Why shouldn't teenagers lift weights? And how to properly pump up young muscles

What is "weightlifting"

Many people confuse strength sports. Weightlifting is one of the oldest strength disciplines. The essence of all movements is in releasing the bar: at some point the bar flies by inertia, and not under the control of the athlete’s strength. This is the main difference from powerlifting.

As a result, weightlifters develop more white muscle fibers in their bodies and develop explosive strength and sharpness, much like sprinters. By the way, weightlifters are very good at high jumping and running short distances.

What muscles does it develop?

The bench press is a multi-joint exercise that most effectively develops strength and size in the upper body muscles.

Muscles involved in movement and stabilizer muscles:

Core muscles.

• Pectoralis major muscle.
• Pectoralis minor muscle.
• Triceps brachii muscle (triceps).

Secondary muscles.

• Front delts.
• Serratus anterior muscle.
• Coracobrachialis muscle.

Stabilizer muscles.

• Latissimus dorsi muscles
• Upper abs
• Quadriceps

Changing the grip width transfers some of the load from the pectoral muscles to the triceps and vice versa.

Russian TA Cup

My friend, Ilya Popov, took part in the most serious competition in the country - the Russian Cup. The Cup was in Orel and took place last week.

I decided to provide moral support and go to Orel for company.

Met a minion:

After which we loaded into the car, drove 1200 kilometers and checked into a hotel:

Armlifting records[edit | edit code]

Grip strength training

World Records for Armlifting[edit | edit code]

Records according to the World Armlifting Association

Sergey Badyuk at an armlifting tournament

• Men
  +110 k - Alexey Tyukalov - 148 kg (own weight 123 kg) Russia-Finland (note: Absolute record)
• 110 k — Kulyasov Sergey — 120.5 kg (own weight 98.4 kg) Russia
• 90 k – Bashun Victor (Viktor Blud) – 115.5 kg (own weight 84 kg) Russia
• 70 k - Alexey Laptev - 100.5 kg (own weight 68.4 kg) Russia

• Juniors
  +90 k – Grigory Kopaigora – 103 kg (own weight 99.4 kg) Ukraine
• 90 k — Omelyanenko Oleg -97.5 kg (own weight 84.5 kg) Ukraine
• 70 k - Alexey Laptev - 100.5 kg (own weight 68.4 kg) Russia

• Women

+60 k — Lyudmila Gaiduchenko – 68 kg (own weight 91.2 kg) Ukraine 60 k — Yulia Dvorskaya — 50.5 kg (own weight 55.9 kg) Ukraine

• Veterans (+40)
  +90 k Melentyev Oleg – 135.5 kg (own weight 142 kg) Russia
• 90 k Khasai Khvich – 98.5 kg (own weight 89.9 kg) Ukraine

Preparation and warm-up

Competitions at the national level are quite a serious event that requires a lot of preparation work. For an athlete, it all starts with a warm-up.

The loads are quite severe, many people use warming ointments to reduce the likelihood of injury:

After which the athletes begin warming up:

There are several warm-up platforms backstage. In general, it is impossible to do TA without a platform - in order not to waste energy, athletes throw the barbell after lifting. No floor can withstand such treatment, but there are special rubber platforms.

Ilya is surprised that he will have to lift the barbell:

For now, the point is, retro-chronicles are playing on all the screens, free people are sticking to the athletes of yesteryear:

Both behind the scenes and on the stage there are things with a special powder - magnesium, with which athletes smear their hands so that the barbell does not slip. Those who wish can also apply the soles of weightlifters (these are special shoes for weightlifters, with an anatomically correct instep and arch support):

A doctor is required to be on duty at every competition:

At all national level competitions there is a jury that can appeal the judges' decisions:

Before the start of the competition, the athletes are brought onto the stage and introduced: “Ilya Popov, master of sports, Samara, bronze medalist of the Russian Cup 2013, born in 1988. Own weight – 76 kilograms 600 grams”:

In general, there are quite a few weight categories in weightlifting: 52, 56, 69, 77, 85, 84, 105 kg and super-heavyweights over 105 kg. Athletes compete with their peers in weight.

The age of active athletes is up to 35 years (more than in almost all sports). This means that after 35 years of age, a weightlifter can take part in special competitions for veterans (where a division by age group is added to the division by weight). Veterans can also take part in regular competitions and quite often outshine the youth.

After the presentation, 10 minutes are given for the official warm-up:

Most athletes are already warmed up by this point - it is unrealistic to fully warm up in 10 minutes and prepare for the maximum weights for yourself.

Special assistants put on and take off discs during competitions. Usually these are young people, novice weightlifters of the city in which the competition is held:

During the warm-up, the judging team is introduced, after which the judges greet the jury:

Representatives of the Russian Weightlifting Federation are present at major competitions:

Technical controllers are ready:

The sound guy brought the girl and, apparently, is also ready to start:

There are special technical assistants behind the scenes - they accept applications from athletes.

The competition consists of two exercises – the snatch and the clean and jerk. Each participant is given 3 snatch attempts and 3 push attempts. The goal is to collect the maximum amount.

You can increase the weight from attempt to attempt, but you cannot decrease it. Weightlifters perform in order of increasing weight of the barbell. Ilya announced 135 kilograms in the clean and jerk and 165 kilograms in the snatch (he should be sixth in the snatch, seventh in the clean and jerk, there are 13 participants in total).

After completing (or not completing) the next approach, the coach must submit a request for a new weight to the technical assistant (or inform that the new attempt will be with the same weight). One minute passes between lifting the barbell.

If the athlete follows himself (he couldn’t cope with the lift and there is no one willing to approach the same weight again), he is given two minutes to rest.

The assistants are ready to start:

Our athlete, meanwhile, is warming up with all his might:

Equipment and doping control

At bench press competitions, it is allowed to use athletic belts and bands, however, there are nuances here too. For example, in most federations, the loop of the wrist bandage must be removed from the thumb and hidden under the bandage before starting the exercise, but in equipment divisions there is no such requirement.

Divisions with doping control have reduced standards, but 10% of athletes participating in competitions in this division are required to be tested for the use of prohibited substances. A failed doping test leads to the cancellation of the athlete’s achievements at this tournament, as well as to his complete disqualification from the doping division. The IPF does not have a doping control division.

Among all powerlifting disciplines, the classic bench press has always been particularly popular. Firstly, this is a basic exercise for developing the entire upper muscle girdle. Secondly, compared to the squat and deadlift, it is the safest exercise in triathlon. That is why the bench press almost immediately became an independent discipline and even the most orthodox IPF federation began to hold competitions in this exercise this year.

Snatch

Three judges decide whether each approach was successful. They find fault with the athletes’ technique and equipment. I remind you that you cannot press the barbell by force - there must be release

from the weight, a fraction of a second of free flight of the barbell upward. A weightlifter is very similar to a juggler - his task is to throw the barbell and take a place under it while the barbell flies upward.

The judges are ready, the competition begins:

There are three judges; in controversial cases, decisions are made by a majority vote.

The essence of the “snatch” exercise is simple: you need to lift the barbell from the platform and sit under it at the moment of flight. Then stand with the barbell at full height and fix the barbell in this position.

The athlete adjusts and takes the starting position (the weight of the bar in the photo is 130 kilograms):

He pulls it out and sits down:

He gets up, the approach is counted:

Weightlifting is primarily about working on perfect technique. Think for yourself - the barbell should fly along an ideal trajectory; at the slightest deviation, the weightlifter will drop the projectile forward or backward.

The first thing we were taught during TA classes was to jump out from under a barbell falling from different positions =)

This is why I don’t have photos of Ilya’s performance - I shot a video with a separate camera so that they could watch the performance with the coach and work on mistakes for each approach.

Before Ilya’s performance, one of the athletes suffered his first serious failure – the so-called “steering wheel”. The weightlifter failed a single approach in the snatch and finished the competition with a zero result. All the preparation, all the effort and the trip - all in vain:

Ilya also almost failed, but on the third attempt he managed to lift the weight of 135 kg.

After him came more prepared athletes. The judges are seriously worried:

Please note that I am not saying that athletes are “stronger”. They are more prepared; strength and preparation are radically different things.

All my experience says that to successfully perform at national-level competitions, you need to combine all three conditions: genetic predisposition, powerful pharmacological support and an inhuman amount of work over many years.

While the leaders are finishing the snatch competition, Ilya begins to warm up the clean and jerk with light weights:

Technical assistants are accepting applications for extreme approaches in the snatch, passions are heating up:

By the way, weightlifters are very, very flexible. Look at this photo and keep in mind that the weight of the barbell in the photo is 150 kilograms. Try sitting like this with a mop at home, I think the chances of success are low:

In the snatch, the two leading athletes showed a result of 150 kilograms. Ilya takes seventh place and is 15 kg behind the leaders.

Why should you perform a barbell snatch?

Are there any benefits to the barbell snatch? Along with exercises such as the deadlift, bench press and squat, the snatch is a measure of your fitness. It is impossible to remain weak and lift decent weights in these exercises. There is an opinion that the barbell snatch is exclusively a strength exercise and does not contribute to the growth of muscle mass, but this is not entirely true. Look at the figures of weightlifters - they are shaped like an hourglass. Broad shoulders and chest, narrow waist and powerful hips. To me, weightlifters look much more aesthetically pleasing and proportional than powerlifters with big bellies or completely non-functional bodybuilders. Therefore, you should not write off the barbell snatch if your goal is to gain muscle mass, since they put a tremendous load on the hips, buttocks, lower back and all the muscles of the shoulder girdle.

Clean and Jerk

One of the leaders in the snatch, Victor Goetz, rests between the snatch and the clean and jerk and receives the last instructions from the coach:

The usual break is 10 minutes, but the athlete has time to rest and will skip ahead of many less prepared athletes.

For some people, warming up is quite difficult:

Someone receives current technique recommendations from a coach:

Ilya warms up very leisurely:

Working with very light weights:

The jerk is more complex at first glance, but in reality it is a technically simpler exercise.

The athlete takes the starting position (bar weight – 160 kg):

Throws the barbell onto his chest (at this moment the release

, the athlete stretches out to his full height and then suddenly sits down under the bar):

Standing up with a barbell on his chest:

And he pushes the barbell up with his whole body (at this moment another release occurs):

The task is to take the barbell with your arms extended above your head. If your arms are bent at the elbows and then straightened, the approach no longer counts.

Typically, athletes push the barbell “in a straddle position,” spreading their legs back and forth as they release the weight of the barbell. This allows you to catch a barbell that has moved slightly forward or backward. But some people throw - they simply throw the barbell up without spreading their legs. Photo of a weightlifter doing a low squat (not mine). This is when the weightlifter pushes the barbell upward with his body, at the moment of release he pushes off the barbell with his hands and sits down low, while simultaneously absorbing the barbell flying down:

The final part of the clean and jerk is to collect the legs from the spreader and fix the barbell in this position:

Before going on the platform, each athlete prepares in his own way. Typically, trainers use the following techniques.

They slap the calves and thighs hard to disperse the blood:

Tinder ears:

And they massage the trapezoid strongly:

The trapezius muscle is involved in the final stage of the snatch and lifting the barbell to the chest of the clean and jerk - the athlete stretches out with the barbell to his full height, stands on tiptoes and helps himself with the trapezius. Look at the snatch technique, pay attention to the fourth photo from the top (photo not mine):

Athletes continue their performance in the clean and jerk:

Workplace of the presenters, who announce the weights and the order of approaches:

Ilya lifted 165 kilograms on his first try, but, unfortunately, was unable to improve this result. The total amount is 300 kg. The athlete is dissatisfied with himself:

Technical assistants begin to accept applications for the clean and jerk from the most powerful athletes, the outcome of the competition is near:

Unexpectedly, the doctor removes one of the leaders due to an internal tissue rupture (I didn’t have time to take a photo, a small bruise visually appeared on my leg) - last year’s champion, Mikhail Gobeev, will not be able to continue the competition.

There is only one clear contender for the butt!

The inspired Victor Goetz lifts 185 kilograms in the second approach and refuses the third, thereby collecting an amount of 335 kg.

Ilya came sixth and was quite upset, but nothing! Next year we will show better results!

Common mistakes

The bench press is a free weight exercise. Violation of safety rules leads to the barbell falling on the athlete or injuries to muscles, joints and ligaments. The consequences of some injuries last a lifetime or lead to the end of a sports career.

• Lifting the pelvis off the bench. When the pelvis is separated, the lower back experiences serious stress and is injured.

• Open grip press. When pressing, when your thumb does not wrap around the bar, the barbell can slip out of your hands and fall on your face, throat or chest.
• Bench press. There is no pause when lowering to the chest. The barbell hits the chest and, using the elasticity of the chest, is squeezed upward. Leads to incorrect technique, fractures of the ribs, sternum and damage to the intercostal muscles.
• Bench press of submaximal weight without a spotter or a spotter with low qualifications. When pressing heavy weights without support, the barbell can “pin down” the athlete. The case ends with fractures and even death.
• The legs are placed on a bench or in the air. The body loses stability and falls to the side. The barbell falls to the floor or to the athlete.
• No locks on the neck. When the barbell is tilted, the weights slide off the bar.

A common mistake made by beginners is the lack of a thorough warm-up. Having completed one warm-up approach, they immediately rush to move on to the working weight. A thorough warm-up, first with an empty bar, and then gradually adding weight step by step, will save you from many injuries and troubles.

Awards

Immediately after the competition, the awards ceremony takes place:

Typically, this ceremony is performed by famous athletes of past years. In the center of the photo is Boris Selitsky, the 1968 Olympic champion, who set 2 world records:

Content

• 1 Armlifting 1.1 History
• 1.2 Rules
• 1.3 World Armlifting Association
• 1.4 World Armlifting Federation (WAF) / Union of Armlifters of Russia (SAR)

TA and girls

Quite often I hear the opinion that weightlifting is not a female sport at all. I fundamentally disagree with this! Weightlifting gives flexibility, speed and sharpness. Volumetric muscles and “chemistry” are not at all necessary components.

But flexibility, endurance and a good figure are very frequent companions of weightlifters. I wanted to show what the girls looking like competing in the 53 kg weight category - but, unfortunately, all the photos on a point-and-shoot camera in poor lighting didn’t turn out well. Therefore, here are pictures from the network.

Once (there is 75 kilograms on the bar, most men will not only not break, but will not even be able to bench press this weight):

Two:

Pudzianowski was the favorite, but something went wrong

KSW promoters promoted the Pudzianowski-Kolecki fight as a fight between the strongest men in MMA history.

Everyone called Pudzyanovsky the favorite. Firstly, Mariusz is more experienced. Strongman has been in MMA for more than ten years, and Koletski for only a year and a half. Secondly, Mariusz had his native stands behind him - he has been living in Lodz for a long time. Thirdly, Pudzianowski is 14 kilograms heavier and simply wider - Shimonge moved to heavy weight only last year. “We'll be throwing bombs at each other - especially in the first two minutes. Whoever takes the bomb first will lose his head. This will be a clash of two forces,” Pudzianowski predicted.

Kolecki’s coach Miroslav Okninski saw the fight differently: “Mariusz and Szymon are superstars. But Koletsky has a small ego and big balls, while Pudzianowski has the opposite. Szymon constantly rushes forward, and Mariusz stops if something goes wrong.”

Okninsky's forecast turned out to be closer to the truth. Koletski outplayed his opponent tactically. The more mobile Shimon controlled the course of the battle, easily entered close combat at a convenient distance and with the same ease reached a safe distance. The weightlifter did not get involved in exchanges and worked with his knees in the clinch (once he hit the groin), rather than “throwing bombs.” In the last minute of the opening round, Koletski made a throw that turned out to be decisive. During the landing, Pudzianowski unsuccessfully twisted his leg, tore his biceps femoris muscle and was unable to continue the fight - the weightlifter won by technical knockout, and the strongman had difficulty leaving the hall with the help of seconds.

“The fight went pretty much the way I imagined it. My coach always requires me to work with my knees - I think he will be pleased with me today. Thanks Mariusz! He put up a good fight. Pudzian is a true warrior! MMA is popular in Poland thanks to him and Mamed Khalidov,” Koletsky said after the fight.

Rank standards for armlifting[edit | edit code]

Armlifting Professional League standards[5][edit | edit code]

World Armlifting Association standards[6][edit | edit code]

The standards of the Armlifting Federation of Ukraine are posted on the forum: https://powerlifter.ru/forum/index.php?topic=613.0.

There are many different standards on the Internet, but they do not contain official sources.

Standards

Union of Armlifters of Russia (SAR)/World Armlifting Federation Standards[edit | edit code]

ROLLING THUNDER[edit | edit code]

APOLLON'S AXLE[edit | edit code]

HUB[edit | edit code]

TWO HANDED PINCH GRIP BLOCK[edit | edit code]

EXCALIBUR[edit | edit code]

SAXON BAR[edit | edit code]

SILVER BULLET[edit | edit code]