An Interview with Zygmunt Smalcerz - Refik Colasan (1975)

From this issue

I.O.L. Feb. 1975

Thank You, Sir!  

Smalcerz was very friendly to me during the time he stayed in Ankara. it was my pleasure to take him around the town after the banquet of Sunday night. I showed him and the other Polish lifters issues of IOL. Although they appreciated the magazine very much they said that they do not have the chance of getting it in Poland. At this time I was able to interview Smalcerz. 

I first asked him his age and occupation. 

He answered that he was 33 years old and had been lifting since he was twelve. He is a physical training teacher in Warsaw.

I asked him his best results up to now and if the total he did in Ankara was satisfactory for him. 

He said that he has been the World Champion in 1971 at Lima, Peru, the European Champion of 1971 (Bulgaria), 1972 (Romania), 1974 (Italy). He is also the winner of the gold medal at the 1972 Olympics. The total he made at this contest is the best of his life but he did the same 5 months ago at the Polish championships. He reduces weight to the flyweight category only for very important competition. Usually he competes as a bantamweight.

I asked him if he could give me some idea of his training. 

He replied that he trains 5 days a week. Generally two of these training days are for technique and the rest for strength. He believes in the use of the Hercules Machine very much (it is imported from the USA). He says that he uses the machine once or twice a week. 

Smalcerz prefers both front and back squats. He says that good mornings and front squats are a must for all lifters. When doing good mornings one should bend down as much as possible without bending the knees and come up as quickly as possible rising high on the toes. 

Note: technique described here in IronMind's video of Francis Tournefier  https://youtu.be/F5KE2_SscNg?si=UKchtKLY0nP_q0zo at the 2:06 mark. 

Seated presses with wide and narrow grips are also part of his training. The reason he prefers the seated press is to relax the leg muscles. 

In training camp Polish lifters train twice a day. In afternoon workouts they do sprints of 30-40 meters and long and high jumps with or without the bar. He says he is no so serious about these exercises in his normal daily training. He does not do long distance runs. 

Smalcerz is also against using anabolics. To him they are dangerous nonsense. And, "Only those who need to gain some weight should get protein dust" he said. 

Smalcerz wrote down his program for a hard training week. He said that the week following a hard training week should be light. 

Monday: 

1) Power Snatch - up to 85% of his best snatch; 6-8 sets altogether,; 85% for 3 x 3 reps. 

2) Snatch - up to 90-95% of his best snatch; 6 sets altogether; 90-95% for sets of 2 reps. 

3) Power Press - sitting or standing position with maximum weight; 

5-6 sets. 

4) Power Clean - use 85% of best jerk; 6-8 sets x 3 reps.

5) Jerk from Racks - 90-95% of best jerk; 4-6 sets; 90-95% 2 sets x 1 rep. 

6) Squat - 85-100% of best squat; 10 sets, maximum 2 sets x 1 rep. 

Tuesday: 

1) Power Snatch - 75% of snatch; sets and reps same as Monday.

2) Snatch Pull - with the maximum clean; 3-4 sets x 1-2 reps. 

3) Jerk from Racks - 75% of best jerk 6 sets x 3 reps. 

4) Front Squat - up to maximum of clean & jerk; 10 sets; maximum 2 sets x 1 rep. 

Wednesday: 

1) Clean & Jerk - 80-85% of best jerk; 6-8 sets; 85% 3 reps; 90% 2 reps. 

2) Clean Pull - with the maximum clean; 3-4 sets x 1-2 reps. 

3) Press - any kind. 

4) Power Snatch from Boxes - 75-85% of snatch; 5-6 sets x 3 or more reps. 

5) Good morning. 

Thursday: Rest

Friday: 

1) Snatch - up to 95-100% 6-8 sets x 1-2 reps. 

2) Snatch Pull - with maximum snatch 4-6 sets x 1-2 reps. 

3) Power machine exercises.

4) Front Squat - 90% of maximum front squat; 4-6 sets x 1-2 reps. 

Saturday: 

1) Clean & Jerk - up to 95-100% 6-8 sets x 1-2 reps. 

2) Clean Pull - with maximum clean 2-4 sets x 1-2 reps. 

3) Press - any kind. 

4) Good Morning. 

5) Squat - 90-95%; 5-6 sets; 90-95% 1-2 reps. 

The following week would be exactly the same except that the poundages used would be 10-15% less. 

Smalcerz tries his maximum about every two weeks while in heavy training. Besides these exercises he does some stomach and waist strengthening movements. 

He does bench press sometimes for fun. 

A very important point to Smalcerz is the physical cycle of the lifter. He says that every sportsman should know his physical cycle. This cycle is 23 days; the first 15 days are good for hard training. In the following days until the 23rd the lighter poundages should be preferred. The 10th, 11th and 12th days of this cycle are the peak points of the physical cycle. Everyone can calculate their physical cycle according his or her birthday. Simply count cycles of 23 days from your birthdate to the present. 

I thanked him for giving time to me for this interview. His fluent English gave me a chance of being good friends with him in a short time. 

Enjoy Your Lifting!