STRENGTH TRAININGSTRENGTH TRAINING“A Historical Perspective”“A Historical Perspective”

John BalanoJohn BalanoCity College of San Francisco City College of San Francisco

Head Strength and Conditioning CoachHead Strength and Conditioning Coach

LIFTING WEIGHTSLIFTING WEIGHTS

Oldest known form of sport to manOldest known form of sport to man

All civilizations have legends associated All civilizations have legends associated with feats of strengthwith feats of strength

Milo of Crotona (Italy) is most famousMilo of Crotona (Italy) is most famous

MILOMILO

Carried 4-year old bull on his shoulders Carried 4-year old bull on his shoulders the length of the stadium at Olympiathe length of the stadium at Olympia

A length of 200mA length of 200m

Bull estimated to weigh 400kg (Bull estimated to weigh 400kg (≈ 900+ #)≈ 900+ #)

Carried the bull until it was 4-years oldCarried the bull until it was 4-years old

Progressive Resistance TrainingProgressive Resistance Training

MODERN OLYMPICSMODERN OLYMPICS

One of the One of the originaloriginal sports (circa 1986) sports (circa 1986)

Adopted in its modern form in 1928Adopted in its modern form in 1928

Press – Snatch – JerkPress – Snatch – Jerk

Press omitted in 1972Press omitted in 1972

Snatch – Clean and JerkSnatch – Clean and Jerk

OLYMPIC PRESSOLYMPIC PRESS

OLYMPIC SNATCHOLYMPIC SNATCH

Receiving PositionReceiving Position

OLYMPIC JERKOLYMPIC JERK

Slight Knee Bend to StartSlight Knee Bend to Start

OLYMPIC JERKOLYMPIC JERK

End PositionEnd Position

OLYMPIC SNATCHOLYMPIC SNATCH

USA’s Shane Hamman USA’s Shane Hamman 418 lb. Snatch418 lb. Snatch

(2003 Titan Games – San Jose, CA)(2003 Titan Games – San Jose, CA)

Start PhaseStart Phase

Pull PhasePull Phase

Rising out of the Rising out of the Receiving PositionReceiving Position

Canada’s Cara Heads Canada’s Cara Heads at 75 kg/165 lbsat 75 kg/165 lbs

Receiving PositionReceiving Position of the of theOlympic SnatchOlympic Snatch

(2003 Titan Games – San Jose, CA)(2003 Titan Games – San Jose, CA)

USA’s Tara Cunningham USA’s Tara Cunningham at 53 kg/116 lbs at 53 kg/116 lbs

Drop PhaseDrop Phase of the of theOlympic SnatchOlympic Snatch

(2003 Titan Games – San Jose, CA)(2003 Titan Games – San Jose, CA)

Tara CunninghamTara Cunningham

Finish PositionFinish Position of the of theOlympic SnatchOlympic Snatch

OLYMPIC CLEANOLYMPIC CLEAN

Start PositionStart Position

OLYMPIC CLEANOLYMPIC CLEAN

Pull PhasePull Phase

OLYMPIC CLEANOLYMPIC CLEAN

Receiving PositionReceiving Position

OLYMPIC CLEANOLYMPIC CLEAN

USA’s Oscar Chaplin USA’s Oscar Chaplin at 85 kg/187 lbs at 85 kg/187 lbs

Rising Out of the Rising Out of the Receiving PositionReceiving Position

(2003 Titan Games – San Jose, CA)(2003 Titan Games – San Jose, CA)

SPLIT JERK POSITIONSPLIT JERK POSITION

Canada’s Maryse TurcotteCanada’s Maryse Turcotte

POWERLIFTINGPOWERLIFTING

NotNot an Olympic sport an Olympic sport

Competitive status in the 1960’sCompetitive status in the 1960’s

Bench Press – Squat – Dead LiftBench Press – Squat – Dead Lift

More popular than Olympic WeightliftingMore popular than Olympic Weightlifting

Associated with BodybuildingAssociated with Bodybuilding

BENCH PRESSBENCH PRESS

SQUATSQUAT

DEAD LIFTDEAD LIFT

Start PositionStart Position

DEAD LIFTDEAD LIFT

Finish PositionFinish Position

WEIGHT TRAINING AND SPORTWEIGHT TRAINING AND SPORT

1870’S Track and Field1870’S Track and Field

W.B. Curtis (Hammer)W.B. Curtis (Hammer)

H.E. Buermeyer (Shot)H.E. Buermeyer (Shot)

Titles in United States same time as Titles in United States same time as competitive weightlifterscompetitive weightlifters

1936 German 1936 German Olympic TeamOlympic Team

Gold Medalist Hans Gold Medalist Hans Woelke (16.20m shot)Woelke (16.20m shot)

WEIGHT TRAINING AND SPORT WEIGHT TRAINING AND SPORT (continued…)(continued…)

Les Steers, USALes Steers, USA

3 x WR in High Jump3 x WR in High Jump

Best of 2.11mBest of 2.11m

1st athlete to publicly go on record about 1st athlete to publicly go on record about barbell trainingbarbell training

LES STEERSLES STEERS(Picture circa 1941)(Picture circa 1941)

““You need strong You need strong leg muscles in the leg muscles in the high jump, high jump, particularly when particularly when you weight as you weight as much as I do. Only much as I do. Only weight-lifting could weight-lifting could have given me that have given me that extra power I need extra power I need so much.”so much.”

WEIGHT TRAINING AND SPORT WEIGHT TRAINING AND SPORT (continued…)(continued…)

Mal Whitfield, USA – 800mMal Whitfield, USA – 800m

Bob Richards, USA – Pole VaultBob Richards, USA – Pole Vault

Parry O’Brien, USA – ShotParry O’Brien, USA – Shot

1948 – 19561948 – 1956

6 Olympic Gold Medals collectively6 Olympic Gold Medals collectively

PARRY O’BRIENPARRY O’BRIEN(Picture from 1956 Olympics – Melbourne, AUS)(Picture from 1956 Olympics – Melbourne, AUS)

O’Brien received O’Brien received much media attention much media attention for his technical for his technical innovation and innovation and dependence upon dependence upon heavy progressive heavy progressive weight trainingweight training

WEIGHT TRAINING AND SPORT WEIGHT TRAINING AND SPORT (continued…)(continued…)

Pre-1950’s and the Pre-1950’s and the muscle boundmuscle bound athlete athlete

Coaches and systematic programsCoaches and systematic programs

Benefits to athletesBenefits to athletes

Viennese born ex-skier Franz Stampfl, Viennese born ex-skier Franz Stampfl, track and field coach, openly declared his track and field coach, openly declared his belief in barbell trainingbelief in barbell training

Franz Stampfl coached Ralph Doubell (pictured in 1968 Franz Stampfl coached Ralph Doubell (pictured in 1968 Olympics 800m final) the last Australian Olympic ChampionOlympics 800m final) the last Australian Olympic Champion

““Muscular strength is the determining factor, particularly Muscular strength is the determining factor, particularly in all movements where explosive speed and perfect in all movements where explosive speed and perfect balance are vital to first rate performances. Weight-balance are vital to first rate performances. Weight-training should be part and parcel of the training program training should be part and parcel of the training program of every athlete.” – of every athlete.” – Franz SampflFranz Sampfl