Weight Trained Sullivan Award Winner Randy Matson - Spec Gammon (1968)

 Strength & Health July 1968

The last time we looked in on James Randel Matson, he was a fledgling sophomore at Texas A&M University who, on April 30 of 1965, had hurled the 16-pound shot a prodigious 69 feet, three-fourths of an inch, the greatest put ever made. That was some three years ago and Matson attributed his success to weight training more than anything else. Today Matson has completed his track eligibility at the oldest land-grant school in Texas but still is in school, completing work toward a bachelor's degree in business while starting work toward a Master’s Degree in marketing. 

During that span of time – from April, 1965 to now – Matson achieved even greater fame with the 16-pound shot and vaulted into the limelight with the discus. To date he is the only man ever to hurl the shot 70 feet or more. He has done that six times. Twice he hit an even 70 feet, twice he hit 70-5 ½ , once he threw 70-7 ½ and once he threw 71- 5 ½ , now the recognized and accepted world record. That tremendous throw came on April 22^nd, 1967, at College Station during a quadrangular meet on a day that previously had been designated “Randy Matson Day” by university officials. 

The first time he soared across the 70-foot barrier was back when he was a sophomore, on May 8, 1965, in the Southwest Conference Meet, at College Station. He hit 70-7 ½ that afternoon. Some thought it was a fluke and that no one ever again would reach 70 feet. 

Others, including 1964 Olympic Champion, Dallas Long, predicted that Matson eventually would hit 72 feet. Thus far they haven’t been far wrong. Matson on April 8, 1967, fashioned the greatest weight double in history. On that afternoon, at College Station, he threw the shot 70-0 and 70-5 ½ twice and then, a little later, he hurled the discus 213-9 ½ , a mere two inches under the current world record. That throw game him the NCAA and American discus records. 

Matson today is no larger than he was as an Olympian in 1964 or a fledgling sophomore in 1965. Why, then, has he improved? He still has basically the same technique he acquired and perfected as a schoolboy at Pampa, Texas. The answer is simple: Weight Training. 

“Once you acquire the correct technique and speed, the only way you can improve is by getting stronger,” Matson explains “And, to get stronger you must concentrate on weights.” The giant 6’6 ½” , 260-pound Texas Aggie is by no means a super strongman. There are many who can lift more. But his speed, coordination and long arms, supplemented by his strength have made him a world champion. He has improved quite a lot in weightlifting. The progress is shown below in the bench press:

 Fall of 1963 – 230 pounds

Easter of 1964 – 280 pounds

Summer of 1964 – 310 pounds

March of 1965 – 345 pounds

April of 1965 – 360 pounds

April of 1967 – 425 pounds

These days Matson picks and selects certain meets in which to compete since his college eligibility has expired. He is aiming at the Olympics in October and wants to reach a peak at that time. He has two meets scheduled in April, the Texas Relays and the Kansas Relays. He may not compete in May but he’ll be busy during June as the Olympic Trials get underway. 

Though he won’t be competing, Matson won’t be idle. He’ll be in the weight rooms at Aggieland, three to four times a week. When there are no meets on his schedule, his weekly training goes like this: Lift weights on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, throw the shot and run springs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Occasionally, he’ll omit one day of throwing and lift weights that day. The week of the meet, he’ll lift weights on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and throw the shot and run springs on Monday and Wednesday. He’ll rest on Friday prior to a Saturday meet. 

Matson varies his weight training program. On a day that he works on the bench press, he may start at 225 pounds for 8 reps, go to 300 for 5 reps, 350 for 4, 375 for 2, and then 400 for two or three sets of one. Or, he may stay with 350 and do three sets of 5 reps. On the power cleans, he does three sets of 6 reps at 225 pounds. On the incline bench press, using a barbell, he’ll start out at 225 with 5 reps, then do 4 reps at 245, 3 reps at 275, and one at 300. Some days, he’ll just do 3 sets of 5 at 245 pounds. 

Nearly every week he does dead lifts (rapidly), 3 sets of 6 reps at 300 pounds. On the full squats, he’ll usually work up to a single with 505. Partial squats (quarter squat, then up to a toe raise done rapidly) start at 315 for 6 reps, 405 for 4, 450 for 2 and 475 for one. 

Next to weight training, Matson credits his wife for much of his recent success. “First of all, she’s a wonderful cook and next, she always insists that I keep up my training schedule when I feel inclined to goof off.” Matson was married to his high school sweetheart, the former Margaret Burns of Pampa, during the summer of 1966. A graduate of Abilene Christian College, Margaret is an elementary school teacher in Bryan, Texas. 

Combining his wife’s cooking with his steady diet of weight training, Matson hopes to be around 270 pounds when the Olympics roll around. Whether he’ll go for a double in the shot and discus is debatable. His first love is the shot and if discus training begins to interfere with his shot in any way, he’ll drop the discuss. 

Matson is certainly no muscle-bound giant. He played varsity basketball at A&M in his sophomore season and was a second-team All-Southwest Conference selection along with being named “Sophomore of the Year”. More proof for the dubious coaches that athletics and weight training can go hand in hand. He already has been drafted by the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL to play pro football and will talk with them after the Olympics. In all likelihood there will be pro basketball offers too. 

https://youtu.be/8hrGLzrG5Ek?si=l6_Alhf0LbtDLN4g

Bodybuilding for the Working Man - Bradley Steiner (1971)

 Strength & Health January 1971

Most individuals spend eight or more hours a day working at a job, practicing their trade or profession, or going to school and studying. When the day’s work is over – whether it has been physically demanding or not – the average man is pretty tired. In addition, he has many responsibilities that he must fulfill which prevent him from dancing home from the office, leaping into a sweatsuit, and spending two or three hours on a work-out. Yet this poor fellow often reads that the Mr. Winners who me admires “bomb” and “blast” away at their work-outs like diesel engines, six days a week, year in and year out, never stopping to take a deep breath, and of course, our average Joe gets discouraged. He still wants muscles (oh, how he would like to look half as good as Grimek!) but he figures that if he ever tried to do one of those “super-bombing” routines, he’d bomb himself right into a hospital bed or into a happy-house. In fact, the more he thinks about the energy sapping three-hour torture sessions, the more convinced he becomes that he’d just as soon stay in the lousy shape that he’s in. At least it’s not painful! It’s too bad that Mr. Average American hasn’t learned the facts about those “space-age” super schedules and the men who follow them. It’s too bad that he hasn’t discovered the sane, sensible method of weight-training that can be integrated into the busiest of schedules, and that, believe it or not, has been responsible for the Herculean, Superman development of, yes that’s right… John C. Grimek!

The secret of successful bodybuilding is hard work on good exercises. Hard work done only to the point of fully activating and congesting the important muscle groups of the body – and you should know this: it does not require a long, drawn-out training session to achieve this result. The men who you may have read about who do use extensive training programs are, let’s face it, processionals. Their muscles are their livelihood, and though they do in many cases spend an excessive amount of time in training, at least it doesn’t seem to hurt or bother them. But I sure couldn’t do it, you probably can’t, and in fact one doesn’t have to dedicate his life to the weights in order to get superior, or even startling development. Concentrated effort on good, all-around routines done three or four times a week is more than enough. And there is simply no reason why a training session need exceed an hour in length… and yes, in case you’re thinking ahead of me, I’m coming to the inevitable conclusion that no matter who you are, or what you do for a living, you can build up tremendously with weights. 

What the working man needs is (in addition to large muscles to satisfy his vanity) a program that revitalizes him… that “recharges” his battery so to speak, and leaves him with a surplus of energy, endurance, and strength. He wants to look good, feel great, and derive all the benefits that barbell training has to offer, without going off the deep end and becoming a “muscle-head”. All very noble goals indeed, and with the hope that it will help him to achieve them, here is a work-out program for every “nine to fiver” based upon sensible, result-producing training methods. Work-out three or four days a week on alternate days, and forget about every three-hour-a-day nut routine that you may have read about. This one is for YOU! Here is your program:

1. Warm-up with only one set of the repetition barbell clean and press. This in itself is a fine all-over bodybuilder, and if you do the exercise briskly and in good form, every important muscle group will be brought in to play. Do one set of from eight to twelve repetitions to fully loosen up the body and get the blood flowing throughout your system. 
2. The two-hands curl is a must. We all want big arms, and there’s no point in pretending that they’re not important. I know that curling isn’t necessary for good overall development, but I’ll concede that we all (even me) won’t mind doing curls when we know that it will mean fuller, thicker arms. Use a barbell or dumbells – it doesn’t matter too much which you use – and work in strict form. Use a heavy weight. The light stuff is just so much wasted effort. Do two sets of eight to ten repetitions. 
3. Shoulders rank as an important muscle group, and the alternate dumbells press will give them full development. Triceps will benefit too. Use heavy weights, and work the movement with a steady rhythm. Two sets of ten to twelve reps with this one will be plenty. 
4. Heavy squats. THIS is the important one. Do twenty reps. Do it with as much weight as you can handle and still fight to come erect after your last rep. This is a conditioner par excellence! Anybody who thinks that endurance and cardiovascular health cannot be built with weights should try twenty rep squats. It will shut his mouth for good. Try to work up to about a hundred pounds over your bodyweight. For variety, do the twenty squats in breathing style – three huge breaths between each rep – but be sure to use no more than bodyweight in this one. 
5. After your squats, give your entire body a good stretch, and give yourself a fine breathing and chest expansion exercise… the two-dumbell pull-over. I favor this over the barbell pull-over because more stretch can be given to the rib-cage, and deeper breathing can be done in the movement. Only one set, just like the squats, for twenty reps. Use a light pair of dumbells, twenty pounders would suffice for a super-man. 
6. Taking a moderately loaded barbell, stand erect, using a close, knuckles-up grip, and do upright rowing. Do two sets of eight to twelve reps. This is a fine upper-back, arm and shoulder conditioner. 
7. For the lower back the old standby is the stiff-legged deadlift. Start off easy, but work into heavy, heavy weights as your strength increases. And if you work hard on this exercise, brother, your strength will increase! One set of 15 repetitions will give you lower back muscles like spring steel. 
8. For your “lats” bent-forward barbell rowing is the thing. Use very strict form, and do two sets of 12 to 15 repetitions. Use a heavy weight, and you’ll have done plenty to stimulate growth in the latissimus region. 
9. Leg raises. If you don’t own a pair of health shoes, buy ‘em! This exercise is a super health builder when you work hard enough on it. It will chisel fat off your lower abdomen like nothing you’d imagine, and it will feel great! Do two sets of 15 reps if you use iron boots, and one set of 30 or 35, if you use just bodyweight. 
10. Another one for the waistline! The side-bend with dumbbell. Do one side at a time, and do a total of two sets for each side, for 15 to 20 reps each. This is a fine conditioner and stomach reducer. 
11. Finish off your session with another important leg exercise. The straddle-lift. Use a moderately heavy weight – keep the back flat! – and do one set of 15 reps. 

That’s the whole works. It shouldn’t take more than an hour tops to do the whole routine. It will leave you feeling, as Bob Hoffman says, “Like a million!” And it will make you look like two million. Try to add some weight to the work that you can do every week or so. That’s the secret of coaxing muscle growth. Every couple of months change the routine a little. But never leave the squat out! Do it parallel or breathing style, but DO IT. When you find that you’ve become a bit stale or overtrained, take a week or two off. This is sensible training. 

Weight training along the lines discussed will reward you with a fine, muscular physique, superb health and well-being, and an increase in energy and stamina that will astound you. You’ll have plenty left over for family and fun as well as training. 

You can get the physique that you want without going on unemployment. Just go on sensible routine like the one we’ve discussed.. and stick with it!

Hungarian Training Program Part 1 - Denis Reno (1979)

 Weightlifter's Newsletter September 1979

*If anyone happens to have their copy of Dennis Reno’s Weightlifter’s Newsletter from October or November of 1979 handy, we’d appreciate the rest of the notes from the Hungarian coaches presentation. 

 

Notes from the National Sports Festival Seminar with Hungarian National Weightlifting Coach Andras Orvos – July 26-29, 1979

Editor’s Note – I’m going to try to type this as it was given, but including the addition of answers to questions that were asked from the floor. Note that this is a plan for athletes that are free to train 8 to 10 times a week and is used for Hungary’s top weightlifters. Throughout, I will try to suggest modifications to the program which will fit it to an American’s 3 to 7 workouts  a week schedule. Rather than try to copy exactly this program for your own, instead try to study it and try to understand the mix in exercises, the variations in sets, reps and intensity. Understand that it is quite easy to overtrain – but undesirable to not train enough. It’s a bit of an educated trick to put your body through exactly the correct amount of work – however, there is an amount of work that will give you maximum results for your body. Dennis Reno

SESSION 1 – LONG RANGE PLANNING - A FOUR YEAR PLAN

In Hungary, selected athletes all go on a four year plan of training. Selected athletes are those who are aiming for the next Olympics four years from now, and even others who may be more realistically aiming for the Olympics eight years from now. 

Questions from the floor about starting ages brought the following:

In Eastern Europe, athletes start general training at about 11 years of age. This means train in a variety of sports and not specialization in any one. This continues for about 4 years. At about 15 years old, an athlete can start specialization in weightlifting. Remember, he has already been introduced to the sport of weightlifting, most likely learning correct style but not attempting any limit poundages. 

How much progress can a 15 year old expect? In the unlikely case he keeps his bodyweight the same, the lifter can increase 30 to 60 percent in his top lifts in the first 4 year plan. Also, most lifters peak in 9 to 10 years after starting. The first 5 or 6 years are years of rapid growth. The 6^th through 10^th years are of slower growth. After that, you generally have some stagnation in growth, even decline. 

Back to the Four Year Plan Outline – 

• First Year: Primarily stamina and strength training, with less emphasis on competition and performance
• Second Year: More emphasis on competition and performance.
• Third Year: A higher level of stamina and strength training with some emphasis on competition 
• Fourth Year: All emphasis on competition (Editor’s Note – this will be expanded on later)

In Eastern Europe, a great emphasis is placed on classification, so setting goals in lifting may be tied to climbing to a higher classification. This ties in with setting goals for planning weights to be used during the four year plan. Considerations must be made to include a lifter moving up in weight classes. When a lifter moves up is very important to his career. (How to determine this was a decision of the lifter, the coach and the doctor. Doctor’s have pretty good guidelines to help determine how tall and large a person will grow and we have as many good doctors as the Hungarians. D. Reno)

WEIGHTLIFTING TRAINING EXERCISES (The numbers next to the exercises are code numbers. Rather than write out the exercises, Hungarians know what the numbers mean and use them to simplify making up routines. Notice that code numbers 1 and 2 apply to snatches and snatch type exercises; 3 and 4 apply to clean & jerks and related exercises.)

*This indicates exercises which are always included in programs

A. Competition Lifts

1 & 2 Snatch

3 & 4 Clean & Jerk

B. Assistance Exercises for the Snatch

*11. Half snatch (body only drops to where legs are parallel to the platform, not full squat.)

*12. Power Snatch (there is no rebending of the legs.)

13. Half snatch from blocks (bar above knees)

14. Full snatch from blocks (bar above knees)

15. Full snatch from thighs

16. Snatch from standing (drop snatch)

*17. High pull – wide grip

18. High pull (wide) from blocks (to 105% of workout max.)

*19. Shrug (wide) (to 115% of workout maximum)

*20. Shrug (wide) from blocks (to 130% of workout maximum)

C. Assistance Exercises for Clean & Jerk

*31. Half Clean (as in half snatch, halfway between power clean and full clean, and completed with a power jerk)

*32. Power clean (no rebending of the legs – like Mills Power Clean)

33. Power clean from blocks.

34. Full clean from blocks

35. Full clean without standing up (dump it!)

36. High pull – narrow grip

*37. High pull (narrow) from blocks

*38. Jerk from rack with split

*39. Jerk from rack, no split

*40. Shrug – narrow – grip

*41. Shrug (narrow) from blocks

42. Jerk dip rebounds

 

D. General Conditioning for both the Snatch and the C & J

*51. Press (standing military)

*52. Push jerk

53. Incline and Bench Press

*54. Back Squats

*55. Front Squats

*56. Shrugs – lifter on blocks (In this version, do not use leg drive but rather start out with a rounded back to give the muscles a longer stretch. Pull up as far as possible, even leaning backward. This is only for the ADVANCED ATHLETE and can be worked up to 100% of day’s maximum snatch for 2-3 reps.)

*57. Good mornings

58. Shrugs

 

E. Supplementary Exercises

61. Weight swinging – 10 reps (to 30kg for up to 60kg class; 40kg for 67 ½ & 75; 50-60kg for heavier)

62. Swing and throw – to 18-20kg (don’t try this one in your weight room)

63. Long and high jumps – standing (on jumps, land in the full squat position)

64. Dips

65. Pull-ups

66. Universal Gym exercises

F. Loosening and Stretching Exercises

71. Broomstick – snatch grip

72. Lightweight power jerks

73. Wrist turns and lifts

74. Side bends

75. Frog jumps

76. Toe raises on block

77. General loosening calisthenics

G. Supplementary Sports

Track and field, swimming, skiing, running – before training, not after, and only 400 meters broken up into shorter sprints.

 

That’s all folks.  Hoping someone can dig up their old copy of Weightlifter’s Newsletter and share the remainder of the presentation.  There’s a secondary purpose to this blog, and that is to try and preserve the iron history that would otherwise just fade into obscurity.  There’s not much you’re going to find on Hungarian weightlifting from the 60’s and 70’s, despite producing some pretty good athletes, such as the legend Imre Foldi.

https://youtu.be/AhJK8u17JU8?si=IPHL0q2yneETujtF

This edition of the newsletter also contained coverage of Senior National's from '79. Cool to see a time when powerlifting and weightlifting we're still linked enough to warrant coverage for both. Also saw a photo of Ricky Dale Crain who recently passed away (RIP)!

Acquiring Lifting Technique (1933) Author Unknown

 

                                                                 

                                                               From this issue. Vol. III, No. 1, 1933.

                                                                 James Grogan, Charles Treadwell

                                                                  Click the pic to ENLARGE, bozo. 

I'd like to start this one off with the best original poem/joke I've ever worked on to date. THE most important and pleasing thing I've ever written. Okay then: 

I knew a woman nicknamed The Bus. When she wanted to move to doggystyle, she'd smile, wink, and say, "Please move to the rear of The Bus. 

A couple minutes later it was, "Please hold on while The Bus is in motion." 

Non-transit types won't understand. 

Fuck Ya. 

Okay now . . . 

Improvement of the lifting technique is something for which the ambitious lifter must ever strive. I should say that no lifter has as yet achieved the acme in this respect, and what is more, it will probably be a long time before anyone shall reach such point of perfection. 

In view of the standard so are attainted on some records it might be surmised that further progress is almost, if, indeed, not quite impossible, but to venture any such opinion would be tantamount to acknowledgement of your lack of understanding of this fascinating pastime and its true possibilities of advancement. 

Remarkable as many of the great men of the past have seemed, it is no more than a matter of fact to call to mind the startling manner in which the records have been erased and rewritten time and again on those feats in which modern lifters take any degree of pride. 

True, there are certain lifters who have become sidetracked and have been but little practiced by the later generations, so we have no fair means of judging the respective abilities of the older and younger men who have figured so prominently in our sport. 

 

Speaking of technique, reference should be made to the accompanying illustrations, where a high degree of this quality is depicted. Especially so in regards to the two hands snatch, and particularly should be note the two poses of Nathan McCann. 

Note: So many men from the past, fine lifters, are now unknown to us. During this earlier, pre-social media era, the PR/Sales machine was somewhat smaller. There was no soap-opera, near-pro wrestling hooey about a cold sore on Lasha's lip or some Olympian's woes over a house-pet with the sniffles. So, they were forgotten for the most part. A strangely different time, filled with more naivete, less money, and for me, much more interesting people than today's lot of puppy-puppets with the attention span of hummingbirds. King Vitriol, mild version!   

Undeniably, technique of a superior sort is required if one is to squat on the toes in the manner shown by the rear pose, and you may recall that we have already shown you Vogt, famous German champion [who? see what I mean], in  a similar position. 

However, as nifty as this style of lifting may appear to the uninitiated and as much as the ambitious lifter may consider this to be the ultimate in the realization of snatching perfection, it possesses certain outstanding faults which must be understood and carefully weighed before making this your choice of lifting styles. 

On the other hand, the chief disadvantage lies in the precariousness of the position, the balance being most difficult on the toes; even outstanding objection to the low squat method of lifting. 

The next disadvantage pertains to the difficulty in getting up to an erect position with the weight and many otherwise good lifts are spoiled because the athlete finds it an impossibility to stand up once the arms have been straightened. 

From the viewpoint of novelty, there may be nothing to compare with the flashing before the audience of such a style as this . . . 

. . . but when the lifter has a limited number of trials to register his success on the lifts, it may prove wiser to choose and master a style which assurance of a low percentage of failures. 

As concerns the matter of getting the maximum of drop in the snatch, I should say that too little is gained in this respect through use of the squat to compensate for the disadvantages of precariousness and difficulty in getting up with the weight. 

When an efficient split style is employed, the arms as well as the legs are in a position which makes for greater power in completion of the lift, for in comparison with the squat one is enabled to immediately arise on the rebound and the arms and legs may be taught to work in unison as the body is lowered and then again brought to the erect position and while in the squat it becomes necessary to either stop momentarily in order to steady yourself or to limit the poundage in order that a rebound may be possible, no such cessation of the continuity is necessary when the split is properly mastered. 

Though there should be not the slightest doubt in the mind of the reader as to the type of lifting I advise by way of preference, nevertheless, I wish to be frank in saying that one does see rare individuals who make out better on the squat and who must therefore be encouraged to improve themselves in their choice of this style.

 What I wish particularly to discourage is any sort of wholesale adoption of this squatting idea by the general run of young bar bell enthusiasts. 

Improvement in technique in the split style would consist for the most part in mastering a good and efficient rebound so that you might snappily drop under the weight and bounce right back up again to the erect position; which would likewise be true in the squatting style of snatching. And, at the same time we must not lose track of the prime essential of the power you put into the effort of pulling the weight from the floor to the maximum of height which might be necessitated by the style you use. Which causes us to pause long enough to remark that the first essential in your training is, after all, the acquisition of strength which will enable you to handle the limit in poundage. 

Having pulled the weight to the greatest possible height, you must learn to get down as low as possible, by sitting to the lowest possible extent in the squat and by splitting sufficiently wide in the alternate style. 

The speed with which you can pull the bell from the floor and drop into the split determines largely the success you will register, and as well you must cultivate and master the ability to rise immediately. Not only is there an attempt to thus formulate the rules but the utmost in both technique and efficiency demands that this be accomplished.

Among the illustrations above you will note three of young Philippine Islanders, or Filipinos, whom I have found to be the most progressive in the adoption of the latest wrinkles in lifting technique, just as quite apparently they are in the adoption of a progress policy politically [say what?]. 

Mr. Messina is shown snatching in a low squat, but I should think he has failed to pull the weight back sufficiently far and so is most likely to lose the balance of the bell. He certainly has a low position though.

I desire particularly to call the attention of my readers to the two other poses, of B. Lintag starting the two hands military press, and of P. Nieto at the completion of a lift. There is something about the positions of both these young men which commends  them. 

First -- Lintag has his thumbs under the bar in the proper manner for the pressing of your limit and his entire bodily stance could well be copied by a lot of lifters who are primarily interested in acquiring form which would pass officials anywhere.

P. Nieto has been caught in a finishing style which I especially like to see and which is extra good for the military press. In properly centering the body it is necessary for some men to move the body forward in this manner as the arms are extended above the head. Of course, it is possible to keep the bell in front of the body at the finishing position, but this amounts to an unnatural restriction and limits the efficiency of the press. 

Recently I witnessed some official lifting in another part of the country and was amused to see some of the athletes ruled out for finishing a press in this manner. To move the bar back of the head is in no sense an infraction of the rules and in no way can it be said that the rules are violated if if the body moves forward to to center itself under the weight [little did the author know what abominations past were soon to be passed]. 

It would be the most natural thing in the world for the lifter to press in the manner depicted by these two poses, that is, while holding the body as shown by Lintag [who? see what I mean] as the bell passes the face and shifting to the position shown by Pinedo as the lift is completed; it is understood that this shifting of the body does not take place until the very last stage of the press or until just the point where the elbows are locked. 

In performing a correct snatch it is likewise not only desirable but efficient that this finishing position of the body should be assumed, as nothing better assures the safe locking of the weight overhead. There is no need of fear that the weight will fall backwards as the shoulders and arms lock in natural manner to secure the weight in this position.

The ambitious lifter should extend every effort towards throwing the body forward under the bell as he snatches, and especially at the finishing stage. Not only do the arms straighten out more securely but the lift will be more certain to pass the officials. 

What has been said of the snatch applies equally well to cleaning and jerking. Among hundreds of lifters you will run across a wide variety of styles in cleaning and I should say that at least half of the lifters whom you will see in any large representative group will display form that is far from commendable; this does not apply to the athletes whom you might see in the Olympic games or large National or International events, but will be seen to be true among larger numbers of those whom you might rightfully regard as better than average in the game. 

Too many fellows fail to dip sufficiently as the bell is pulled to the chest, relying on the least amount of bend in the knees to aid them in pulling the bell to the chest, relying on the least amount of bend in the knees to aid them in pulling the bell to the chest, a goodly percent of them employing neither a split or squat. 

Even though it should entail exercising at deep knee bends and other leg work calling for complete contractions, over a period of months in order to change the habits respecting use of the legs in raising your weights any bar bell fellow who wants to accomplish anything will do well to lay off actual lifting until he acquires the habit of always lowering the body to the extreme in lifting. 

The rule that applies here, without exception, is that the cleaning, snatching and jerking movements must be performed in an exaggerated manner at all times and the lifter must not spoil himself through the use of light weights which necessitate but slight use of the knees. 

Success on these lifting movements, in other words depends upon getting down under the bell and upon this one objective ALL efforts must be concentrated. 

Very few lifters are so constructed naturally as to be suitably adapted to the full squatting style in cleaning, but regardless of your choice of style be certain to drop to the full extent in cleaning. 

Likewise in jerking the bell to arms' length overhead, the complete drop must be employed if you are to be truly efficient in your efforts and practically all that has been said of the snatch is equally applicable to the jerk.

Let the ambitious fellow first develop the muscle and strength which are so essential and then master his lifts in the most thorough manner and lifting technique of a superior sort will be a reality. 

Enjoy Your Lifting!  

 

             

Strength is a Greedy and Seductive Mistress - Kevin Iskierski (1987)

 Powerlifting USA October 1987

Thanks to Howard Menkes for providing the article!  My eyes and fingers appreciate the break from typing up this stuff

It began for me about twelve years ago. I still remember it as a scene of triumph and a place of wounded pride. Strangely enough it was a place where, despite being an avid fitness buff, I had not been in the past. Thus, I found myself studying and surveying, as if struck by mild surprise, its countryside setting. I felt the appeal of its inviting layout amidst small rolling hills and stands of trees. 

I also felt a gripping determination grow inside me. I would, I believe, run one mile, with no problem. So what if it happened to be a muggy mid-summer afternoon in early August. So what if the air hung heavy and motionless, as if suspended in time. I decided I wouldn’t let these factors discourage me. As I stretched and loosened, I remember how my father and I used to watch track and field on Saturday afternoon television. I recalled remarking on how the milers ran with obvious speed, but only for a mile, which I didn’t consider a long distance. 

So, I had a goodly amount of confidence and youthful exuberance, you might say, but, to my astonishment, when I failed to even complete a mile on that sunny day some dozen years ago, a great deal of disappointment and frustration as well. 

It was, since high school, my first serious attempt at running.  I was young, just 22 at the time, and in generally good shape at a bodyweight of slightly under 150 pounds. I had stayed trim and fit through weight training and neither smoked or drank. Drugs had no place in my life; in fact, despite their growing popularity at the time, I was turned off by them. 

I favored the pursuit of my own passions and enthusiasms. Twice in high school, I set some sort of endurance record by doing first one thousand and then thirteen hundred consecutive sit-ups. The second time, as a 16 year old sophomore, the only reason I stopped was literally because the kid holding my ankles got tired of counting and wanted to go to lunch. Six years later, I certainly was in no hurry to admit to being out of shape. 

The passing of that summer, and the beginning of fall and winter, did not diminish the hurt to my self-esteem. I carried with me the weight of that August day’s failure like a wounded animal burdened by a hunter’s bullet. The pain prodded me, a dull but persistent ache, which felt like emptiness growing inside. 

The following spring I set about addressing that empty feeling. I started slowly, of course, working on basic conditioning and the establishment of a set schedule. My aim was to develop running power sufficient enough to assist my strength training with weights. My heart leaned towards running; my head still loved the sensations of power and strength that accompany lifting heavy weights. 

I settled on running three times a week. This, I reasoned, would build stamina without detracting too much from strength. I determined it best that I attempt two miles and seek to reduce my time. 

My first complete two mile jaunt clocked out at a hardly respectable 14 minutes. But, as Spring wore on, and it’s wonderful and welcome warmth brought forth the usual hopeful surge of enthusiasm. I found myself actually looking forward to heading out to that high school track. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, and also on Saturday morning, I’d be there, rain or shine. 

For three months, I maintained this routine. Eventually I established a groove and I was subtracting a full ten seconds from the preceding week’s best time. This went on for twelve consecutive weeks and culminated one sweltering July morning, appropriately enough, in a best ever time of 11 minutes and 57 seconds. 

I wonder how much better I might have become, had I pursued running. However, as I indicated, running was not so much a substitute as a supplement, a sideline. It gave me stamina, to be sure, but unlike my father, who was once a runner-up in the state cross country high school championships, I found myself pursuing feats of strength rather than fleet feet. 

I did nothing fancy – just basic power movements. My goal was not to be big like a bodybuilder, or swift and graceful as an Olympic weightlifter. All I wanted was to get myself stronger. Thus, I naturally turned to the power lifts, the lifts that directly tax most of the body’s major muscle groups: the hips and thighs in the squat; the shoulders, chest and arms in the bench press; the back and legs in the deadlift (my favorite). They are generally regarded by strength coaches and trainers as being the best overall barometer and builder of size and strength. 

For me, they became something more. The lifts I practiced and over time assumed added significance beyond the mere weights and movements involved. Going to the gym was no longer simply an act of repetition; it became an exercise in physical and mental self-control. I found myself taking the ancient mind over matter aspect of lifting and turning it into a quest for physical and mental sharpness. I also found, in the process of handling heavy weights, new meanings and definitions in the terms physical commitment and emotional involvement. 

Eventually, my commitment and involvement took me into competition itself. The sport of powerlifting back then, in 1978, was starting to expand, and getting in on the ground floor was easy enough. It was time to challenge my private exertions and efforts. 

At first, I just wanted to lift a total of seven times my own weight, which never exceeded 149 pounds in competition, but, as one often notes in the sport’s ranks, strength is a greedy and seductive mistress; she frequently finds ways of grabbing hold and urging you on. 

Gradually, I pushed and pulled myself a little higher. First I achieved a total of 1050, then, 1100, 1150, and finally, 1200 pounds. This last result, done in May, 1981, represents personal record lifts of 418 squat, 270 bench press, and 512 deadlift.

The latter lifts, as well as all those done before and since, were done through my natural strength, nothing else. The sickening scourge of some professional and amateur sports, steroids and other tissue building drugs, never got to me. They never seriously tempted me, in fact. 

One reason, I suppose, relates to my apparent inability to quell personal and private fears. I could never comfortably juxtapose my health concerns with the fears that steroid use inspired. The thought of dripping needles and glistening vials of “juice” always seemed to leave me with a bitter taste. I’d inevitably find myself recalling the wise words of an anonymous trainer: “Health is a stage through which the serious athlete passes on the way to excellence.”

Another reason I spurned steroids is because I recognized early the teeming conflicts and contradictions inherent in sports competition. I saw too many competitors caught up in a web of ego and worry about meeting or exceeding future demands. This tendency to seek achievement at all costs – the exaltation of excellence – I found too costly. To me, winning at all costs tends to reduce a moment’s immediacy; it too often exchanges basic enjoyment for efficiency and the attainment of efforts. It’s a process by which people become prone to ignore or overlook the simple and sheer joys and satisfactions of physical movement and athletic activity. 

I personally resolved not to be overtaken by this process. I imagined myself holding steady, like an acrobat on a tightrope. Above I sensed wholeness and equilibrium. Below rested the powerful twin divisive forces of ego drives and competition’s demands. 

The trick was, and is, to balance this precarious perch successfully. And success, for me, comes by simply maintaining a feeling of command and control over the weights I lift. 

Olympic Lifting for Powerlifters, Bodybuilders, Throwers and Other Serious Strength Athletes - Jim Schmitz (2001)

 MILO March 2001

If you are healthy and willing, you can learn to do snatches and clean and jerks – or at least some form of them and receive the great benefits from these lifts. You might say so what, who cares? Well, I do and you should; I believe doing the Olympic lifts is the absolute greatest way to train for all athletes. It’s good for you, and it’s a myth that it is difficult. Of all the progressive resistance type training programs and methods, Olympic-style weightlifting has the absolutely greatest physical and psychological carryover to other sports and physical activities, bar none!

So, why should a powerlifter or bodybuilder do the Olympic lifts? Well, it will enhance you speed, balance, coordination, flexibility, conditioning, concentration, and of course, your strength and power. Bodybuilders will thicken their backs, shoulders, and traps, and develop the bubble butt and full sweeping thighs. Also, it will give you a great variety in your training and make you a more complete, strong, powerful, muscular athlete. There have been many powerlifters who have switched over to Olympic lifting. Two of the most well-known are the super heavyweights Shane Hamman and Mark Henry. Both have been national powerlifting champions, 1000 pound squatters, and national weightlifting champions, record holders, and Olympians, 1992 and 1996 for Mark and 2000 for Shane. Another super heavyweight who was a national champion and record holder in both sports and an Olympian (1968) was Ernie Picket in the 1960’s. 

The most famous bodybuilder who also did Olympic lifting was John Grimek, eighth place in the 1936 Olympics, and of course, Mr. America and Mr. Universe, and considered by many the greatest bodybuilder of all time. Steve Stanko, who was also a Mr. America and Mr. Universe, was the first man to total 1000 pounds in the then three Olympic lifts: press, snatch, and clean and jerk. Sergio Oliva totaled 1000 pounds in the 90-kilo class before he devoted his full energy to bodybuilding and became Mr. Olympia. Dr. John Gourgott won the 1966 Jr. National Weightlifting Championships and placed third in the Jr. Mr. America contest that same day, behind two former weightlifters, Bob Gajda, and Sergio Oliva. One of the greatest weightlifters of all time, two-time Olympic champion (1952 and 1956,) Tommy Kono, was also a Mr. Universe winner (1955, 1957, and 1961.) A very famous movie star who had some success in bodybuilding and also did some Olympic lifting as a youth was Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Five national and international shot putters who had great success in weightlifting as well are Gary Gubner, national shot put champion and fourth at the 1964 Olympics in Weightlifting; Al Feuerbach, 1974 national weightlifting champion and bronze medalist in the shot put at the 1976 Olympics, and world record holder (71’-7”); and Ken Patera, Bruce Wilhelm, and Tom Stock, who were all top U.S. shot putters and U.S. national weightlifting champions, record holders and Olympians, 1972, 1976, and 1980 respectively. 

The purpose of this article is not to recruit competitive Olympic lifters, but to have more strength athletes do the snatch and clean and jerk as part of their training. I won’t be going into detailed explanations of how to do the lifts; you can get that information from my previous MILO articles or my training manual and video. 

Now, remember, I said everyone can do the snatch and clean and jerk if they are healthy and willing. I don’t necessarily mean full squat snatches and full squat cleans and split jerks, which would be nice, but rather the basic pulling and pushing, explosively. So, here we go. 

First, if you aren’t doing a fair amount of stretching, you really need to now, regardless of whether you decide to follow this type of training. So, warm up with at least 10 to 15 minutes of stretching, plus stomach work. 

The following are my programs for the strength athlete who wants the power and muscle density of an Olympic lifter, but doesn’t care to compete or even do the complete lifts. 

 I would like you to do these workouts three times a week; two would be okay, but three is better. Do this program before you do any other training or on alternate days. Also, don’t be in too big a hurry to get to the big weights. It’s actually a really good idea to train quite light at first to learn the movements, gain confidence, and give the ligaments, tendon and muscles a chance to adapt. You can and should vary your weights and reps from workout to workout, depending on how you feel. 

This type of training requires a little different mind set. That means if you can deadlift 600 pounds, don’t be surprised if you have trouble power cleaning, let alone power snatching, 200 pounds. It takes time, practice, persistence, patience, and perseverance. Train on each program 6 to 12 workouts before going on to the next one. You will be surprised with the stamina and condition you will need and develop from these programs. 

Now, as important as good technique is, I don’t want  you to get hung up on it. I don’t want you to get paralysis due to analysis, where you are thinking so much about how you are going to lift that you can’t do the movement. You can’t think through a fast movement while trying to move fast; just do it. Think about only a couple of things before you lift and then just go for it as fast as you can.  You have a better chance of success if you move fast with poor technique than if you move slowly with good technique! That is why these lifts develop speed and explosiveness. So, only think of things like “pull hard, move fast,” “pull close, pull straight,” “big shrug, fast elbow,” “back flat, chest out,” “drive and push.” 

*One of my personal favorite training hall photos of all time.  Just some Polish guy doing a 100kg power snatch, but every single person in the room (Polish team, Tom Stock, and the Author Jim Schmitz) are all watching intently.  You can see Jim's got his belt and knee wraps on - even when coaching the US team he was getting after it in training.  We should all aspire to have a 1977 Jim Schmitz neck.

The exception to focusing on just two things is when doing high pulls. I want you to think of three things, “squeeze, accelerate, and explode.” You may have or develop your own key words and phrases, which is good, but keep them simple and to the point. Only think of two things when pulling and two when pushing. Of course, above all you much concentrate on completing the lift. That’s the bottom line: Make the lift. There are lifts I call “-ly” lifts, that is, “ugly, wobbly, and barely,” but successful. When developing power, we don’t score technique points, only how much weight was lifted. 

Now, don’t just kiss off technique. Develop the best technique you can, as good technique will mean lifting more weight and having fewer injuries. Some of the best weightlifters in the world don’t have the best technique, but they do their technique the same way every time; they have incredible consistency. So, that’s the next thing you want to develop, consistency. Learn to lift as correctly as possible and then do it the same way every time!

Let’s say you are unable to do snatches, cleans, or jerks. What can you do as substitutes to still develop the speed and power? In both the snatch and the clean, you substitute high pulls. That is, instead of doing the snatch, you just pull the bar as fast and as hard as you can to about your shoulders, and in the clean, you pull the bar as hard and as fast as you can to about your rib cage. For push presses and push jerks, if you can’t hold a barbell securely on your shoulders in front of your neck, ten do them on your shoulders behind the neck and with a little wider grip. 

A little note here: Many, many strength athletes are not very strong or stable with barbell’s overhead. This is a shame for there is so much benefit from driving and holding heavy weights overhead. So, I recommend that on your last rep of any overhead lift, you hold it steady for about three to five seconds. Also, to help you develop overhead stability, you should do jerk supports in a power rack and hold the last rep three to five seconds. This exercise is done in a power rack with the bar place one to two inches above your head; you squat underneath, arms locked out, stand, and hold. This is a great exercise and will surprise you at first. 

Another tip on doing this explosive type of training, as important as speed is, if you don’t have your technique somewhat together, you don’t want to move as fast as you can until you know where you are going. The thing that is a little tricky about these lifts is that your body changes directions while lifting the weights up. Your upper and lower body go in different directions, especially in the snatch, where you squat with your legs, but at the same time you extend and reach up with your arms as you go under the bar. So, as you are learning and developing your technique or lifting light weights, move with controlled speed – not slowly, but not as fast as you possibly can. 

Also, you should always warm up with an empty bar, after you’ve done your 10 to 15 minutes of stretching plus stomach work. Practice all the lifts, including squats. Now for many, the empty bar is just too light to develop technique; don’t worry about it, just do it for a warm-up. Technique is best developed with about 70-80% of your best weights. Doubles and triples are the best reps for technique work because those weights you are able to do for one rep, no problem, but on the second and third rep, you really have to do it right or you won’t make it. That is why I recommend doubles and triples, but you never take your hands off the barbell so that the second and third reps are more challenging. You can’t think or rest, you just do it. 

I don’t have front squats in these three programs because I don’t want to overwork your wrists, but you can substitute them if you don’t like or can’t do back squats. I recommend fewer reps in the front squats to save wear and tear on your wrists, no more than five reps. 

Some more examples of incredibly muscular and explosive weightlifters are: Norbert Schemansky, Olympic champion as a middle heavyweight, silver medalist, and two-time bronze medalist as a super heavyweight, who also won several bodybuilding titles. Turkey’s two-time Olympic champion, Halil Mutlu, packs the most ripped muscle I’ve ever seen on a4’-10”, 56-kg (123-pound) man. Greece’s three-time Olympic champion, Pirros Dimas, looks like the Superman from the comic  books, at 5’-7” to 5’-8” and 85kg (187 pounds.) However, the most impressive physique, in my opinion, of the entire Sydney Olympics was Iran’s Hossein Tavakoli: his body is Mr. Olympia quality, especially his arms and shoulders, which reminded me of Phil Grippaldi (USA), 90-kg great during the seventies.

Aforementioned Hossein Tavakoli. Indeed, jacked.

 Once you feel confident with this program, start lifting as heavy as you can. Lifting big weights explosively develops big, powerful muscles and bodies. The bottom line, the big point I want to make with this article, is that everyone can and should do some Olympic-style movements in their training. Even if you only did power clean and push presses, the benefits to you will be well worth it.