In sports, the ability an athlete can produce high force & power is the most important determinant of who wins the competition (O’Bryant, H. Stone, M., 1987, p.62). The type of training applied to an athlete has a direct effect on winning and losing. According to Drechsler, world class weightlifters can sprint faster and jump higher than any other athlete in the Olympics except track and field. Weightlifters when tested also exhibited more joint flexibility than other Olympic athletes except gymnast. And finally, Russian weightlifters have been reported of high-jumping over seven (7) feet without any type of special training. These incredible abilities of producing high levels of strength, power and flexibility by a weightlifter are quite amazing when considering that weightlifters do not train to jump or sprint fast, these qualities arise directly from the personal training of the Olympic lifts (Drechsler, A.,1998, p. 513). I SAY AGAIN! "Weightlifters do not train to jump or sprint fast, these qualities arise directly from the personal training of the Olympic lifts (Drechsler, A.,1998, p. 513)." So why are you down playing the Olympic Weightlifting Movements? AGAIN, in sports, the ability an athlete can produce high force & power is the most important determinant of who wins the competition (O’Bryant, H. Stone, M., 1987, p.62). The type of training applied to an athlete has a direct effect on winning and losing.
