(Part 2) Best products from r/weightlifting

I'll be posting links to related items in Amazon and elsewhere so you can get an idea. By no means is this an endorsement for Amazon (peh, I wish) but just to get an idea of costs. This would be identical to the platform my coach and I made and it dampens sound very well. As mentioned, stable mats are quite dense and do not deaden the vibrations particularly well. Going with a composite "fleck" rubber flooring holds it's shape well and deadens the sound much better. A layer of cork between your base layers will further deaden the vibrations. Finally, making sure you have a full 8'x8' platform (or larger if you can manage it) will deaden the vibrations the most.

IF you shop around you can likely build this for under $200 (provided you can use HDF/particle board for the runway). Most likely if you are in a hurry it might cost about $50 more.

• 5 Sheets of plywood. 4 of them can be "builder grade", i.e. cheaper and 3/4" thick. Top layer will need to be as thick as the rubber sheeting you select and should be of a better quality to avoid splinters and knots. In dry climates High density particleboard actually makes a great platform because it is cheap, has a dry, paper-like texture which is great for grip, but it can swell in humid climates.
  
  
• Enough cork sheeting to sandwich a single layer on two 4'x8' sheets of plywood. amazon link for cork sheeting
  
  
• 1 roll (for an 8x8 or 8(w)x10(l) platform of fleck composite gym flooring. amazon link for gym flooring
  
  
• Flooring adhesive, 8 flat-head wood screws with washers, and 6 3/4" "taper head" wood screws.
  
  

1. Set two sheets of plywood lengthwise, lightly coat with flooring adhesive, and place a single layer of cork on top of it. Coat the top of the cork with flooring adhesive as well.
   
   
2. Layer two more sheets of plywood on top of the cork, in the opposite direction as the first layer.
   
   
3. Cut the rubber to size, using the "outside" edge for the interior so the factory cuts line up easily with your runway. Place the runway in the middle of the platform. (Note: I don't advise using flooring adhesive on the top layer if you need to replace a component it makes it much easier)
   
   
4. Secure the runway with 3 screws at the front and back (one in each corner with another in-between, none in the middle). Secure the wells (rubber) with the flat top screws and washers in each corner.
   
   
   Extra credit - lay your platform down on cheap rubber drainage mats to further ease vibrations, and to also have a place where plates can fall to the floor without damage to either plate or floor. link for drainage matting

I'm not sure what would be too expensive, but I bought this metal rack with wheels to I can store my nicer plates at the gym I train at and be able to move them around easily. The slots are wide enough to hold slightly thicker plates also, and it seems pretty well built and easy to move around. I keep all of my change plates on a separate sleeve since the rack doesn't have space built in for them.

In terms of a cheaper option for storing plates, I've seen a few different things done.

My gym has most of their bumpers and change plates built like the rack in the background of this photo. Pretty simple design framed with 2x6s all around (I think Catalyst has plans for them somewhere), and the width of each slot is wide enough to fit both bumpers of each weight within it.

The other solution that I like a bit more is the bench version, where the weight rack is essentially a bench you can sit on with space for the plates to be stored beneath the seat.

It sounds like you would benefit from Greg Everett's Olympic Weightlifting for Sports. It's designed to help a general athlete learn the olympic lifts to improve overall athleticism, and it's written by one of the most respected U.S. names in the sport. It's pretty short, has plenty of pics, and has some programming in the back for you to get started with.

I started with this book and after the 6 week program in the back I loved the lifts so much I decided to switch to olympic lifting exclusively. But if you just want to use them to supplement your training it's great for that too.

http://www.amazon.com/Olympic-Weightlifting-Sports-Greg-Everett/dp/0980011140

What specifically is he interested in? History of bodybuilding?

Arnold's Encyclopedia of Body Building is about $20. I think it includes a picture of Ronnie Coleman. Ronnie Coleman has a book, but I doubt it's very useful training wise, and is expensive. The weight training info isn't excessively useful in Arnold's book either.

The Purposeful Primitive is a book I'm getting this year, so I don't know a lot about the contents except I know it includes some history and quotes from people like Bill Pearl.. a lot of history and tidbits.

If you're looking for good books on training then the answers are different, though I've heard good things about The Purposeful Primitive, so it may be the best of both worlds for you.

I really enjoy the Jaco Vale Tudo shorts that I use in Jiu-Jitsu. They give amazing amounts of compression, super comfortable and look really great too! I actually buy them every time they are on sale on BJJHQ.com. Check them out, as they go on sale once a month and it's usually a two-for-one thing. Happy lifting!

I wear Adipowers primarily but I recently got a Black Friday deal on a pair of the Inov8 Fastlifts and I really like them! You can still get a pair of the lime ones for 75 bucks from Amazon. I think is probably the best value in weightlifting shoes. http://www.amazon.com/Inov-8-Mens-Fast-Lifting-Black/dp/B00D9H1C12/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417903801&sr=8-1&keywords=inov8

Adipowers are still better but these are very good shoes.

I bought a few of these and am pretty happy with them:
http://amzn.com/B00EU644GQ

http://amzn.com/B00F3R7TSQ

They say "compression" but they're just training tights. They're pretty pretty comfortable and fit well.

Creatine + puberty is a pretty powerful combination, I remember friends in high school who started it and would gain like 20# over a summer. Not sure how much of that could be attributed to the creatine instead of the puberty, but the stuff seemed to work like magic for 15 & 16-year old meatheads.

Personally, I don't notice any effect from the stuff. No noticeable change in performance, bodyweight, or recovery, and zero side effects either (gas, bloating, diarrhea, etc). About the only thing it does to me is make thirstier in the morning.

Honestly, creatine is so cheap per serving that there's no reason not to experiment with it. Don't spring for anything fancy, get something like this and see where it takes you after 2 weeks. If you like it, keep taking it, if you don't, stop.

Good job getting back on the platform for the clean and jerks. Seriously, that takes a lot of mental strength in and of itself.
I don't know if you've done any sports psych reading, but one book that's helped me a ton (and that I started re-reading before today) is "The Champion's Mind", and it's REALLY helped me re-frame how I think about meets and what I perceive as high-stakes lifts. I am also a pretty obvious headcase, so I need all the help I can get :) /unsolicitedadvice

Great advice. The Russians have lots of info on tracking your training like this and give volume recommendations based on your total and weight class. Bob Takano's book would be pretty useful in this context.

Another useful book would be Medvedev's A System of Multi-Year training in Weightlifting. This is the stuff that Bob's book is based on.

Bob's book Link

Medevedev's book Link

This is my general recommendation for Romaleos:

Take the laces out, remove the insoles, put the shoes and insoles in a mesh bag and put that in the wash (normal detergent, low temperature, long duration, delicate/slow spin cycle, extra rinse if available). Add white vinegar to the wash if they're dirty (or in your case have permanent marker). Air dry when finished.

For areas that are still dirty—usually the toebox, stitching, and any tight areas, use a diluted all purpose cleaner, a rag, and a nylon brush (toothbrush would work as well). You can wait till they're dry or do this anytime after they're out of the wash. I use Meguiar's APC diluted 1:10, but I assume something like simple green would work just as well although I can't speak to their effectiveness and dilution ratio. I also like to use plastic/rubber/vinyl dressing (like CarPro Perl) but I don't expect anyone to have that on hand or to buy it.

That should take care of most issues but if you have any other weird shit stuck on your shoes I can always recommend other removers.

If you're laces are in bad shape (and they likely are) buy new laces. 39" laces are slightly shorter than standard but end up fitting nicer (in most cases), but feel free to size up.

Reassemble.

I got some scivation xtend bcaa's (I find the effect pretty negligible but they're a good source of electrolytes and citrulline/glutamine pre-workout, toss some sugar in and I think you've got a better intrasport than gatorade tbh but you don't need it unless your training sessions are over 1.5 hours of really intense lifting) and some joint health supps off amazon but that's about it. These ones actually seem to help a decent bit. Not going to magically make joint pain disappear unless you're consistent with mobility and prehab work, but they definitely help me manage chronic knee pain and shoulder issues when paired with a holistic training & mobility program. My shit's feeling a lot less jacked up lately, even though I've been a skeptic about glucosamine in the past. Too many variables that I've changed to say it's because of the supps though.

Other than that, Bulk Supplements brand is the shit for random stuff like creatine. You'll actually be paying for the product instead of retarded packaging. Outside of amazon I just got whey & casein, ZMA, and multi-vitamins from Earth Fed and they've been pretty awesome. Sleep like a fucking rock finally after years of insomnia issues, the protein is kick ass in that it doesn't seem to go absolutely disgustingly rancid if you forget to wash out your bottles immediately after use, and it doesn't fuck up my stomach.

I don't fuck with pre-workout. Coffee and a banana forever.

What brand of belt is it?

I have this belt and I love it. Never understood the appeal of the expensive, massively tapered belts with the pain-in-the-ass buckles and loops.

Someone recommended Sabo to me. I'd be interested to know if anyone has personal experience with them.

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https://www.amazon.com/SABO-Sports-Powerlift-Weightlifting-Shoes/dp/B079WCBF8J

If by chance you happen to be a 9.5, the Leistung is on sale on Amazon for $94. There is also an Amex coupon for $30 off making it $64. Only 9.5 is that cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/adidas-Leistung-16-Trainer-Metallic-Silver/dp/B072FGMC4X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1525712780&sr=8-2&keywords=adidas%2Bleistung%2B16%2Bii&th=1&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/Weightlifting-Programming-Winning-Coachs-Guide/dp/0980011159