifters who got started in Olympic-style weightlifting later in life and how you can, too—it's never too late to start lifting weights.
Basic hardball training on a few exercises that can be done at home as well as in a gym or weight room is all that any man or woman needs to truly transform his or her muscular system.
Metabolic conditioning is a system of high intensity physical conditioning first published by Arthur Jones. If you could use cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength at the same time, you'll want to read this article.
Steven Helmicki's 6-week training program develops combat readiness for soldiers for increased survival rates.
Warm-ups are the athlete's way of rehearsing elements of the workout and priming the neuromuscular system. The methods presented here also help reduce injuries.
In order to get considerably stronger and stay that way, gains do not have to come in a rush, which is a good thing because they seldom do. Use baby steps to make small gains on a steady basis.
Take advantage of the laws of conservation momentum in the Olympic lifts to improve your performance.
If you intend to move big iron, you're going to have to use the most powerful weapon in your arsenal—your mind.
The honest worker is exceedingly frank in his assessment of himself and is never one to cheat by inflating lifting numbers, using excessive support gear, or objectionable drugs. He wants to be able to do it right or not do it at all. Are you an honest worker?
Learning to listen and take advice from those more experienced will help trainees learn the lifts more quickly, with better technique, and avoid injuries.
In the quest for increased strength, one thing remains constant—when you put in hard work on the results-producing, often uncomfortable exercises, you'll make significant gains.
Exercises which emphasize jumping have a significant impact on strength, fitness, and all-around athletic ability: here are four that can esily be incorporated into your training.
Can MILO readers, who are far from average and practice lifestyles the average person can hardly comprehend, rely on mainstream medicine to treat us effectively when we break down?
Do heavy squats give you a headache? Dr. Crawford explains the different types of headaches induced by strenuous movement and offers techniques to moderate or prevent them.
A program that focuses on a few exercises that work the major muscular structures of the body is still an effective way to get larger and stronger.
Proper spotting techniques, exercise form, equipment use, and support gear create a recipe for safety in the gym.
Skaith Elementary School gets its students off to the right start by implementing "air barbell" techniques in their weightlifting program.
Brian Jones looks at claims from a study on training opposing muscle groups and tells you how to best use the method for maximal strength and power.
Holding your breath causes you to carry enormous tension. Learn about Systema breathing and how it can help your training program and competition performances by reducing anxiety and releasing tension.
Don't quit or miss training when increased work or personal obligations take their toll on your time and energy. Abbreviated training programs can be exercise-specific, or can utilize the heavy, medium, and light method.
Sports science has found applications for eccentric action in the healing and repair of some tendon injuries. Learn when and when not to use this type of exercise.
Use the wrecking ball in your strength and conditioning program to develop explosiveness, improve concentration, create a large and fast eccentric force that preloads muscles, and improve the mind–body connection.
This question usually separates the men from the boys. Jim Schmitz shares his research on what the best weightlifters in the world squat.
DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness is the creeping pain that begins about 12 hours post workout. But is the "no pain, no gain" approach really necessary?
The skill of weightlifting lies in the ability to control explosive movement with extraordinary precision, so the question is, "To jump or not to jump?"
Making gains is the goal of anyone who has ever picked up a barbell or loaded a stone. What kind of progress can you reasonably expect given your age and experience level?
Increase your pressing power by incorporating serratus anterior exercises into your workout.
Bill Starr gives advice for setting up a home gym,outlining the pros and cons of weight training at home by yourself, and what you need for a basic home gym.
When muscles work as an integrated unit, the entire body becomes stronger. Find out which exercises or movement patterns can produce the greatest strength and development gains in abdominal training.
You do not need a mega-gym to achieve your goals. Put this summer training program into practice to lose extra bodyweight and maintain cardiovascular fitness for your fall and winter training programs.
Dr. Ken Leistner on Bill Starr's unique approach to improving the deadlift . . . by not practicing the deadlift.
To improve a weak link in your Olympic lifting, look for an exercise that works the weak link harder than the goal movement.
This minimalist workout uses one bar, two Olympic plates, and two dumbbells; done once a week, it allows you to increase focus to perform each exercise at your highest ability.
Dr. Ken presents the basics for improving muscular size and strength, a requirement before specializing in other sports or weightlifting goals.
Understanding of your neuro-muscular efficiency will give you an advantage no matter what your sport.
Done right, goal setting is a useful motivational tool and a barometer of progress. The SMART acronym describes the necessary components to effective goal setting.
High-velocity, high-power resistance training is a key component in developing powerful athletes.
Coach Jim Schmitz on low bar vs. high bar squats, technique, accessories, spotting, and bailing out in what he calls "the greatest strength developer, bar none!"
Learn about Paul Anderson's training secret of using reverse posturing to put the body in a position where the body part exercised would be engorged with blood before exercising.
The evolution and history of the continental press is an important development in early weightlifting.
Abbreviated training can save a lot of time and effort and yield tremendous gains in strength and size.
Sit-ups and crunches are not the best exercises for training the abdominal region. Learn how exercise selection, lifestyle, and nutrition will help you see the results you are after.
Preventing injury and minimizing the effects of injury when they do occur must remain the primary goal of the strength training program for athletics.
Jim Schmitz resets techniques for increasing your squat, along with with the Soviet Squat system workout and the Schmitz Squat system, as well as programming details.
Are assistance exercises necessary or should you focus on the target lifts to make the greatest improvements? Read the pros and cons of this age-old debate.
The first in a three-part series that presents advanced training and methods of play that improve head and neck safety on the football field
Read about the interaction of strength training with medications and how to continue to train seriously even if you need medication.
It is a widely held belief that carrying around more bodyweight than normal may have adverse health effects. However, what about carrying around extra lean tissue?
Explore the influences, principles, and limitations of HIIT/circuit training, its efficiency and use of multi-tasking. Heavily influenced by the all-around demands of the military and various police and emergency services, this is the "be ready for anything" orientation.
Has your regular squatting program gotten stale? Get your workout back on track with a new leg workout routine, and renew your enthusiasm for performing the squats.
Learn why victory loves preparation-and more precisely, find out strategies to improve the effectiveness of your specific warm-ups, especially fir squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses.
This article points to a possible ergogenic benefit of omega-3 or fish oil capsules for hard-training lifters.
Tennis is not what anyone might consider a strength sport, although it is unbelievably physical. Strength training helps reduce injury and improve attitude and intensity on the court.
We are becoming a slow-twitch society, and a general decline in our reactive abilities will play an adverse role in sports injuries. The second in a three-part series that presents advanced training and methods of play that improve safety on the field.
In the second part of this article, Dr. Ken makes a strong case for the development of the cervical spine and related muscles as the main purpose of strength training programs for football. Develop the musculature that will reduce the probability and severity of injury.
Planning your training is based on your lifts and the order you do them. Based on the Magnificent Seven, Miller provides templates for 2x, 3x, and 4x a week training.
Recovery is the key ingredient in a training plan. See what weightlifting champion Tommy Kono, and famous Bulgarian weightlifting coach, Ivan Abadjiev, have to say about it and learn how you can manage this "other side" of training for awesome physical prowess.
Metropolol is a beta-adrenergic that basically treats blood pressure medication on weight training - and overcomes side effects so many people fear by desire, drive, and determination.
Training for football is a singular task, specific to on-field training is injury prevention, protecting the cervical spine musculature.
Do you want to be big and strong? Unplug your computer and explore the origins of "old school" strength. Find out what Aristotle has to say about strength and power.
Adding weight to the bar in planned increments - that is how Chuck Miller defines progression. Learn the advantages of old-school powerlifting cycles, and the value of consistency, sticking to a core regimen of lifts.
The third part in a series of articles on the importance of training the abdominal muscles. With movement there needs to be a balance between stability and mobility - learn how a stronger abdominal wall generates more strength for the other muscles working off its base.
What does research say about the effectiveness of kettlebell training? Used correctly, kettlebell training can improve core and lower body strength, and build aerobic capacity,
One of the oldest debates in sports is whether athletic greatness is inherent in our genes or the product of long, hard training. Ernest Roy explores the all-American notion that hard work is rewarded.
Learn how the ratio of strength in muscles can be harnessed to exercise muscles so weak they are incapable of movement. As long as the nerve survives, there is hope for recovery - and you can't put a price on this potential.
This article makes the case that all Olympic weightlifters can benefit from including stabilizer training in their program. Incorporate hybrid exercises into your routine of good mornings, power cleans, squats, and power snatches, and see instant gains.
Do you want to be a great coach? If the answer is yes, you must first be coachable yourself. Simply put: when an athlete likes his coach, he is more likely to work hard for the coach.
For a slightly different way to perform the shoulder shrug, give this method a try, and feel the benefits of increased chest expansion.
Examine the fundamental anatomy and biomechanics of the "knees in, knees out" technique, and learn how to improve your squat while reducing the risk of injury and the potential hazard of performance-limiting movements.
An appeal to the younger generation of athletes and parents. Helmicki discusses the importance of preventative measures for contact sports, and offers an advanced neck and trap training program designed specifically to reduce the risk of head and neck injury.
Though traditional sit-ups and crunches have their benefits, James argues against isolation exercises and for exercises designed to strengthen the whole muscular system through rotation and stability.
Sometimes life gets in the way of good training intentions. Dr. Ken offers a pragmatic approach to life and training, and a workout routine built for times when you know training time, energy, and enthusiasm may be compromised.
Have you ever wondered how your body creates strength, and where this strength comes from? Learn how understanding the benefits of the central nervous system can lead to better results in the gym.
Do you have poor posture? Could your posture be the reason your progress has slowed in the gym? Take a hard look at your training program, and discover the underlying cause of injury and how to prevent injury while improving your posture.
Steve Justa breaks down the Russian's training strategy, and reveals how adding assistance exercises from week to week in a cyclic pattern increases your ability to lift heavier and heavier weights, and allows for greater muscle coordination and strength endurance.
“Women's Weightlifting Part II: The Road to the Olympics” by Jim Schmitz (Vol. 20, No. 2)
Follow women's weightlifting's road to relevancy in this comprehensive account of perseverance and determination. U.S. men's Olympic weightlifting coach Jim Schmitz reveals how world-champions Tara Nott and Cheryl Haworth helped put the women's weightlifting program on the map.
No different than Kareem Abdul Jabbar's never-miss hook shot, linear periodization requires dedication and attention to detail. An intricate training protocol that calls for adding weight and decreasing reps over a period of time, the trick is not just executing it, but executing it perfectly.
As the 2012 Olympics draw near, the battle for weightlifting supremacy heats up with strategic decisions, big lifts, and top-notch competition. Behdad Salimi, Jang Mi-Ran, and Sa Jahyouk, among others, ride high Olympic expectations and try to gather momentum for the Olympic Games.
Follow the French and German national weightlifting teams as they compete to represent their countries in the 2012 Olympic Games, and get access to Germany's command central as plans are laid for Matthias Steiner, Juergen Speiss, Julia Rhode, and others, to medal in London.
Adopting the teachings of famous master professor Desbonnet, Francois Lancoud's journey to champion is challenged by his relationship with the Central European weightlifting press, where even today Swiss bibliographers continue to ignore his name
An article from MILO's Roundtable Report looking at a father-son relationship in strength training from the perspective of the dad as coach.
An article from MILO's Roundtable Report which examines a father-son relationship in strength training from the perspective of the son as trainee.
Burn away your back pain by directly approaching the problem. Through kettlebells and deadlifts, transform your physical being, and feel the benefits of "white heat".
Learn how active rest can be an invaluable training tool for any athlete—particularly the older athlete—and incorporate active recovery into your training regimen.
Are you competing at your optimal weight? Learn the benefits of competing at the highest weight allowed in your weight category, and why it is important to be as lean as possible.
Brian Jones exposes a hidden benefit to high-repetition sets of the major lifts: training and strengthening the respiratory muscles.
Eliminate anxiety—a performance killer for a competitive powerlifter—and discover how breathing patterns can help you operate with very little tension.
Take a journey into the unknown and find out who you really are.
Though technically complex, avoiding the Olympic lifts is a big mistake. No other exercise enhances athletic motor skills so thoroughly and effectively.
A detailed program for the initiated lifter that will see huge gains in the gym and on the court.
Rev. Arnold Pope's best all-time sermon on his encounter with a hammer and how it led to the creation of a safety cage.
Dr. Ken demystifies abbreviated routines and shows how effective they can be in enhancing muscular size and strength.
Jim Schmitz gives an in-depth report of the 2012 Olympic Games, bringing his unique insight and expertise to the Olympic experience and all of the weightlifting action.
The 2nd annual FLABathlon finds Notre Dame Alumni gathering to celebrate the famous "Strongman Priest".