"We are not trying to be like Weightlifters in here!"

We have posted some stuff off of Sean Waxman's website before. I like Sean's directness. Recently he posted some comments on the mantra that is so often repeated by "Strength Coaches". "We are coaching athletes, not weightlifters!!" Here is Sean's take on the topic.....
"This nice little mound of BS really stinks. I often wondered what coaches really mean when they say "We are not trying to be like Weightlifters in here!" Is it secret code for "we are not trying to develop pasty white, anti-social mutants, who's idea of fun is staying home and watching the 1986 World Weightlifting Championships frame by frame?" Or is it they are not trying to develop strong and powerful athletes? Is there a secret "non-Weightlifter" method of teaching the Olympic lifts that I missed in coaching school?

You will often hear those Mensa like words spouted from the mouths of coaches who have actually seen good Weightlifting and know that it should be in their programs. However, because of their inability to coach the Snatch and Clean properly, and their unwillingness to improve upon this inability, these coaches have created their own bizarro world. In their world, efficiently executed Olympic lifts are considered something only to be done by Weightlifters. While rounded backs, wide stances, forward hips, and swinging bars are perfectly acceptable because they are not trying to be like Weightlifters...HUH! "
Look at this assorted group of clips taken off of Youtube. They represent only a small fraction of the garbage that passes for weightlifting. Tell me, is this really preferable to solid lifting technique? Is it really so hard to teach proper technique to good athletes? What is so difficult about flat back, shoulders over the bar, arms relaxed? What is so hard about developing a rack position? I'm afraid these examples are only injuries waiting to happen. See for yourself. I rest my case.



Another perpetuation of the myth that X number of reps = a huge Max lift. No way.


Like Sean says, "SHOW SOME PRIDE IN YOUR WORK!!