Here are Apti Aukhadov’s Snatches from the 2014 World Championships.
From Hookgrip’s post on Facebook:
- He is not planning on attending an int’l meet until the 2015 WWC, he plans on taking the time to do seminars (he plans on being in the USA in March/April timeline, I am not sure of the dates/locations), fully recover from his 2014 back surgery in Germany and to move up to 94kg.
- He does not do Front or Back Squats at all anymore.
- His competition bests are the same as his training bests — 175kg and 215kg.
- In training, it is normal for him to work up to 160kg and 200kg on a regular basis — he called them “working weights”.
He does not do Front or Back Squats at all anymore.
How does he train then?
I wonder if there was something lot in translation, i.e. not squatting during rehab maybe.
Friends, please understand that FTAR is going to weigh in regarding seminars and weight class. Regarding the former, FTAR does not approve of Apti giving seminars, so it is a question of the extent, if any, to which the seminars will be tolerated. FTAR believes that Apti will not win at any weight class unless he is 100% focused on training at the time when he needs to be 100% focused, which is pretty much all of 2015 leading up to Houston considering that the first training camp begins, I believe, around January 19 in Ruza. (The same thing can be said about any athlete, i.e., you cannot win unless you are 100% focused on training.) Apti’s best hope is that FTAR might believe (I cannot say for sure but it is what at least one VP at FTAR believes) that Apti is unbeatable when basically healthy and 100% focused.
It is my understanding that there will be a sitdown at the first camp between Apti, his coaches and FTAR decisionmakers, and they will together decide what future, if any, Apti has on the Russian team.
Therefore, if you want to see Apti compete in Houston and in Rio, do not encourage him to give seminars because his seminar plans are undermining his standing on the Russian team.
Apti, I hope you are reading.
I really like Apti, but alas I agree with your points and I think it is very probable he won’t get any more great int’l results. The fact that he gives seminars while it can influence his performance and his relationship with FTAR shows he does not place his weightlifting career first. And the competition is just too strong.
I have to agree. There’s a time and place for a seminar tour and it isn’t a young athlete in the prime of their career. Medal at 2015 WWC, win Olympic gold, then do a seminar tour in ’17 while you take some time off.
Nobody is unbeatable. Maybe it’s the money rush or he’s just disappointed because of the injury and the weak results in the WWC. If he goes against the russian coaches, decision makers he will be replaced. There are so many others who can take the opportunity instead of him. If he wants to stay a star he has to prove himself every single year. I hope he will change his mind about this seminar nonsense.
Maybe just complexes like Front Squat+Jerk (he can go pretty heavy on this if he wants to), Clean+Front Squat+Jerk and so on.
Add to that that he squat/power jerks, does lot of heavy pulls and has high training frequency and this may work for a freak like him who is not limited by leg strength.
My guess is he’s only talking about exclusive squat training with limit weights.
In my opinion when a lifter is very near the world record, he does not need to increase squats anymore.
Russians have their methods, don’t forget they researching this sport on scientific basis since the beginning.
http://www.sportivnypress.com/2014/a-device-for-developing-leg-strength-2/
People are taking this way out of proportion. He meant he is not squatting as much prior to worlds and is not going to squat anymore, SO FAR, due to his lower back inury. Pulls can still get you strong with awesome technique and decades of training.