Blog Series: What convey to new athletes to Olympic Lifting: Richard Flemming

Richard Flemming is the head weightlifting coach for the historically competitive Spoon Barbell Club. He hold multiple weightlifting titles and was a member of the 1977 National Championship team. Coach Flemming has coached many athletes to National meets, titles, and records. Most notably he coached Olympian Chad Vaughn to the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.

What convey to new athletes to Olympic Lifting: Richard Flemming

Information gathering is the first goal of the coach. How the coach proceeds and motivates depends on listening/looking before acting. It depends on the age of the person and experience. The question should be is why they want to learn the Olympic Lifts, how old are they etc.? Were they first a bodybuilder or a “power lifter”? Maybe they were involved in a more athletic endeavor? What movement patterns where they taught etc.? A full assessment is necessary IE can they squat down with vertical trunk? Do they have kyphosis etc and do they understand that there is more to strength then what a person can bench, low bar squat and lifting with a rounded back in the dead lift. Strength in Olympic lifting is required in one’s posterior chain (“posture strength”), leg/hip and a balance of strength and quickness through the rest of body. So based on this one should consider what the weaknesses are and to begin working on them through specialized exercises and movements. Knowing this the coach should convince the future athlete of moderation and consistency with stubbornness to goal.