News: Powerlifters are not Olympic lifters

Olympic lifting: why do we suck?

I just got done reading this article from one of my favorite websites. I love reading EliteFTS and I have bought a lot of their products. As a matter of fact, the majority of my dad's gym has EliteFTS products. Majority of the time I support them with what ever they say but this time I think they have gone to far. Granted, one author that they publish does not reflect on the entire company but still!

 J.L. Holdsworth is not an author I normally read but I saw the artical and it had Olympic lifting in the title so I had to give it a look. The United States has not had the greatest past when it comes to bring home weightlifting medals. This is not hard to see, just go look at the record books. Its filled with eastern Europeans and Russians for the past 50+ years. It's no secret! Where I have a bone to pick with Mr.Holdsworth is with his disapproval of coaches fixing technical problems with a broomstick or a PVC pipe. This has been the calling card of the Russians for years now and they have won plenty of gold medals in weightlifting. Their mind set being technique over strength every day of the week and it has served them well over the years, so obviously they are doing something right.

I decided to do a little research on our good friend J.L. Holdsworth and his credentials check out. Head strength coach at the University of Kentucky, Elite status power lifter, and published author are all admirable traits but what I don’t see on his stats sheet is time spent as an Olympic lifting coach. This is what separates power lifters from Olympic lifters. Power lifters use little technique when performing bench, squat, deadlifts. Their lifts only revolve around strength when Olympic lifters need to have strength and technique to do what they do. J.L. Holdsworth making these comments is like having Ray Lewis give advice to rugby players, both have very large men, bashing into each other on a large field with a funny shaped ball but they are not the same sport by any mean.  I understand that he is very knowledgeable in the world of exercise science and a very experienced lifter but in my opinion they shots he has taken at the world of Olympic lifting were a bit uncalled for.