Westside Barbell Podcast #47 - Olympic Weightlifting

Louie and Tom discuss the USA weightlifting team's performance at the 2020 Olympics. Louie outlines the challenges facing American weightlifting and what needs to change in regards to the training and development of athletes in order to overcome these obstacles.
Some of the topics discussed are:
Future of USA Weightlifting
What makes China so strong?
Powerlifting for Weightlifting
Weightlifting for Powerlifting
And more!
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For more exclusive interviews, video tutorials, webinars, master class with Louie Simmons, never seen before footage, and much more, visit Westside Barbell’s official education system at www.conjugatemethod.com
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Louie Simmons is widely regarded as the 'Strength Coaches, Strength Coach' and is the founder of the world-renowned gym called Westside Barbell in Columbus, Ohio.
Westside Barbell is an invitation-only training laboratory where only the strongest of mind and body survive. Our goal is simple: “To become the best and push every boundary known to man in doing so.”
This gym has produced more world records in powerlifting than any other in the World, and Louie has been regarded as one of the main reasons that the conjugate style of training has been popularized in today's training methods.
Outside of powerlifting, Louie is a strength consultant for many NFL, NBA, MBA teams, along with having trained gold medal sprinters, pro boxers, UFC fighters, and many more athletes out of his gym via the conjugate method of strength training.
TIMESTAMPS -
00:00 - Intro
00:12 - Welcome
00:24 - Future of USA Weightlifting
03:55 - What makes China so strong?
07:00 - Louie's experience with Olympic Weightlifting
08:10 - Best Olympic Lifter
09:00 - What role does maximum strength have in weightlifting?
12:18 - Max effort strength and other forms of strength in weightlifting
13:50 - Absolute strength and technical improvements
17:35 - Powerlifting for weightlifters, weightlifting for powerlifters
20:03 - Crossfit and Football's influence on Weightlifting
20:45 - Olympic weightlifters and Westside Barbell
25:40 - Olympic coaches, come to Westside Barbell
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Website: www.westside-barbell.com/​
Website: www.conjugatemethod.com/​
Instagram: / westsidebar...​
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Facebook: / westsidebarb...​
Podcast: westsidebarbell.podbean.com/​
Blog: www.westside-barbell.com/blog...
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#strength101​ #westsidebarbell​ #conjugateclub​ #conjugatemethod

[@dirk41es]

A podcast of Louir discussing his thoughts on training for strongman would be incredible.

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

Noted, thank you, 💪💪

[@utkarshadhikari5525]

Louie is a national treasure. Protect him at all cost.🙏

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

🙌💪💪

[@vladimirknezevic909]

Finally, new Louie podcast to watch

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

💪💪

[@ChatwithMatt]

This guy is a fountain of knowledge. Pure legend.

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

🙌💪

[@buckshelton5957]

I wish I could train at west side . Back is fucked when it gets better I’d like to visit some day awesome podcast

[@Raf-zk1fw]

Mr Louie becomes my mental and training mentor. Really. Those methods change every aspect of my training routine and I've become better. My strength improved, my physique and I think my mental is better. From about four and half year those methods are my new religion. Big respect from Poland Mr Louie. Thanks for that knowledge!

[@alexn96937]

RIP Louie! This video has allot of insightful information that anyone can benefit from. 💯

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

Thank you, absolute treasure trove to dive into

[@fefacerlacer9281]

Need to have a podcast on weightlifting with Louis, Rippetoe vs Chad and Max.

[@xman8818]

I just finished Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik. He goes into great detail how old time strongmen would wedge themselves under a bar set on low pins and squat from the bottom position. Now Louie says the Chinese are doing the same thing. Shows the know how to build a big squat and great strength has been with us for a long time. It also shows the dismissive attitude some people in the weight game have today. If Kubik and Simmons say they work, then I am tying them tomorrow.

[@thebuddhaofknowledgemichae2486]

Because they are arrogant jocks with a brain. Then they face a Mike Tyson type genius. They get knocked on their ass.

[@TDace25]

Great info. Learning a lot from Louie

[@slashnagy6]

I’m an Oly lifter and there are some damn good points in this video. For example, body structure/size for the sport, training intensity, and coaching (ESPECIALLY this last one-how the hell do we have all these “elite” weightlifting coaches that have never competed at an elite level???).

[@suprempuk]

Most of the coaches that have lifter at worlds haven't competed at that level. Performance in a sport is not a guarantee for being able to teach and coach it.

[@slashnagy6]

@@suprempuk well I guess the saying “those who can’t do, teach” is more applicable than ever for this sport. A shame.

[@metalmikebot]

All this stuff about weightlifters not focusing enough on strength (especially in the US) is, to be frank, willfully ignorant of how actual weightlifters train. I mean come on, have Louie or any of these guys actually even glanced at a 12-week program from Greg Everette, Max Aita, or Dave Spitz? Because their programs have absolutely shit-tons of really heavy pulls, squats, and presses; in fact, the volume is usually even **higher** than I've seen on a lot of powerlifting programs - partly because the relative intensities are a bit lower since they have to be combined with lots of technical and rate of force production work for the main lifts, but also because it's not necessary or beneficial to train the overhead press like one would train the bench press in powerlifting. It's also just a flat-out myth that the incredible amount of work required for an advanced lifter to add a 5-10kg to a squat or deadlift would translate to a stronger snatch or clean & jerk. Olympics lifts aren't just about force production, but **rate of force production**, and training for explosive power is not the same as training for absolute strength. One way to demonstrate this is that Nathan Damron squats around the same weight as Tian Tao, over 700lbs (they've both done 320kg). That's not exactly "weak". But Tian Tao out-totals Damron by over 50kg. So does Louie really think the solution here is for Damron to improve his squat by, I dunno, 100kg or something? He'd literally be out-squatting world record holders in powerlifting like Dennis Cornelius, who squatted 412kgs at 120kg.

[@lwskiner]

Let's be even more basic about this, what works for a juiced athlete will not transfer to a natural athlete and that is why nobody from the US Olympic team is going to be asking Simmons for help.

[@EZ2anger]

The solution isn't to improve Damron's squat by 100kg. It's to improve his snatch pull, clean pull, and push press. I bet Tian Tao presses and pulls way more than Damron, which is why his competition lifts are higher. I think the biggest mistake American weightlifters make is thinking the squat is the only exercise that determines ability in the olympic lifts. Both lifts require the bar to be pulled from the floor and caught overhead. The squat is only one third of the equation, at most.

[@shiringham]

I think what Louie is saying is that you have to focus on strength at the positions you're weak at. If you can squat a lot of weight but your pull is weak then you should focus on the pull and vice versa, if he's weak overhead, then he should make sure he improves that. I think it's unlikely that 2 high level weightlifters with identical accessory lifts like squat, snatch pull, rack pull, row, overhead press, etc.. would have such a huge discrepancy in the snatch and clean and jerk.

[@ethank-l4930]

great content as always

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

🙌

[@adihelew]

I love lou , bad ass awesome , people should listen more

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

💪💪

[@jaxonsevero1045]

Coach some weightlifters to the Olympics then lmao

[@stullsy21]

Weightlifters either had too big of an ego to come to him, or there's just not enough interest.

[@2ndavenuesw481]

Louie poking the hornet's nest hahahaha

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

😆

[@powmongo]

Some of Louie’s statements simply aren’t true. The U.S. used to be bad but in the last 5 years the U.S. now dominates Pan America bringing home more medals including Gold from Youth, Junior and Sr. World championships. We have 2 Sr. Word champions who brought home medals from the Tokyo Olympics. We have the first lifter in history to win 4 junior world championships in CJ Cummings who set numerous world records and was ranked 2nd in the world in the 73 kg class going into the Tokyo Gamed. We also have Harrison Maurus who won a Sr. World championship medal at 17 years old. We set numerous world records at the recent youth world championships in Saudi Arabia. Look up Hampton Morris or Katie Estep. We will bring home a few gold medals at the Sr. World championships starting this week. A weightlifter simply cannot generate the necessary amplitude and altitude of the bar without technique. Strength is very important but not as important as expressing strength quickly.

[@stullsy21]

the US mens olympic team havent won a gold since the 50s

[@ddw-ge1ss]

Wish they brought the press back in the Olympics

[@gillpeakperformance4945]

I'm with you Dan. My one reservation is enabling the extreme lean which turns the press into a standing high incline press. In an ideal world, I'd love to see a competition using a clean and press with some rule that constrains an excessive degree of spinal extension.

[@09thespecialone]

In Weightlifting.

[@IgnatiusCheese]

Yes!

[@fefacerlacer9281]

So Louis has athletes on the USA Olympic weightlifting team?

[@Ainttrippin]

"Old man yells about weightlifting" lmaaoo

[@thesamu100]

old man talks with absolute confidence about topic he has no credibility on for, gets applauded by people in his small bubble and social circle

[@thesamu100]

i laughed out loud when he went into "what the chinese do", as if the chinese system wasnt made out of different "academys" with sometimes completely opposed training principles

[@Sambalifter]

@@thesamu100 its amazing times when telling people to get stronger and fix their weak links is considered bad advice.

[@thesamu100]

@@Sambalifter lmao?

[@Sambalifter]

@@thesamu100 Can you share the champions you have trained and give those of us looking for solid info some pointers? Much appreciated.

[@Grch500]

Would love to see a podcast with Burley Hawk

[@dirkdiggler7261]

Amazing Ohio state never has asked Louie for help

[@cdl34453]

They follow his philosophies of lifting they don’t need him they need his train of thought/ program

[@xm_tech]

RIP Lou

[@hogleg8103]

Rip Louie

[@robbiesmith1516]

Genius

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

100%

[@cgj2468]

What’s the book about Chinese Weightlifting called Louie was referring to? He never said. I’ve bought all E-Books from Westside and read them multiple times. I get the system and like it a lot. I wanted to buy the physical copies of the weightlifting books in this video but can’t justify the shipping cost to the UK unfortunately.

[@patricksomaine3700]

Ma strength

[@JAS510]

Why isn't WSBB viral?

[@HenchPig]

Please could you make a video on programming for BJJ athletes?

[@tyraelangel2549]

What you think about doing full body workout evreday one workout set?for novice lifter

[@TheProchargedmopar]

👍💪

[@keithlittle293]

Whsts the name of oly lift book he's talking about?

[@turtlespurples]

Wasn't this posted? Then deleted? Why lol

[@cnsgains5506]

Not sure but ima watch It again..... and probably again

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

accidental upload, lol

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

💪💪

[@fefacerlacer9281]

Lots of talk on weightlifting but no weightlifters, difficult to take Louis serious on this topic 🤷‍♂️

[@melissacarbajal4273]

What is the name of his book he is referring too?

[@Boot_Ma9net]

fucking hell louie is the man. Ive known all this for years but not been able to articulate it. The strong back and ability to stay over the bar. The skill-speed vs strength argument. The inability to look outside the norm. USA oly is absolutely tied down by their coaches who "just know best" repeating the same workouts ad infinatum. working at weirdly low % (which is fine for a block or two) to work perfect perfect tekkers but too little high % work so the athlete is "caught out" in comp. Like westside it should be daily. They should shit 1RMs at olympic level. I watch klokov so far over the bar and so strong and I wonder why no one listens to him. The chinese drill the skills but they share them too and they tell british WLs - COme back when you add 30% to your squat we wont even teach you until youre that strong, because its just a waste of our time, People are so blinded by tradition its insane. Anyway - Louie is a king and IMO he should be running USA oly team.

[@cjmarsh321]

DUDE HOW DO YOU REMEMBER ALL THOSE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD!?!?!?

[@cjmack23ok]

Tom, you need to keep that old man talking and keep the camera rolling!!

[@WestsideBarbellOfficial]

💪🙌🙌💪

[@thebuddhaofknowledgemichae2486]

Olympic lifting kung fu. Powerlifting MMA.

[@pimbroersen6218]

Please let Zack see this

[@markchorny7607]

kinda wrong on this one, way off. Lu is not 154 lbs. please do research, like I said, way off. cringey

[@2ndavenuesw481]

The US is extremely class conscious and the weightlifters think they belong to a higher caste.

[@09thespecialone]

They do.

[@sabertoothwallaby2937]

Does Lou say anything new? I've heard this all before lol

[@markcuban8077]

You’re lying to yourself if you think China isn’t doping 😂

[@slashnagy6]

That may be true, but the US is still shit technique-wise

[@kostar500]

This guy knows too much, and the USA team either knows too little or are too ignorant to change their methods.

[@VultureofLies]

Yeah zero weightlifters use this method, such arrogance