A System of Multiyear Training in Weightlifting  

Andrew Charniga  

A System of Multi – Year Training in Weightlifting, by Alexsei Siderovitch Medvedyev Alexsei Medvedyev was a world champion weightlifter (+90 kg class); PhD, served two stints as the head coach of the Soviet national team; author of numerous articles and books on weightlifting training. This particular text was written by him with sections composed by other faculty of the institute of sport in Moscow where Medvedyev was head of the weightlifting faculty. For instance, weightlifting biomechanics expert Alexandr Lukhashev wrote the chapter on “Biomechanical Fundamentals of the Snatch and the Clean”. Lukhashev was the first to devise a method of studying the snatch and the clean and jerk recording of bar trajectory, muscle EMG, force platform (support reaction) and joint angles simultaneously. “The weightlifters’ speed – strength training chapter was written mostly by Yuri Verkhoshansky. The text covers the complex of factors which are involved in the training of weightlifters: programming training, classification and sequencing of exercises, teaching the classic exercises, planning and organization of restoration. All in all an excellent overview of the multifaceted structure of Soviet era weightlifting sport science. Unlike all but useless western literature emanating from US universities the Soviets relay on the science of experience as many of the top weightlifting sport scientists were former lifters and coaches.