All Around Lifting: The First Form of Competitive Lifting (with Drs. Conor Heffernan & Cliff Harvey)

Weightlifting came before powerlifting, but did you know weightlifting wasn’t exactly the first barbell sport? Or rather, did you know that the first iteration of weightlifting was VERY different than what we see today in the Olympics? The history of weightlifting is fascinating, and in this episode of Iron Culture Drs Conor Heffernan and Cliff Harvey are back to share their experiences with, and the history of, All Around Lifting, the original barbell sport. With literally hundreds of potential lifts to compete in, All Around Lifters are barbell generalists rather than specialists, and both strong and versatile. Modern All Around meets are very similar to the original lifting competitions from the early 19th century before weightlifting centralised around the snatch, clean and jerk and clean and press (and eventually just the snatch and clean and jerk), and before modern strongman, powerlifting or CrossFit existed. While you may know Cliff Harvey as a nutrition researcher, he is also a former All Around world champion weightlifter and amateur historian. He shares his experience while Conor goes into the fascinating tale of how weightlifting began, and how modern All Around Lifting recaptures it.

00:00 Omar? And All Around lifting?

02:10 Welcoming back Drs. Conor Heffernan and Cliff Harvey and where everything lifting started

07:01 The format and how to prepare for All Around Lifting

15:11 The attraction of All Around Lifting

24:40 A deep dive into the history of All Around 

38:49 Specialisation vs generalisation and accessibility of All Around

55:05 ‘Evidence-based’ training and individualisation 

1:05:28 Cliff’s experience competing

1:15:10 Reframing your perspective and goals as you progress and age

1:20:35 Where to learn more about (and participate in) All Around Lifting and closing out

https://www.iawa.uk/

https://www.usawa.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@USAWAVideos

https://www.youtube.com/user/dinnie40