Chapter 8

Performing In Competition

Gaining strength, developing proper technique and cultivating a well trained weightlifting mind are all critical steps in building the ultimate weightlifter. However, the weightlifter who seeks to demonstrate his or her ability in competition and to receive official recognition for his or her achievements needs to learn special skills to prepare mentally, physically and strategically for competition. These skills are not necessarily developed solely by general weightlifting training. Rather, their development requires special attention.

Similarly, coaching an athlete in a weightlifting competition is very different from coaching an athlete in training. A coach can be very effective in the gym but relatively ineffective at competitions, and vice versa. As with the development of any skill, mastering the ability to coach an athlete in competition requires knowledge and practice. The purpose of this chapter is to provide the coach and/or athlete with the requisite knowledge for fostering high performance in weightlifting competition. It is up to the athlete and the coach to do the practice.

I ask that the athlete who is reading this chapter for his or her own information bear with the constant references to the “coach.” Knowledge of the principles and practices discussed here is just as valuable for the athlete as the coach. Choosing one perspective (in this case the coach’s) at the outset and maintaining it throughout made it easier to write the chapter with clarity, consistency and economy.

The Phases Of Competition Coaching: Pre-, During and Post-Competition

Competitive coaching can be broken down into three phases: pre-contest (from several months before the competition to the weigh-in); the competition itself (from the start of the weigh-in through the athlete’s last C&J); and post-competition. (This last period begins after the outcome of the competition has been determined and can last from several hours to several weeks, depending on how long the coach and athlete are in contact after the competition.) Each phase has different requirements, and all three are essential if an athlete is to derive every bit of benefit from each competition.

The Pre-Contest Phase

A coach should have three major objectives during this phase. First, the coach needs to understand the conditions that will exist at the competition and get to know the lifter and his or her competitive needs. (The coach who handles a lifter in training as well as the platform has an advantage here.) Second, the coach must help the lifter perform at the very highest level possible on the day, in the context of that lifter’s needs and objectives. If defeating the other participants (or at least as many as possible) is a major goal, the coach should find out as much as possible about the legitimate competition (i.e., the competitors who are within striking distance of his or her athlete) and then help the athlete to establish the proper framework in which to turn in the best possible performance against those athletes.

While the objective of defeating as many competitors as possible may seem to be automatic, this is often far from the case. In some competitions it may be appropriate for a lifter to ignore his or her competitors. A lifter may find himself or herself far better or worse than the other lifters in the meet. In that case, true competition is not possible, but a high performance by that athlete is possible. An athlete may have legitimate objectives in a given competition that have nothing to do with other athletes (e.g., making all six attempts, breaking personal records, developing the ability to concentrate fully in front of an audience). Of course, winning is the usual objective, but if the most successful coaches in every sport have one thing in common, it is their emphasis on performing well rather than winning. (Although Vince Lombardi was famous for his comment that winning in the only thing, his true emphasis with his athletes was on excellence and performing at their very best, as he knew that victory would surely flow from such a focus.)

Understanding the Primary Conditions of The Competition: The Rules of Weightlifting

Do you know which organization is recognized by the International Weightlifting Federation and the U.S. Olympic Committee as the national governing body for competitive weightlifting in the United States (and is probably “sanctioning” any competition your athletes are entering)? Do you know that you may not be able to join that organization (the USAW) on the day of a competition (though that is usually possible)? Do you know that you must enter a national level competition several weeks before it is held? Do you understand the way in which the competition will be carried out and what your athletes must wear when they compete? Do you know all of the infractions that can cause the referees to rule no lift?

The answers to all of these questions are in the rulebooks and/or Weightlifting USA, the bimonthly magazine published by the USAW. You must know the rules in order to be an effective coach. Appendix I provides a fairly extensive explanation of the USAW’s rules, and every coach and athlete should study it carefully. Then you should send for a USAW rulebook and join the USAW as a coach, so that you receive the Federation’s magazine regularly. Untold heartache and ill will in the sport of weightlifting have been caused by ignorance. Do not let your athletes be added to the long list of those who have learned the rules the hard way.

The rules of weightlifting are a marvel of comprehensives, economy and fairness. They have been carefully designed and modified over many years to make competitions run as smoothly and equitably as possible. But the best of rules are not perfect, and they certainly cannot overcome ineptitude on the part of those who enforce them. While most officials at USAW sanctioned competitions, especially on a national level, are highly competent, errors are occasionally made. But the few errors that go against an athlete are eventually matched by errors that are to his or her benefit. And it must be remembered that all officials of the USAW are volunteers. They perform their duties year after year because they love the sport, and they deserve your respect even when you do not agree with them.

Once you know the rules, you should teach your athletes those that pertain to performance of the lifts, and you should emphasize them even more before the competition. For example, lowering the bar before the referee’s signal or dropping the bar after the signal are causes for disqualification of a lift. If I had a nickel for every time I saw this at a competition, especially one for new lifters, I would not be rich, but I would certainly be able to retire sooner.

Making a mistake in putting the bar down is an unnecessary and unnerving way to lose a lift. All lifters should practice lifting with mock referee signals during pre-competition training, and someone should remind the lifter to wait for the signal once the lift is at arm’s length. Have the lifter put the bar down carefully, with both hands on the bar. (As the bar nears the platform, make sure that the wrists are positioned behind the bar—not directly above it—so that if the bar bounces, it will not jam the wrists.) Help the lifter develop the mental strategy of saying: “It was rough to get it up there so I’ll savor the moment with it overhead for just a little while.” The lifter will not go wrong with such an attitude as long as he or she does not make a habit of holding the bar overhead for an unnecessarily long period after receiving the down signal. Faulty replacement of the bar on the platform is just one example of a foolishly lost attempt. Knowing the rules will help prevent many other mistakes as well.

Getting to Know the Lifter

Getting to know the lifter is the first step in the pre-competition coaching phase. This is a particularly important process for the coach who has been appointed or requested to handle an athlete in a particular competition when he or she does not normally coach that athlete. For an athlete’s personal coach, a much more abbreviated process is sufficient, but the process should not be ignored, no matter how well a coach knows an athlete. When “understanding” is totally implicit, there is always a great risk of being incorrect.

The earlier and more completely a coach gets to know a lifter, the better. Ideally, this is an ongoing process that spans the lifter’s career. More often than not on the international scene, where one or two coaches serve an entire team, the process takes place over several weeks or months before the competition.

Tommy Kono is the best coach I have ever seen in this regard. When he is selected as a team coach, he immediately begins the process of getting to know his athletes. He solicits information about each athlete on special forms that he has developed for this purpose. Tommy contacts not only the lifters, but also their coaches. He begins a dialogue with the team, corresponding with them regularly. His communications combine inspiration, coaching advice and information about the trip and the destination. Tommy makes himself available by phone and/or written correspondence to all team members well ahead of the event. In addition, he tries to meet and work with as many of the lifters as possible prior to the competition. For example, he generally attempts to organize a pre-competition camp for the team. Once with the team, Tommy is all business. He is there for the team members at all times, giving as little or as much assistance as necessary. All of this is not surprising when you consider that Tommy has always been a thinking lifter and coach; with eight World Championships (including two Olympic Gold medals) and many international coaching assignments, he has “been there.”

For a variety of reasons, circumstances can prevent any meeting of the coach and the athlete before the weigh-in. In such situations, it is possible to conduct an abbreviated version of the familiarization process described below after the weigh-in but before the lifter begins to warm up.

There are several components to the process of getting to know the athlete.

1. Begin building trust by showing respect. The proper role of a competition or “platform” coach is to help the athlete achieve his or her goals. This is particularly true when a coach is functioning solely as an athlete’s competition coach (e.g., when the coach is serving an international team of athletes, most of whom he or she does not know). There is often a temptation for the coach to impose his or her values and judgment on the athlete. Coaches tend to like to take charge, and they are used to having their commands obeyed. In most cases this autocratic streak arises out of a sincere desire to help the normally younger and less experienced athlete. But in other sad cases, an autocratic style is the result of lack of confidence or outright egomania on the part of the coach. Such a coach would do well to remember that the bond of longtime friendship, respect and admiration that should exist between athlete and coach is born of mutual respect for individual values and sovereignty. Respecting other people’s values (as long as they do not entail the initiation of force against others) is a prerequisite for such a relationship. Reasonable people can and do disagree, and the athlete has only one career, while the coach, at least vicariously, has many.

For example, if the coach feels that the greatest honor that a person can receive is to represent his or her country, but the athlete merely wants to do his or her personal best, the competition site is not the place to discuss or attempt to resolve such differences (if they need to be resolved at all). The coach should be there for one purpose and one purpose only: to help the athlete achieve his or her best performance in the context of his or her goals. Differences in opinion about those goals can and should be settled at another time and place. Nothing will ruin an athlete’s chances of success more completely than a challenge to his or her core values on the day of the competition or in the days and weeks immediately before it. Values are at the root of all motivation. Failure to grasp this concept has probably caused more of our poor international performances over the last twenty or thirty years than any other single cause (although I am happy to say that at least some of our coaches have learned their lessons in this vital area).

2. Observe the athlete. This step is both first in the familiarization process and the only one that must continue throughout the competition. Does the lifter appear to be physically, psychologically and emotionally fit to compete? The coach must be careful here to make evaluations within the context of that lifter. For example, for some athletes, 8% body fat can indicate a lack of condition. For other athletes, 12% body fat may represent the peak of lifting fitness. Some lifters can appear to be intense and focused when they have just withdrawn into a private mental turmoil. Others can seem to be nervous when they are “just right” for competition. The coach must learn how each lifter looks, talks and behaves when he or she is in varying stages of readiness. A coach who accomplishes this has taken one major step in the direction of effective competition coaching. When you know where your lifter is, you can make the crucial decisions about whether he or she needs to be brought up or down (in terms of arousal level) and whether his or her focus is correct. (All of this assumes that the lifter agrees and responds to external manipulations, which is not always the case.) In addition, observations of overall preparedness and the lifter’s warm-up attempts help you to advise the athlete in the areas of technique, weight selection, etc. Observation is clearly one of the coach’s most powerful tools.

However, observation has significant limits, particularly when you do not know a lifter very well. For example, I have known lifters who get so worked up in the warm-up room that all of the weights they lift look very light. Then, when they get on the platform, they are too exhausted to perform. I have known others who exude confidence prior to the competition and right up through the warm-ups and then wither on the platform. Still others look tired and slow or sound so negative that you want to give it up. Then they go out and deliver a stellar performance. Even when you know a lifter quite well, you can be mistaken on a given occasion. So, observe your lifter carefully, but do not become overconfident in your ability to predict performance on the basis of pure observation. Observation is an important tool, not a source of omniscience.

3. Interview the athlete. Discuss feelings, desires, goals, past successes and training prior to the competition. Use open-ended questions (questions that require explanations) instead of questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. For instance, “can you tell me about the most important things that you’d like to accomplish in this competition?” is much better than, “do you want to win today?” Open-ended questions elicit more information and encourage a free flowing dialogue. Once a question has been answered, it is important to probe, requesting clarifications and elaboration.

Pose different scenarios and discuss what could or should be done in these situations. Psychological research has shown that people often think they are more certain of what they want or think than they really are. For example, if you ask a lifter if he or she wants to go all out, the answer might be yes. However, if you present a specific situation in which a famous lifter far above your lifter’s ability shows up to compete, the athlete might be happy with personal records or taking second. Only proper questioning will reveal a clear picture of the athlete’s values. Failure to clarify values is probably the single greatest cause for unnecessary suffering in competition. Starting with 25 kg.  more than what is necessary to win and missing three times is not a problem if winning is not all important to that lifter in that competition. He or she is merely faced with the technical challenge of discovering what went wrong. If the lifter puts winning first, he or she would be very disappointed by an avoidable loss.

It should be noted that many, perhaps most, coaches will disagree with what has just been said. They will argue that “you always make a total first” or “you always go for the win first.” It may be true that this is desirable for the majority of athletes, perhaps even more athletes than would ever admit it. But such principles are not immutable; they are not true for all athletes at all times. The purpose of careful questioning and discussion is to clarify the lifter’s values and objectives, so that appropriate decisions can be made during the competition.

4. Review all known facts about the athlete. Gather and evaluate all of the information you can about that athlete’s past performances. However, remember that while history can be very useful in making projections about the future, it does not necessarily determine the future. Therefore, gather information but do not form premature hypotheses.

5. Develop a preliminary idea of what can conceivably be accomplished at the competition and with what degree of certainty. Is winning reasonable? Placing? Making records? Making personal records? Improving the lifter’s rate of success? Understanding these issues, along with the athlete’s objectives, is the basis for formulating a strategy for that athlete in that competition.

6. Develop a strategy. The strategy must take into account the athlete’s goals, his or her condition, the competition and the overall environment of the competition. The strategy should be a flexible plan of how to get the lifter from the warm-up room to where he or she wants to be after the competition.

7. Get to know the lifter’s special needs. All athletes have psychological, emotional, physical and technical needs. Learn what a given lifter needs to see, hear and feel in order to be totally prepared to perform at the optimal level. Certain cues usually help. These may range from a technique reminder to an exhortation, a slap or simple silence. Learn what the cues are, and make sure they happen in the right sequence at the right time.

Making Weight

Every sport has its unpleasant aspects. For marathoners, its the potential for hitting the wall and the risk of dehydration. For skiers, it is the other skier who ventures out on a slope that he or she is not ready to ski (and who thereby endangers the competent skier). In weightlifting it is making weight.

It is the rare lifter who does not find himself or herself with the need to make weight at one time or another in his or her career. Making weight is somewhat unpleasant at best and sheer agony at worst, but there are some steps that can be taken to make it a more certain process and to minimize the discomfort the lifter experiences. The first rule is: do not try to reduce if you are too far away from the weight limit. Lifters vary in their ability to reduce their body weight. I have known lifters who could reduce their body weight by nearly 7% within the last few days before the meet, with little negative affect on their performance. But such lifters are rare indeed. Most athletes will notice a significant reduction in performance with a short term weight loss in excess of 5%, and some will be relatively intolerant to much of a weight loss at all. Research in the area of exercise physiology tends to support these informal observations. When weight loss through dehydration is overdone, it can lead to severe cramping and other very unpleasant symptoms and can actually become life threatening. Dehydration alone can pose a health threat, but changes in electrolyte balances can actually lead to heart arrhythmia (life threatening irregularities in the contraction of the heart muscle). When your heart cramps, you are in major trouble!.

There are essentially four ways to lose body weight: lose muscle size, lose fat, reduce the food and/or liquid in the body’s gastrointestinal and urinary systems and dehydrate. Obviously, losing muscle size is undesirable for to a weightlifter in most instances. Muscles lift weights, and you need all of the quality muscle you can get. Virtually all methods of losing body weight can result in some degree of muscle loss, but the objective is to keep such a loss to a minimum (and careful training and diet will usually accomplish this). A diet adequate in protein and the stimulation of training will go a long way toward preserving muscle mass.

Losing fat is unquestionably the best weight loss alternative for the athlete. Fat lifts nothing, and a leaner athlete is generally more effective than one who has a higher percentage of body fat. Losing fat without losing muscle requires a long term strategy because quick weight losses are almost totally the result of dehydration. In fact, sudden and significant changes in diet can make the body more resistant to weight loss (as the body automatically reduces its metabolism rate to offset the drop in caloric intake). A combination of increased aerobic activity, reduced caloric intake (primarily by reducing the intake of fat in the diet) and careful training (in effect, to tell the body that muscle mass must be maintained) are all crucial accomplish loss of fat.

 However, once body fat is reduced to its minimal level, the only way to lose further weight (without reducing muscle mass) is to is to resort to the last two means (emptying the gastrointestinal and urinary systems and/or generally dehydrating the body).

There is a practical way to reduce ones lean body weight by approximately 5% the week of the meet. Beginning on the Monday before a Saturday competition, monitor the diet to assure that no extra or unnecessary calories are taken in. The diet should be “tightened” a bit on Wednesday, so that on Wednesday and Thursday the overall caloric intake is 10% to 20% below normal. Beginning on Friday morning, the athlete should substantially reduce the quantity of food eaten (to less than 50% of normal). This serves to reduce the food in the body’s digestive system and furthers the overall weight loss process. Watching the diet during the week and reducing the food intake on the day before the competition can cause the athlete to lose from 1/2% to 2% of his or her body weight.

Some lifters resort to laxatives at this point in an effort to clear the large intestine. This practice cannot be advised for several reasons. It is often difficult to predict the effects of a laxative. It is easy to take too much or too little. The effects of a laxative are difficult to modify. Once the laxative is taken, it will run its course. In contrast, more direct forms of dehydration can simply be controlled by stopping the process. Finally, a portion of the bodyweight reduction that results from a laxative comes from dehydration anyway, so it makes more sense to control hydration in some more direct and effective way.

Another bad idea is cleaning the lower intestine by an enema. Practitioners of this technique often forget that the large intestine can absorb water as well as expel it; a dehydrated lifter may simply absorb water. Some argue that just the right saline concentration in the enema solution will preclude water absorption, and they may be right, but, there are better ways to accomplish a similar result.

Still another solution to the quick weight loss problem is the use of diuretics. Apart from the health risk that can arise from diuretics (e.g., over-dehydration, a loss of potassium), it is now illegal to use them prior to and during competition. Admittedly, many lifters found them to be quite effective in the past, but that is a moot point today.

Today, the most practical means for losing the last few pounds of body weight, are to limit the intake of fluids and increase the loss of water from the body by increasing the process of perspiration. Reducing fluid intake can be torture for some and just unpleasant for others.

An increase in the rate of perspiration can be achieved by increasing activity or by exposing the body to heat. Increased activity is generally not a good choice for the lifter, because it can lead to muscular fatigue. Body temperature (and hence perspiration) can be elevated by reducing the effectiveness of the body at eliminating body heat. This can be accomplished by insulating the body so that body heat cannot be dissipated (e.g., by wrapping the body in a blanket) or by exposing the body directly to heat through the mechanism of a sauna or steam room. The difference between a sauna and a steam room is essentially one of humidity; the latter has a higher humidity level. At any given temperature, the body will perspire more at a higher level of humidity. This is why a person can tolerate a much higher temperature in a dryer climate.

Why is the body sensitive to humidity? The reason is an indirect one, The body cannot react to humidity. Rather, it relies on perspiration as a means to cool itself. The evaporation of that perspiration helps to regulate body heat. In a higher humidity, perspiration does not evaporate as quickly, so the body responds by sweating more (as though the reason that cooling has not been sufficient is that perspiration has not been sufficient). The body’s system has in effect been “fooled” by the higher humidity. Therefore, the choice between a sauna and a steam room may be more a matter of personal preference than effectiveness. The rate of weight loss is generally faster in a steam room, but the lifter may not be able to tolerate the heat of the steam room for as long a period. Eastern European lifters generally favor the sauna, which may be for cultural as well as effectiveness reasons.

A Bulgarian technique called “boiling” can be highly effective. I heard about boiling through Ben Green. Ben was a nationally ranked Olympic lifter for many years as well as a World Masters Champion in weightlifting. He has coached many national and international level weightlifters in his career, including several Olympians. He learned the boiling technique from Bulgarian coach Angel Spassov. The advantages of this method is that it is effective and convenient and requires no special equipment. The technique consists of submerging a lifter in a bathtub filled with hot water. Only the lifter’s head remains out of the water. The water should be as hot as the lifter can tolerate it but not so hot that it burns the lifter’s skin (though the skin will become very flushed during the boiling process). The lifter generally remains in the water for fifteen to twenty minutes (never beyond the point where the water cools off and the lifter is not sweating profusely or so long that the lifter begins to feel faint or light headed). For the sake of safety, the lifter should always be accompanied while being boiled. At the end of this period, the lifter is immediately wrapped in blankets to retain the heat that has been generated in the bath (the entire body, including the head, should be covered at this time). The body will continue to perspire in an effort to cool itself. If the boiling process is carried out in an effective manner, it is not unusual for the lifter to lose up to 1 kg.  in thirty minutes.

Whether an athlete elects to use the sauna, a steam room, boiling, a combination of warm clothing and a heavy blanket or a reduction in fluids is a matter of preference and time constraints. Dehydration by fluid deprivation takes longer to work than the sauna or steam room. It is generally agreed that the less time the lifter is at the reduced body weight the better. Therefore, temperature generated weight loss is likely to be more effective than limiting fluids. However, each lifter is different, and each will have to find the proper blend of techniques.

As a lifter gains knowledge and experience about making weight he or she will become more proficient at it. Often the lifter will develop an almost uncanny ability to know where his or her body weight is. Nevertheless, frequent checks at the scale are always a good idea to monitor progress in this regard and to assure that the athlete does not overdo it.

One last point regarding making weight. If that is an important issue (and it is for most lifters), scout out the location of the scale(s) and other equipment ( e.g., steam room). upon arrival at the meet site, If possible, get some help from someone who has already weighed in and immediately weigh in on the alternate or back-up scale to see if that scale has the same readings as the official one.

Even the best of plans can fall short when the pressure is on. No emergency measure can replace having an athlete at the target body weight before he or she goes to weigh in, but some quick fixes can get your athlete where he or she needs to be in a crisis. Urinating and defecating are two obvious ways of eliminating the last few ounces of body weight. Expectorating (spitting, into a cup please!) can also help. A quick rubdown with a dry towel can blot up the last bits of moisture, as can drying hair (hair absorbs moisture). When an athlete is very close to the necessary body weight and time is short, cutting the athlete’s hair can do the trick. A car with the heater turned up or a hot shower can serve as a proxy for a sauna. Some lifters have even used a finger down the throat (though this technique cannot be recommended because of its health risks, and I have never known a lifter who has used it and performed his or her best).

Electronic scales prevail at major competitions today, and lifters are sometimes required to stand in a specific spot on the scale. With a mechanical scale, the lifter may find that standing in one place on the scale or leaning in one direction may have a slight influence on the scale’s reading, enough help him or her make weight. There is nothing illegal about this (unless the referees have stipulated otherwise), and minimizing your reading is your prerogative. However, it is risky to rely on such a technique for making weight.

Preparing for Drug Testing—Don’t Assume That You Are Ready

Most athletes know enough not to use anabolic steroids. Apart from the fact that steroids are banned from competition, there are a host of other reasons not to use them (many of which are addressed in other sections of this book). But today’s drug testing at major weightlifting competitions covers many drugs other than anabolic steroids. Some such drugs (e.g., amphetamines) are obvious ones to ban because they may give one athlete an unfair advantage over another, but other banned substances are not as obvious. Beta blockers (which are normally used to calm the nerve impulses to the hearts of people with heart conditions), diuretics (“water pills”) and some over-the-counter cold medications are examples of banned substances that have unpleasantly surprised many athletes. Even more surprising to many is the incidence of banned substances in many “herbal” preparations. Athletes who are completely committed to never using drugs and ingesting only “natural” substances may consume herbs that end up causing them to be suspended.

Ignorance is not regarded as an excuse by sports governing bodies, and the list of tragic cases of athletes who have been severely penalized for innocently ingesting banned substances unfortunately grows longer every year. The only way to combat this problem is to educate your athletes regarding banned substances and to remind them of this issue well before any competition in which they may be tested. Both coaches and athletes should become very familiar with the drug testing rules so that something unfortunate will never happen to them.

The coach must stress that the athlete should ingest no banned substance or any substance of uncertain origin or content (and should not listen to anyone other than doping control experts from the USOC, IWF or IOC). When there is any doubt, do not take the substance.

Dietary Considerations Before a Competition

We have already discussed the issue of dieting to make weight at competition. The issue of eating to maximize energy in training and competition will be discussed is some detail in Chapter 10. However, apart from considerations of making weight and consuming the nutrients that are optimal from a nutritionist’s standpoint, there are practical considerations to assure that the athlete will be comfortable and focused on performing well during the competition (because poor or unusual dietary factors will distract the lifter). In my experience, there are three considerations that should determine a lifter’s competition diet: 1) his or her normal dietary habits and inherent rate of digestion; 2) the degree to which the athlete’s normal diet has been altered in order to make weight; and, 3) the amount of time available to the athlete after weigh-in and between the snatch and the C&J.

It is often a good idea to minimize any differences between what the athlete normally does and what he or she does on the day of the competition. A well balanced diet that is higher in protein and lower in fat than the typical American diet is generally a good idea for a lifter. However, if that is not the athlete’s normal diet, the day of the competition is not the day to begin experimenting. Theoretically, a diet that is lower in fat and protein and higher in complex carbohydrates is best for competition, but such a diet should be experimented with before competition day.

The content of the diet is perhaps less important than the timing of food ingestion. Some people actually say they feel better lifting on a relatively full stomach. I prefer not to eat for several hours before competing, as a full stomach seems to sap my energy and gives me an uncomfortable feeling when I lift. Various eating intervals should be tried to learn what is most agreeable for each individual athlete. However, you should be aware that the content of the athlete’s diet will affect his or her rate of digestion. Fats are digested most slowly, protein more quickly and carbohydrates most quickly of all. Therefore, a meal that is high in fat may feel as if it is sitting in the stomach for many hours, while a meal that is mostly carbohydrates may take only an hour or two to be digested. This is why the interval between the weigh-in and the competition and the interval between the snatch and the C&J can be significant. For instance, if there are only a few competitors in a weight class, the time between the snatch and the C&J may not permit the athlete to eat much of anything. On the other hand, if there is likely to be an hour and a half between an athlete’s last snatch and when he or she begins to warm up for the C&J, some light eating may very well be in order after the snatch has been completed. If an athlete has really starved to make weight, it may be very important for the athlete to eat before a competition in order to regain his or her energy. If the athlete has been able to eat normally going into the competition, the effect of food hours before a competition will be less significant, so in such a situation it is probably better to err on the side of eating less than normal.

It is a good idea to experiment with the many athletic specialty drinks that are available today as an energy source during competition and workouts. While some of these drinks are not much more than water, sugar, flavoring and color, others offer a balanced mixture of simple and complex carbohydrates that can really assist the performance of some athletes. There is no substitute for reading the labels and experimentation. While some athletes can drink these preparations straight, many will find that cutting the drink with an equal volume of water makes it more beneficial and helps to prevent dehydration as well. In fact, dehydration will affect performance far more than lack of food. For this reason, the lifter should drink fluids at regular intervals (e.g., six to eight ounces per hour) rather than relying on the sensation of thirst (which may not be felt until significant dehydration has occurred).

Packing the Competition Bag

Successful meet preparation requires packing the gear that may be used by an athlete in competition. Many veteran lifters have bags that contain a seemingly unlimited number of items. They have often assembled these bags after being caught without something necessary at a crucial time. They are truly prepared.

You should not rely on the athlete to pack every item that he or she may need at the competition. Prepare two packing lists, one for the athlete and one for you. Between the two lists you should have every item on the following list (and anything you can think of that may help). Before you leave for the competition venue, make sure either you or the athlete has every item on the list.

I have found the following items to be useful.

1. Lifting Suit and T-Shirt. Many lifters like to pack two, in case one becomes soiled, damaged or perspiration soaked during the meet.

2. Lifting Shoes. Most athletes like one pair of athletic shoes for the general warm-up and lifting shoes for lifting. Some even have two pairs of lifting shoes (one for the snatch and one for the C&J). Still others bring an extra pair of shoes; this precaution is almost never necessary, but it is not a bad idea.

3. Extra Shoe Laces. The best practice is to change them before the meet if they even have small signs of wear and to have an extra pair. When the lifter is pulling those laces tight under stress, they will often break.

4. Lifting Belt. If the lifter wears one, make sure the leather or other material from which it is made is in good shape and that any stitching is sound.

5. Straps. It is not advisable to warm up with straps, but having a pair can be helpful when the warm-up is long or the skin of the hands has been torn up before the event. (And the lifter may want to train after the event.)

6. Wraps. Bring a set of all permissible wraps and extras of the ones that the lifter normally uses. (Even a wrap that he or she normally does not use can become necessary in the event of an injury.)

7. Chalk and Rosin. You might be surprised how many warm-up rooms run short. Occasionally the athlete will not like the chalk provided in the warm-up area, having his own can be a pleasure in such a situation. Rosin helps to keep the soles of the shoes from slipping on a platform that is too smooth or slick.

8. Sweats. Even if the lifter does not normally use them, having sweats will be useful if the competition site is cold.

9. A Long Robe Or Blanket and a Towel. Robes and blankets are easier to get on and off than sweats and warmer when that extra warmth is needed (whether because the arena is cool or to make weight unexpectedly). Towels have obvious uses.

10. Fluids and Electrolytes. Do not depend on their availability at the meet site. The ingestion of fluids is important in training, but the stress of a long competition and the dehydration that may precede it make fluid intake even more important. You should have fluids with and without carbohydrates so that the lifter can meet his or her fluid requirements under a wide variety of conditions. Electrolytes help to replace the minerals that have been lost during any pre-competition weight reductions.

11. Reminder Notes. A reminder list that provides technique pointers, suggestions about what the lifter should be thinking, a record of warm-ups and motivational sayings can be a meet saver. This list assures the athlete that nothing important will be forgotten.

12. Personal Items. Some athletes use certain item to calm, focus or inspire them during a competition. These can range from audio or video tapes to pictures or “worry beads.” These items should be in the competition gear. Ideally, the athlete will not rely on anything but his or her own mind to prepare for the competition, but when a lifter uses an external aid it is important for it to be there, and the only way to assure that is to put it on your packing list.

13. Chewing Gum. Gum assists in expectorating when making weight.

14. Tape and Tape Spray. Tape can be used on the thumbs and anywhere else the lifter might need it during the competition. Tape sprays help tape to adhere better or be removed more easily.

15. Surgical Scissors. These are used to trim tape, bandages and torn calluses (even hair to make weight).

16. Tweezers. These are used to remove splinters and help trim torn calluses.

17. First Aid Kit. Tearing skin on the hands can occur occasionally, even if the lifter cares for his or her hands properly. Since some other kind of cut, abrasion or bruise may occur, the kit should include ointment with an analgesic (e.g., xylocaine). A callous board can also be useful. If one is going abroad, a prescription pain killer is a good idea in the unlikely event that a painful injury arises while you are abroad (bring the prescription and check local laws first to make sure the drug isn’t illegal in the country your are visiting).

18. Chemical Or Other Ice Packs and Liniment. In the event of any strain or sprain, it is important to have cooling agents. Ice applied in combination with compression becomes a valuable first aid measure. Cold sprays can be helpful in the short term when ice is unavailable.

19. Smelling Salts. These are used to clear the head when and if necessary (some lifters find they provide a psychological boost before a lift). However, some recent medical evidence suggests these can be a very bad idea for someone with a heart condition.

20. Assorted Survival Tools. A compact “mess kit” (knife, fork, spoon, plate, cup and bottle and can opener) plus safety pins, pen, paper and calculator can all come in handy. A number of non-lifting medical items (e.g., anti-diahrreals) can also be helpful for travelers, particularly when they are going to foreign countries, but be aware that local laws may forbid certain drugs.

21. Unitard. When this book was first published in 1998, lifters were not permitted to wear any garments that covered their entire arm or leg (lifting suits could extend part way down the thighs and t-shirts part way down the arms). Today, the rule permitting the use of a unitard (one or two pieces) permits the lifter to wear a garment that covers nearly their entire body. The emergence of this kind of garment was initially driven by the religious beliefs of some athletes who would not have been permitted to appear publicly in a standard singlet which bared so much of their skin. But once the unitard was accepted for religious reasons, it was decided that all athletes should have access to it. Were I competing today in any serious way, I would absolutely wear a unitard. Wearing such a piece of equipment has many benefits, but here are three of the main ones. First, it enables the lifter to stay warm while they compete. Before the advent of the unitard, many lifters warmed up in, and stayed warm between attempts in, a sweatsuit, now a good unitard can keep the lifter warm from warmups to the platform (and if it doesn’t a blanket can be added). Second, covering one’s shins and thighs reduces, if not eliminates, the incidence of skin abrasions generated in those areas through contact with the knurling on the bar. Third, wearing an arm covering helps referees to judge arm lock more objectively, as they are simply observing the outline of the arm to determine whether the elbows are bending or not. When looking at an athlete’s skin, one can be deceived by the movements in arm muscles into thinking the arm is moving when it fact it has not done so. For all these reasons and others, I highly recommend the use of this piece of equipment in every competition.

Traveling to and Adapting to the Competitive Environment

It is important for the lifter to become acclimated to the competition environment as quickly and as fully as possible. The first step is to get the athlete there. Make sure you leave early when you go to the airport and competition site. Plan to arrive at the site well before weigh-in. Make alternative travel plans. Professional travelers think nothing of booking more than one flight, or even more than one means of transportation (plane, train, auto, etc.) but be sure to notify the alternative means of transport as soon as you have made a final decision on how to proceed.

The complete weightlifter must be a professional traveler. Planning the trip—scheduling, packing, selecting transport and accommodations— must be done with care. While the champion may be resilient, there is no point in creating unnecessary stress. A trip should be planned well in advance. Find out about the city and state or country to which you are traveling. If you are making an international trip, seek out the assistance of the team manager (if there is one), other athletes, or any one else who has been there. (Better still, find someone who lives there and is very familiar with conditions in the United States as well.) Get data on food and water, travel options and things to watch out for. Your local health department can normally supply this kind of information. If not, numerous travel books and other materials provide this information.

Two strategies are generally preferable when traveling a substantial distance or to very different living conditions. One is to come in as late as possible, the other is to arrive several days before the competition. The advantage of a late arrival is that the stress of travel will probably not have taken real effect (because there is usually a short lag in such effects). Performance at a higher altitude is generally best immediately after arrival or after five to ten days of adjustment. The time required to overcome jet lag depends on how many time zones have been traversed and in which direction, but its effects are not fully experienced immediately. Jet lag can be shortened considerably with some very specific dietary and sleeping pattern manipulations. (see Overcoming Jet Lag by C. Ehret & L Scanlon for further information.) A late arrival also reduces the likelihood of exposure to bad food or water and to extreme temperature conditions.

An early arrival enables an athlete to adjust to changes in the time zone, climate and altitude. There is also ample time to get to know local conditions firsthand and to visit the lifting venue. All of this can be an advantage. When arriving early after a long trip or a trip to an important meet, plan to arrive at least thirty hours ahead of the weigh-in. The expense of early arrival is its major disadvantage. A less common disadvantage is having more time for performance to collapse (under the rare circumstances in which conditions are so poor that adaptation is almost impossible, at least over the course of a few days or weeks). In the case of travel, as in the case of virtually everything else in lifting, everyone is a little different. One athlete will thrive on late arrival, and another will find is stressful. One athlete will become bored sitting around a site, while another athlete will find the travel interesting and restful. The athlete should be permitted to do what is best for him or her, even if it creates inconvenience or added expense; the value of success is priceless.

Here are some helpful tips for the lifter.

1. Try to bring some familiar things along on the trip. Something as simple as a well worn robe or familiar music can be extremely comforting in a strange place. If you are visiting a foreign country and bring something that requires electric power, make sure it will work under the voltage conditions there. (Inexpensive electricity converters are readily available.”

2. Do not drink the water, do not brush your teeth with it and do not wash or rinse food with it unless you are absolutely sure that it is safe. This is not an issue in the United States, but when traveling abroad, it often is; if you are unsure, do not drink it.

3. Enter the competition early and document your entry. The reason for an early entry is to assure that the entry has been sent on time and received. I have seen athletes train hard for a meet, send in an entry and travel all of the way to the competition, only to be unable to lift because their entries were never received. Make sure this does not happen to you. Send all entries certified mail, return receipt requested. In addition, you should bring a copy of the entry so that you have further evidence that you entered. Minors should take at least one of three further steps. First, bring a second original entry (signed by a parent) to the competition. Second, call the USAW National Office (or meet director) to confirm that the entry has been received. Third, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope with a confirmation letter signed by the meet director, stating the entry has been received and is complete. These extra steps for the lifter who is a minor go beyond demonstrating that the entry was made on time. They also assure that the meet director has parental consent required for the athlete to compete.

4. Pack early and have a list. No matter how often you travel, there is always the possibility of overlooking something. Experienced travelers pack early enough to discover and replace missing items, and their lists assure that nothing vital is forgotten.

5. Carry critical items on board the carrier. Airlines and other common carriers are generally pretty good about getting your luggage to where you are going. However, there are occasional losses (temporary or permanent). Losing anything can be annoying, losing a favorite and irreplaceable item can be maddening, but losing your lifting shoes is a virtual disaster.

I vividly remember an incident that took place at my first Senior Nationals in Chicago in 1969. The airline managed to lose the luggage of one of my training partners, Gary Hanson. Gary had been a National Champion several times. He was in shape to win still another title, but when he arrived in Chicago, his luggage had not. Gary lost his lifting shoes, belt and suit. He managed to remain reasonably calm, and after some desperate scrounging around, to borrow some equipment that was adequate, although he didn’t look like a fashion plate when he mounted the platform. It was a tribute to Gary’s experience and character that he maintained his composure and went on to win the meet. If he did not learn a lesson, I surely did. I will never trust critical items to an airline or anyone else.

 When you arrive at the site, check the following conditions.

1. The Platform. It can be smaller or larger than standard. In either case, the officials should be persuaded to draw a line around the platform indicating the official size. I have see lifters lose lifts at National Championships because they stepped over a line they did not know existed. Platform height can tell you if a lifter needs to be on his or her way there a little sooner. (a 5’ elevation can result in a lifter needing a little more time to prepare to lift after he or she has mounted the platform, particularly if that lifter is very large.) The surface of the platform can provide traction or be slick. (In the latter case, get out the rosin you have undoubtedly brought along or get someone to clean things up before your lifter begins.) An early survey of the platform’s surface can also help to identify problem areas( softness, unevenness) and whether or not the platform is level (if you brought your level). These things can be corrected before the competition begins, or perhaps the bar can be placed in a position that avoids the bad spots. Its too late when the athlete has tripped, slipped or unnecessarily lost his or her balance.

2. The Arena. How far is it from the warm-up room to the platform? The farther it is, the earlier the lifter will need to head for the platform, and the more you will need to bring along (for example, fluids, blankets, a chair). Is access too restricted? Too narrow an entrance can mean you need more time to get out to the platform and that you cannot sit there awaiting a lift. What is the temperature like? Do you need a blanket or a fan? Scout out a private place for your lifter to relax and to concentrate between attempts. Be aware that conditions can and do change before and during the competition. Think about what gap between attempts will make it reasonable to return to the warm-up area and what circumstances will preclude such a return. Help the lifter to spot points to focus on during the snatch, clean and jerk. It is usually a good idea to have the lifter come out to the platform to find his or her focal points and to become familiar with the surroundings before the competition begins. The main exception to this rule is the lifter who gets too nervous when he or she is exposed to the arena beforehand.

Pay particular attention to the warm-up area. Just before the warm-ups begin, set up a place that the lifter can call his or her own (with a chair, blanket, fluids, etc.) for the duration of the competition. A familiar spot (albeit a temporary one) can help the athlete psychologically and the coach (e.g., so that you do not have to look for your athlete when you come back from counting attempts).

3. The Barbell. Does it have the same dimensions as your training equipment? (Even the same brand can vary at times.) Is it smoother or rougher? (More or less tape or chalk may be needed if the difference is significant.) Will the bar on the platform be loaded with the same plates as the warm-up bars? (This is particularly important for athletes who are lifting weights that can affect the height of the bar from the floor, or where 25 kg.. plates can feel very different from 20s, 15s and 10s loaded randomly.) Is the bar bent? If so, get it replaced, or at least have the lifter pull with the inside of the bar bent upward. When the bar does not turn freely, there is nearly always a portion of its circumference through which turning is smoother. In such a case, the lifter should be sure to position the bar so that it will move freely when the bar is turned over as the lifter executes the squat under.

It is important to have the lifter check the bar before the competition for another reason. Lifters who do not check the bar before the competition often do so immediately before they lift. When a lifter waits to check the bar for the first time, there is little likelihood that some kind of coping mechanism can be introduced to remedy any unexpected discovery. Tardiness in examining the bar is somewhat foolish, but as long as the lifter confines the contact of the hands to the portion of the bar which he or she will grip, better late than never.

The real problem arises when the lifter touches the bar in a place other than the one where his or her grip is to be placed during the lift. This is because some lifters use a lubricant on their thighs when lifting (although it is technically illegal). That lubricant can be transferred from the lifter’s thighs to the bar during the lift, making the bar slippery where contact was made. Should the lifter touch such a spot, some of the lubricant can be transferred to the lifter’s hand and can negatively affect the lifter’s grip. It is bad enough if this happens as a result of a lifter touching the bar where he or she actually grips the bar to lift, but it is a tragedy when this occurs as a result of touching the bar in an unnecessary place. Interestingly enough, the lifter’s grip is rarely affected if the bar is touched only where necessary, because the thighs of the other lifters will rarely have touched the bar at the same point.

While it is important to gain some understanding of, and control over, the competitive conditions, you need to prepare your lifter for the human conditions that he or she may encounter at the competition.

Pre-Competition “Head Games”

Some athletes love to engage in behavior that they believe will “psych-out” an opponent. On balance, it is probably best to avoid such “head games.” Weightlifting is one sport in which competitors can almost ignore each other completely without affecting their chance of winning. Psychological games can easily divert a lifter’s attention from the real task at hand: lifting as much weight as in humanly possible on that day. Nevertheless, a knowledge of some basic ploys will enable the coach and the athlete to avoid being drawn in by an opponent’s behavior.

The first principle to keep in mind in psychological warfare is that efforts to destroy an adversary imply respect for that opponent. If an opponent did not feel your athlete had a chance of winning, he or she would not attempt to achieve a mental victory. That fact alone should bolster your athlete’s confidence. Moreover, the athlete who engages in psychological warfare is often its greatest victim. This is the psych-out artist’s own fears and uncertainties convince that person of the efficacy of such emotions in defeating others. Just knowing that the competitor who is waging psychological warfare feels that an edge is necessary in order to assure victory over your athlete should give your athlete added confidence.

Here are some popular ploys in psychological warfare.

1. “I’m in great shape”: This is usually based on a foundation of prior competitive performances, training performances, and/or warm-up room performances. This image can be further augmented by announcing a high starting attempt (then dropping it back to a more reasonable level later). The object of the game is to convince opponents that they have no chance. It is certainly true that such a method can work. The initiator of such an effort risks tiring himself out with all of his or her fussing. Failing to unnerve an opponent with these tactics can be unnerving in and of itself. In addition, having to drop back a starting weight after setting it at an artificially high level can give opponents an unwanted morale boost.

2. “I’m in Poor Shape”: This approach is less draining on the person who carries it out than the “great shape” approach. This “poor shape” approach is often augmented by submitting a low starting attempt but jumping the start up later. This method can, of course, lull an opponent into a false sense of security. On the other hand, giving the appearance of being in poor condition can give an opponent just the psychological boost he or she needs to overcome self-doubt and perform well.

3. “I’m uncertain”: This approach has two variations. The athlete either claims not to know whether he or she is in shape or suggests that perhaps he or she will not lift today. This approach is often supplemented by showing up at the weigh-in at the last minute. This technique can unnerve opponents and can cause them to suffer mood swings. Of course, the surprise can often end up being on the one who utilizes this ploy.

4. “I’m aggressive and intense”: Here the athlete roars around the warm-up room looking as if he or she were possessed. This can make an opponent wonder why he or she is not as intense. Fortunately, the bar is not influenced by such behavior, and a savvy opponent may be inspired to rise to the occasion instead of folding his or her tent early. In addition, acting out such a role can be tiring.

5. “I’m relaxed and confident”: Here the athlete exudes an aura of confidence and/or friendliness. The opponent may then wonder, “why is he or she so relaxed and confident?” Moreover, who wants to beat such a nice gal or guy? Again, the bar is not cognizant of such behavior and it may backfire. For instance, the opponent may conclude that a laid back person is not be much of a threat and that nice guys finish last.

6. “Us against the world”: This clever ruse manifests itself in a variety of ways, but its purpose is twofold. First, it is intended to undermine the opponent’s confidence by identifying an apparently insurmountable obstacle to performance. Second, it enables the perpetrator to gain the confidence of his or her victim. The lifter might say: “The platform is slippery; how do they expect us to lift on it?” A comment like that can undermine an opponent’s confidence and lull the opponent into thinking of the other athlete as a comrade rather than a competitor. Finally, it implies that something beyond any athlete’s control is affecting everyone, making a lower standard of performance acceptable to all.

The keys to overcoming psychological warfare are to understand it and to avoid engaging in it, either as an initiator or a victim. If you understand it, you will not be intimidated. If you avoid engaging in it, you reduce the risks and save yourself some energy in the process.

The Actual Competition

There are two fundamental elements to coaching during the actual competition: helping your lifter perform as well as possible and helping your athlete to place as high as possible in the competition. The first element is taken care of by timing the athlete’s warm-ups, helping him or her in selecting weights, maintaining a focus on the strategy planned, providing the proper cues and continuing to help the lifter adapt to the environment. The second element is taken care of by observing your athlete and the opponents and by utilizing the rules of the game effectively to achieve an optimal outcome against the competition.

Determining the Number of Warm-up Attempts

The number of warm-up attempts required to perform effectively on the platform is a highly individual and situational issue. The lifter’s physical condition, emotional state and habitual warm-up patterns will all influence the structure of the warm-ups. The situation that exists at the competition can have an influence as well.

Overall, there are two general (albeit weak) tendencies with regard to warming up. One tendency is for lifters to warm up too little rather than too much, particularly in the snatch lift. The second tendency is for a lifter to require more warm-up attempts in the snatch than the C&J.

Researchers in the former Soviet Union found that most lifters performed best in the snatch after several maximum attempts. While the research would have to be far more extensive before the findings could be regarded as conclusive, the results of this single study will strike many coaches and athletes as being intuitively sound. We have all witnessed the phenomenon of a lifter progressively improving during successive attempts with a heavy weight, or warming up a second time and performing better the second time around. (We have all witnessed the opposite phenomenon as well, although not as frequently.) Generally, if a lifter is not overtrained, grossly out of condition, or using significant nervous energy when warming up, it is hard to r warm up too much (the greatest risk is probably tearing a callus).

There are at least four reasons why a lifter’s performance in the snatch seems to benefit from an extensive warm-up, especially relative to that needed for the C&J. The first reason is that athletes tend to develop less muscular fatigue with lighter versus heavier loads (e.g., in the snatch versus the C&J). A second reason is that more motor precision is needed to perform a snatch than a C&J, and precision tends to improve in successive trials. Third, the pressure on the athlete tends to be greatest during his or her first attempt on the competitive platform. An extra warm-up or two can give the lifter a little more confidence and take the nervous “edge” off (although burning off excess nervous energy by lifting is not as effective as learning to control that energy). Finally, the snatch is performed before the C&J in competition, so the body is already warmed up by the time the C&J begins (unless there is a significant break between the snatch and the C&J). We may not have a full scientific explanation for the need to warm up, but most lifters seem to benefit significantly from a thorough warm-up.

I am not a recommending that a lifter automatically extend his or her snatch warm-ups or that the warm-up period be any longer than is necessary to achieve top performance. It is merely a suggestion that if the effectiveness of a particular warm-up method has been less than desired and the warm-ups are conventional in length (i.e., consisting of five to nine sets), the lifter should probably consider a more extensive warm-up as a first effort at a remedy.

What guidelines can be given for the length of the warm-up? As with the range of training techniques that can generate strength gains, the amount of warming up that is necessary varies widely. Former World Champions Bob Bednarski and Pete George had two of the most limited warm-up approaches ever used in high level weightlifting competition.

Pete George often warmed up with 60 kg.  when his planned starting attempt was approximately 100 kg.  higher. Pete argued that the need for a warm-up was basically mental and that a thorough warm-up with a light weight prepared the body sufficiently for heavy attempts, while avoiding fatigue. (Pete’s skill at mental preparation was legendary.) Bob Bednarski’s warm-up habits were perhaps even more unusual. In 1968, when Bob did his immortal 486 lb. World Superheavyweight C&J record, he performed only one C&J of 325 lb. in the warm-up room. Bob then took his first attempt at 425 lb. and jumped directly to the historic 486.

About a year and a half later, Bob gave perhaps an even more amazing demonstration of warm-up brevity. Weighing in under the 110 kg.  limit, he made a 217.5 kg.  training C&J, a lift that exceeded the world record at the time. What made his lift so incredible is that Bob did not intend to C&J at all that day. He entered the gym planning to do only a few cleans. He took three or four attempts to arrive at 200 kg., which he cleaned relatively easily. In view of the easy clean, Bob decided to jerk the weight as well. The jerk attempt resulted in a miss, but that did not phase the indomitable Bednarski. He merely loaded the bar to 217.5 kg.  and clean and jerked it handily!

I do not relate these examples to advocate such limited warming up. Few of us are as courageous or as talented as Pete George or Bob Bednarski. Moreover, these outstanding lifters might have performed even better had their warm-up methods been somewhat more conventional. But their stories do illustrate that very limited warm-ups can be effective for at least some lifters.

As was noted earlier, too brief a warm-up is more likely to be a problem than too much of a warm-up. While rare lifters like George and Bednarski perform exceedingly well with very limited warm-ups, I have never known nor heard of an advanced lifter who could lift his or her maximum without warming up (although I have known a number who have tried and come reasonably close). Among those who could perform at a very high level without warming up, I have never known one who said they felt better without any warm-up at all. Therefore, it is fairly clear that at least some warming up is preferable, if not absolutely necessary.

At the other extreme are lifters who employ warm-ups that would virtually exhaust the average lifter. For example, I have seen lifters perform competition warm-ups that included a long, hot shower, half an hour of stretching and calisthenics, five or six sets of snatches with the empty (20 kg. ) bar and a gradual progression using sets of three to five reps until the lifter reached approximately 75% of maximum. This was followed by a progression to the lifter’s starting attempt in 5 kg.  increments.

Is there such a thing as warming up too much? Absolutely. A lifter who warms up excessively can reach a point of physical fatigue. Perhaps more importantly and more likely, such a lifter runs the risk of exhausting the nervous system and becoming emotionally fatigued. Under contest conditions, nervous energy is at a premium. Because emotions tend to heightened during competition, performing the same number of warm-ups as a lifter would in a typical training session can use up far more energy. Lifters who warm up less in competition than in training seem to sense that.

Two rather bizarre examples of approaches I have witnessed illustrate the two most common ways in which warm-ups can be excessive. One case was that of a lifter who suffered from a severe lack of confidence. He had “bombed out” of a number of competitions and was determined not to let it happen again. Since he felt unable to predict his competition performance on the basis of his training lifts, his plan was to warm up early and to try his opening attempt in the warm-up room. He reasoned that by so doing he would be sure of what he could do that day. While most lifters find that going all of the way up to their starting attempt in the warm-up room is both tiring and unnecessary, some lifters do find this approach effective. Unfortunately, this lifter had some trouble making the weight he intended to open with in the competition, so he lifted it several times just “to be sure he could do it.” Finally, when he was sure, he confirmed that he would open as originally planned. That is when things began to unravel for this lifter. It seems that he had warmed up too early. As a result, he had to wait quite a while before being called to the bar. Consequently, he rested and warmed up again. By the time he got back up to his opener again, he was a little off and missed. Obviously upset at this turn of events, he attempted this weight several more times with mixed success. By the time he was called to the platform for his opening attempt, he was completely unnerved. His missed first attempt destroyed what little confidence he had left, and two more misses followed in close succession. While much of the blame for this lifter’s unfortunate experience undoubtedly lies with mental failure on his part, excessive warming up played a major role in the entire episode.

The hazards of excessive warming up are not limited to the mentally weak or inexperienced, as the story of multiple World Champion and world record holder will illustrate. This great champion from Eastern Europe was lifting in a meet in the United States. during the early 1980s. At this competition, he opened his C&J’s within 10 kg.  of the existing world record and lifted it quite comfortably. He then called for an attempt at the world record on his second attempt. Since there were only a few attempts between his first and second attempts, he probably could have simply rested between attempts. Instead, his coaches directed him to take a warm-up with 20 kg.  less than his opener, which he did without much difficulty. This was clearly a judgment call by the coach, who was trying to balance the risk of his lifter’s cooling off and of tiring himself unnecessarily. If ten experienced coaches had been faced with the same decision, five would have probably gone each way.

But this is not the end of the story. As soon as the lifter completed his warm-up, he was directed by his coach to take still another warm-up, this time with 10 kg.  less than his opening weight. That struck me as excessive, both in terms of the weight being lifted and the short rest between warm-up attempts. I could tell by the lifter’s expression that he agreed with me. The coach apparently caught his athlete’s expression and motioned for the lifter to go ahead. As the lifter approached the warm-up bar, he was called to the competition platform for his second attempt, which gave him 1.5 minutes to get out to the platform and begin his world record attempt. Upon hearing the announcement, the lifter paused and looked up at the coach, obviously expecting the coach to rescind his previous order. Seemingly oblivious to what had transpired, the coach reiterated his order to take the warm-up. Now he and the lifter began to exchange some words of disagreement (all of this while the clock was running on the lifter). Finally, with about a minute left on the clock, the disputed warm-up was taken. The lifter then hurried out to the bar to make his attempt, which was unsuccessful due to an elbow touch.

The lifter was given a three minute rest, as he was to follow himself on the competition platform. I thought that with three minutes he might make his third attempt. But the coach was apparently not finished yet, He made the lifter go backstage and take still another warm-up. (If he was not warm after shouldering a World Record, I do not know how his coach came to believe that a warm-up with a lighter weight would make him so.) By the time the lifter got back to the warm-up area, performed his warm-up, and returned to the platform once again, he was clearly getting tired, and he missed again. Would this athlete have made a record if he had not been required to take those extra warm-ups? We will never know for sure. World records, after all, are as rare as they are wonderful. But surely those extra warm-ups did not help the lifter’s chances for success.

What are some guidelines for warming up? The first principle is that the warm-up pattern should at least resemble the lifter’s habits in training, except that while the lifter may vary reps in training, competition warm-ups should almost always be singles (except for the very early sets in the warm-up series). The athlete should experiment in training with different numbers of warm-up attempts and with differing rest periods between warm-up attempts. One of the fastest and surest ways to create muscular fatigue is to take too little rest between warm-up attempts. On the other hand, speeding up the warm-up tempo can hasten the warm-up process. The lifter must find his or her proper balance.

Most lifters will probably find that five to seven sets with weights 50% of maximum and above will be about right and that two to four minutes between attempts is a comfortable pace. The last warm-up should generally be 5% to 10% below the opener (toward the lower end in the snatch and the higher end in the C&J). Older lifters (i.e., 35 and above) and those with sore joints may require more warm-up attempts with lighter weights (up to 75%) before going on. Novices and those who are modifying their technique in some way may find that a longer warm-up, one with more sets and more gradual increases than the norm, is helpful. Even taking as much as the opener for the final warm-up, particularly in the snatch, may be helpful. This approach may also help athletes who have high anxiety levels when they prepare for their opening attempts. (This strategy can work against the lifter if he or she misses when warming up and then worries about the miss; other lifters feel more comfortable whether they miss or succeed in the warm-up room because they have at least “felt” their opening attempt there.) Those with well established technique and a tendency to burn up a lot of energy in the warm-up room should experiment with a shorter warm-up.

Warm Up Physically, But Let the Emotions Warm Up More Slowly

The importance of warming up physically without getting too emotional was brought home to me by a young boxer who trained at Lost Battalion Hall when I was a teenager. Although he and I rarely spoke, we developed a deep and mutual respect for one another on the basis of one simple shared value: total dedication to our sports. We both came early to practice and left late. We both relished the drills that no one else seemed to want to do. When a blizzard kept everyone else away from the gym or a summer heat wave made it sensible to shorten the training session, we were there doing every last exercise. He became the best conditioned boxer in the entire program, and my lifting steadily improved. Slowly and methodically, we were becoming hot young prospects in our given sports. Then one day he stopped coming to the gym.

When I asked the boxing coach what had happened I received both a shock and a valuable lesson. The boxing coach told me that my young boxing friend had a serious weakness; he could not go the distance (i.e., fight effectively for the full duration of the boxing match). After two or three terrific rounds, he would become utterly exhausted and fall victim to the onslaughts of his opponents. He had became so distraught and frustrated over this problem that he quit the sport. I was astonished at this revelation. I even argued with the coach. How could my friend tire so quickly? He was in such fine condition. Yes, the coach said rather sadly, this young athlete was very well conditioned, but nonetheless, he tired quickly in competition. Why? He was unable to control his emotions. He became so excited early in the fight that all of his nervous energy was quickly depleted. Even the vast amount of conditioning work that he performed could not prepare him for that kind of stress. Apparently, training does not expand the capacity of the adrenal gland (or at least not to the same extent that it improves other capabilities).

I reflected on what the boxing coach had told me for days. Becoming fatigued during a competition (which consisted of three lifts in those days) was something that I sometimes experienced and had been unable to explain. In terms of work done, my workouts were generally more arduous than a competition, yet I rarely felt anything near the level of fatigue in the gym that I did after some competitions. What was worse, I sometimes felt exhausted going into a competition, even thought I had reduced my training prior to the competition in an effort to conserve energy. Obviously, the real need is to conserve nervous energy before and during the competition, Since there is some relationship between the expenditure of nervous energy and the amount of physical work that is done, it is useful to avoid warming up too much. However, an even more important method of conserving energy is emotional control, a subject that has already been discussed at length in Chapter 7.

Timing Warm-ups

Timing warm-ups is one of the competition coach’s most important functions, yet it is one of the functions most frequently botched (and I have seen some of the top coaches in the world do it). In planning warm-up timing, it is best to write down all of the lifter’s planned warm-ups, including stretching, free-hand exercises, meditation. etc.. Then the coach should back into the warm-up attempts. That is, he or she should determine the lifter’s probable starting attempt, and then ask the athlete how many attempts on the platform he or she wants to elapse between the last warm-up and the opening attempt. (Most experienced lifters know this.) Some lifters may like as little as one attempt. (This is rare with today’s one minute rule, because in most situations lifters only have to make their competition attempts; until a few years ago, two minutes were permitted.) Others prefer several attempts to catch their breath and get mentally prepared. Most lifters prefer two to four attempts (since the average time span between competition attempts is 1 to 1.25 minutes, two to four attempts equals two to five minutes). A lifter who “wraps” the knees or uses other protective/supportive equipment—tape, wrist wraps, etc.—will tend to be at the longer end of the range.

The advantage of linking warm-up attempts to the attempts taken on the competition platform is that if the competition attempts take more or less time than was expected, the lifter’s warm-up timing is adjusted almost automatically.

Attempts can be converted to minutes, if necessary. As was indicated earlier, each attempt on the platform generally averages approximately 1 to 1.25 minutes (plus or minus fifteen seconds). The actual times vary from competition to competition and at the different times during the same competition based on such factors as the experience of each athlete; the pace set by the announcer, the leaders and the expediters; the distance from the warm-up room to the platform; and how tightly packed the competitors are in terms of proximity of weight attempts. As the competition unfolds, you can adjust the 1 to 1.25 minute estimate based on the actual progression of events.

It must be remembered that the timing of warm-ups can also be dependent on the availability of equipment. If there are several lifters on each warm-up platform, then each athlete may have to wait longer between warm-ups than is preferred (unless it can be arranged for that lifter to work on two warm-up platforms at once). If this is the case, adjustments may need to be made in warm-up timing.

Some coaches try to time warm-up attempts by counting the number of lifters taking any number of attempts before their lifter or weight then on the bar (keeping warm-up weights at the level of the competition bar). Unfortunately, knowing the number of lifters starting before your athlete is next to worthless, since each competitor can have from one to three attempts (the latter if he or she misses twice with a weight that is lower than the weight your lifter is attempting and elects to take a third attempt with that weight). Using a one minute average time per attempt and twenty competitors (none of whom jump their starts up), there can be from twenty to sixty minutes before your lifter starts. Tracking the weight on the bar can be even more misleading than counting the number of lifters. The bar can take thirty minutes to move up 5 kg., or a few minutes to jump 25 kg., depending on how many attempts are being made with a given weight.

Only counting attempts offers anything of real value in terms of timing warm-ups (although even that exposes your athlete to fairly wide fluctuations in timing). Counting attempts accurately is a simpler process than many people think. Nevertheless, it does take some skill and practice to master. In weightlifting competition, each lifter is permitted to take three attempts in each lift. The competition begins with the bar loaded to the lowest weight called for by a lifter and then is raised to the next weight that has been called for once all of the lifters who wish to attempt a given weight have had an opportunity to attempt that weight.

Except in rare instances, even high level lifters have no more than a 10-15 kg. difference between their first and last (third) attempts. Male athletes in lighter weight classes and women rarely have more than a 10 kg. difference between their opening attempts and their third attempts because 10 kg. is as large an increase in weight (on percentage basis) as 12-15 kg.  is for high level male athletes in the heavier weight classes. Consequently, it can be assumed that any lifter starting at least 12 kg.  lower that your athlete will complete all three attempts before your athlete begins. (Remember that few lifters plan to jump 12 kg., and even fewer make the first two attempts that will enable the plan to be carried out.) Similarly, anyone opening with more than 7 kg.  less than your athlete can be expected to take two attempts before your athlete starts. Anyone who starts 2kg.  to 5 kg.  lower t will surely take at least one attempt before your athlete (unless they change their starting attempt, which some coaches have a habit of doing). When two lifters start with the same weight, the attempt number (those taking their first attempt at a given weight go before those taking a second attempt at than weight),  who went first on their prior attempt (if  both took the same weight on their prior attempt)  his or her prior attempt, and the “start ” numbers drawn before the competition determine the lifting order (if everything else is equal those with lower lot numbers go before those with higher ones .

Getting an initial count in the relatively conservative manner described above makes sense because it is better to be warmed-up a little early than not to finish a planned series of warm-ups. It is far easier and far safer to extend the warm-up sequence than to shorten it.

When you formulate your count of the minimum number of attempts your athlete is likely to have, you should also make an estimate of the maximum number of attempts. This is done by assuming that every lifter who starts before yours (except one who starts with the same weight) will take all three of his or her attempts before your lifter begins. Knowing the range from maximum to minimum (assuming that no one jumps or withdraws from the competition) lets you begin to focus in on what is likely to happen while still being mindful of what could happen.

In the United States, at local events, it is typical for the announcer to have one index card on his or her table representing each competitor. At National and International events there is a Marshall’s Table where the card arrangements are carried out.

Each competitor’s card will display that lifter’s lot number and body weight and will have a place to show all of the attempts that the lifter makes. These cards are generally arranged in vertical rows, by the order of the competition (i.e., the lifter going next is at the bottom of the row and the lifter with the highest announced attempt is at the top of the row). When there are too many competitors to display in one row of cards, the cards may be sub-divided into two or three vertical rows. Coaches frequently check the cards as the competition progresses, modifying their count of attempts by estimating the number of attempts each lifter whose card precedes their lifter’s will take before their lifter is called to the platform. For lifters who have not yet started, you can use the system described above. For lifters who have taken one or two attempts, you need to make an adjustment in your counting methodology. However, in most cases you are best guessing as most attempts are subject to change for a variety of reasons.  

Generally, any athlete can be expected to jump no more than 5 kg.  between the second and third attempt in the snatch and no more than 7 kg.  in the C&J. Therefore, any athlete taking a second attempt with jumps less than 5 kg.  in the snatch or 7 kg.  in the C&J can be expected to complete his or her third attempt before your athlete goes. Naturally, anyone taking a third attempt with any weight below your athlete’s will go first.

In international and national competitions, there may be an “attempt board” in addition to the index cards. This board lists each lifter’s name, body weight and attempts called for and taken. During the course of the competition, a person stationed at the board notes changes in attempts and the outcome of attempts (generally putting a line through missed attempts and checking successful ones  – sometimes computerized competition systems do this  instead) . These boards can be used to count attempts, but the coach must scan the entire board, mentally noting which lifters have completed which attempts.

As was outlined above, when athletes are taking the same weight on a given attempt, three rules establish the order of attempts. In order of priority, these rules are as follows.

1. Attempt Number: Those athletes taking first attempts go before those taking second attempts with the same weight. Similarly, athletes taking second attempts precede athletes taking third attempts. If two athletes are taking the same weight on the same attempt, then the next rule applies.

2. Distance From Last Attempt: The athlete who makes the biggest jump from his prior attempt goes first. For example, let us assume that two lifters, A and B, are taking a second attempt with 100 kg.. Lifter A started with 93 kg. and lifter B started with 95 kg.. In such a case, lifter A will go first. If two lifters are attempting the same weight on the same attempt number and both lifters took the same weight on their previous attempt, the final rule applies.

3. Start Numbers (in local meets Lot Numbers): The lifter with the lower start number precedes the lifter with the higher lot number.

During the competition, the range between your count of the maximum and minimum number of attempts will tend to narrow in terms of absolute numbers. Nevertheless, timing becomes more critical as your athlete’s turn approaches. For example, you might check the count again at 24, 18, 13, 9, 6, 4 and 2 attempts. At each checkpoint, try to establish a new maximum and minimum range as well as a “best guess.” Have a warm-up strategy planned for either extreme of the range as well for your best guess. It has been said that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. In counting warm-up attempts, this ratio certainly applies. Knowledge of how to count attempts accounts for a small (though critical) part of the coach’s success. The rest is attributable to the coach’s willingness to get up from his or her chair and count.

When the athlete has warmed up too soon or is waiting between first and second or second and third attempts, a good rule of thumb to follow is that no more than five minutes should pass between attempts at the bar. If a lifter lacks confidence or looks too relaxed, an extra warm-up with the last planned warm-up weight may make sense. If everything is proceeding according to plan, something in the area of 80% to 85% of maximum is probably a good bet (anything lighter may have too different a “feel” for the lifter to adapt to when going to the platform, and anything heavier may cause fatigue or a miss and undermine a lifter’s confidence). If a long (ten minutes or more) delay is anticipated, alternating 60% to 75% weights with 80% to 85% (or higher) weights can extend the warm-up period without creating undue fatigue. An experienced, confident and well coordinated athlete may be able to use weights that are 50% of maximum or less, but this is the unusual athlete, typically one who has used this method before.

Should your lifter be called before he or she is ready, there are three alternative responses: squeeze in an extra warm-up as your lifter is called; forget the last warm-up; or jump the lifter’s attempt upward to get more time. Each approach has advantages and disadvantages.

Taking the extra warm-up can be a key to the necessary preparation for some lifters. On the other hand, taking an attempt and then moving to the competition platform can leave an athlete fatigued enough to lessen his or her chances of success on the platform. In addition, if the athlete is nervous about the situation, he or she may miss the last warm-up, leaving him or her both tired and worried. A general rule of thumb is that if you are caught relatively early in the warm-up process (when the lifter would normally have taken at least two or more additional warm-ups) and the lifter will have at least ninety seconds after the last warm-up to take his or her first attempt, it is a good idea to risk the extra warm-up attempt, particularly in the snatch.

Forgoing the last warm-up assures that the lifter will be fresh, though possibly quite worried and lacking some of the coordination necessary to lift maximum weights. Overall, however, this second approach is better if the lifter would not be able to recover significantly from the warm-up attempt or is so close to an optimal warm-up that forgoing the last attempt will not cause a major problem.

Jumping the opener avoids the hazards of the first two approaches (unless jumping still means the lifter is next and the loaders are very fast in changing the weight), but it can be devastating if the athlete is either not in good enough condition to raise the start or if he or she experiences excessive apprehension because the start has been raised. Naturally, the best solution to this dilemma is to make sure that your minimum attempt estimate is both accurate and as current as possible. One sign of a developing problem is when a number of athletes with higher lot numbers have listed openers 2.5 kg.  to 5 kg.  below that of your athlete. Since jumping openers is fairly common, attempts can suddenly evaporate in this kind of situation (just as they can easily multiply with unexpected misses).

 Planning the Jumps Between Attempts

A general philosophy with respect to the size of the jumps that your lifter will take on the platform should be formulated before the competition begins. Large jumps (e.g., 7 kg.  or more between the first and second attempts and 5 kg.  or more between the second and third attempts) can work well when you have an athlete in uncertain condition, one who is not confident about opening attempts, one for whom 5 kg.  to 7 kg.  does not represent a large percentage increase in weight or one who is not lifting in close competition. Small jumps may work well for the consistent performer, particularly in close competition. Naturally, the decision here will affect the choice of a starting attempt. Special consideration needs to be given to beginners, especially in the lighter weight classes. For a lifter whose best C&J is 50 kg., a 5 kg.  jump represents 10% of the lifter’s best. For a lifter whose best is 250 kg., however, it represents only 2%. For most lifters, a jump of 10% to 15% or more is very difficult to handle. For the lifter at 50 kg., that is 5 kg.  to 7 kg., but for the lifter at 250 kg., it is 25 kg. to 37 kg.. (This may seem like an obvious point, but one that is apparently not appreciated by at least some athletes and coaches.)

Selecting Weights

The choice of a starting weight also depends on factors other than the amount the lifter plans to jump up after the first attempt. What is the lifter trying to accomplish? How important is making a total? (To some, the cardinal rule in weightlifting competition is to make a total; to others, missing an opener or the weight they really want to make, perhaps a third attempt, is equally frustrating.) Another consideration is the purpose of the competition. On the day of a single tryout, making a total of any kind may be critical. The ability of the lifter relative to his competitors influences the decisionmaking process here as well. The dark horse has nothing to lose by taking risks, but the favorite may see no point in jeopardizing a victory.

How an individual approaches risk is crucial here. Some people prefer to go for broke on a second or even first attempt (though that is rarely an effective strategy). For these individuals, success means making the weight they came to lift. Success or failure with lesser weights means little to them. However, even those who are willing to go for an all out attempt would be wise to consider the fact that a well done opener or second attempt is likely to contribute to success on a third attempt. Those who are erratic may reason that two or three attempts at a weight increase their chances of making it. To others, building on success and ending with a good total, if not a personal record, are more satisfying. There is a wide latitude for choice here. The choices should be made well before the competition, before emotions run too strong, but should be adjusted as events unfold. For instance, if the plan for a personal record is obviously not going to work, just taking the place or competing well under the conditions that do exist that day will often offer some solace and very possibly a valuable experience.

Your evaluation (and the athlete’s) of how his or her warm-ups and attempts on the platform and of what the competition is doing in the C&J (and in the snatch if there is a medal involved) should determine weights. It generally makes sense to put in an opener at the lowest possible level (i.e., the worst case scenario). The lifter can always jump to the original planned opener if all is going well in the warming up process. Dropping the opener is far more difficult. In fact, it is impossible if the warm-ups have not been timed to enable the lifter to change his or her opener downward. (If another lifter has taken a second attempt with the weight your lifter would like have the bar reduced to or a lifter with a higher lot number has taken a first attempt, your lifter will not be permitted to attempt that weight.)

An athlete who is not a great competitor (i.e., one who is not positively influenced by the pressure to win or by knowing what a competitor is doing) or one who has complete faith in his coach may choose to give some input into weights while leaving the final decision to the coach. Athletes who like to know what is going on and be more active in making choices may rely on the coach for input while making the final decisions themselves. A person’s need for control is crucial here; ignoring this need can lead to a motivational disaster.

The coach can often bring a cooler head (though the opposite can certainly be true), a perspective on the overall strategy and the benefit of being an external observer of technique, speed, etc.. However, in the final analysis it is the lifter’s life, and the coach must respect the individual’s right to make decisions about his or her own career, regardless of the consequences. (No value gained by coercion is a true value.)

Throughout the competition the coach must help the lifter with proper cues and protection from the environment, whether its threats are well meaning meddlers, heat, cold, other competitors or anything else. The performance of a maximum lift is a magic moment, one that needs all of the nurturing a coach can supply.

Using Tactics to Win

Assuming the strategy prepared for the competition includes an effort to place as high as possible or to win the competition, proper tactics will aid considerably in that endeavor. The subject of tactics merits its own book. However, I will cover a few basics here. The first key to proper tactics is knowing what is needed to win. This may sound like a simple point, and in one sense it is. In some competitions, all you need to know is what an athlete’s competitors have totaled and who lifted that weight first (when two lifters lift the same weight, the lifter who lifted first places higher.) Nevertheless, even in major competitions, mistakes are made in this regard. In all instances it is necessary to know at least this much, and in some instances knowing only this will be enough.

The second key to tactics is evaluating what your athlete can reasonably be expected to lift as compared what his or her competitors can lift. Here the tactician needs to know his or her lifter as well as the competition. This is an art in itself. Knowing an opponent’s best lifts, success ratios, etc. helps. Sizing up how he or she looks on the day is even more important. In my experience, coaches tend to significantly overestimate their abilities in this area. An instance at a recent National Championship amply demonstrates this point. A friend of mine, who happened to be a highly ranked national lifter some years ago, approached one of the United States’ top ranked coaches, a man who is better known for his lack of coaching modesty than his success with athletes. My friend proposed a simple wager. He said, “Mr. X, you are supposed to know a lot about lifting. Whenever an athlete approaches the bar, you indicate whether you believe that he will make the lift or not. I will simply wager the opposite.” Mr. X readily agreed. At the end of a dozen or so bets of this kind, my friend was well ahead, and they called it a day. This experience appeared to shake Mr. X up a little, but not for long. He was soon heard to be claiming coaching omniscience once again (though not within earshot of my friend).

To use the information gathered in the two steps described above, you must accomplish two things: make the opponent attempt as much as possible in order to beat your athlete, ideally more than he or she really needs, and make sure that your lifter attempts only what is needed to defeat his or her opponents.

As I mentioned earlier, an entire book could be written on the subject of tactics, and this book is long enough already. However, one anecdote illustrates the importance of good tactics so well that I feel compelled to tell it. I was coaching a training partner of mine at the National Championship one year. This two-time National Champion and former world record holder had an excellent chance to win another National Championship that day. His main competition was a lifter who had had an even more outstanding career, but who was not in his best shape on that day. These athletes were tied after the snatch, with my friend holding the lead on the basis of lighter body weight. My friend started first in the C&J with a relatively conservative 190 kg.  (his official best was 12.5 kg. more). He cleaned this weight easily, jerked it to arm’s length, and then lost it as he loosened up while recovering from the split (a most uncharacteristic thing for this particular lifter to do). He repeated with that weight on his second attempt and made it quite easily. His competitor made the same weight on his second attempt, though he looked shaky. My friend still held the lead on lighter body weight.

At this point, my friend asked for my counsel regarding his third attempt. I encouraged him to take 197.5 kg. or even 200 kg.. Suddenly the official coach of my friend’s team, a coach with a considerable international reputation, appeared for the first time that day. (My friend and I represented different clubs even though we often trained together.) After listening to my advice, this coach recommended that my friend take no more than 195 kg.. When I asked him why he was suggesting 195 kg., he said he did not think my friend could make more than that.

I pointed out that what mattered was not what our charge made, but, rather, what he forced the other lifter to try (the more the better). I reasoned that if our lifter attempted and made 195 kg.  on his third attempt, the other lifter would have to try 197.5 kg.. If our man missed 195 kg., the other lifter would still need only the same 195 kg.. In contrast, if our lifter merely tried 197.5 kg., whether he made it or not, the other lifter would have to take at least 197.5 kg.. Obviously, there is a limit to the strategy I was proposing; the attempt had to be believable. If our lifter called for 210 kg., the opposition would realize that our lifter was trying to “pull him along” and would probably not take the bait. However, our lifter’s opponent could not be certain that such a strategy was at work if our lifter attempted 197.5 kg.  or even 200 kg.. This was because of our lifter’s previous best (202.5 kg. done the previous year) and his apparent fitness that day (190 kg.  had not been unduly difficult). The official coach, apparently failing to comprehend my argument, replied: “I do not think he can make 197.5 kg. or 200 kg., so let’s take 195 kg.  and play it safe.” He then essentially ordered my friend to take 195 kg.. He made a good attempt at that weight but failed. The opponent, thrilled at this turn of events, took 195 kg.  and managed a hard fought and shaky success. Could he have made 197.5 kg.  or 200 kg. ? We will never know because he did not need to try. A failure in strategy made his task easier than it should have been.

Implementing the tactical guidelines described above takes considerable skill if your athlete has only one or two competitors. When the number of competitors reaches three or four, true tactical virtuosity is required in order to make the best of each attempt. Beyond four opponents (who are close to your athlete’s ability), it is almost impossible to cover all bets. Therefore, it makes sense to go back to fundamentals in such instances; squeeze every pound out of your athlete, and hope for the best.

When All Else Fails, the True Champion Prevails

No matter how well the lifter prepares for a competition, the unforeseen can occur. Over the years, I have seen competitions in which the heat was unbearable, or the cold had people shivering, an athlete came up with a minor but painful injury or illness, the officiating was poor or one of a hundred other things went wrong. Nevertheless, there are always some athletes who perform brilliantly when they are truly challenged. When adversity strikes, the athlete’s character is truly tested. It is at this time that the true champion emerges. The true champion has learned to convert anger, stress and frustration into an overwhelming desire to overcome the bar and the competition.

As my father (a hero of World War II and better under pressure than anyone I have ever known) told me many years ago, in every disaster, those who lose their heads will lose the day. On the other hand, there will be those who face the worst bravely, who meet the most colossal threats with a cool head and are therefore in the best possible position to overcome them. These are the true champions and the true heroes.

Post-Competition

This subject is, in a very broad way, is covered by the rest of the book. The training and preparation for every competition should be partly a result of post-competition coaching and partly of a plan for future progress. However, in a narrower sense, post-competition coaching occurs when the coach who assisted the lifter at a given meet helps that lifter to make the competition a rich learning experience. Unfortunately, post-competition coaching is probably the most neglected, though perhaps the most crucial, aspect of competition coaching. This is especially true in situations where the competition coach does not work with the lifter year round.

Unless a lifter intends to retire after the competition, , that lifter needs to derive two things from competing:: motivation and a learning experience. Missing out on either of these benefits is the only true failure that can occur in a competition. In short, competitions that have led to desired results should be celebrated (psychologically and emotionally, not with an all night session of debilitating carousing). If there is no joy in success, there is no point in working for it. Joy is the greatest reward of a successful performance, and the drive to experience such joy again is one of the most powerful motivators. The athlete should also learn from success by identifying what went well and why. Even with success, there may have been certain aspects of the performance or preparation that might have been improved upon or could lead to future problems. Identify these areas and work to correct them. If the performance was essentially perfect, the goal should be to learn how to replicate it.

When a competition has not been as successful as planned, a great deal can be learned. Both the lifter and the coach need to focus on learning as much as they can, even if it is only that they have more to learn. Great motivation can come out of bad experiences as well as good ones. Pete George, one of our greatest lifters and a strong advocate of proper mental attitude, made this point better than anyone I know. In a series of articles in Strength and Health several decades ago, he mentioned four possible responses to not doing as well as one had expected in a particular competition: laugh it off; make excuses; get depressed and angry; or plan for future success, as your disappointing performance has just set the stage for a great comeback.

Obviously, the first three responses are not productive or pleasant. The fourth response is incredibly productive if it used properly. In fact, it is key to success in weightlifting and in life. Any experience you have can be interpreted and responded to in a number of ways. It is up to you to choose only the productive response, to rise to the challenge and return the better for having faced it.

Summary

Coaching for success in weightlifting competition is a skill like any other. It takes knowledge and practice to master the skill. It is my belief that any athlete can learn to perform up to his or her maximum potential in any competition. Great competitors are rarely, if ever, born that. They are made. It may take longer for some to learn how to achieve their potentials in competition, but everyone can learn. What it takes is the will to succeed and the willingness to pursue success in a rational way. It is my hope that all of you determine to undertake the effort and to do it rationally, for that is the most important key to your success. Having taken the reader through the major elements of training and preparation for weightlifting competition, it is now time to address the issue of how considerations of age and gender can affect the training of weightlifters. That will be the subject of the next chapter.