You requested, so I shall
deliver.
Recently on the facebook
page I asked who people would want interviewed on the Interview Series. Well
here we have ex-commonwealth weightlifter and owner of Oxford Powersports
(OXP), a weighlifting club on the outskirts of Oxford. With the Olympics last
summer the sport of weightlifting got a good amount of coverage, hopefully more
clubs like this will spring up with quality coaches and quality equipment. Head
coach Marius Hardiman answers some questions with regards to his views on
training.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS
THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF TRAINING FOR AN ASPIRING YOUNG SPORTSMAN?
I would say to work on excellent technique (I am presuming
these are under 16s O)
The best lifters from my sport had extremely good technical
coaches, were loaded up later
rather than too soon. Many lifters were stronger but lost to the top lifters
through technique and consistency built from patient coaching.
WHAT DO YOU THINK
MOST YOUTH TRANIEES COULD WORK ON TO GET THEM NOTICED AT THERE GIVEN SPORTS?
The things that stand out to me is someone listening, being
consistently at training, work rate is always noticed, work away from the
coaching environment even if it is mobility, rehab, extra kicking or fitness.
Most players have an off season, I would expect base fitness to be maintained
during that time. Any injury would be also sorted out.
My lifters are always with me so they don’t get an off
season, I can monitor recuperation constantly. I spend most of my time holding
them back to be honest. They all try to train to hard for long periods, it’s
important to recover.
DO YOU THINK YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT HAS COME ON IN THE LAST 5 YEARS?
Definitely, there are a lot more opportunities to learn and
train now. It has become more of a problem to get the right coach these days.
Talent identification has become the norm (LTAD)
So many years of science in sport that has reached even
grass roots now.
Years ago if you didn’t live in the right area you would not
have access to sport like you do now.
 |
| Enough said... |
YOU ARE HEAVILY
INVOLVED WITH YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN OXFORDSHIRE, WHAT IS THE BIGGEST HURDLE MOST
YOUTH TRANIEES HAVE TO OVERCOME?
I think affording to seek proper coaching is a problem, also
as I have said, finding that coach that can fulfill your aspirations. Also a
lot of commercial nonsense going on under the guise of sport, you have to find
somewhere you don’t outgrow too quickly.
WHAT NUTRITIONAL
ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUNG PLAYERS OR DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE YOU SEND THEM TO?
I never watched my diet too closely, I ate clean with plenty
of meat and potatoes. Porridge was a favourite pre comp/match fuel.
Nowadays I would send people elsewhere for diet advice, too
complicated for me, I find it a completely different subject to what I do.
FOR THOSE THAT DON’T
KNOW WHAT SPORTS HAVE YOU COMPETED IN?
I played County Cricket and County Football, then Olympic
Weightlifting for most of my years. I played American Football for a very short
period then went to rugby which I thought was way better. I also had trials for
the GB Bobsleigh team.
I now race MX and have competed in Downhill Mountainbiking,
I also ride Snowboards for winter leisure.
YOU COMPETED A WHILE
AGO HAS YOUR SPORT CHANGED SINCE YOU ‘RETIRED’?
I retired in 2002, sport has changed quite a bit. I think
there are more pathways created, there is more low level funding.
Your opportunities have increased but so have the targets
you need to reach.
 |
| I just could resist! Maz back in the day. |
WHO WOULD YOU SAY IS
THE MOST INFLUENCIAL PERSON IN DEVELOPING YOUR TRAINING METHODS?
My coach Eddie Saxton would use old methodology and new, he
was thought of as unconventional sometimes.
I read Zatsiorskies “periodization of strength training”
which I found to be the most useful of a pile of books. It was the one I would
refer to first, I would recommend that for understanding how to place your
training in a cycle to maintain motivation and energy. It is from the soviet
Union training methodology, as early as the 60s (all scientific).
HOW SHOULD YOUNG
PEOPLE TRAIN? BASICS FIRST AND BUILD OR COMPLEX EXERCISES AND WORK BACKWARDS?
I think technique (basics) first, then build on complexity.
Be good at simple things. Too often I see people doing complex things when the
simple stuff will suffice. Looking on the internet is not always best, what
works for one athlete is not necessarily good for you, in fact I quite often
see people doing stuff and they don’t know why they are doing it.
WHAT IS THE MOST
UNDERUSED TRAINING METHODS IN YOUR VIEW?
Olympic lifting without doubt, which brings so much to a
player and has the most efficient carryover to anysport.
Plyometrics is also underused.
HOW IMPORTANT IS
FLEXIBILITY?
So important, inflexibility can result in injury, it hinders
speed and strength. Think of how powerful and quick gymnasts are. In sport you
are going to get injured at some point, you don’t want to be already struggling
with mobility.
WHO HAS THE BEST WORK
ETHIC OF ANY KID YOU HAVE TRAINED?
Eddie Church, bought to me having failed the “fast” test at
Wasps. Trained every session hard, ate correctly, ran outside of rugby
training. In the 6 weeks we had between his retest at Wasps he broke his arm.
He still got to within 3 points of passing the “fast” test. A retest was set 6
weeks later in consideration of his arm. He passed with one of the highest
scores ever.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS
THE KEY TO MAKING PROGRESS IN TRAINING?
Listen, work hard with quality, rest. They are all as
important as each other.
YOU HAVE ONE TRAINING
SESSION IN THE GYM… WHATS IT GOING TO BE?
Back squats
Snatch from hang
Power clean
Power jerk
Snatch pulls
MOTTO'S TO LIVE BY?
Your career is short believe me, give it everything, listen
to everything.
An old lifter
once said to me “you are a long time retired” it’s true.
Train smart.
Thanks Maz, if you should want quality Olympic Lifting in Oxfordshire i suggest you get yourself down to OXP! Here are all the details you need:
http://www.oxfordpowersports.co.uk
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oxford-Powersports/383644201654420?fref=ts
OC
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