The Vaughn Weightlifting Podcast

If you’ve taken the CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course, there’s a very good chance that Nadia Shatila (pronounced like “Tequila”) was one of your instructors. I run into coaches all the time that indicate Nadia as the one who “knighted” them so to speak into the CrossFit world. She has been on staff with CrossFit since 2009, she is a CrossFit gym owner(her gym, CrossFit Belltown, has been named one of the best in the world through a number of sources), a former CrossFit competitor, and more recently a 2-Time National Masters Champion AND a 2016 World Masters Champion as a competitive weightlifter. Listen in to hear us talk about the squat and other misconceptions/misunderstandings when it comes to teaching and coaching in the CrossFit and Weightlifting communities, in addition to the following topics:

-Being a better coach by working to increase your abilities (movements in general) as an athlete (and vice versa)
-Gym/Affiliate owner recommendations from one of the best
-The importance of being “sport specific” to the Olympic lifts with your squat
-Defining “Hip Crease Below Knee” and what the standard really is
-Confirming the purpose of the CF Level Certificate Course
-Being an introverted coach (come on guys, give us a break!)
-Updates on CrossFit Seminars/Levels

Cassidy, a former collegiate gymnasts whose career was cut short by major knee injury, has overcome (and continues to do so) multiple knee surgeries from her past to ultimately become the 2018 CrossFit Open winner! Leading up to this recent achievement, Cassidy has become a very experienced and seasoned CrossFit competitor by competing at least at the sectional level since 2009. She competed at the CrossFit Games for the first time in 2011 on a team, and then again as an individual in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2017; also winning Regionals in 2017. You do not want to miss this episode as we dig deep into her CrossFit story with topics that include the following:

-When and why she started CrossFit.
-What was her training like leading up to and through the Open.
-How her knees are stronger than ever through CrossFit.
-Being a box owner/coach and how she makes it work with her high level of training.
-The change in mindset that has contributed to her recent success.
-How the input and combination of work from 3 different coaches has evolved and benefitted her.
-How I feel that Cassidy is the key to her programming; a true champion will find a way to succeed no matter what.
-Cassidy’s goals for the future.

This is Part 2 of an incredible and enjoyable opportunity for me to learn even more about my good friend and teammate, Cheryl Haworth. She is a 3-Time Olympian, Olympic Bronze Medallist, 11-Time Senior National Champion, 2-Time Junior World Champion, and Pan American Games Champion. Listen in to hear about her weightlifting journey and to get to know this individual that is so valuable to our sport and community in so many ways.

Included content:
-Toeing the line between training and competiting to develop the skill that is competing.
-The Magic in competing for everyone.
-Where she found her ideal volume to be and missing out on accessory work; what is your ideal volume, and what weaknesses might you have that you could use accessory to help overcome...
-The difference in "pulls" and "deadlifts" (snatch and clean that is) and why she wishes she'd done more deadlifting; also what is the best combination of the 2....
-A day at the Olympic Training Center with Cheryl, what she's been up to since the 2008 Olympics, and what Cheryl the coach is like.

This was an incredible and enjoyable opportunity for me to learn even more about my good friend and teammate, Cheryl Haworth. She is a 3-Time Olympian, Olympic Bronze Medallist, 11-Time Senior National Champion, 2-Time Junior World Champion, and Pan American Games Champion. Hold up…..go back an read over that ONE more time and let it sink in, and once it does, realize that she accomplished ALL of this by the age of 25. Listen in to hear about her weightlifting journey and to get to know this individual that is so valuable to our sport and community in so many ways.

Included content:
-When and why she started weightlifting.
-What it was like being 17 at the Olympics and winning a medal.
-What has she been up to since 2008.
-Why she’s never cried over weightlifting.
-How the characteristic of being lazy contributed to her progress and development(and mine.)
-How she played tricks on herself in competition to enhance performance.

1996 Olympian, Shane de Freitas, and I discuss the topic of continuing to train your skills through the Open. Do you? How? Really think about it..... Do you even do anything or much to develop and/or sharpen and/or maintain your skills outside of the 5 week open phase?

Shane gives two simple but powerful recommendations to help you stay on top of your skills, including two key, specific positions to emphasize for your overall gymnastics ability, not only through the Open, but continually if you’re not already. If the Open and your gymnastics and general skill level is important to you, then you don’t want to miss this, and I would highly recommend you don’t underestimate the “simple” considerations that Shane lays out here.

2017 CrossFit Games Individual Competitor, Mekenzie Riley, chats with me about struggles she’s had and feels she is having as a competitor, as well as examples of focusing through the execution of a single, quick movement or plan of a WOD. We also dig into and discuss some potential steps that I recommend she can take(or not take) as she moves forward in her career and works to strengthen her mental game.

“JUST believe in yourself!” It’s easy to say, and sounds good and positive, but it’s not as easily done as many people tend to demand that it is with a statement like that. “You HAVE to believe if you want to achieve!” Don’t let this seemingly nonnegotiable “prerequisite” lend to any hesitation in your pursuit toward your goal…work toward making it happen anyway with unconditional and relentless ACTION!

I hope to help deliver a message that you DON’T have to completely believe in yourself or a specific outcome to achieve, and to achieve greatness! Here are my recommendations to help you offset disbelief and lack of confidence:

1. UNDERSTAND that everyone struggle with this so you are certainly not alone.
2. ACCEPT the possibility of what you’re working toward NOT happening. “I might not make this lift.” Missing the lift is a potential outcome. “I might not lose the weight.” Keeping the weight on or not losing as much as I’d like is a potential outcome.
3. ACKNOWLEDGE that achieving you goal is ALSO a possibility. “It is physically possible for me to make this lift.” People make big lifts all the time. Making the lift is a potential outcome. “It is physically possible for me to lose the weight that I want.” People lose a lot of weight and completely change their lives all the time. Losing the weight is a very realistic, potential outcome.
4. Get to work and stick with it no matter how confident you are in what the results will be, leaving no stone unturned or lesson unused in the process. JUST keep going, keep putting 1 foot in front of the other.

“Success is largely a matter of holding on after others have let go.”
William Feather

Meet director, Bobby Sirkis, and I chat about some behind the scenes necessities and actions of this and other weightlifting competitions, as well as why YOU(if you haven't already) should "RIP THE BANDAID" and jump on into your 1st Weightlifting competition. Finally, Bobby gives an overview of some of the highlights from the lifters, with mention of a few up and comers to look out for.

Welcome to 2018! Now that 2017 is behind us, like many for many reasons, we are going to take this opportunity to start fresh and aim toward taking this to another level with more frequent shows and new topics! Don't worry, we still plan a little more of the same giving you your(and our) fix of fitness professionals, experts, specialists with great tips and knowledge shared to help you on your journey. In addition, be ready for weightlifting competition(mostly national level) previews and/or reviews with special guest to help us chat it up about the category in question(ie, for Youth Nationals we'll talk about training youth athletes...) Laslty, we'll be introducing another NEW segment where we plan to hear from certain individuals who inspire us with their stories and their lives!

We could say that a barbell has the power to heal in many different ways. It is a tool that can change us physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, etc. In this episode we talk to the founder and CEO of Barbells For Boobs, Zionna Hanson, about how she has used a barbell to help heal many, many people in more ways than one, and how YOU can use your barbell for a higher purpose! Zionna also touches on why she believes so strongly that "giving is healing," and talks at length on how she juggles being a CEO and Mother with training and competing.

DPT and former gymnast, Dave Tilley joins us again, as well as DPT and former Strongman competitor, Dan Pope, to continue the conversation of gymnastics for weightlifting and vice versa. Specific topics include:
1. The importance of being a well rounded athlete to the specialist(i.e. sport specific weightlifter) vs excess specialization
2. Using gymnastics in your warm ups/as auxiliary to assist in athletic completeness and more overall potential as a weightlifter, as well as potentially using CrossFit WODs(ideally without the barbell) for 1-2 weeks after each competition to allow for a mental/emotional break from the monotonous weightlifting program and to assist in physical recovery as well as against excess specialization
3. Overlooked benefits of the "hollow" position for most weightlifters
4. Could a lack of strength/imbalance in the upper body(whether that be shoulders, upper back, etc) be holding you back in the Olympic lifts(this can be typical to early, excess specialization)
5. Of course, MORE on the squat