Client #757a in Workout Questions and Answers

Why are the Chinese so good in weightlifting? I don’t understand how the Chinese are good in weightlifting in the Olympics. I would understand sports such as diving, gymnastics, anything with flexibility. The Chinese basically DOMINATED the weightlifting sport. I would think the Americans or another country would have have the better advantage with all the advance equipments, muscle culture, and genetics will play a role? What is your take on this?”

I think it boils down to they are supported better funding wise when it comes to weightlifting. Chinese weightlifters are given yearly stipends and are provided room and board for free provided they continue to train and compete for the national team. The chinese athlete’s are also more experienced being selected as early as 8 years old and set into training with the chinese government pouring funding into everything from scouts to coaching to supplements and drugs even. The athletes are trained and put through the ringer for easily almost a decade more than many US athletes and their bodies have time to adapt and grow accordingly due to that as they would be used to the heavy weights lifted in competition. Last but not least China is a heavily populated country and as such they have a much larger pool to select from when it comes to potential athletes.

So in essence the ideal athlete’s selected to perform for the national team the sport quickly becomes their life and livelihood it is everything to them and the chinese government reaps the benefits of all the funding and incentives they provide their athlete’s with the chinese dominance in the olympics.

Last updated March 17, 2019