My Take on the New Weight Classes

My Take on the New Weight Classes

As of now most of you know that the IWF has released the new weight classes that go into effect at the AO3.  I am seeing a lot of mixed reviews online.  Some people are happy and others are pretty darn mad.  I wanted to give all of you my take on things, which might help some of you assimilate this new information. For all of you that don’t know the new weight classes, here they are:

I think most people love the fact that there are now 10 weight classes.  That opens up the doors for more people to compete at the International Level.  The main concern is that some of the new weight classes won’t be contested in the Olympics.  For some that’s a valid concern.  However, if you haven’t medaled at the National level already this quad, the Olympics aren’t very feasible for you anyways.

That’s not me being mean. I’m not saying that you can’t improve enough to be on that level by 2020.  You very well may end up at that level.  However the way that you qualify requires you to pretty much start making Team USA by the end of this year or early next year at the latest. If you are not ready to be one of the top 10 athletes in the country by early next year, you won’t have a chance to earn enough points to make the Olympic Team. If that’s you, I recommend settling in the weight class that fits your current bodyweight the closest, and simply focus on improving.  I would start out with goals like the following:

·      Get into the Top 10 at Nationals

·      Get into the Top 5 at Nationals

·      Medal at Nationals

·      Gold Medal at Nationals

·      Make Team USA

There are other opportunities for some of you like University Worlds if you are in college.  This is a great way to make Team USA and get some experience on the International level. I guess what I am saying is that for most of you this is a great thing.  Now you guys have more chances than ever to make a team, so get out there and make it.

There are probably about 30 men and 30 women that actually have a shot at the Olympics, and that’s being generous. For you guys and for your coaches, things just got a bit spicy.  Personally, I am excited because this whole thing just became a big chess match. We have about four athletes that this really affects. So now there are a few questions that we must ask:

·      Do we go up?

·      Do we go down?

·      Do we stay the same?

·      When do we make the change?

I was up until 2am last night trying to figure that out.  My athletes trust me with their future, and I take that trust seriously.  This whole chess match is the very thing that intrigues me the most about weightlifting versus powerlifting.  A powerlifting coach programs, coaches technique, and chooses attempts.  There is very little strategy to powerlifting.  I mean some, but nothing like weightlifting.

In weightlifting, a coach controls:

·      Programming

·      Technique

·      Manages mental and physical stress

·      Plans warm ups for a meet (crucial part)

·      Chooses attempts (crucial part)

·      Declared openers can move up or down to mess with opponents or because of athlete’s performance in warm-ups

·      Openers can change twice

·      2^nd and 3^rd attempts get a declaration and two changes

·      Timing of declaration is crucial

·      Changes can add time for your athlete and/or take time from someone else

·      You have to know stipend qualifications

·      Team Qualifications

·      American Records

·      You have to keep track of your competition

It’s simply an exciting game to play as a coach. Honestly it is quite addicting.  That’s why there are so many coaches in a sport that pays little to nothing. The Olympics is a carrot that so many athletes and coaches are chasing. Most of us will never reach that level, but it’s really the chase that makes it fun anyways.

At the end of the day, there is nothing that any of us can do about these new weight classes. Any negativity is simply wasted energy. Negativity from a coach will simply be passed on to the athletes, and that’s never good.  The next thing you know, you will have a gym filled with negative thoughts. As a coach, it’s imperative that we keep our heads up, stay positive, and find the best path for our athletes. Getting on Instagram and/or Facebook and complaining makes you look like an old grump, and is perceived by your athletes as a lack of confidence. For us, we are going to stay the course as always. I hope that you will do the same.

As always, I feel very blessed to be a part of USA Weightlifting that works so hard to keep this a clean and thriving sport for the athletes that I love so much. We should all reflect on the efforts of our fine organization, and we should all be excited by the improvements that have been made over the last three years.  Let’s continue to work together to make this the greatest sport on the planet.