For any of you who may be fans of his
www.goheavy.com/forums/olympic/index.cgi/read/639869
Rather unfortunate
“Let the shit storm begin.” That made me laugh. But, I don’t get it. Why would Rob do it?
Damn shame. He was the guy I was most excited about heading into nationals.
Go Jon North!
Could it be some kind of stunt?
Shame though. On a similar note can/are the chinese sending lifters?
The fourm layout at goheavy, kills me
[quote]Swolegasm wrote:
Could it be some kind of stunt?
Shame though. On a similar note can/are the chinese sending lifters?[/quote]
I don’t know about the Chinese.
Doubt its a stunt. What I don’t get is why walk out after putting in ALL that work. Anyway, decision was his. Hope it doesn’t become something he regrets.
[quote]Ed Ache wrote:
The fourm layout at goheavy, kills me[/quote]
x2
[quote]lumbahjack wrote:
[quote]Swolegasm wrote:
Could it be some kind of stunt?
Shame though. On a similar note can/are the chinese sending lifters?[/quote]
I don’t know about the Chinese.
Doubt its a stunt. What I don’t get is why walk out after putting in ALL that work. Anyway, decision was his. Hope it doesn’t become something he regrets. [/quote]
Either the pressure overwhelmed him or he just doesn’t care and has made he’s mind up. If its the first i’d imagine he’ll regret it forever.
Damn. He was coming back from an injury also right? I wonder what made him quit, after all that time and hard work he put in.
Im gussing here but maybe it could just be lost motivation as well. Training twice a day could do that coupled with maxing out could make one mentally fatigued.
[quote]Zerpp wrote:
Damn. He was coming back from an injury also right? I wonder what made him quit, after all that time and hard work he put in.[/quote]
Maybe he thought that re-injuring himself was not worth it. I have been there, but thankfully I sacked up. Who knows? And we just know Broz’s side. We should hear Rob’s side too before we make any conclusions.
[quote]niksamaras wrote:
[quote]Zerpp wrote:
Damn. He was coming back from an injury also right? I wonder what made him quit, after all that time and hard work he put in.[/quote]
Maybe he thought that re-injuring himself was not worth it. I have been there, but thankfully I sacked up. Who knows? And we just know Broz’s side. We should hear Rob’s side too before we make any conclusions.[/quote]
I believe he is a medicine student, so hours of study and twice a day maxing. It all adds up i suppose.
Wow, that is as unexpected as it is disappointing. I was really looking forward to the 94 showdown.
Swole - are you asking if the Chinese are sending lifters to the American nationals?
[quote]bcingu wrote:
Wow, that is as unexpected as it is disappointing. I was really looking forward to the 94 showdown.
Swole - are you asking if the Chinese are sending lifters to the American nationals?[/quote]
Well not to the trails but to the nationals??
I know they are the same comp, but they did last few years i believe.
[quote]Swolegasm wrote:
[quote]bcingu wrote:
Wow, that is as unexpected as it is disappointing. I was really looking forward to the 94 showdown.
Swole - are you asking if the Chinese are sending lifters to the American nationals?[/quote]
Well not to the trails but to the nationals??
I know they are the same comp, but they did last few years i believe. [/quote]
Are you sure? I was under the impression that one had to be a US citizen in order to compete.
[quote]bcingu wrote:
[quote]Swolegasm wrote:
[quote]bcingu wrote:
Wow, that is as unexpected as it is disappointing. I was really looking forward to the 94 showdown.
Swole - are you asking if the Chinese are sending lifters to the American nationals?[/quote]
Well not to the trails but to the nationals??
I know they are the same comp, but they did last few years i believe. [/quote]
Are you sure? I was under the impression that one had to be a US citizen in order to compete.[/quote]
They’ve been at the arnold, so have some russians. Maybe its because they were competing at the arnold comp. Might be different this year though seems its the nationals but i want to see them in action though.
Ah, I see what you’re saying. I think that usually the competition held at the Arnold is billed as the Arnold Weightlifting Championships, which is open to international lifters. I believe that this year, USAW is holding the American Nationals at the Arnold, thus without international lifters. Hopefully someone will correct me if I’m mistaken.
[quote]bcingu wrote:
Ah, I see what you’re saying. I think that usually the competition held at the Arnold is billed as the Arnold Weightlifting Championships, which is open to international lifters. I believe that this year, USAW is holding the American Nationals at the Arnold, thus without international lifters. Hopefully someone will correct me if I’m mistaken.[/quote]
You are absolutely correct!! The Arnold is not the National Champs every year. It has been in the past, and those of us who don’t qualify for US Nationals can’t lift. I’ve lifted as a Master lifter in the past when it’s a standard Open event. They do the medals on Sinclair formula and put all the lifters together based on entry total.
Update:
[quote]John Broz wrote:
Keith,
Thanks for conveying your thoughts and experience. I know that this is a familiar tale. My first coach was a coach for 60+ years. When he finally decided to coach me it was only after I literally begged him for over 3 years. Now I know why. Over the years his stories would go on and on about how many guys left because of this and that. I saw the hurt and frustration in his eyes and felt it in his voice. I promised him I would never quit and I kept my word. That thought of quitting was never an option! I never allowed it to invade my mind. I now realize that with being a â??coachâ?? this story becomes inevitable. Not everyone understands that level of dedication or what it truly takes to become a Champion. This entire 4 year saga with Rob has been a new experience for me. It helps me to understand and respect my first coach and others, like you, even more.
I met Rob when he was 17 so I always tried to be â??that guyâ??. I tried to teach him not just weightlifting, but also offer advice with life. This is something that is not new to parents, teachers or others, but for me â?? a single guy without kids who is not a professional educator, and who has always done his own thing, itâ??s been a bit of a new venture. Now if he was 30 and I posted what I did, people would probably respond with â??looserâ?? or â??he should know better by nowâ??. And I totally agree. BUT if he was 15, people would be jumping all over me to get him back, and rightfully so. I feel that at some point between those 2 ages someone has to grow up and the line has to be drawn. This is an arbitrary time and itâ??s different with every individual. This was not the first time I was burned by him. Unfortunately it was in the dozens. But the difference this time was that I just felt like the welcome mat had worn out. Reflecting over it as much as I have for the past week I realize that there were many other ways I could of handled it but I still keep coming back to the same feeling â?? That itâ??s â??timeâ??. I feel that in many ways this was my final coaching lesson â?? for him to learn that we are all just a sum of our decisions and that all actions have consequences. No matter how much I am disappointed in what could have been, ultimately itâ??s not my life and Iâ??m not lifting the weights.
After reading responses to the original post, I wanted to address a few:
-
I am not the USAW. I am not, in any way preventing Rob from competing or lifting weights. He can, just like anyone else (except for those banned) have the freedom to lift a barbell at his desire. The only difference now is that the team is not going to fund his travel expenses, supplements, facility or instruction. I don’t believe that itâ??s a â??lose â?? loseâ?? or a â??win â??winâ?? but what it is, itâ??s a priceless life lesson for me (and hopefully for him too), and â??to be continuedâ?? for him.
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Some people believe that he possibly was â??over-trained / exhaustedâ?? and â??earnedâ?? some kind of break. The only thing that he earned was an excellent opportunity to go into battle fully prepared and compete to the end against other courageous warriors in the 94kg class. Victory or defeat is the only thing he earned. There is glory in both. There is no glory in quitting. Iâ??m quite certain that if the individuals who believe he needed a week off asked themselves one simple question with an open mind they would find themselves changing their decision or continue living in the past.
â??Do you think that of any of the 15 athletes or their respective coaches who won the Gold medal for total in Paris at the 2011 World Champions even considered for 1 second that taking off an entire week from training prior to the day of their battle would benefit them and best prepare them for victory?â?? Iâ??m fairly certain everyone in the training hall the week prior could attest to an astounding NO.
No disrespect to Joe Mills, but remembering how to lift and being so rehearsed and razor sharp- as to not to miss a single attempt; to be able to maximize every ounce of power they have, to lift every single gram possible, under unusual, difficult conditions in times of great stress and pressure- are 2 completely different things.
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I did not put the OP up to â??save faceâ??. I could have easily made up some cock and bull story and tossed it around to make things all warm and cozy but trouble with that is Iâ??m not a liar. The view count of 3000+ on the original post justifies that it was a subject that needed to be addressed and I felt that getting the elephant out of the room before we show up in Ohio without him was best for the team. Even with the post and explanation I still received dozens of calls, texts and emails from fellow lifting enthusiasts asking what the â??real storyâ?? was. I wish there was another, but unfortunately there is not. I donâ??t think by telling the truth and addressing a necessary issue is saving face, but communicates the feelings of my team and myself and informs everyone of a significant change in the meet. Isnâ??t that what a public forum exists for?
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Accusations of drug use to break American Records throws dirt in everyoneâ??s face. First stab is at the record holder himself. If someone â??needsâ?? drugs to break the record, then how was it obtained in the first place? Let me tell you. First you start with not 1, but 2 soldiers. Next, toss in great coaching, immense desire, and TONS of effort then whalla! Next slap in the face is anyone who has done more in training or is close to those numbers â?? that includes 85kg lifters too.
These records will fall the same way they were set: desire, coaching, passion, heart, persistence and most of all courage. Jon North has this in his corner. Jared Fleming does too. Wilson and Wilkes as well! The weak, pathetic mentality that is convinced to lift in excess of 165/205 @94 clean is not possible, and that drugs are a necessity for these numbers is certainly the trademark of a loser, and one of the reasons for the US being an international failure. However, IF the US records were 195.5 / 237.5 @ 90kg, well then thatâ??s a different story because to lift 200/240 @ 94 is possible and would definitely require the use of anabolics. 166/206 @94 is not only possible drug free, but will become a reality in the near future.
- Thank you to all the others who offered their support and kind words of encouragement.[/quote]