A slight detour today to the world of Olympic lifting. Often during a week I Google my favourite inspirational pieces before I train...you know something nasty to get the blood pumping before a deadlift session. Often I will trawl the pages of EliteFts for some great black and white shots of monster heavyweights deadlifting, other times I might throw pumping iron in the DVD or Ronnie squatting 805 for 2 reps!
Recently I found myself watching videos of Glen Pendlay coaching the Olympic lifters at California Strength (now Muscle Driver USA since his recent move). I came to this originally seeking a good instructional video to tighten my Clean technique but in the course of these video interludes I have to say the Olympic lifting guys and particulary one Jon North are now my standard pre-workout viewing.
Ok I know my powerlifting friends have just hurled their pre-workout drinks and might even be in the midst of typing me an abusive e-mail but hear me out. Watch their damn videos, each lift is a microcosm of technique and concentration. No casual half reps or desultory sets, you lift in this game,you bring your A game on every lift.
Which brings me to Jon North, when I first started watching I wondered who the crass outspoken annoying bar slamming guy was on the videos. However once I watched a little longer and read the guys blog I started to realise here is a guy not unlike me. The guy genuinely loves the sport, he loves to lift and if in the pursuit of what he loves he might be a little left field then so be it. More importantly Jon is a guy with texture, he has seen shit, been to the bottom and has found salvation in the iron. He and his training crew embody old school they love to lift, they eat, they train they recover and they do it all over again!
So hey I might not be snatching anytime soon in my Wendler 5/3/1 but I will sure as hell be watching every coaching session of Muscle driver USA and Jon North slammin bars. Jon, Donny and coach Pendlay I salute you. Watch below and enjoy!
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