Olympic Weightlifting
Chikara Weightlifting Club
Chikara Weightlifting Club is a registered club with USA Weightlifting, the national governing body of Olympic weightlifting in the United States. From its inception in 2003, the club has been dedicated to the development and promotion of Olympic weightlifting in Southern California with a focus on Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
The club exists to advance and develop athletes in the sport of Olympic weightlifting with the goal of improving the quality of training and competition and increasing the number of Southern California athletes who are candidates for national teams.
Chikara Weightlifting Club members typically attend three training sessions per week. Workouts are tailored to each lifter based on experience, adaptation to training, and individual needs. These sessions are dedicated to weightlifting club members so that the entire focus of the sessions is Olympic weightlifting.
Do you think you have what it takes to be an Olympic weightlifter? Visit our facility and see if this is the sport in which you were born to compete!
Upcoming Events
2012 National Junior Championships
January 27-29, 2012 - Itasca, IL
 | Championship Weightlifting |
Insights from World and Olympic Champion Tommy Kono
Back in 1954 Parry O'Brian broke away from the traditional style of quarter turn (90 degrees) of the body to a 180 degree turn to throw the shot. His start style of facing the opposite direction he was to throw in the shot put was revolutionary to say the least. It gave him additional twisting power to add more momentum to the shot. The current trend is to spin around like a discus thrower or a hammer thrower to generate even greater momentum to the shot.
Though I am not into track and field, I do understand the mechanics of generating power. As I studied the current shot putters in action, I noticed that many concentrated so much in generating such a terrific spin that it was not aiding them as much as it could because the spin did not reach its peak at the instant of the throw.
In weightlifting we tend to do the same thing. Our thoughts are so much on the explosive movement that we become over anxious and pull too hard too soon rather than build up the power for the finish of the pull. There is such a thing as winding up with a slow steady start and gaining momentum so it reaches peak force at the finish of the pull. The delivery of a devastating force comes at the peak of the generated power so the effect of the power is on the implement used, whether it is a shot, discus, and bat to a ball…or a barbell.