Articles 

Football, baseball, basketball, gymnastic, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, wrestling, and track and field athletes. The explosive power, strength, flexibility, balance and agility developed through Olympic-style weightlifting transfers to almost every sport making weightlifting a great foundation for youth athletes.

What is the problem with this?

Coaches developing youth weightlifters struggle to keep their athletes. Once kids reach high school, the most athletic ones are heavily recruited by high school coaches to join team sports. Peer pressure compounds the issue. Kids want to be with their friends. Since youth weightlifters are more likely to train one-on-one with a coach or with athletes of various ages, they may want to join their peers in other sports.

The result . . .

The sport of weightlifting loses many potential superstars before they are even developed.

Sure, athletes can always return to the sport of weightlifting, but in what condition? Injured from another sport? With reduced mobility? Weightlifters who continue the sport through adolescence will have an advantage over those who leave the sport and return later.

What are some possible solutions?

Ray Jones, coach of 17-time youth American record holder, C.J. Cummings, provides some insight: “Weightlifting offers two huge incentives that other sports do not offer–travel and international representation.”

Travel: Most high school sports teams compete locally. The best athletes may travel to represent their schools at a state championship, but that is usually the extent of the travel opportunities.

Weightlifting, in contrast, offers travel opportunities to other states and even to national and international competitions. It is not uncommon for weightlifters to cross state lines to compete. In addition, a youth weightlifter can qualify for USA Weightlifting’s (USAW) Youth National Championship with a modest amount of training and preparation. Coaches seeking to retain youth weightlifters can make the sport more appealing by giving their athletes opportunities to compete outside of their local area, including USAW’s annual Youth National Championship.

International Competitions: Representing the United States at an international competition is a point of prestige for any athlete. An athlete who has represented not just their school–but their country–is very unique. The biggest promotion USAW can receive is from kids walking through schools wearing their Team USA jackets, which they earned by representing their country at an international competition.

USA Weightlifting can grow the sport and retain its current youth athletes simply by making more international competition opportunities available to more kids.

The United States currently sends delegations of youth weightlifters to the Youth Pan American Games, Youth World Championships and Youth Olympic Games.

While these are fantastic opportunities, they favor 16-17 year old lifters. Younger lifters must beat out older lifters for an opportunity to compete. Unfortunately, many youth weightlifters are lured away from the sport before they ever qualify for these competitions.

In 2017 and 2018, USAW sent a delegation of youth weightlifters to the South American Under 15 Youth Weightlifting Championship. This was a great opportunity for younger athletes to shine. Even more athletes could participate, however, if there was a North American Under 15 Youth Weightlifting Championship. Such a competition, which could be self-funded like the South American Under 15 Youth Weightlifting Championship, would create more youth ambassadors for weightlifting in the United States. Alternatively, USAW could organize smaller invitational competitions with Canada and/or Mexico.

Youth weightlifters make great athletes. They have explosive power, strength, flexibility, balance and agility that transfers to many sports. These qualities, however, make them particularly vulnerable to leave the sport in favor of team sports. To retain these athletes, coaches should seek out competition opportunities outside their local area, including USAW’s annual Youth National Championship. USAW should continue to pursue international opportunities for its younger athletes, including a North American Under 15 Youth Weightlifting Championship.

Cover Photo Credit: Lifting.Life

A January 22, 2019 press release from the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) revealed six doping violations from the 2018 IWF World Championships, all involving Thai athletes.

These doping violations come at a pivotal time for the sport.  In June 2017, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach told reporters:  “The IWF has until December 2017 to deliver a satisfactory report to the IOC on how they will address the massive doping problem this sport is facing.”

Since June 2017, the IWF has taken several measures to clean up the sport.  Most notably, in October 2017, the IWF banned nine countries–Russia, Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Turkey, China and Kazakhstan–from participating in international competitions for twelve months.  The countries, referred to as the Tbilisi Nine, incurred three or more positive results from the retesting of frozen samples from the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games.

The Tbilisi Nine were punished with a one year ban for having three or more positives across two competitions.  Thailand had six positives in a single competition.  With a delegation of 19 athletes, Thailand’s doping violations amounted to a 32% doping rate amongst their athletes.

The ban on the Tbilisi Nine sent a clear message to the weightlifting community that countries with athletes who dope will be punished as a whole.  Nothing less than a one year ban for Thai weightlifters should be accepted by the community.  In fact, greater punishment is warranted in Thailand’s case.  The astounding number of positives suggests systematic doping, an act that resulted in Russia’s removal from the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.  In addition, Thailand’s doping occurred after the ban on the Tbilisi Nine, suggesting that a one-year ban is not enough to deter countries from doping.

Interestingly, the 2019 IWF World Championships are slated for September in Pattaya, Thailand.  To assure the IOC that weightlifting is standing strong against doping, the IWF should relocate the 2019 IWF World Championships, ban Thailand from participating in the sport for at least a year, and completely remove them from the 2020 Olympic Games.  Anything less may jeopardize weightlifting’s presence as an Olympic Sport.

Photo Credit: Lifting.Life

For many years, the sport of weightlifting has been fraught with instances of illegal drug use, a.k.a. doping.  Clean athletes stood on the sidelines as their drug-enhanced counterparts took home the medals and glory of championship titles.  Cynicism abounded in the United States.  No one believed that U.S. athletes could bring home medals because of athletes–and countries–who flagrantly violated anti-doping policies.

In recent years, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has stepped up its measures to clean up the sport:

• In June 2017, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Thomas Bach, warned that weightlifting may be excluded from the 2024 Olympic Games if it did not provide a satisfactory report to the “massive doping problem” by December 2017.  IOC president Thomas Bach told reporters:  “The IWF has until December 2017 to deliver a satisfactory report to the IOC on how they will address the massive doping problem this sport is facing.”
• The IWF subsequently implemented the IOC’s recommendations to clean up the sport, including introducing a new Anti-Doping Policy and securing WADA compliance.
• In December 2017, the IOC acknowledged the IWF’s efforts but determined that the status remained unchanged, and that the sport’s inclusion in the 2024 Olympics was “subject to the IWF further demonstrating that it has fulfilled certain conditions.”
• The IWF has continued to take measures beyond those recommended by the IOC, such as new bodyweight categories and a new Qualification System designed to reward nations with a history of clean weightlifting.  In addition, the IWF partnered with USA Weightlifting and USADA to provide worldwide anti-doping education to weightlifters.
• In June 2018, the IOC again revisited the matter of inclusion in the 2024 Olympic Games and again determined that weightlifting’s inclusion was still pending review.

So, is the sport actually getting cleaner?

The 2018 IWF World Championships, held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, November 1-10, displayed plenty of evidence that the sport is, in fact, cleaning up:

Rainbow of Representation on the Podium: The podium was not dominated by a handful of countries. Of the 30 medals contested in the Men’s sessions, 17 of these medals went to different countries.  Only five countries took home multiple medals, with only China (9 medals) taking home more than two Men’s medals.

On the women’s side, athletes from 13 different countries were represented on the podium.  Only four countries took home multiple medals, although China (10 medals) and Thailand (6 medals) each took home a large number of Women’s medals.

In comparison, only 15 countries were represented on the podium in the Men’s sessions of the 2015 World Championships, and only 9 countries were represented in the Women’s sessions.

China took home 19 of the 60 total contested medals, or 32% of the medals, at the 2018 World Championships.  This sounds like a disproportionate share.  However, when you consider that 25% of the world’s population lives in China, China’s medal haul does not seem out of line.

Performance of the Tbilisi Nine.   In October 2017, the IWF banned nine countries–Russia, Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Turkey, China and Kazakhstan–from participating in international competitions for twelve months.  The countries, referred to as the Tbilisi Nine, incurred three or more positive results from the retesting of frozen samples from the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games.  None of the nine participated at the 2017 World Championships in Anaheim.  All nine countries, however, participated in the 2018 World Championships in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

In a December 11, 2018 article by insidethegames, Attila Adamfi, director general of the IWF, pointed out some interesting points of performance from the 2018 World Championships in Ashgabat:

Apart from China, the “Tbilisi nine” showed a marked drop in performance in the recent IWF World Championships in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, which is seen as an indicator that the IWF’s tougher stance on doping is working.

Adamfi called Ashgabat “a milestone event” and said, “It is interesting that more than half of the athletes from the nine did not even make the A Groups, with 64 of 122 in the B, C and D Groups.”

He said there was “a clear distinction between China and the rest” based on their doping record of only two positives since 2011, the evidence of which “suggests their recent success was not supported by doping”.

“Take out China and look at the other eight,” said Adamfi.

“Azerbaijan, all seven athletes in C or D Groups, not even one in B.

“Out of 20 in Kazakhstan’s team, 12 in B and C Groups, and only two medals in total.

“Their role was more realistic, their performance level much more equal to the others.”

Lower Posted Totals from Tbilisi Nine Athletes.  Excluding China, fourteen athletes from Tbilisi Nine countries competed in both the 2015 and 2018 World Championships.  Of these fourteen athletes, only four posted higher totals in the 2018 World Championships.  The other 10 athletes posted lower totals in 2018 than in 2015.

Of this group, the average decrease in total weight lifted for Men was 3.8%, and the average decrease in total weight lifted for Women was 5.3%.  This decrease suggests cleaner athletes with more realistic totals.

Fewer Medals Claimed by Tbilisi Nine Athletes.  Again excluding China, Tbilisi Nine athletes claimed 29% of the Women’s medals at the 2015 World Championships but only 10% of the medals in the 2018 World Championships.  Similarly, these countries took home 42% of the Men’s medals at the 2015 World Championships but only 23% of the Men’s medals at the 2018 World Championships.

What does this mean for youth weightlifters?

It appears that weightlifting is cleaning up!  This is encouraging for all youth lifters and their coaches.  It gives us all hope that hard work will pay off.  Do your part to keep the sport clean by familiarizing yourself with the material on the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency website and checking all of your supplements–including protein powders and vitamins–for banned substances.

Cover Photo Credit: Ryan Paiva @liftinglife

Breakfast has been touted as the most important meal of the day. So what do youth weightlifters eat for breakfast? Six members of USA Weightlifting’s 2019 Youth World Team share what they eat for breakfast.

Ryan Grimsland (67 kg), age 16, of Mash Mafia earned best youth male lifter at the 2018 American Open 3 in Las Vegas.  For breakfast, Ryan eats

A bowl of cereal or two waffles and orange juice.  I don’t like to eat a lot in the morning; it makes me feel lethargic.

Dade Stanley (81 kg), age 16, of Team Divergent has won multiple youth national championships and represented Team USA at the 2018 Youth Pan American Games.

My choice for breakfast is either a breakfast sandwich with eggs, ham and cheese on an English muffin or some oatmeal with peanut butter.  Sometimes I’ll eat both if I’m hungry enough!

At only 16-years old, Seth Tom (55 kg), of Team Divergent is a seasoned Team USA athlete.  Seth first competed internationally at the 2016 Youth World Championship on his 15th birthday.  Says Seth:

For breakfast, I usually have oatmeal, two or three eggs, and a piece of fruit.  This is my usual breakfast because it is easy to make and eat before school starts.

Coby Rhodes (61 kg), age 15, of Florida Elite won the 2018 Youth National championship in the 62 kg weight class.   For breakfast, Coby eats:

Special K cereal or waffles with peanut butter and honey.

Hampton Morris (55 kg), age 14, of Dwala Barbell won best 14-15 year old youth male lifter at the 2018 Youth National Championship and earned a bronze medal at the 2018 Youth Pan American Games.

I usually have some kind of carb, like a Kodiak Cake, as well as some kind of protein.  On heavy days and competition days, I like to have a pancake or waffle and a McGriddle.

Hutch Friend (49 kg), age 14, of Team Divergent holds 13 youth American records.  For breakfast Hutch eats:

Two eggs and oatmeal with walnuts, raisins and chia.  On training days, I also drink fresh juice with beets, carrots, lemon and ginger.

Photo Credits to Lifting.Life