Be Honest with me: Can I make the olympics??

[Powersprinter]

Ok here is the deal. I am a powerlifter and track athlete right now. I am 19, turning 20 in a month, 165-170lbs. I have squatted 425 x 6 for a couple working sets in a workout and have done 435 x 4 in another workout. I squat with an olympic squat form, narrow stance, high bar, a good amount below parallel, i would say its just a little short of ATG but def lower than what most powerlifters do. But then again im not really trying to squat ATG. But anyway, my squat has gone up over 100lbs this past year and goes up like crazy very easily. As a powerlifter my bench is by far my weakest area, im all leg. i have naturally really big legs and i have seen that olympic lifters have the same build. Also i figured that since i do alot of power training and plymometrics for track that it can only help. I am very flexible too.

So tell me guys, if i just said screw it, im gonna train for the 2016 olympics, would i be a total fool? Should i just stick to powerlifting? Note: I will only do olympic lifting if i can actually have a legit chance to make the olympics. Thank you, dont be afraid to be honest, if this is a dumb question, then slap me down now, i rather here it now than be gassed up and then realize it later

[disgorge89]

2016 almost impossible, 2020 pretty good chance I think. It will come down to what you do for a living though and how little or how much that interferes with your training. If you can put in the 20+ hours/week this sport requires at an elite level and have everything perfectly optimized outside the gym, you will be able to do it. If you're working 40 hours a week and end up married with children, your chances get close to 0.

My advice would be to find a gig that allows you to treat your training and recovery as a full time job, as it IS a full time job for the vast majority of competitive weightlifters in the olympics.

[chigiskov]

Make a team that goes to the olympics? Possible.

Medal at the olympics (training in America)? Not a chance in hell.

Why are you considering olympic weightlifting if your passion is in PL? There is absolutely no telling someone's talent in oly just from their squat. I don't think you should base your decision to switch to oly lifting on whether or not the olympics is a possibility. Most talented 19 year old lifters in other countries have been strictly oly lifting for close to a decade at this point, THEY have a chance at medalling. Switch to it because its the most aesthetic and badass sport there is

[shiznick2]

you have to have the love for olympic weightlifting. you will not make any numbers close to ones of olympic athletes if you dont 100% dedicate every minute to it for years

[CelticTheTruth]

No.

[fraverdenstreet]

honestly, no

[quetzalCAN]

Heavy squat does not equal great snatches and clean/jerks

Go find out what the olympic qualified athletes in your country are doing and then find out what you can do.
Then get a great coach and go nuts for the next 8 years.

[olyw8lifter]

As everyone has said, probably not for 2016. You only have 4 yrs from now to make a team for 2016. Does that mean you shouldn't try?? Absolutely you should try!! However, Shane Hamman was a world class powerlifter and it took him 6 yrs to make his first Oly team. But, he did pretty well competing in Olympic weightlifting!! You probably have a better shot at making the 2020 team, but you would have to start now. You have a pretty strong squat, and that will help, but is not a determining factor into how much you will SN or CJ!! Also, don't make Olympics the determining factor whether you decide to pursue Oly lifting or not, there are soooooo many people that will never make the Olympics that you should make competing to the highest level the reason to pursue it!!

[ChrisJones999]

Go for it!! and try your best!

[Powersprinter]

Make a team that goes to the olympics? Possible.

Medal at the olympics (training in America)? Not a chance in hell.

Why are you considering olympic weightlifting if your passion is in PL? There is absolutely no telling someone's talent in oly just from their squat. I don't think you should base your decision to switch to oly lifting on whether or not the olympics is a possibility. Most talented 19 year old lifters in other countries have been strictly oly lifting for close to a decade at this point, THEY have a chance at medalling. Switch to it because its the most aesthetic and badass sport there is

Thank you for the advice and i love that last reason haha. And i mean come on now, making the olympics is more meaningful than anything with powerlifting because of all the split up federations and emphasis on equipped lifting. But yeah I have heard that China dominates us in weightlifting. I think I will try out some weightlifting training and possible compete in the summer along with powerlifting and see how i like it. So how does the qualification process even work for the olympics?

[J.L.C.]

Step 1 would be to learn to snatch and C&J

Worrying about qualifying totals for international meets would be many, many (many) steps later.

[fraverdenstreet]

Step 1 would be to learn to snatch and C&J

Worrying about qualifying totals for international meets would be many, many (many) steps later.

for real,
bro you havent even told us your PRs on snatch or clean and jerk. squats count for **** so it's kinda pointless to throw your squat #'s out there

[CoffeesGymGA]

Heavy squat does not equal great snatches and clean/jerks

John Coffee has had a couple of powerlifters come into the gym over the years wanting to switch over to olympic lifting; the result was that their powerlifting background had little to no carryover to weightlifting. In fact, one of them didn't even possess the flexibility to hold a weight overhead with locked arms.

Caleb Williams is a rare exception, when he did powerlifting he had more or less done an olympic squat in competition. Moreover, he has an ideal build of an olympic lifter.

As a general rule, people who clean and jerk a lot can typically squat a lot, but it doesn't always work in reverse.

[Torrtrefireto]

John Coffee has had a couple of powerlifters come into the gym over the years wanting to switch over to olympic lifting; the result was that their powerlifting background had little to no carryover to weightlifting. In fact, one of them didn't even possess the flexibility to hold a weight overhead with locked arms.

Caleb Williams is a rare exception, when he did powerlifting he had more or less done an olympic squat in competition. Moreover, he has an ideal build of an olympic lifter.

As a general rule, people who clean and jerk a lot can typically squat a lot, but it doesn't always work in reverse.

This is what happened to me when I tried to switch.

When you are strong enough to dumb-muscle up bigger weights than you can lift properly you have a very hard time ever getting the technique/timing down

[SPFjudge]

Lol this forum is a lot easier on idiots than the PL forum. This idiot can't and won't make the olympics. If caleb williams doesn't make it what makes this retard think he'll make it. Oh yeah, he squats a little over 400 lbs

[raffiki]

You wont make the Olympics in 4 years, but you could make it to the international level. Your first step is to team up with a coach who is currently producing lifters at the international level. This sport takes tons of dedication. If you aren't willing to relocate to train at a great club then you won't make it that far.

[CHS55]

Lol this forum is a lot easier on idiots than the PL forum. This idiot can't and won't make the olympics. If caleb williams doesn't make it what makes this retard think he'll make it. Oh yeah, he squats a little over 400 lbs

Probably the same type of guy that would have said "Noone will EVER clean and jerk 500 lbs"

[olyw8lifter]

For a more detailed path to the Olympics: learn SN and CJ, start competing in local meets, get STRONG and continue competing until you qualify for Nationals, then continue adding weight to your lifts until you have a high enough total to compete internationally for the US. During the next Olympic Team Trials, total enough weight to be ranked in the top 1-3 in the US across all weight classes (assuming we get Olympic slots to send lifters). Hope this helps spell it out, although somewhat simplistically!!!

[glennpendlay]

Ok here is the deal. I am a powerlifter and track athlete right now. I am 19, turning 20 in a month, 165-170lbs. I have squatted 425 x 6 for a couple working sets in a workout and have done 435 x 4 in another workout. I squat with an olympic squat form, narrow stance, high bar, a good amount below parallel, i would say its just a little short of ATG but def lower than what most powerlifters do. But then again im not really trying to squat ATG. But anyway, my squat has gone up over 100lbs this past year and goes up like crazy very easily. As a powerlifter my bench is by far my weakest area, im all leg. i have naturally really big legs and i have seen that olympic lifters have the same build. Also i figured that since i do alot of power training and plymometrics for track that it can only help. I am very flexible too.

So tell me guys, if i just said screw it, im gonna train for the 2016 olympics, would i be a total fool? Should i just stick to powerlifting? Note: I will only do olympic lifting if i can actually have a legit chance to make the olympics. Thank you, dont be afraid to be honest, if this is a dumb question, then slap me down now, i rather here it now than be gassed up and then realize it later

Where do you live? Are you willing or able to move?

[WHT_LIGHTNING]

dumb thread is dumb

like saying, hey guys, I run a 4.4 forty, bench 225x32, do you think I can play in the NFL? I have never played football before, but I will only try it if I can make the NFL...

There is only 1 way to find out, go and attempt to do it.

[Powersprinter]

Ok i see alot of people here are asking for more information. Well I am throwing javelin in track and actually do a ton of shoulder flexibility work right now and am naturally flexible. So I cannot emphasize enough that i am not your typical powerlifter. For all the people saying squat doesnt mean anything, i know enough that thats totally foolish. I have never seen a great olympic lifter that doesnt care about his squat. They all have crazy strong legs from what i have seen. But i agree that i def need to actually learn how to do the movements which i am planning on doing.

Right now the only info about olympic lifts i can offer you guys is that I can powerclean 225 12-14 reps, but my form is so bad on the catch, and i dont know how to fail, so i never do over 275 in workouts. But i would say i can easily throw up 225 catching it super high. I know thats not alotta weight, but like i said im a total noob at this. I think if i got olympic lifting shoes and learned how to catch it much lower. Thanks everyone for responding, i really appreciate those who offered helpful advice to a total stranger like me

[WHT_LIGHTNING]

Ok i see alot of people here are asking for more information. Well I am throwing javelin in track and actually do a ton of shoulder flexibility work right now and am naturally flexible. So I cannot emphasize enough that i am not your typical powerlifter. For all the people saying squat doesnt mean anything, i know enough that thats totally foolish. I have never seen a great olympic lifter that doesnt care about his squat. They all have crazy strong legs from what i have seen. But i agree that i def need to actually learn how to do the movements which i am planning on doing.

Right now the only info about olympic lifts i can offer you guys is that I can powerclean 225 12-14 reps, but my form is so bad on the catch, and i dont know how to fail, so i never do over 275 in workouts. But i would say i can easily throw up 225 catching it super high. I know thats not alotta weight, but like i said im a total noob at this. I think if i got olympic lifting shoes and learned how to catch it much lower. Thanks everyone for responding, i really appreciate those who offered helpful advice to a total stranger like me

If you are serious, then look up 2 posts and get in contact with Pendlay.

If you don't know who he is, google him.

[Smolovicus]

Where do you live? Are you willing or able to move?

brb finishing education then moving into a cardboard shack behind the Cal Strength facility in the next few years

[WHT_LIGHTNING]

brb finishing education then moving into a cardboard shack behind the Cal Strength facility in the next few years

that is where you are messing up, don't finish the education first, go now

[fraverdenstreet]

me too, will you take me glenn? i've slept in a desert for months straight, i dont mind sharing a cardboard shack with smolovicus.. as long as he cooks me dinner

[WHT_LIGHTNING]

me too, will you take me glenn? i've slept in a desert for months straight, i dont mind sharing a cardboard shack with smolovicus.. as long as he cooks me dinner

I have done the same, so I don't mind sharing either.

The fiance might not be happy, but hey, that is life.

[crupiea]

I would imagine that you woould already be in the pipeline by this point so I would have to say no.

Doesnt mean you cant train like you are going though.

Its like starting to play baseball or football at 19 and wanting to be a pro. it happens but rarely.

[fraverdenstreet]

I have done the same, so I don't mind sharing either.

The fiance might not be happy, but hey, that is life.

let's do it

[Powersprinter]

Where do you live? Are you willing or able to move?

I live in Cincinnati Ohio. After college I am planning on moving to California actually. Nothing is set in stone but I am going to college at UC next year almost for sure.

[glennpendlay]

I live in Cincinnati Ohio. After college I am planning on moving to California actually. Nothing is set in stone but I am going to college at UC next year almost for sure.

UC Berkely? Thats 30 minutes from our gym.

And guys, it isnt impossible, nothing is impossible. Tara Knott started weightlifting at age 26, and in 4 years not only made the Olympic team but won an Olympic Gold medal. Yeah yeah I know a few of you wuld like to remind me why that will not happen again. The fact is that no one knows, not you and not me and not powersplinter, whether or not he has the talent to qualify for nationals, win nations, make the world team, or make the Olympic team. No one knows until he either tries and fails or tried and succeeds.