Tuesday, June 18, 2013

2013 Aloha State Games lifters

Maui lifters: Queen Emma Athletic Club and Upcountry Weightlifting Club

“Let’s all put a hand on Coach Tam” (from left: Keaka, Keoni, Russ, Josh, Kehau)

Birds-eye view of Russ onstage

>> depending on how you see it, we won.

In Olympic weightlifting, there are only two competitors: you versus the barbell. That’s one of the best, and the worst, parts about the sport. There can only be one winner. And on any given day, the barbell will beat you, sending you into a fit of frustration (sometimes rage, sadness, confusion, despair, etc.).

Beating is different than defeating, though. We’re never actually defeated by the bar. When we miss a lift, it just fuels the fire to conquer it.

Olympic lifting is beautiful, explosive, powerful and highly technical — the challenge it poses is the very thing that keeps us coming back for more. After all, some of the greatest rewards are reaped from the hardest-fought battles.

With that in mind, each of us won on Saturday at our first Aloha State Games USAW competition on Oahu. We worked hard for hours and hours, days and days, and we conquered lifts on the platform, in front of judges, facing a crowd of people, among conditions that couldn’t have been anticipated.

In weightlifting, there are weight classes and age groupings for competitors. During competition, three lifts in the snatch and three in the clean and jerk are allowed. Any press out is restricted; and various obscure rules like the knee sleeves showing separation from the singlet are implemented. For a solid lift, the bar must be under control before the lifter drops it; judges give signals when the bar can be released.

Cumulative totals in the clean and jerk and snatched must be reached for one to qualify for national competition. In some ways, making Nationals could be considered “winning.” And winning Nationals could be considered winning big.

Even then, at the highest level of competition — in the Olympics on the world stage — it’s still just two competitors sparring for victory: the lifter versus the barbell. And dedicated lifters refuse to be defeated. Each loss will just fuel a victory for another lift, another hour, another day.

The learning, which we hope will extend a lifetime, is what we appreciate most. So thank you to Maui’s treasured Olympic lifting teachers and practitioners, such as Coaches Okada, Kauhaahaa and Moser. Especially to our very own Coach Tam, who daily shows us what it means to be better lifters and better people.

We appreciate the support from our friends and family. Maui was well-represented Saturday, and it was inspiring to see our lifters walk away with various wins. Great job to Keaka, Russ, Josh and Keoni — thanks for having the guts to get onstage and make us all proud!

061813 WOD

A. HBBS

5 x 3

Start around 75 percent and increase with each set. Work to a new 3RM.

B. For max reps:

2:00 wall balls (20/14)

2:00 Russian kettlebell swings (53/35)

Rest 2:00

1:00 wall balls

1:00 kettlebell swings

Rest 1:00

800-meter run for time

You will have two scores for this metcon: your total reps and your 800-meter run time.