USAWA

by Thom Van Vleck

I know it’s kind of a thing that most of us who lift regularly get fed up with the New Years resolution bunch crowding into the gym and bugging us for training advice that they’ll never use.  At least that’s my perspective but let’s look at this positively.

First of all, when is the best time to be in the gym?  WINTER.  I am mainly a highland games thrower which means as soon as it’s nice out until it’s too cold and snowy I’m out throwing every chance I get.  But even when I was a regular lifter winter was a great time to be in the gym.  It was too dark outside by the time I got off work to do much so why not retreat to the gym.  I generally come out of the busy holidays having traveled, went to a dozen or so parties (most for work or I wouldn’t go!) and find myself in January with a lot of time on my hands.  GYM TIME!

Second, when the New Year’s warriors come seeking advice or crowding the gym I look at it as an opportunity AND a compliment.  It’s a chance to have a positive impact on others and reach out to that one in a thousand that will actually take off with it.  I recall a 15 year old kid coming to the gym.  He had to keep all his clothes on, his wallet and keys in his pocket, to break 100lbs.  He bugged the crap out of me for advice.  More of it was seeking affirmation and motivation than actually lifting advice.  I remember being annoyed as can be….but I did it.  And many years later he made the cover of Powerlifting USA and sent me an autographed copy thanking me for my help.  He pulled more than quadruple bodyweight at 160lbs in the deadlift.  Now I take it as my duty to help others and a compliment they would think I could even help them.

Last, It’s just a great time for a new start.  I have notice in my life time that I have set 100’s of goals, probably more like 1000’s of goals.  And I’ve made very few of them.  My Uncle Phil used to tell me that it’s better to set goals that are almost unreachable because when you set them too low we tend to quit trying when we reach them.  I hear people complaining that they get tired of hearing about all these “New Year’s resolutions” that nobody will keep.  Well, out of a 100, even if just ONE makes that goal then I say keep at it.  Otherwise, what do you say, roll over and quit!

So, as this New Year begins I look forward to the new faces, the questions, and that one guy….that will make the cover of PL USA someday!

by Thom Van Vleck

I’ve share information before about the lifting club I started on campus.  We continue to grow and make progress.  We hold one or two workouts every day except Sunday.  We are one the youngest, yet largest, club on campus.  We provide supervision to over 200 workouts every week!  While I am the staff adviser the growth and leadership have come from within the club.  To be honest, I feel like I’m showing my age!

When I first started this club I envisioned old school workouts.  We would be doing lots of benches, squats, deadlifts….maybe some snatches and clean & jerks….the stuff I cut my teeth on 35 years ago.  What has evolved is a group dynamic focused more on bodyweight  exercises, lots of reps, fast paced, and less weight.  Similar to the “Crossfit” stuff you see growing ever popular.  I’m perfectly fine with that because it is leading to a new generation learning how to do snatches and clean and jerks and getting fit in the process.

Recently we were able to add a new addition, a wall mounted rack in the gym.  This will allow us to do more squats, presses and jerks out of the rack, along with the rings and chin up capabilities.  There are probably a hundred more uses that will come out of this addition and my hope is that if we get a lot of use out of it the Campus Center will be open to buying more equipment!  They have been very generous so far and that has helped tremendously.

I am looking forward to 2015 and seeing where things go with the club.  I hope perhaps we can host a lifting meet of some sort (maybe a USAWA meet).  I know we will help more people achieve a greater level of fitness and I’m sure the club will do more community projects that will promote fitness.  I has been a real pleasure working with these young people and the fact they are all on their way to becoming doctors or dentists makes it all the better!

by Thom Van Vleck

Recently I was talking to someone about lifting and why it’s a great idea to lift weights.  They seemed to struggle with the idea of lifting unless they were going to be the best at it.   Otherwise, why not find something else to do!  I enjoy weightlifting but in case you didn’t notice….I’ve yet to be the strongest man in the world.  I’ve also noticed that many people won’t enter an athletic meet unless they have a chance to win.  I think there’s a problem with that attitude.

Here’s my thought.  Nobody would say, “Well, if I can’t be the smartest in the world (or even that given day) then why bother ever learning anything….I’ll just stay stupid”.  The first thing you need to do when you start a lifting program is to do it for yourself.  Make yourself stronger.  Irregardless of who else is stronger.  Sometimes surprising things can happen.

I worked for 2 years and finally one day I was ready to attempt a 225lb squat.  TWO YEARS of HARD WORK led up to this moment.  I was 16 years old and weighed about 175lbs.  Some of you will know that I had to overcome two broken legs and a broken hip so I started not even being able to squat my bodyweight.  I had a couple buddies over to spot me.  To be honest, I had them come over to witness this and so I could show off a little.  Well, when I got done and racked the weight triumphantly one of my buddies…who had never done a squat with weights…said, “Hey, can I give that a try”.  Long story short, he squatted it with ease and threw on a couple of tens and did three reps before telling me that my lift was good, too.  Needless to say, I questioned my effort.  But I shouldn’t have.  I had went from a kid they thought might never walk again to squatting 225lbs.  I also want to point out I eventually did 600…..and that other guy never touched a weight again as far as I know!

While it’s good to have a little perspective, the guy you should always be concerned most about it the guy in the mirror.  Making that person you see in the mirror better is more important than what anyone else can do.  There’s always going to be someone stronger than you and smarter than you.  I just work on myself and let the chips fall where they may.  That’s been a tough lesson for me, but one that has led to my greatest gains.