Strength and Power Notes April 2008
Harvey Newton will conduct a USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach course at the University of Richmond, Saturday and Sunday, April 19-20, 2008. Registration is closed at this point, but for more information contact www.usaweightlifting.org.
Coach Newton will be at the Myotest booth at the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches’ Association, May 7-10, 2008, Nashville, TN. Stop by and say hello, take a test ride with Myotest!
Discussions are currently underway for a USAW Sports Performance course in Charlotte, NC, June 13-14. Stay tuned for updates or contact Kim Kotz, Senior Program Director, (704) 716-6177 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
A couple of months ago I was asked to lead a USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach certification course in Jacksonville, FL. This was an enjoyable and rewarding experience, from several points of view. Among other things, it caused me to review how USA Weightlifting has arrived at its current position.
When I was USA’s executive director (1981-88) we recognized the need for coaches’ education in this country. The only real attempt that had been made prior to this was in the 1970s, when Carl Miller, the national coaching coordinator, made the rounds, teaching weekend clinics in various hotbeds of weightlifting activity. Carl worked tirelessly at this effort and despite a lack of support from some factions in the organization, a lot of improvement was made.
Gene Baker, who served as the national coaching coordinator in the mid-1980s, put together a plan to create and disseminate coaches’ education information. In my opinion, this material was excellent and provided good direction into the future. Soon after, USAW went through a change of leadership and some new directions took hold. Lyn Jones, a well-respected veteran of coaching in England and in Australia, came aboard as the coaching education director. He was joined soon thereafter by Dragomir Ciroslan, an elite weightlifter from Romania.
Lyn and Dragomir redesigned the coaching materials and had a very big impact on the current crop of weightlifting and strength coaches in this country. At some point it was decided that USAW should provide a “sports performance” course for those mostly strength coaches that want to know how to use explosive lifts for improved athletic training, but did not necessarily aim to coach weightlifters.
A few years ago I was asked to edit the Sports Performance course manual. I made a few suggestions, but was soon dropped from the project. Paul Fleschler focused on coaches’ education for a while, before being appointed resident coach. The late Roger DeGarmo took over coaches’ education for some time, prior to moving to executive director.
Along the way I’ve occasionally followed USAW’s teachings on weightlifting techniques, but had not had a chance to really focus on what they were saying until I received the latest SP course materials. In reviewing the manual I noted on page 81 a reference to the “2nd pull: from the top of the patella to maximum vertical extension.”
(TO BE CONTINUED OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS)
"Newton's First Law" T-Shirts
Finally, after requests from coaches and lifters at national meets, Harvey Newton has finally decided to make his formerly very limited issue “Newton’s First Law (of Weightlifting)” t-shirts available. Check out the Products link for details and order yours now!
Strength Training for Cyclists System
And, after years of redesign the popular Strength Training for Cyclists System is back! Greatly expanded from the original two VHS tape set, the new System includes a totally new DVD, a thorough training manual, an audio interview CD, a Quick Series easy guide, a special report on common errors cyclists, triathletes, and endurance athletes make when they venture into the weightroom, a newsletter, and a convenient messenger bag to hold it all.
If you’re a cyclist, here’s your chance to learn a serious, effective, and guaranteed means of getting stronger in the gym (that’s why you’re in there, right?). The ultimate goal is to get stronger, then convert strength to more useful power on the bike. Cut through the popular “B.S.” methods promoted by so many and do it right!