seems to be as much evidence

for full squatting being damaging as there is for other myths such as weightlifting stunting your growth or making you muscle bound (famous strongman Thomas Inch invented this one to sell his own chest expander type device). In fact there seems to be more and more evidence that full squats are better for the knee joints than stopping and reversing direction at some arbitrarily assigned point. Charles poliquin is a strong promoter of full squats for healthy knees and has great expertise in this area. Weightlifters are generally of the opinion that someone trying to sell leg extension machines made this stuff up and it has stuck.

Journal: Many clients (and indeed trainers) seem wary of free weights. What can be done to help make this part of the gym more attractive/user friendly? GW: It’s just a matter of education. It takes a lot of courage for many people to go into a gym in the first place. Machines have been well designed to look less intimidating and appear simpler to use than free weights. They start using them, often with the intention of adding some free weights work at a later date, and never get round to it. It doesn’t help that the free weights area

is often tucked away behind a screen and populated by the most muscular people in the gym.

I can’t see any reason for a qualified gym instructor to be intimidated by free weights. Get in there, use them, attend a course and talk to or train with instructors who have the expertise.

Journal: Do you think weightlifting should become more ‘mainstream’, and if yes, what can be done to promote it? GW: I would certainly like weightlifting to become a mainstream part of gyms again. It is a great addition to any programme, whether you want to keep fit, compete as a weightlifter or improve your performance at another sport. Weightlifting is also fun - sometimes you fall on your backside, sometimes you succeed with new best lifts. It encourages a bit of camaraderie,

friendliness and gym spirit as well, which can be a bit lacking in many health clubs. Many more gyms are installing weightlifting platforms as the demand grows and I believe that, as more people see the Olympic lifts being done, they will want to have a go as well. The ability to teach the Olympic lifts is a vital skill for any aspiring S&C coach and a useful and versatile addition to any personal trainer’s tool kit.

Journal: How did you get into weightlifting yourself? GW: When I was 12 I wanted to be like my big brother so I went to the gym in a local youth centre with him. The coach was a former GB international weightlifter called pat Atteridge. I had been weight training at the gym for three years or so when I saw him doing some power cleans and asked him to teach them to me. Although I liked weight training, I loved weightlifting and concentrated solely on the Olympic lifts from then on.

tlifter called

That was 29 years ago. I had a fantastic lifting career. I was successful domestically and travelled around the world competing with the British team for 10 years, which is about the most fun you can have! I still love the sport and am head weightlifting coach at Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club, the oldest club in the country (established in 1926). Bethnal Green is a community club and draws people from all walks of life to try weightlifting and powerlfiting. Our lifters, men and women of all ages, compete with distinction at both codes. pat is still coaching and competing around the world with success as a masters lifter (masters competitions are for people over 35 years old).

odes.

THE AUTHOR Giles Greenwood, quit an MSC course in materials science to start coaching weightlifting full-time after seeing demand for weightlifting training take off. He now puts his 30 years experience of coaching and competing to good use as MD of Greenwood Weightlifting. For more information visit www.greenwoodweightlifting.com

22 The REpS Journal 2009;00(Month):00-00 The REps Journal 2012;24(May):20-22