Gino Fratangelo

I went to a monthly competition today that Weightlifting Tasmania puts on called 'The presidents cup. At the end of the day I had the opportunity to have a one-on-one chat with none other than Gino Gratangelo.

Here's a vid of him from the early 80's

[YOUTUBE]CmaHqrD2t1Q[/YOUTUBE]

We had a really good chat about a lot of training & diet stuff. He commented that my main issue was not so much strength (although obviously I should get stronger), I need to work on flexibility, primarily in my shoulders...but also in my hips & ankles.

I also asked him if he got his guys & girls girls (he coaches up in Launceston) to do core work. He said absolutely! He gets them to do mostly plank / bridge work as well as back extentions.

I also had a chat with him about how i'm finding it pretty hard to stay in the 69kg class / club. We discussed how i have to diet pretty hard to even stay under 70. He recommended that I stay within the 69kg class for the rest of the year & then roll into the 77kg class.

It was fantastic chatting with such a succesful Australian weightlifter. I broke 2 pb's today. 52kg snatch & a 70kg clean & jerk, weighing at 68.15. Giving me a sincalir score of 161.something.

This is what i dont understand..

Why dont you put on some weight and strength and then worry about this sort of stuff..

**** your sincalir crap. If you have issues about gaining weight then get them sorted other wise your going to be a tooth pick forever.

I also had a chat with him about how i'm finding it pretty hard to stay in the 69kg class / club. We discussed how i have to diet pretty hard to even stay under 70. He recommended that I stay within the 69kg class for the rest of the year & then roll into the 77kg class.

Click to expand...

With all due respect to Gino, had you discussed the above with me I would have said set your body free and let it go to the next weight class. When people start weightlifting, their main concern should never be about bodyweight restriction.

Back in 1980 when I started, I weighed 60kg on the dot. There was a comp (NSW schoolboy and youth Championships) within 3 month of me taking up weightlifting. I asked my coach whether I'd be lifting in the 60kg class or the 67.5kg class (as it was back then). He gave me a smile and said just concern yourself with lifting Fadi that's all you've got to do.

I did just that. Lifted in the 67.5kg class weighing about 63 or 64kg and won both titles. Sure, there are times when one has to lose few kilos to make a weight class, but in your circumstances when your body wants to go up, it would be criminal to keep it down.

Again, that was with due respect to Gino PB.

PS: Always keep these words in mind PB: listen to one person not two when it comes to the sport of weightlifting or you will get yourself totally confused not to mention the showing of disrespect to the one who is looking after your interest (whoever that coach may be). It's no different than playing up on your wife/girlfriend. If you found better, leave...don't play! I'm not suggesting that you're playing but you would be if you take my recommendation over Gino's. Stick with Gino (irrespective be he right or wrong)...R.E.S.P.E.C.T is where it's at!


Fadi.

Great post