20 mistakes to be avoided by the weightlifter

[Donny.Shankle]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[yoshidragonaga]

Donny, I have been following your 20 mistakes... articles and I love every single one of them. Very well written, very informative, and unfortunately, I can relate to quite a bit of them...

Mie

[Donny.Shankle]

Thank you for following them. If you have done any of the mistakes no worries, how would we know how to get better at something if we don't even know what to improve?

[davebeers]

Donny,
Been reading the forum for almost 6 months but registered just to come on this thread and say thanks. Its good to see a successful lifter that has been through so much try to help beginners like myself. Thank you, looking forward to the rest of you tips.
-dave beers-

[Donny.Shankle]

That means a lot to me and thank you for reading.

[Christine Petty]

Donny, these were all great articles. Thanks for posting them!

[NickHorton]

Thanks, Donny, for posting these! Not only are you giving solid advice, but they're fun to read. (EDIT: I used the wrong "they're", "there")

Here's my list of favorite quotes. I try to read them in my best "preacher voice" - both of my Grandfathers were southern baptist preachers, so I have an inside track :)

“Auxiliary lifts are only important for the inattentive and impatient beginner.”

“All thought must be established prior to training and your thoughts have to be positive. Once your shoes are on the platform and the hands touch the bar your time for thinking is over.”

“I will let you know right now you will have more bad days in training than good. Learning bad days are of no importance will help you stay positive and keep you coming back. What matters is how much you lift on competition day.”

“Give to the people what they came for and no matter how embarrassed you may feel getting back up on that stage or what kind of condition you are in go and finish the fight. I only made one clean & jerk that day but I gave that little boy 420.”

“When you are lifting in competition keep the sad frowny faces at home. If you miss an elbow lock out at least try to play it off and look like you made it.”

“Leonardo went through countless rough drafts and portraits for hire before he painted his Mona Lisa. You in turn will compete many times before you display something the world will never forget.”

“Weightlifting is the greatest display of an athlete’s confidence and discipline, no other sport presents a challenge in strength so radical as weightlifting.”

“No matter how many attempts you take at a lighter weight this will not prepare you mentally for the heavier weight”

“If you think you are eating enough you are wrong. In fact, if you are a weightlifter reading this now without food in your hand you are wrong.”

“Great competition breeds uncommon results and you should strive to surround yourself with weightlifters just as interested in becoming stronger and more skilled as you are.”

“Genetic disposition for this sport means absolutely nothing. The hard working weightlifter who has the charisma to positively deal with struggle and be consistent in showing up for training everyday will improve his or her performance.”

“Every miss and your reaction to it will shape your character.”

“Sometimes the smallest of changes result in big differences”

“Working up to maximal weights quickly should be practiced to conserve energy and to take as many attempts at maximum weights as possible.”

“Recovery means absolutely nothing during this time and the word itself is for the hopeless neophytes. A true weightlifter is the picturesque example of adaptation and commitment.”

“Save the high rep sets for the beginners and gyms with mirrors, a weightlifter lifts heavy weights.

“Get used to living in a squat rack. The site of a squat rack should give you a nauseous feeling in your gut at first but pull up a chair when you get done snatching and clean & jerking because you are not going anywhere.”

“The clean & jerk is the “ king of lifts,” and the weightlifter who refines this lift to the last detail will walk king amongst men.”

“Give the good people what they came for and leave nothing on the table for the pygmies who think they stand a chance against you.”

Great stuff!!

[ChadKlump]

Good stuff

[SparkleGlitterElite]

These are fantastic.

And, I am totally blaming you when everyone around me starts complaining as I sing myself a cadence. That might become my new thing to do...

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Donny these are great articles. Thanks so much for sharing.

All the best,
Arden

[Donny.Shankle]

Your welcome Arden I am glad you are enjoying them.

[davebeers]

great stuff, humbling yet inspiring at the same time.
I'm brand new to weightlifting but a veteran of the iron from powerlifting and strongman. Just getting into good snatch and squat positions has been the hardest part for me so far. feel like i can't even use my strength yet until my mobility and coordination for the lifts gets better. This thead should be posted as a sticky.

Donnie, can you post some videos of you squatting? I'm curious also about tempo when squatting. In my experiences in strongman i like to mimic the movement i am working on in the gym. As explosive and ballistic the snatch and clean and jerk are should i try to mimic that when i squat? Dropping into the hole and trying to recover from it?
Do you still get sore when training 5-6 days a week? I'm using muscles i didn't know i had and a full snatch/C&J and squat session takes me some time to recover from. I'm not complaining just curious if that ever goes away, i'll live with the pain if i have to

Good stuff, keep em coming. Have learned more from this thread than reading forums for 6 months.

[Donny.Shankle]

I am going to be answering all of these questions in another chapter/thread I have coming out next month so for now I will try and answer your question briefly. Look for a more detailed answer soon.

All very good questions and thank you for the compliments. I myself initially started with a love of strongman competition. The stretch reflex that takes place for a weightlifter is not something to be applied initially and easily understood. Learning to time this action just right (especially for the clean) is one of the hallmarks of a well trained weightlifter. Yes, some novice weightlifters can grasp the concept and apply it to light weights but to do the same thing with truly challenging heavy weights takes years of conditioning. So just keep applying yourself and in time it will come. I would have to see a video of you lifting to have a better understanding of what you could do better or may even avoid.

There are some video's of me posted on the California Strength website and if you do not find them there then just type my name in you tube there may be one up there. I will ask Glenn to video me squatting correctly and see if he would like to post it up here for you.

Tempo although important is not as important as just getting up with the weight. Squatting fast is a result from being strong and no other. Many people will disagree with me here and that's fine but if you are able to squat 200k for one maximal effort, then squatting 170 kilos will be much easier and faster if YOU APPLY YOURSELF TO MOVE FAST. For your squats go up as heavy as you can all the time and focus on speed while you are snatching and clean & jerking. This is not to say do not move fast while you squat but rather just get you ass up out of the hole any way you can. Alternate the days you squat maximum with days you squat just below maximum 10-15 kilos. On the days you are just below, then, try to increase the tempo. As a rule though concern your self with moving more weight to increase the tempo you are interested in achieving. STRONGER = FASTER.

Every squat you do is mimicked directly off of how you intend to lift. Any variation outside of rock bottom with a stretch reflex having the intent to move quickly does nothing for your lifting. Box squats, lunges, low bar squats are all a waste of time and will do nothing for your performance on the platform. Move quickly out of the hole in the squat if you plan to do the same for the snatch and clean & jerk.

A weightlifter continually deals with soreness. Being sore is part of being a weightlifter. Of course, we do our best to combat this soreness with proper rest and nutrition but really it is something which you will have to overcome mentally if you plan to meet success. The more you train the more you will begin to adapt to the stress but even at these moments your in comfort zones and to move out of them requires you confronting discomfort again.

For more info on how to train please contact me for a skype session at donnyshankle@californiastrength.com

[glennpendlay]

By Donny Shankle CPT

Inability to Keep a Tight Back (1)
BEGINNER

The most common mistake made by weightlifters first starting out is their inability to keep their back straight while pulling the bar from any position. Every lifter will develop his or her own style which is conducive for them. In fact some of your elite champions do not follow textbook style technique (whatever that is.) However, there are certain positions through the lift which must be followed very strictly in order to complete a successful lift. Holding a straight back is essential for the weightlifter to generate the most power out of the legs, and keep the chest from dropping in either the pull or finished catch position. A bar caught with a rounded back and collapsed chest and shoulders, leaves no position for the bar to be received. Elbows in turn will drop to the knees which can seriously damage the wrists, and in competition this action is illegal. A rounded back when pulling from the floor will leave the bar out in front of the body instead of against the body which will result in a slower lift, missing the lift, and the overall safety of the weightlifter is in jeopardy.

Many young weightlifters develop this bad habit initially from not practicing good posture throughout the day. More and more young people are living very sedentary lives. Through years of playing video games and being on the computer hunched forward looking at the TV or monitor, has grossly affected their physical development. Even while you are reading this now how is your posture?

The spine is in a weak position lazily hunched forward, additionally, the chest being forward causes the lungs to not develop properly (another mistake discussed later.) If the torso is continually supported by leaning forward and bracing the elbows on a table or your knees, then the stabilizer muscles become inactive. The result of this is clearly seen on the platform when a young lifter struggles to keep their back straight, chest and chin up. All the more reason in today's technological age to encourage an exercise program for young people. Lack of physical play is detrimental to a young person's growth and development of kinesthetic awareness.

Constant reiteration by the coach and continual concentration by the athlete on keeping the back straight is the first step in breaking this bad habit. Exercises like the back raise and squat can be applied to training to help strengthen the muscles of the back. A straight back is crucial to applying the most force against the bar safely and efficiently. Once the back is strong enough to stay out over the bar until maximum extension of the hamstrings has been reached, the weightlifter will begin to move heavier weights quicker and with more confidence.

*Over the next 20 days I will talk about 20 mistakes a weightlifter can avoid to achieve success on the platform.

I agree with this, and will add that I think it is a HUGE reason to teach from the top down... applying the Pendlay learning progression lets the lifter learn to pop the hips and catch the bar with the shoulders back and little or no chance of letting them drift forward. Moving on from there is dependent on hitting the right positions, and can slow down if a lifter cant keep the shoulders back.

[Sean Waxman]

By Donny Shankle CPT

Not Having Something Else in Your Life (20)
BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED

Having a part time job, going to school, or taking up a hobby can be very beneficial to your success as a weightlifter. Many weightlifters at some point believe they have to think about weightlifting every moment of the day and through the night. They keep journals next to them ready to jot down any advice they happen to come across or continuously watch video's of the Olympic champions in search for any secrets. Often times they will lie awake at night unable to rest the way that is needed for training because they become so focused on how to become better.

The last thing you will learn as a great competitive weightlifter whose shadow demands others to clear a path is that unfortunately there is no substitute for time. Weightlifting requires year round training so as long as you bring the heart the numbers will come. It is my deepest wish for those who took the time out of their day to read this that they can learn to avoid this last mistake from the very beginning. Throughout the chapters of this book I will teach you everything you need to know in order to be a great weightlifter but know always that you must put in the time. This does not mean you need to sacrifice your happiness. Sacrifice is a word only used by the bitterly resentful tyrants of yesterday and today. True, weightlifting must become a selfish endeavor but do not let your selfishness become a whirlwind of uncontrollable power. Selfishness can be a virtue so long as it does not lead to your destruction. As much as the fight with the bar will always be a love hate relationship, like a marriage, go to bed happy. She will be there again tomorrow.

The greatest things you will attain from being a competitive weightlifter are the values it teaches you to be integrated in life. My father who was a minister used to always tell me, “Donny you don't read the bible the bible reads you.” As a boy I never could understand him but now as a man I hear his wisdom and today only wish he were still around to let him know. You see you will never understand every detail about weightlifting. Part of the joy in this sport is the excitement it brings you in understanding new things about it everyday. What you will begin to understand is everything about yourself. Every miss and your reaction to it will shape your character. Every successful attempt will teach you where glory really belongs. Every shake of your coaches hand and every kiss from the woman or man that you love when you win or when its all over will teach you to love the simplest of life's pleasures.

It does not matter if you are guilty of any of these mistakes for I and most every weightlifter is guilty of nearly all of them. Remember, if we do not know how to improve, how are we ever to achieve the ideal.

Good Luck.


If you would like to talk to Donny and learn more about how to become a great weightlifter you can find him on skype at donny.shankle or email him at donnyshankle@californiastrength.com

I'm speechless!
Can I have your permission to post this on my blog? If so, should I use the contact information you provide in the post?

[Donny.Shankle]

Thank you for following my thread. Look for a new thread to be posted by me starting Dec. 1. Yes you have my permission to post any of these articles on your website so long as you include my contact information. donnyshankle@californiastrength.com

[Alan K CF Triumph]

Thank You.

AL

[RoySharp]

Where did they go?

[Donny.Shankle]

I took them down to add ten more mistakes and later incorporate them into a book I have been working on. A number of my clients have mentioned to me I should pursue the idea. If you would like to see them Roy please contact me through my email donnyshankle@californiastrength.com

[Donny.Shankle]

Not Eating Enough To Build Lean Muscle (5)
BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE

By Donny Shankle CPT

Many weightlifters simply do not consume enough calories to improve their lean muscle mass. The more lean muscle you have and the heavier you are for your competing class while training will maximize your performance. It is muscle that generates force, hence the more muscle you have the more force you can produce. Muscle cannot grow without the proper and abundant proteins needed to replenish muscle tissue breakdown. Nine out of ten weightlifters will insist that they are eating enough when in fact upon closer inspection of a food journal, they are eating about as much as a Muslim during the sun-lit hours of Ramadan. If you think you are eating enough you are wrong. In fact, if you are a weightlifter reading this now without food in your hand you are wrong. This of course does not give you license to eat like shit and consume garbage. Consuming calories for the sake of calories is sometimes an important part of your training, especially for the heavier weight classes or those trying to put it on. This period of training, however, is specialized and must be balanced with a proper diet of protein building, energy producing, and inflammatory reducing foods. Lean cuts of meat and eggs are the best protein for a weightlifter, honey in your coffee is a secret weapon if you have it for breakfast, steal cut oats with blueberries are a great snack, and ice cream after dinner will help you if your pulling two and three sessions a day in training.

I have observed only two reasons as to why weightlifters neglect this part of training aside from just being lazy. The first is narcissistic in nature by way of being sexually appealing, and the other is financial. Considering weightlifting used to be combined with physique competitions many years ago the first should come as no surprise. Weightlifting causes muscles to grow and muscles at their fullest and leanest are sexy. However, do not let the urge to look trim with your shirt off cause your performance to lag in training. Become as muscular and as thick as you can while at the same time displaying a body you are proud to take your shirt off of. Achieving this type of frame takes years of proper nutrition and heavy training. Doing the lifts heavily will give you the uniquely powerful looking density attributed to the weightlifter that bodybuilders wish for. At the end of training you have to eat and if you are skimping breakfast you will never achieve lifting big weights. Aside from protein, foods rich in anti-oxidants, omega-3's, and vitamin C are also very important. If you are having trouble gaining weight try eating more dairy. Stay away from soy, artificial preservatives, and glucose byproducts as these have a negative side-effect on your hormones, energy levels, and body-fat. (I underlined vitamin C because its very important for a weightlifter to get plenty of so they don't get sick. Weightlifting can break down your immune system dramatically so combat that by always eating oranges and cooking with onions. If you get sick and can't train you lose.)


Not having enough money to eat good food while training unfortunately is a common problem experienced by some weightlifters. There are rarely cash prizes for local and national competitions and when there are you should be lucky enough if it covers your air-fare to the meet (if you had to fly.) Internationally you may walk away with some decent cash but certainly not enough to live off of for next years training. It is not uncommon for an elite weightlifters monthly grocery bill to exceed his or her rent. If you have the chance to train at a regional facility or are given a stipend take it, you have earned it. If you are not living on a regional complex where your food is provided for you then my advice is to learn how to cook and prepare your own meals. This is the reason I am always putting my recipes on our website. Conceiving of new creations in the kitchen will actually help you on the platform. Not only will it keep your belly full and muscles strong but your mind stays sharp too always thinking of making the best out of a frugal cupboard. There are also some other things you can do like buying in bulk, butchering your own meat, searching for restaurant specials, finding cheap buffets and ordering from the dollar menu. Some of these options may not sound exactly like quality eating but you can still achieve amazing results depending on if you work hard and what your metabolism is like. Another thing I can suggest is finding a good coach and facility who care about your performance. What you cannot pay back in coaching and gym fees you can hopefully make up for in medals won and records broken. Gold always shines brighter than green.

[Donny.Shankle]

Do to a high demand I will be posting 5 of the original "20 mistakes" back on the forum. Because I am adding new ones and am in the process of refining old ones, I will not post the rest of them until I complete my book coming soon. Please follow the California Strength blog if your interested in following other excerpts and content which will be included in the book. I am very flattered the kind people on this forum have taken an interest in the "20 mistakes." I honestly had no idea I would have gotten the response I have.Thank you

Not Changing Up the Jumps You Take in Training and Not Taking Big Enough Jumps (19)
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED

By Donny Shankle CPT

If you have been trying to lift a new weight in training and keep coming up short each time try changing up the previous attempts or try getting to maximum weights faster.

Sometimes the smallest of changes result in big differences. For instance, if you are stuck at a 135 kilo clean & jerk and keep trying for 300lbs (136 kilos) and your attempts to get to 135 were 50k, 70k, 90k, 105k, 115k, 125k and 130k, then just change the last couple of attempts taken. Try this, the next time you go in for training after the light attempts finish with 127k, 132k, and then 136k. Mixing up your attempts every so often changes things for your nervous system to break its continual pattern. Very often the weightlifter is capable of doing much more weight but falls into a trap. This trap's exit is small but can be pushed through.

Closer to competition the attempts made in training should become more consistent. Plan on taking in the warm-up area at competition the same attempts you have practiced with in training. While the weightlifter is always looking to get stronger they are also practicing consistency with weights already achieved. The more consistent you are in competition the harder it will be for your competition to keep up with you.

Working up to maximal weights quickly should be practiced to conserve energy and to take as many attempts at maximum weights as possible. In order to lift the heaviest of weights you have to practice with max weights multiple times a day. A great weightlifter should be able to make it to a maximum weight within five attempts. The session will last less than 30 minutes and be repeated 2-5 times a day. This process is continued weekly until the weightlifter begins to not think anymore but only reacts. The body becomes much stronger this way, connective tissues become stronger, bone density improves, and your organs go into overdrive. Another reason you want to practice large jumps in training is to prepare yourself for competition should circumstances dictate an attempt made at a large increase in weight to win.

In order to train with maximum weights multiple times a day an elite weightlifter has to go through a very uncomfortable adaptation phase. Any motor movement outside of the snatch and clean & jerk will become difficult through this period but you must train through this pain and be disciplined in applying your approach to the platform. Recovery means absolutely nothing during this time and the word itself is for the hopeless neophytes. A true weightlifter is the picturesque example of adaptation and commitment.


Not Competing enough (8)
BEGINNER/INTERMEDITE

By Donny Shankle

Competing as often as you can will shape you into an awesome competitor. Having alacrity at every chance to compete will teach you so much about weightlifting.

Do not get caught up in the vainglorious idea of, “I'm so good I only need to compete on the big stage.” This does nothing for you and will only cause you one day to “bomb out” on the big stage. Get in their and show people all the hard work you have done.

Weightlifters are competitors and thrive off winning and learning more about their weaknesses to continue winning so one day their persona becomes legendary. Leonardo went through countless rough drafts and portraits for hire before he painted his Mona Lisa. You in turn will compete many times before you display something the world will never forget.


Not Clean & Jerking Enough (15)
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED

By Donny Shankle CPT

Training begins with the snatch for most weightlifters and as a result the clean & jerk is often trained with less intensity. Training the snatch first is good but don't beat your head against the wall trying to make a weight you keep missing and have nothing left for the clean & jerk. The clean & jerk allows you to lift more weight. The more weight your lifting consistently the stronger you will become. For the advanced weightlifter their should even be a period prioritized to nothing but the clean & jerk. After an elite weightlifter has given special attention to the clean & jerk and shown significant improvement then focus should be redirected to the total.

The total is what your after in training. The total is what wins gold in the competition. Many great weightlifters, however, have walked away in victory even after being behind in the snatch because their clean & jerk was strong enough to pull into the lead and surpass the other competitor's total. Winning this way completely demoralizes your competition and aside from winning you should also be after breaking the will of anyone interested in competing against you. Train the clean & jerk early on and with just as much attention as the snatch.

The clean & jerk very often is trained with less intensity by some weightlifters because it is a much more demanding lift. The duration of the lift is more than 3 times as long as the snatch keeping the weightlifter under stress much longer than the snatch. This added stress when confronted daily will make any weight you approach in the snatch a forgone conclusion. Any weightlifter who does not apply themselves diligently to the clean & jerk and learn its value in and out of competition is in my opinion afraid of hard work and knows nothing about what is needed to be a great weightlifter. The clean & jerk will take you twice as long to perfect because it requires years to develop the strength and confidence needed to open at a weight your competition finishes with.

Both lifts take the better part of your years to master, and both lifts give and take from each other like rival siblings. Weightlifters, however, who develop an appreciation for the clean & jerk early on and work hard to be great at it are typically the weightlifters that stand out in people's minds. Even the person who is not familiar with weightlifting understands what you are explaining when you demonstrate this lift for them. The clean & jerk is the “ king of lifts,” and the weightlifter who refines this lift to the last detail will walk king amongst men.

Although every lift is important, save a special place in your heart for the last clean & jerk. The last clean & jerk is your final impression before the crowd who came to see you. Give the good people what they came for and leave nothing on the table for the pygmies who think they stand a chance against you.


Inability to Keep a Tight Back (1)
BEGINNER

By Donny Shankle CPT

The most common mistake made by weightlifters first starting out is their inability to keep their back straight while pulling the bar from any position. Every lifter will develop his or her own style which is conducive for them. In fact some of your elite champions do not follow textbook style technique (whatever that is.) However, there are certain positions through the lift which must be followed very strictly in order to complete a successful lift. Holding a straight back is essential for the weightlifter to generate the most power out of the legs, and keep the chest from dropping in either the pull or finished catch position. A bar caught with a rounded back and collapsed chest and shoulders, leaves no position for the bar to be received. Elbows in turn will drop to the knees which can seriously damage the wrists, and in competition this action is illegal. A rounded back when pulling from the floor will leave the bar out in front of the body instead of against the body which will result in a slower lift, missing the lift, and the overall safety of the weightlifter is in jeopardy.

Many young weightlifters develop this bad habit initially from not practicing good posture throughout the day. More and more young people are living very sedentary lives. Through years of playing video games and being on the computer hunched forward looking at the TV or monitor, has grossly affected their physical development. Even while you are reading this now how is your posture?

The spine is in a weak position lazily hunched forward, additionally, the chest being forward causes the lungs to not develop properly (another mistake discussed later.) If the torso is continually supported by leaning forward and bracing the elbows on a table or your knees, then the stabilizer muscles become inactive. The result of this is clearly seen on the platform when a young lifter struggles to keep their back straight, chest and chin up. All the more reason in today's technological age to encourage an exercise program for young people. Lack of physical play is detrimental to a young person's growth and development of kinesthetic awareness.

Constant reiteration by the coach and continual concentration by the athlete on keeping the back straight is the first step in breaking this bad habit. Exercises like the back raise and squat can be applied to training to help strengthen the muscles of the back. A straight back is crucial to applying the most force against the bar safely and efficiently. Once the back is strong enough to stay out over the bar until maximum extension of the hamstrings has been reached, the weightlifter will begin to move heavier weights quicker and with more confidence.

(5) is on the previous page

[RoySharp]

Thanks Donny! Looking forward to the book.

[NickHorton]

Right on, Donny! Lookin' forward to the book!

[patriarcaangela]

Thanks, Donny, for posting these! Not only are you giving solid advice, but they're fun to read. (EDIT: I used the wrong "they're", "there")

Here's my list of favorite quotes. I try to read them in my best "preacher voice" - both of my Grandfathers were southern baptist preachers, so I have an inside track :)

“Auxiliary lifts are only important for the inattentive and impatient beginner.”

“All thought must be established prior to training and your thoughts have to be positive. Once your shoes are on the platform and the hands touch the bar your time for thinking is over.”

“I will let you know right now you will have more bad days in training than good. Learning bad days are of no importance will help you stay positive and keep you coming back. What matters is how much you lift on competition day.”

“Give to the people what they came for and no matter how embarrassed you may feel getting back up on that stage or what kind of condition you are in go and finish the fight. I only made one clean & jerk that day but I gave that little boy 420.”

“When you are lifting in competition keep the sad frowny faces at home. If you miss an elbow lock out at least try to play it off and look like you made it.”

“Leonardo went through countless rough drafts and portraits for hire before he painted his Mona Lisa. You in turn will compete many times before you display something the world will never forget.”

“Weightlifting is the greatest display of an athlete’s confidence and discipline, no other sport presents a challenge in strength so radical as weightlifting.”

“No matter how many attempts you take at a lighter weight this will not prepare you mentally for the heavier weight”

“If you think you are eating enough you are wrong. In fact, if you are a weightlifter reading this now without food in your hand you are wrong.”

“Great competition breeds uncommon results and you should strive to surround yourself with weightlifters just as interested in becoming stronger and more skilled as you are.”

“Genetic disposition for this sport means absolutely nothing. The hard working weightlifter who has the charisma to positively deal with struggle and be consistent in showing up for training everyday will improve his or her performance.”

“Every miss and your reaction to it will shape your character.”

“Sometimes the smallest of changes result in big differences”

“Working up to maximal weights quickly should be practiced to conserve energy and to take as many attempts at maximum weights as possible.”

“Recovery means absolutely nothing during this time and the word itself is for the hopeless neophytes. A true weightlifter is the picturesque example of adaptation and commitment.”

“Save the high rep sets for the beginners and gyms with mirrors, a weightlifter lifts heavy weights.

“Get used to living in a squat rack. The site of a squat rack should give you a nauseous feeling in your gut at first but pull up a chair when you get done snatching and clean & jerking because you are not going anywhere.”

“The clean & jerk is the “ king of lifts,” and the weightlifter who refines this lift to the last detail will walk king amongst men.”

“Give the good people what they came for and leave nothing on the table for the pygmies who think they stand a chance against you.”

Great stuff!!

:) thanks for this list :) i will definitely use this cuz i need all the encouragement i can get !

[Dion]

I admire you to share a very nice information. This is a very good plate form that every one can share the ideas and information regarding different topics. Thanks for sharing very valid information.