Olympics - Womans Super Heavy weight lifting

wolfehound22
wolfehound22 Posts: 859 Member
in Chit-Chat
So I've been watching the Olympics, like a lot of the world, and watching these athletes have really motivate me in my everyday workouts. Well, today I was watching and they had the woman's super heavy weight division for weight lifting on. The had one of the American hopefuls, and she's over 350 lbs, and lets just say, that isn't all muscle. They talked about how most people wouldn't consider her an athlete, but she's competing in the Olympics.

So what do you think, do you consider her in athlete, and would you allow yourself to get that big and look like she does, if you got a chance to compete in the Olympics. I am really torn on this one, competing in the Olympics would be crazy, and an honor, but not sure allowing myself to get to such an unhealthy weight would be smart.

Here is a pic to show you what I am talking about.


hollymangold_blog.jpg
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Replies

  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Are you saying that she had to get that heavy to be able to lift that much? Like the fat is helping her lift?
  • AlotOfSweatAndPain
    AlotOfSweatAndPain Posts: 234 Member
    Are you saying that she had to get that heavy to be able to lift that much? Like the fat is helping her lift?

    LOL
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    I consider her an athlete a lot more than those sitting on horses.

    ( Now I am about to get hate mail from those who love horses)

    She lift a shot load of weight and it does not happen without a lot of training.
  • wolfehound22
    wolfehound22 Posts: 859 Member
    Are you saying that she had to get that heavy to be able to lift that much? Like the fat is helping her lift?
    I'm not sure if she got that big to lift that much or not, but I am sure it had something to do with it, since most of the woman in the super heavy weight are pretty big, although I believe she is one of the bigger ones. I also think they said she;s the biggest American athlete in London. It's more of a general question. Would you allow yourself to get that big to compete, if that was your only option.
  • wolfehound22
    wolfehound22 Posts: 859 Member
    I consider her an athlete a lot more than those sitting on horses.

    ( Now I am about to get hate mail from those who love horses)

    She lift a shot load of weight and it does not happen without a lot of training.
    Haha, I would agree with that, and I do think she's in athlete. I put her in the class with a lot of the competitors in the world strongest man competitions. A good portion of them are massive, with big stomachs, athletes yes, but I'm sure it takes a toll on their bodies, and not sure I would do that to myself.
  • AlotOfSweatAndPain
    AlotOfSweatAndPain Posts: 234 Member
    Most power lifters are overweight. They have to be in a calorie surplus to build muscle. She most likely has a ****load of muscle under all that fat so hell yeah she's an athlete.
  • wolfehound22
    wolfehound22 Posts: 859 Member
    Most power lifters are overweight. They have to be in a calorie surplus to build muscle. She most likely has a ****load of muscle under all that fat so hell yeah she's an athlete.
    But would you do that to yourself, if it meant competing in the Olympics.
  • AlotOfSweatAndPain
    AlotOfSweatAndPain Posts: 234 Member
    Most power lifters are overweight. They have to be in a calorie surplus to build muscle. She most likely has a ****load of muscle under all that fat so hell yeah she's an athlete.
    But would you do that to yourself, if it meant competing in the Olympics.

    If it was a dream of mine to be a power lifter. Yes.
  • ebelliss
    ebelliss Posts: 126 Member
    i definitely think she's an athlete because she can lift tons of weight, but i wonder if it was really necessary to gain ALL that weight to be able to lift what she does
  • wolfehound22
    wolfehound22 Posts: 859 Member
    i definitely think she's an athlete because she can lift tons of weight, but i wonder if it was really necessary to gain ALL that weight to be able to lift what she does
    I've been watching more, and she definitely seems a lot bigger than the majority of the other athletes.
  • LiftHuff
    LiftHuff Posts: 131
    She has always been heavy, she just happens to also be VERY talented and EXTREMELY strong. She competes in the OLYMPICS in a sport. Consider her whatever you want; she IS an athlete. Like, the definition of one.

    Is she as healthy as she could be? Probably not. Is she better equipped for survival than, say, You or I? Almost unquestionably.
  • LiftHuff
    LiftHuff Posts: 131
    Most power lifters are overweight. They have to be in a calorie surplus to build muscle. She most likely has a ****load of muscle under all that fat so hell yeah she's an athlete.
    But would you do that to yourself, if it meant competing in the Olympics.

    If it was a dream of mine to be a power lifter. Yes.

    Just a note of finer points here: Powerlifting and Olympic lifting are two totally different things. Technique is at least as important as raw power in Oly lifts; they are far more contingent on skill than the Big 3 powerlifting lifts. Most powerlifters DO fall into a bf% that most people would consider "overweight." Oly lifters not always so. She is an anomaly, even in this sport.
  • AlotOfSweatAndPain
    AlotOfSweatAndPain Posts: 234 Member
    i definitely think she's an athlete because she can lift tons of weight, but i wonder if it was really necessary to gain ALL that weight to be able to lift what she does
    I've been watching more, and she definitely seems a lot bigger than the majority of the other athletes.

    Bigger and stronger
  • wolfehound22
    wolfehound22 Posts: 859 Member
    She has always been heavy, she just happens to also be VERY talented and EXTREMELY strong. She competes in the OLYMPICS in a sport. Consider her whatever you want; she IS an athlete. Like, the definition of one.

    Is she as healthy as she could be? Probably not. Is she better equipped for survival than, say, You or I? Almost unquestionably.
    Perfectly said, I agree with that assessment. Although it wouldn't be my goal to get that heavy, I am jealous of her strength.
  • wolfehound22
    wolfehound22 Posts: 859 Member
    Most power lifters are overweight. They have to be in a calorie surplus to build muscle. She most likely has a ****load of muscle under all that fat so hell yeah she's an athlete.
    But would you do that to yourself, if it meant competing in the Olympics.

    If it was a dream of mine to be a power lifter. Yes.

    Just a note of finer points here: Powerlifting and Olympic lifting are two totally different things. Technique is at least as important as raw power in Oly lifts; they are far more contingent on skill than the Big 3 powerlifting lifts. Most powerlifters DO fall into a bf% that most people would consider "overweight." Oly lifters not always so. She is an anomaly, even in this sport.
    Ya, and watching more of the competitions, the other athletes seem to be a little healthier weight, I guess I was just a little thrown off when I seen her. But I will say one thing, regardless of her weight and size, I respect her for going out there and working hard, and not simply using her size as an excuse to sit on the couch,
  • LiftHuff
    LiftHuff Posts: 131
    To repeat: she didn't get that big training for the Olympics. She has always been a big girl. Her brother is a pro football player; her family are all predisposed to being big and strong. She played football in high school. She has only been Oly lifting competitively for like 3 years or something crazy like that. It's a pretty amazing story, actually.
  • wolfehound22
    wolfehound22 Posts: 859 Member
    To repeat: she didn't get that big training for the Olympics. She has always been a big girl. Her brother is a pro football player; her family are all predisposed to being big and strong. She played football in high school. She has only been Oly lifting competitively for like 3 years or something crazy like that. It's a pretty amazing story, actually.
    Ya I know I watched her story, it is very impressive. It was more of a general question. Would you get that big, regardless if you were already bigger or not.
  • invictus8
    invictus8 Posts: 258 Member
    She's an athlete without a doubt -- she just ain't healthy.
  • Cese27
    Cese27 Posts: 626 Member
    1. (Individual Sports & Recreations / Athletics (Track & Field)) a person trained to compete in sports or exercises involving physical strength, speed, or endurance
    2. a person who has a natural aptitude for physical activities
    I would say she wouldn't fall into number 2 but I guess she would be part of num 1.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    She actually did an episode of MTV True life a couple years ago- she wants to cut some weight but has some difficulty staying away from food traps- like many of us. I think I saw her working part time at some sort of southern food restaurant, and she can't help herself with cornbread. (Details are fuzzy in my memory about the restaurant.) I think it kind of makes her likeable- she's a regular person struggling with her weight AND an Olympic athlete.

    Anyway, of course she's an athlete! She may not have a body type I would choose, but she trains hard, has incredible talent, and is obviously at the top of her game for her sport.

    I think it's crazy to criticize any of the olympic athletes as "not athletes". They all work hard, beat out a lot of people to get where they are, and are talented. Ping pong players and equestrians and gymnasts and weightlifters and beach volleyball players alike.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I consider her an athlete a lot more than those sitting on horses.

    ( Now I am about to get hate mail from those who love horses)

    She lift a shot load of weight and it does not happen without a lot of training.

    Not hate mail but you actually have to be a certain level of fitness to compete in equestrian sports, probably more than for shooting and some other events. You also need a *kitten* load of training for both.
  • stronglikebull
    stronglikebull Posts: 402
    please. sumo wrestlers and even many greco roman wrestlers are at least that big. male powerlifters get significantly bigger. please do not trip because a woman is doing the same things men have been doing competitively for a hundred years or more.
  • Caffeine_Addict
    Caffeine_Addict Posts: 178 Member
    413050_M13.jpg

    (on right) "Holley Mangold is nearly 340 pounds -- and proud of it.

    The U.S. super heavyweight Olympic lifter thinks she looks fabulous and can't understand why others don't always feel good about themselves."

    There's no question in my mind she's an athlete. We don't question that the males are athletes do we? (I'm not trying to make it a gender thing). I wouldn't want to get that big but I don't have her confidence, olympic dreams or strength :)

    784945-13378190-640-360.jpg

    I think if the men had (bigger) boobs they'd look just as big hehe
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Are you saying that she had to get that heavy to be able to lift that much? Like the fat is helping her lift?

    Not the fat specifically, but extra body weight in general does help a lift. It's the reason why there are weight categories in sports such as this.

    To the OP:
    Yes, I'd consider her an athlete. She may not be in peak physical condition or an ideal weight, but for her sport she is no doubt extremely good, and has put a lot of time, effort, training into what she does.

    I personally would not want to get that big for my sport. As someone else before me mentioned a lot of powerlifters are overweight. I want to compete in powerlifting. I don't mind getting a little bit bigger than my ideal in preparation for a comp if necessary (like competing at the end of a bulk) but I wouldn't stay like that, and I wouldn't go to an extreme. It's just not what I want.
  • LondonEliza
    LondonEliza Posts: 456 Member
    I consider her an athlete a lot more than those sitting on horses.

    ( Now I am about to get hate mail from those who love horses)

    She lift a shot load of weight and it does not happen without a lot of training.

    Bah, I used to ride horses and believe me being able to lift 350lbs would have been very handy when lifting hay bales around the yard as well as convincing stubborn horses to 'move on'

    I am smiling at your reply :laugh: :drinker:

    I don't think an athlete has to look a certain way to be an athlete. She may be a big girl but she is a big girl who lifts and whose peers consider her an athlete to the extent that she is picked to represent her country at the highest level - good enough for me.

    Victoria Pembleton is considered "small" for a professional cyclist
    Svetlana Boguinskaia and Svetlana Khorkina are considered as "too tall" to be professional gymnasts
    Jessica Ennis was recently called "fat" by an athletic society

    You're asking the wrong question if you are wondering if someone should be allowed to do an activity if they are a certain size. What you should wonder is 'How well are they going to do at this?'
  • healthychanges1
    healthychanges1 Posts: 110
    She was on the show "true life: I'm a big girl". What I got from the show was that she had always struggled with her weight, even before she was lifting.

    Edit: Yes, I consider her an athlete. I don't think body composition is part of the definition for an athlete. She competes in a sport year round.
  • Tiddle
    Tiddle Posts: 762 Member
    I thought the same thing when I saw her today..... strong, yes... healthy, I'm thinking no....


    and yeah, I'd rather be 200lbs less and not be able to lift as much.,..
  • wolfehound22
    wolfehound22 Posts: 859 Member
    To those saying I;m only asking this question because she is a girl, are mistaken. I would of asked the same thing if it was the guys I had seen. I suppose I asked the wrong question, as I do believe she is an athlete, I was more wondering if anyone felt they would allow themselves to get to that size in order to compete in the Olympics. Again, I think the fact she is competing is awesome, just not sure I would get that big just to be a power lifter, seems unhealthy regardless on how much she can lift, but to each there own, I'm not bashing anyone, just an observation.
  • tajmel
    tajmel Posts: 401 Member
    Of course she's an athlete. She's a fricking olympian, and she lifts incredible amounts of weight. She's an athlete.

    For an olympic lifter, it's all about bulking and strength gains, not about body building. She's probably this big because she's been bulking for a long time in preparation for the olympics. Much of the weight gain during bulking is muscle, but a lot of it is fat. When you cut you lose some muscle; if your primary goal was to build as much muscle as possible to lift the biggest thing you can at the most important competition of your life, you likely wouldn't do any cuts either.
  • LondonEliza
    LondonEliza Posts: 456 Member
    To those saying I;m only asking this question because she is a girl, are mistaken. I would of asked the same thing if it was the guys I had seen. I suppose I asked the wrong question, as I do believe she is an athlete, I was more wondering if anyone felt they would allow themselves to get to that size in order to compete in the Olympics.

    <<snip>>

    Yes, in a heartbeat. My children, especially my son, would burst with pride and it would be wonderful to do it for him. He wants to compete for the UK or Ireland in sprinting when he is older. According to him, he just has to make up his mind which one :)
    >He is only 10<

    :)

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