We have launched our new Singlet. It comes in Blue with white and black. Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL. For ordering please visit www.ristosports.com

How a country with so many problems due to drug traficking, a never ending guerrilla problem and taking hostages has become a profitable industry could have done it. In spite of all these problems the Olympic movement has grown a lot to a point it became a cultural thing. When visiting Colombia in March of this year for the south American games the taxi driver of the cab my family and I took told us that he was going home early because he was going to take his children to the weightlifting competition that afternoon and right after they were going to watch wrestling.

Our cab driver knew the names of most lifters from Colombia and their bios. The next days his schedule was to take his children to Fencing and Beach volley.

Now how can Colombian Weightlifting achieve this recognition from its people (in the USA common people as we know assume weightlifting is powerlifting). The government and it sports ministry has a lot to do with it. In March Colombia invested $ 140,0000,0000.00 (US Dollars) to benefit  Olympic sports and due to its success a lot of it was directed to weightlifting. The central government and local governments along with municipalities have different systems of taxation to get the money i.e. in Bogota (capital of the country)every telephone line (land line or cellular) pays a tax to benefit  sports.

They have hired Bulgarian coaches, Cuban coaches and also have a growing number of coaches who study 5 years to get a degree in Sports and/or weightlifting.

Weightlifting is coached in many public schools where kids train twice a day, if the do well they go to a local weightlifting school which is very well organized. They do get incetives: when they complete two weeks of training they are given a snack, after 1 or 2 months a little stipend to pay for their transportation, when they are ready to compete uniforms, shoes, etc. Keep in mind a lot of these athletes come from extreme poverty.

An under 15 year old lifter that does well and has competed internationally starts to get a monthly stipend of about $ 300.00 (US dollars) and it increases when the lifter improves. The national senior team is an all professional one. Its members make a living out of weightlifting.

They train 11 times a week and usually their loading is high.

Their system follows the following model (by age group):

Age        11-13                                       Basic instruction                                           Gymnastics, track and field ,etc

Age        13-16                                      Instruction-Sports schools

Age        17-20                                     Construction I                                                  Junior Competitions

Age        21-22                                     Construction II                                                 National medals

                                                                 Advance training                                             South American, central American, Pan American

                                                                 National team                                                    competition and medals.

                                                                 Elite                                                                       Olympic, world medals.   *****

There has been cases where a junior lifter has achieve the Elite level i.e. leydi Soliz.

Planning and loading management;

Their macrocycle is divided in 3 periods:

1.- General preparation 4/6/10 reps

2.- Special preparation 2 x 2, 2 x 3 reps

3.- Competitive preparation 2 x 1 reps

10 reps -30kgs of best lift, 6 reps -25 kgs of best lift, 4 reps -20kgs of best lift, 2×3 – 15 kgs of best lift, 2 x 2 – 10 kgs of best lift, 2 x 1 best lift

Weekly program

Monday

AM

Clean & Push Jerk

Hang Snatch

Power Jerk behind neck

Front Squat

Snatch Pull

PM

Snatch

Hang clean

Jerk behind neck

Back Squat

Clean Pull

TUESDAY

AM

Power snatch

C & J

Push jerk behind neck

Front squat

Snatch Pull

PM

Snatch

Power Clean

Jerk behind neck

Back squat

Clean Pull

WEDNESDAY

Clean & Push jerk

Snatch

Push jerk behind neck

Front squat

Snatch pull

PM

C & J

Hang Snatch

Jerk Behind neck

Back Squat

Hang clean pull

THURSDAY

AM

Clean & push jerk

Hang power snatch

Jerk behind neck

Front squat

Snatch Pull

PM

C & J

Hang Snatch + Pull

Push Jerk

Back Squat

Clean Pull

FRIDAY

Power Jerk & Push Jerk

Hang Power Snatch

Jerk behind neck

Front squat

Snatch Pull

PM  Max-out

Snatch

C & J

Push Jerk behind neck

Front squat

Clean Pull

SATURDAY

AM

Jerk from rack

Hang Snatch

Clean & Push Jerk

Back squat

Clean Pull

PM and Sunday rest

Now this is product of research, many interviews, translation of documents.

Ivan Rojas

Behold, Coach Ivan Rojas, first American to film inside the national team’s training Center:

2010-08-21 21 47 40

Stay tuned for more video.

We will be closed through July 7, 2010. During this time no products will ship.

The Risto Sports Staff will be lifting and coaching at the World University Championships in Taichung City, Taiwan. Ivan Rojas is a coach for Team USA. Gwendolyn Sisto will be lifting for Team USA and representing MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

Go USA!

The event will be held at the Risto Weightlifting Academy at CrossFit Portsmouth :
953 Islington St
Portsmouth, NH 03801

Come by for a free workout and seminar!

From USOC.org “Olympic Day, held annually on June 23 is celebrated by thousands of people, in more than 160 countries. Commemorating the birth of the modern Olympic Games, Olympic Day is not only a celebration, but an international effort to promote fitness and well-being in addition to Olympic ideals of fair play, perseverance, respect and sportsmanship. “

We will be holding a fundraiser to help cover travel expenses.
Details to be follow….

Note, this is a more detailed and work intensive shoe than our other fabulous stock models. The Pink thunder is also more of a pastel pink versus the current darker pink model.