Ivan Abadjiev (Bulgaria) begins training U.S. Oly Lifters!

[Pokarface]

This news is epic win! But I wonder if we (U.S. lifters) are ready to use the Bulgarian Method

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...601842556.html

Cliffs:
Oly Lifter veteran Gold medallist comes to U.S.
Now works with CSA nutrition and Eleiko training potential Weightlifters
4 Weightlifters currently under his supervision: 3 Americans (U.S.), 1 Mexican
Promises results for Brazil 2016

[Pokarface]

Some late 80's Bulgarians, including Ivan

[crackyflipside]

Yeah, a few lifters on the forums have made it out to Cali to train with him for a while.

[Pokarface]

Yeah, a few lifters on the forums have made it out to Cali to train with him for a while.

Sup Crackyflipside! Miami is kinda far from Cali, eh?
Will definitely wear Team U.S.A shirt at the Olympics.
I'm kinda late on the news, I insta-post it after finding it (too excited to reason), but it had been mentioned earlier.
On a side-note, what was Ivan doing coaching badminton? o_O mind blown

[glennpendlay]

Sup Crackyflipside! Miami is kinda far from Cali, eh?
Will definitely wear Team U.S.A shirt at the Olympics.
I'm kinda late on the news, I insta-post it after finding it (too excited to reason), but it had been mentioned earlier.
On a side-note, what was Ivan doing coaching badminton? o_O mind blown

This is nothing new... My team, California Strength, paid to have Abadjiev and 2 of his lifters come over from Bulgaria several years ago. He coached our athletes in our gym for about a year. Donny Shankle, Max Aita and Dave Spitz all lived with Ivan and were coached by him for some time.

Ivan is coaching now in Danville, about 5 miles from where he coached when we first brought him over around 2007 or so.

[PretentiousKunt]

Didn't want to start a new thread.

[WHT_LIGHTNING]

that's pretty awesome

ALso, amazing flexibility for an old dude

[Reidy]

Dude's faster under the bar than I am...

[fraverdenstreet]

i hope i'm like him when old

[WHT_LIGHTNING]

i hope i'm like him when old

I am going to coach weightlifters when I am that old, but I will probably be drunk. Like all the time. Completely functional drunk.

[Geedunk]

I am going to coach weightlifters when I am that old, but I will probably be drunk. Like all the time. Completely functional drunk.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the true American dream.

This is nothing new... My team, California Strength, paid to have Abadjiev and 2 of his lifters come over from Bulgaria several years ago. He coached our athletes in our gym for about a year. Donny Shankle, Max Aita and Dave Spitz all lived with Ivan and were coached by him for some time.

Ivan is coaching now in Danville, about 5 miles from where he coached when we first brought him over around 2007 or so.

If this is the case, why is there no news on him? Is he simply not trying to take athletes to the Olympics or is the lid just locked on his gym?

[fraverdenstreet]

i think ian wilson is training under him and medalled in nationals/doing very well correct?

[Reidy]

i think ian wilson is training under him and medalled in nationals/doing very well correct?

That's Ian in the video at the :32 second mark.

[PretentiousKunt]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the true American dream.



If this is the case, why is there no news on him? Is he simply not trying to take athletes to the Olympics or is the lid just locked on his gym?

Check out this guys channel, he has great interviews - some including ivan and some including people who touch on what they learnt under them:

[GqArtguy]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the true American dream.



If this is the case, why is there no news on him? Is he simply not trying to take athletes to the Olympics or is the lid just locked on his gym?

Theres a youtube page of some of our lifters: http://www.youtube.com/user/podiumgoldwlclub?ob=0

Abadjiev was brought to CalStrength in its infancy and before Glenn was there, then he left after about a year. He returned last year to work with Alex Krychev at the Podium Gold Academy and has been there ever since. In that time numerous PWA records have been set, some have medaled or won at national and international competition.

[nurburg]

This is nothing new.

My first thought. Nothing to see here folks.

Actually Max gave a great interview regarding Abadjiev a while back:


How the hell is Max doing these days? Last I checked he was coaching in SF. I miss seeing him own everyone in the back squat :P

Edit: Apparently this was posted previously. Oh well, leaving this here anyway...

[nurburg]

I am going to coach weightlifters when I am that old, but I will probably be drunk. Like all the time. Completely functional drunk.

From the sound of Abadjiev's disdain for lifters he'd have to be drunk to put up with them. By disdain I mean an extremely high demand for performance.

[chigiskov]

Lettuce be real, this is one of the greatest interviews ever:




Some good Abadjiev stories in there.

[bull.dogz]

i think ian wilson is training under him and medalled in nationals/doing very well correct?

Yes and Hysen Pulaku has been training with him.

[craveking]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the true American dream.



If this is the case, why is there no news on him? Is he simply not trying to take athletes to the Olympics or is the lid just locked on his gym?

Podium Gold WL Club is an open training environment. Kris Pavlov, 69kg, 2nd place Nationals, Sina Abadi (16), 62kg, member of the USA Youth National Team, Hysen Pulaku, 77kg Albanian Olympic Team, Ian Wilson, 94kg, US National Champion are the core lifters who train there. We invite guest lifters on Friday so D'Antonio Osorio, 85kg USA Junior National Champion is a frequent guest. Manuel Buitrago also trains with Abadjiev, flying from his home in Virginia to train in our gym about once a month. We will also have some prominent lifters join us from all parts of the world soon. Our goal is to have our young lifters exposed to international competition. This is a critical component of the environment we need to develop these lifters. They have to know what they're up against. Winning local competitions in the U.S. is nice, but as a yardstick to measure results compared to the rest of the world, it is not realistic. For example, having Hysen and Ian compete every Friday evening, has made each of them better lifters. And, even though Sina and Kris, for example, are not in the same weight class, we handicap the competition so they are all competing against each other. We have our sights set on 2016. We want to put the US back on the international weightlifting map.

Any lifter is welcome to join us at any time and Krychev and Abadjiev welcome this. We have guests all the time and our facility is very open. If you're in the area, want to work out or just watch or talk to Ivan or Alex, come on by.

[chigiskov]

Podium Gold WL Club is an open training environment. Kris Pavlov, 69kg, 2nd place Nationals, Sina Abadi (16), 62kg, member of the USA Youth National Team, Hysen Pulaku, 77kg Albanian Olympic Team, Ian Wilson, 94kg, US National Champion are the core lifters who train there. We invite guest lifters on Friday so D'Antonio Osorio, 85kg USA Junior National Champion is a frequent guest. Manuel Buitrago also trains with Abadjiev, flying from his home in Virginia to train in our gym about once a month. We will also have some prominent lifters join us from all parts of the world soon. Our goal is to have our young lifters exposed to international competition. This is a critical component of the environment we need to develop these lifters. They have to know what they're up against. Winning local competitions in the U.S. is nice, but as a yardstick to measure results compared to the rest of the world, it is not realistic. For example, having Hysen and Ian compete every Friday evening, has made each of them better lifters. And, even though Sina and Kris, for example, are not in the same weight class, we handicap the competition so they are all competing against each other. We have our sights set on 2016. We want to put the US back on the international weightlifting map.

Any lifter is welcome to join us at any time and Krychev and Abadjiev welcome this. We have guests all the time and our facility is very open. If you're in the area, want to work out or just watch or talk to Ivan or Alex, come on by.

brb moving to california

[GqArtguy]

Craveking is that an email you posted?

[PretentiousKunt]

Podium Gold WL Club is an open training environment. Kris Pavlov, 69kg, 2nd place Nationals, Sina Abadi (16), 62kg, member of the USA Youth National Team, Hysen Pulaku, 77kg Albanian Olympic Team, Ian Wilson, 94kg, US National Champion are the core lifters who train there. We invite guest lifters on Friday so D'Antonio Osorio, 85kg USA Junior National Champion is a frequent guest. Manuel Buitrago also trains with Abadjiev, flying from his home in Virginia to train in our gym about once a month. We will also have some prominent lifters join us from all parts of the world soon. Our goal is to have our young lifters exposed to international competition. This is a critical component of the environment we need to develop these lifters. They have to know what they're up against. Winning local competitions in the U.S. is nice, but as a yardstick to measure results compared to the rest of the world, it is not realistic. For example, having Hysen and Ian compete every Friday evening, has made each of them better lifters. And, even though Sina and Kris, for example, are not in the same weight class, we handicap the competition so they are all competing against each other. We have our sights set on 2016. We want to put the US back on the international weightlifting map.

Any lifter is welcome to join us at any time and Krychev and Abadjiev welcome this. We have guests all the time and our facility is very open. If you're in the area, want to work out or just watch or talk to Ivan or Alex, come on by.

Had a look online for the website but all I could find were some membership prices, $250 for a year and $350 for a year with 1-1 tuition. Sounds like a very good deal to me, especially with the top of the range equipment.

[craveking]

Craveking is that an email you posted?

I don't think I posted an email but it is podiumgoldwlclub@gmail.com

[craveking]

Had a look online for the website but all I could find were some membership prices, $250 for a year and $350 for a year with 1-1 tuition. Sounds like a very good deal to me, especially with the top of the range equipment.

The "membership" fees are monthly and generally apply to athletes who are not primarily weightlifters. There are many types of arrangements, some subsidized, some not, depending on several factors. Lifters from out of state or other countries need accommodations which we either provide directly or arrange.

[runtocatch]

Lettuce be real, this is one of the greatest interviews ever:




Some good Abadjiev stories in there.

Got to agree, that interview was top notch.

[PretentiousKunt]

[Conquer92]

Didn't want to start a new thread.

Lol at that Dimas left-right look when locked out. If only old guys like this were at my gym. I could learn so much and have way more fun.