Tatiana Kashirina & Coach Interview

Here is an Interview with Tatiana Kashirina & her Coach, Vladimir Stanislavovich Krasnov.

Rashid Itsaev from YouRaiseRussia visited them in their gym.

Big thanks to ATG reader Sergiy Turchyn for providing the translations & summary.

Make sure to watch both video at the bottom of this post.

First Video: Good Mornings, Close Stance Squats, Clean Pulls

From the Coach:

On Tatiana as a Beginner:

• It was clear to me that she would succeed in weightlifting when she came in. She had all the qualities you want from a weightlifter: strength, speed, flexibility, and coordination.
• She was 11 years old and about 34-36 kg. And she already worked with 20 kg. Right away, like with a stick. She became the Master of Sport in a year. At 12 years old, 44 kg weight class, 52 Snatch, 67 Clean and Jerk.

On Tatiana’s Programming:

• We work according to how she feels. We come to a training session, I write a plan for the week, but without the weight. And depending on Tatiana’s state we determine what weight she should lift.
• I used to plan the weights beforehand, but it didn’t always work. Sometimes an athlete comes in a bad shape and you have to modify the program. That’s why I started determining weights on the same day.
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday we train twice a day. Tuesday, Saturday once a day. Thursday is sauna and massage. Sunday is day off.

On Close Stance Squats [at 8:40]:

• We train quads this way.
• We will do normal Squats in the evening.

On Static Exercises:

• I don’t see any negative effects from them.
• We don’t do them with Tatiana, but other athletes do Pause Squats, etc. Just be smart about everything.

On Recovery:

• At home we go to sauna once a week. In training camps it’s 3 times a week. Massage is a must. We do it 3 times a week, even at home.

On Stretching [see 2nd video below at 01:00 & 21:00]:

• you should stretch during warm up, to loosen things up
• Tatiana always stretches her legs and even does splits before training
• finish the training session with stretching, do splits, sit on your knees etc.

On Early Arm Bents:

• Arms should be relaxed during the first pull to avoid premature arm bending.
• When the bar comes to the point of second pull, you use your back, traps, and get on your toes. Then you accompany the bar with your arms. That’s what muscle Snatches are for.

2 days before a competition we train and train heavyOn Training Before Competitions:

• 2 days before a competition we train and train heavy. 90% of the Snatch, Clean and Jerk.
• Next day we rest and then we compete.

On Joint Pain:

• At first, you should go to a specialist to evaluate the state. Then you do what the doctor says. There are different kinds of pain. If you don’t use joint supplements, it is bad.
• In terms of natural way, Aspic helps because it contains very good gelatin. There are also lots of joint supplements sold in supplement stores.

Be calm with any weightOn Mental Preparation:

• No secrets. Tatiana just comes and lifts the bar. It is very important not to overthink it and waste energy.
• Be calm with any weight.
• Many ask during a competition how we prepared to Europeans and Worlds. In the same way as to any other competitions.

On Competing Often:

• The more you compete, the more experience you get, and you don’t relax. It keeps in shape. We always have rivals, so we are always training with big weights and each competition has a new world record [watch her 190kg C&J World Record]
• Having rivals helps because you have something to strive for.

From Tatiana:

On Good Mornings:

• I always do them for a warmup. They train your back, and it is the most important area of the body for weightlifting.
• I don’t go higher than 100 kg. My best is probably 100×4.
• I often do 4×4 or 4×6 with about 80 kg. It is enough to keep my back in shape.

On the next Competition:

• The next competition is Worlds in Kazakhstan. We decided to skip the Russian Nationals.

On Avoiding Hitting the Bar too Forward during the Second Pull:

• Many people do it. To correct it, use small weights and either practice in front of mirror, or film yourself.

On the Popularity of Weightlifting:

We have a problem with that in Russia. Not enough people come to do weightlifting.

Firstly, they should show the sport on TV like they used to.

At least talk about it being healthy, right?

Well, at least tell the truth.

After the Olympics, random people, like one adult woman, said to me: “I didn’t like sports before. My husband made me watch weightlifting (“Sit here and watch this sport.”), I watched and fell in love with it. It is so beautiful and graceful. You have to do it (lift the barbell) so technically well…”

Secondly, doctors play a big role.

A child comes: “I need a permit to play sports.

Doctor: What sport?
Child: Weightlifting.
Doctor: Never! No way! It will stunt your growth!

I had such a funny story once. Everybody laughs at it all the time.

During my school years, one woman was behind me on the stairs and saw hooks in my back. Hooks. And she told everyone in my school that I have hooks in my back because I am all injured. That they put some hooks in my back, so that I can lift at least something. It was so funny. Then this rumor started spreading throughout the school. Then I learned about this (I rarely went to classes in high school) and it was so funny.

Some people actually believed it.

Doctors, in their turn, always say, “You will be all injured, don’t do weightlifting”. What do they think? They think that a child comes to the gym for the first time and they will be instantly given 150 kg and injure himself.

The child won’t even lift it from one side.

I started with a stick while the coach showed me the technique, developed coordination. I happened to succeed and get good results early. Talent, maybe. I don’t want to praise myself.

When a child comes to a weightlifting club, they do GPP, work with a stick, develop coordination and technique. Then it depends on child’s abilities. They can work with this stick for 2 years. Maybe, the child is talented. Each child has its own limit.

One will lift 100 kg in 2 years, another will lift 40 kg in the same amount of time. Each person is different. It applies to everyone everywhere. There is a specific talent and limit in each field. Unfortunately, parents listen too much.

I wish that parents were calmer about their girls and boys doing weightlifting.

On People’s Attitude to her Training when She Started:

When I started, my parents tried to make me stop. My coach had to come take me from my parents.

Neighbors told my parents that “She will never give birth, she will be too big, she will become a man.” What could an 11 year old child do? Of course, my parents decided everything and tried to make me stop. At first my coach came [home] to take me back, then I decided that I want to do weightlifting, no matter what others say.

Classmates used to say: “You will become huge!”

They have no idea what they say. Young children probably naturally call each other names, joke at them. I did not pay attention at that.

Today these classmates are like “Oh, hey, Tanya! How are you? You are so awesome!” Don’t listen to all that. People are different, they can say whatever they want. It is important to hold your own opinion.
I have a very strong character because of the sport
To all parents: if a child wants to do weightlifting, it does not matter if they will become champions or not, they will be athletes, clearly knowing what to strive for. Sport trains your character, definitely. I have a very strong character because of the sport.

On her Future:

• Well, weightlifting is my life. I can say that. I understand that I will have to retire one day, but I don’t know what to do…
• “The sport will not let you go, right?”
• I think so. I will do something related to it. Maybe, I won’t compete like now, but I will train while I have health to do it.

Everyone is different. Not everybody will become a champion. Everyone has their own limits everywhere, not only in sport. I think everything depends on genetics: strength… Everyone has their own category, so to speak. This is my opinion.

Second Video: Warm-up, Technique with the Bar, Stretching

From the Coach:

On the Need to Record Volume and Intensity:

For novices it is important to record and analyze everything.

On Ilya Jumping Back:

• Different people have different technique. But you should teach novices not to jump forward or backward.
• Teach the novices the classic S-pull: first pull the barbell towards yourself, then a little bit from yourself.
• Later, advanced athletes can develop their own slight variations of the technique. Newcomers work with small weights because big weights will destroy their technique.

On Weight Classes:

• It would be good to introduce a new weight class. 75, even 83 is not enough. How can a 90 kg woman compete with 130 kg?

From Tatiana:

Best lifts:

• Back Squat: More than 200 kg (won’t say how much exactly) Update: This article mentions 280kg
• Deadlifts: 200 kg

On Mental Preparation before a Big Lift:

• Cannot remember, probably in the same way as in training. I don’t perform the lift in my mind beforehand. There is no secret to that.

On Times when She Wants to Quit:

• It happens. Sometimes you want to quit. I give myself 1 day to think about it and then I understand that it’s a bad idea. If I quit, I will still come back later, but in worse shape. So, train now, rest later.

On Worlds 2013:

• The most memorable victory – Worlds 2013. I was ready for more weight. But then I learned that I won and I couldn’t concentrate. It’s hard to focus when you know that you won.
• She [Zhou Lulu] motivates me. I understand that if not her, another one will come out and challenge me. I don’t think that she is the last strong Chinese 75+. I believe the stronger ones will come later.