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Fuelling Weightlifting – Getting the Right Nutrients from Your Diet

Working towards perfecting your lifting techniques is only part of the challenge for someone who’s looking to maximise their performance with the snatch and clean & jerk. Fuelling your body with optimal nutrition is crucial and, for competitive weightlifters, the right diet can make all the difference in a sport where as little as 1kg can mean the difference between gold and silver. Unlike bodybuilders, building muscle mass isn’t the objective for competitive weightlifters, especially as the athletes need to stay within their designated weight categories. Instead, the right diet needs to accelerate recovery and provide the right foundation for the explosive, yet graceful power required to perform lifts to their maximum potential. The importance of diet in sport has been recognised for many years, but there has been significant research into nutritional importance in resistance training since the turn of the millennium. In a 2004 paper on Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, JS Volek argued that diet can ‘optimise adaptations to resistance training’ by providing key energy substrates at precise times and by altering the hormonal environment to favour anabolism. In short, if you eat the right things, your body will work better. [caption id="attachment_21312" align="aligncenter" width="573"] Chilean Arley Mendez[/caption] PROTEIN POWER It has been a widely-held belief for some time that protein intake is essential for an athlete, but particularly in resistance training-based sports. Antonio et al., writing in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in 2015, claimed that a high protein diet combined with a heavy resistance training programme improves body composition in healthy men and women, without any obvious negative physical effects. Nutritionist and strength coach Joel Giacobbe recommends that athletes should have about one gram of protein per pound of body weight every day. Many trainers and lifters try to include a protein source with every meal – whether derived from pulses, whole grains, soy, beef, chicken, eggs, dairy or seafood. Any snacks in between meals should also be rich in protein, which helps to repair muscle cells when broken down into amino acids. Whole grains and pulses, as well as green and some starchy vegetables such as sweet potato, are also excellent sources of complex carbohydrates, which will delay the onset of muscle fatigue – an essential step to prevent the body from burning useful sources of fuel, such as protein. TIMING IS EVERYTHING Interestingly, there is also evidence that consuming the right foods at different points of the day has an impact on training productivity. Snijders et al., in the Journal of Nutrition (June 2015), find that ‘protein ingestion before sleep represents an effective dietary strategy to augment muscle mass and strength gains during resistance exercise training in young men’. So consuming protein before bed will aid your recovery overnight. Consuming the right nutrients after a training session, though, is even more important. Morton et al. from the Exercise Metabolism Research Group at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, state that it is pragmatic for athletes to ingest fluid, carbohydrates and protein in the “post-exercise period… when rehydration, refuelling and repair of damaged tissues should occur”. Most of a day’s carbohydrates should be taken post-workout, according to coach and powerlifter Phil Learney of Ultimate Performance. However, despite being the body’s main energy source, weightlifting does not require as many carbohydrates as endurance training. Energy, though, is essential, and failing to consume sufficient calories will jeopardise training, according to the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, which recommends that athletes in sports such as weightlifting may need to consume between 23 and 36 calories per pound of body weight per day. Unsaturated rather than saturated fats should be consumed where possible. In 2009, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise claimed that between 20 and 35 per cent of total calorie intake should be fat-based. Cooking with olive oil, rather than vegetable oils, is recommended by some weightlifting coaches as a source of good fats, as is avocado, flax seed oil and walnuts, to name a few examples. [caption id="attachment_21314" align="aligncenter" width="579"] Vegan lifter Kendrick Farris[/caption] RULES CAN BE BROKEN It is worth remembering that every human body is different and there are no strictly unbreakable rules when it comes to diet, and many weightlifters will treat themselves to ‘cheat meals’ every now and then – even the ones who compete in the lowest weight categories. Morghan King (USA), who finished sixth in the women’s 48kg division at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics, admitted “You can find ways to eat burgers and pizzas that fit your lifestyle.” Even Lasha Talakhadze (GEO), the newly-crowned World Weightlifting Men’s 2017 Lifter of the Year, enjoys a glass of good wine on special occasions. Then there is vegan Kendrick Farris (USA), who competed at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics. He told Men’s Fitness that he simply eats when he’s hungry and focuses on protein-rich foods such as avocado, spinach, pulses, nuts and fruit, whilst drinking plenty of water. Aside from the recommended dietary requirements, whether you are a committed carnivore or a veggie-loving vegan, as long as you focus on the right nutrients, there are no barriers to success in weightlifting. -- Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

2017 Lifter of the Year Lasha Talakhadze – The Thoughtful Champion

A few books may not be the most likely items you’d expect to find in the backpack of a competitive weightlifter, but then Lasha Talakhadze is not your average weightlifter. The IWF Men’s 2017 Lifter of the Year is a thoughtful and quick-witted world champion, who has built up a cult following in his native Georgia with his articulate responses to interviewers and extraordinary performances in the competition arena. Last year, Talakhadze hit new heights in the +105kg division, and at only 24 years old, the terrifying prospect for his rivals is that he looks certain to keep on improving. Last December in Anaheim, Talakhadze capped an enthralling IWF World Championships with a world record-breaking snatch, adding 3kg to his previous competition best to lift 220kg. He also produced six good lifts in the clean and jerk to pick up a gold for his 257kg and set a new world record of 477kg for his total – a massive 23kg above his nearest challenger. Talakhadze’s career has been gaining irresistible momentum in recent years since he burst onto the senior weightlifting scene in the +105 category with an eye-catching 20th place in the 2011 IWF World Championships in Paris, at the age of just 18! Two years later, he got the taste for gold at the IWF World Junior Championships in Lima, and that soon translated into senior competition. His triumph in Anaheim was his second successive gold at the World Championships. Lasha has also won consecutive titles at the European Championships in Førde and Split in 2016 and 2017. At the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, he briefly set a new world record of 215kg in the snatch before being edged out by Behdad Salimi. However, a dominant performance in the clean and jerk helped him to set a new world and Olympic record total score of 473kg. Following in the footsteps of his father, who was also a talented weightlifter, Talakhadze is determined to set a new benchmark. No man has picked up more than two Olympic gold medals in the heaviest weight category – but he dreams of winning four super-heavyweight golds at the Games before he retires. However, with a focus on continuous improvement, Talakhadze’s winning character was illustrated when he became the first Olympic weightlifting champion to return to competition in an age-group event at the European Under-23 Weightlifting Championships in late 2016, where he duly won gold. Talakhadze enjoys reading and often takes books to sessions. Having graduated from high school in western Georgia and then continued his learning in a special college of physical education and sports. Here he majored in coaching skills, and he plans to continue his education in the future, ensuring he has options and interests outside the sport. His exploits at the Olympics established him as a celebrity in Georgia, where it is estimated that nearly half of the 4.7 million population tuned in to watch him step to the top of the podium. Back in his home town of Sachkhere, thousands of people gathered to watch the action on a big screen in the main square. Countless fans have attended his training sessions to see the great man in action. Talakhadze’s success has been credited with inspiring a sharp rise in entries in Georgia’s national championships and, as a proud representative of his country, he was named as the Georgian National Olympic Committee’s Sportsperson of the Year for 2017, having already been presented with the Order of Excellence by President Giorgi Margvelashvili. Having become the first Georgian to win the Lifter of the Year award since its launch in 1982, could 2018 be even better for Talakhadze? -- Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

2017 Lifter of the Year Lydia Valentin – Loving Success

Weightlifting fans have been seeing a lot more of Lydia Valentin’s trademark celebration. Having first produced the beaming smile and ‘heart’ gesture four years ago, Lydia is well aware of the importance of engaging with her supporters. The charismatic Spaniard has more than 150,000 followers on Instagram and her performances – and celebrations – have cut through into mainstream media coverage around the world. Wearing mascara, earrings and a pink hairband during competitions, Lydia is widely seen to be a poster girl for women’s weightlifting, although she says that her famous celebration is not for anyone in particular – just those who have come to support her and her loyal fans. Now, after the most successful year of her career, she has even more reason to celebrate, having scooped the IWF Women’s 2017 Lifter of the Year award. The popularity of Lydia was underlined by the final poll for the award. With 16,406 votes, the 32-year-old from Ponferrada in north-western Spain was the overwhelming winner, picking up more support than the other four shortlisted candidates combined. As a competitor in the 75kg division, she won her first senior medal at a major event more than a decade ago – a bronze at the 2007 European Championships in Strasbourg – but it was her silver medal at the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing (recently awarded) the following year that brought her to international attention.       Lydia went on to claim gold at the London 2012 Olympics and silver at the Rio 2016 Games – Spain’s first weightlifting medals at sport’s biggest spectacle. She has also collected an array of medals at the European Championships over the years, including three golds in 2014 and 2015, and, most recently, in Split last year. However, despite her successes on the Olympic and continental stages, a gold at the IWF World Championships had eluded her, with a bronze in Wroclaw in 2013 representing her best performance at the event – that is, until 2017. At the IWF World Championships in Anaheim, Lydia registered a 118kg snatch and a 140kg clean and jerk to claim a total of 258kg – a huge 18kg better than her closest challenger – and take home three golds in the process. For Lydia, glory in Anaheim represented the highlight so far of a glittering career and a huge relief after injury had ruled her out of the 2015 World Championships in Houston. Lydia, who was a keen all-round sportsperson in her youth, has previously said that weightlifting chose her, rather than the other way around. She remembers fondly exploring a range of sports – including lifting weights – at her local Camponaraya sports club. Lydia has said that she will continue to compete in elite weightlifting until she stops enjoying it and then, when she retires, she would like to enjoy the sport from a “totally different perspective”. However, as she continues to stick to a rigorous training regime that comprises up to three hours of work every morning and afternoon six days a week, there is little sign of her admirable motivation for medals fading just yet. -- Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube

Lasha Talakhadze Named ‘Athlete of the Year’ by Georgia’s National Olympic Committee

2017 IWF World Champion (+105kg) Lasha Talakhadze was awarded this year's 'Athlete of the Year' by his National Olympic Committee. The award was presented to Lasha at the National Olympic Committee's annual report, held in Tbilisi on 22 December, 2017. The great Georgian athlete said it was a happy moment... "It was a good year for the Federation and for me too," said Lasha. "This year has been a good year for the Federation, and Georgia has won a lot of weightlifting victories. Today, this work has been appreciated by the Olympic Committee, which is a good moment and it gives me more incentive for future success." Besides the Best Athlete award, the delegates of the session also listened intently about the preparation progress for the Olympic Games in 2020. A member of the Executive Board of the Committee, Head of International Athletics Federation and President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, Sergei Bubka, presented the Olympic Order to the President of the National Olympic Committee of Georgia, Leri Khabelov for the special contribution to the Olympic Movement. -- Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Twitter

The Amazing Health Benefits of Olympic Weightlifting

Olympic weightlifting is one of the world’s most enduring sports, but what is it that has attracted competitors for thousands of years? Tracing its roots back to ancient Greece and China, weightlifting was one of the seven sports that made up the programme of the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. Apart from three Olympic Games – 1900, 1908 and 1912 – the sport has featured at every Games since the beginning. Women’s events were added to the programme for the first time in 2000. Now people across the world have discovered that weightlifting offers a path towards a complete range of fitness and strength attributes. ATHLETICISM Quite simply, Olympic weightlifting can completely change one’s holistic levels of strength and fitness. Developing on the more basic gym lifts – such as the squat, deadlift and shoulder press – Olympic weightlifting has no equal for developing speed, flexibility and coordinated, total-body strength and muscle. The core strength and mobility that is developed by the sport means that Olympic lifters have some of the highest vertical leaps of all athletes. The speed of the movement requires Olympic lifters to recruit every fast-twitch muscle fibre. These type IIb fibres, which fire anaerobically, are also associated with sprinting, which is why the fastest people in the world use weightlifting to gain that extra edge. [caption id="attachment_21098" align="aligncenter" width="583"] Weightlifters have some of the highest verticals of all athletes[/caption] CONTROL AND SKILL While we can perhaps all instinctively walk into a gym and perform a deadlift, it takes a long time to master the intricate technical aspects of Olympic weightlifting. In competitive weightlifting the two lifts are the snatch and the clean and jerk. The objective of the snatch is to lift the barbell from the ground to overhead in one continuous motion. The clean and jerk, as its name suggests, is made up of two movements. First the barbell is lifted from the floor to shoulder-height. During the jerk the lifter raises the barbell to a stationary position above the head, finishing with straight arms and legs. Both lifts demand coordination, flexibility and complete concentration. The technical aspects of the sport go a lot further in developing mental and motor skills than regular free-weight lifting. PHYSIQUE If combined with plenty of whole food nutrition and sound recovery you can build amazing fitness conditioning, superior cardiovascular conditioning and skills and physique to back it up. Weightlifting boosts the core, as well as the glutes, upper back, triceps and grip. Although Olympic lifting will grow the muscles, it is a misconception that performing the Olympic lifts will make an athlete appear muscular. If a weightlifter appears muscular, he or she is usually performing hypertrophy exercises on the side. Professional weightlifting is a sport dedicated to power and control, not aesthetics. Because of the controlled nature of weightlifting, and the fact that experienced coaches play such a crucial role, injuries are rare in the sport. Indeed, weightlifting is actually considered one of the safest sports with just 0.0017 injuries per 100,000 hours of participation. Track and field athletics, as a comparison, has 0.570. [caption id="attachment_21089" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Mohamed Ehab's great physique[/caption] A SPORT FOR EVERYONE Olympic weightlifting is a sport that can appeal to everyone, with weight categories ranging from 56kg to 105kg-plus for men, and 48kg to 75kg-plus for women. So no matter what you're size, with dedication and discipline you can experience all the amazing health benefits Olympic Weightlifting has to offer. Athletes from all over the world have become weightlifting champions, with gold medals being handed to competitors from five continents at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. -- Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Twitter

What Equipment Do I Need for Weightlifting?

Safety and comfort are among the most important factors when choosing weightlifting equipment in a sport so demanding. First and foremost, any apparel, footwear and accessories must conform to IWF regulations. For those looking to reach the top of the sport, every detail is important and could be the difference between a medal and failure. It’s therefore crucial to choose equipment that will provide support and assistance, as well as being practical and comfortable for training and competition. Let's look at what to consider when choosing weightlifting equipment. SHOES It’s the hands that grab the weights, but the athlete will only be successful with a solid base. Therefore a good pair of weightlifting shoes is invaluable. Weightlifting shoes are designed to allow the lifter to achieve a deeper squat, raise the heel on the rear foot in the split jerk and improve balance. Perhaps the most important aspect of choosing lifting shoes is the size of the heel. Many use an elevated heel of around .75 inches, which can help to achieve ample squat depth with an upright torso. Those with a narrow stance may require a higher heel than those with a wider position, who place more emphasis on their hip flexion and less on knee and ankle. The length of a lifter’s torso and legs are also important. If you have longer shins and femurs, you may benefit from .75 inch or higher heel, while shorter athletes can keep their torso upright with less elevation. Taller athletes will benefit from a higher heel, but those with a long torso and shorter legs can get away with a shorter heel. The shorter the torso, the easier it is to remain upright at full depth. Those with longer legs and a shorter torso should look for a taller heel. It’s important to take these matters into account when choosing a shoe, while also consulting coaches and experienced lifters. Try a few different options before buying your new shoes. KNEE SLEEVES Weightlifters wear sleeves for light joint support and warmth, and must choose an item that is mobile and follows the joint without inhibiting mobility. As weightlifters catch the weight in the bottom of a squat, a sleeve should not limit their ability to achieve depth, so thicker, more rigid options are usually not ideal. Perhaps also bear in mind that a lighter sleeve may be a more comfortable option to keep on during long rest periods on competition day. WRIST STRAPS Used to support the wrist and keep weight stable overhead, these fabric straps are often elasticated. While some lifters do not use them at all, many that wear wrist strips will choose variations that feature a thumb loop to aid in putting them on. Wraps come in a variety of lengths – longer ones can be wrapped more tightly, but can prove an annoyance. While most use Velcro to fasten, a few types use a metal fastener. By the way, don’t forget to keep chalk – in block or liquid form – and athletic tape in your gym bag to keep your hands dry and protected. BELT Make sure your belt conforms to IWF rules and is no more than 12cm wide. A weightlifting belt is typically 10cm wide for back support, but tapers off in the front. Some weightlifting belts may also have extra padding in the back. Leather and suede options are popular, although some use a Velcro-style belt because of its extra mobility. Belts are usually sold with a thickness of 10mm or 13mm. While the latter offers sturdier support, its depth can prove uncomfortable. [caption id="attachment_20884" align="aligncenter" width="277"] USA's Sarah Robles[/caption] SINGLET As an item of clothing, the singlet must first and foremost fit well and be comfortable, especially as it could be worn for a long time on competition day. A singlet successfully carries the weight of the body and ensures the muscular portions of the body are well lifted and positioned. Using the right singlet will not only keep you safe in the gym, but it will actually boost your performance as far as lifting weights are concerned. Remember singlets are a mandatory part of a lifter’s clothing in competition. Tight-fitting shorts are allowed over or under the singlet, while a short-sleeved t-shirt can be worn underneath. BARBELL AND WEIGHTS The diameter and length of barbells are different and are often denoted by men’s or women’s size, with men’s being longer, wider and heavier. Standard collars can be of any material, usually metal, and they can weigh up to 2.5 kilograms (5.5 lb) each for both men and women. A typical Olympic bar with a pair of collars can weigh as much as 25 kilograms (55 lb) for men and 20 kilograms (44 lb) for women (depending on the collars). Trying to find the bar that fits most of your needs is important. Lifters may consider matters such as whip and yield strength. It’s also useful to consider the quality of the product. For example, bare steel bars may have a nice grip but have no finish on them so are prone to rusting. Bearings in the sleeve generally allow for faster spin, but they are often more expensive. -- Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Twitter