NO NONSENSE, OLD SCHOOL WEIGHTLIFTING HISTORY Mark Morthier

NO NONSENSE, OLD SCHOOL WEIGHTLIFTING HISTORY is presented by the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear.
EPISODE SUMMARY
Mostly everyone, whether a fan or not, has seen some footage of the World’s Strongest Man competition. It’s truly mind-boggling how powerful these competitors are. But many people don’t know that the first competition goes back to 1977, which bears little resemblance to today’s organized and well-planned event.
The 1977 competition had only eight contestants, and they could have named it “America’s Strongest Man” given that seven of the competitors were American. No one seems to know why they chose the eight men they did other than the fact that most were relatively well-known and quite strong. The three-day event took place at Universal Studios in California, and It was televised on CBS Sports Spectacular.
You can read the full blog post here.
SHOW BACKGROUND
My name is Mark Morthier, and I host yesterday’s Sports on the Sports History Network. As many of you know from reading my articles and listening to my podcasts, I am not only an avid weightlifter but a fan of the sport as well. I’m excited to share my newest adventure, a show dedicated to promoting weightlifting, while also looking back at some weightlifting history. I’ll share some of my own stories and interview weightlifters from both past and present.
I competed in Olympic Weightlifting from 1981 to 1989 and powerlifting from 2011 to 2019. Although I wasn’t what one might call “a naturally gifted lifter,” I managed to clean & jerk 140 kilos/308 lbs at 179 lbs body weight. In my later years, I achieved a 600-pound deadlift and a 431-pound front squat in my mid-fifties. Although I was more successful in powerlifting, setting New Jersey and New York State records in Masters Competitions, I’ll always consider myself an Olympic Weightlifter. I’ve also written a book on weight training titled No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training, which is available on Amazon.
No Nonsense, Old School Weightlifting book (Amazon affiliate link)
I hope that you will enjoy the show, and please leave a comment or offer a suggestion. And if you’re an Olympic lifter, past or present, let me know if you’d like to set up an interview, and I’ll do my best to have you on the show. Stay strong and God bless!
CHECK OUT YESTERDAY'S SPORTS (MY ORIGINAL SHOW)
Host Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.
No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited Time

NO NONSENSE, OLD SCHOOL WEIGHTLIFTING HISTORY is presented by the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear.
EPISODE SUMMARY
If you’re a fan of professional wrestling or weightlifting, you’re probably familiar with the name Ken Patera. But did you know that Patera was also a top-notch track & field athlete? Ken was good enough to qualify for the 1968 Olympic trials in the shot-put, where he placed a respectable 6th. In high school, Patera couldn’t get enough of sports. He played football, wrestled, and competed in four different events in track & field. He competed in the high hurdles and the high jump and later switched to the discus and the shot-put......
You can read the full blog post here.
SHOW BACKGROUND
My name is Mark Morthier, and I host yesterday’s Sports on the Sports History Network. As many of you know from reading my articles and listening to my podcasts, I am not only an avid weightlifter but a fan of the sport as well. I’m excited to share my newest adventure, a show dedicated to promoting weightlifting, while also looking back at some weightlifting history. I’ll share some of my own stories and interview weightlifters from both past and present.
I competed in Olympic Weightlifting from 1981 to 1989 and powerlifting from 2011 to 2019. Although I wasn’t what one might call “a naturally gifted lifter,” I managed to clean & jerk 140 kilos/308 lbs at 179 lbs body weight. In my later years, I achieved a 600-pound deadlift and a 431-pound front squat in my mid-fifties. Although I was more successful in powerlifting, setting New Jersey and New York State records in Masters Competitions, I’ll always consider myself an Olympic Weightlifter. I’ve also written a book on weight training titled No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training, which is available on Amazon.
No Nonsense, Old School Weightlifting book (Amazon affiliate link)
I hope that you will enjoy the show, and please leave a comment or offer a suggestion. And if you’re an Olympic lifter, past or present, let me know if you’d like to set up an interview, and I’ll do my best to have you on the show. Stay strong and God bless!
CHECK OUT YESTERDAY'S SPORTS (MY ORIGINAL SHOW)
Host Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.
No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited Time

NO NONSENSE, OLD SCHOOL WEIGHTLIFTING HISTORY is presented by the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear.
EPISODE SUMMARY
In 1975, the cover of Sports Illustrated identified Soviet weightlifter Vasily Alekseyev as “The World’s Strongest Man.” Few could contradict that claim. His achievements spoke for themselves. At the time, Alekseyev was preparing to win his sixth consecutive World Superheavyweight Championship.
What made Alekseyev so powerful?
When he was just 11 years old, Vasily was put to work in the forests to help his father and the other lumberjacks. It was his job to lift and move the heavy tree logs. He believed that is where he gained his great strength. His first weightlifting barbell was an axle from an old truck. He began competing in weightlifting at the age of 18, but he didn’t win his first world title until he was 28.
In March of 1970, he became the first man to lift a total of 600 kilos in the three lifts combined, clean & press, snatch, and clean & jerk. Later that year, he became the first man to clean & jerk 500 lbs at the World Championships in Columbus, Ohio. ABC’s The Wide World of Sports televised the competition and, suddenly, Vasily Alekseyev became a very famous man...............
You can read the full blog post here.
SHOW BACKGROUND
My name is Mark Morthier, and I host yesterday’s Sports on the Sports History Network. As many of you know from reading my articles and listening to my podcasts, I am not only an avid weightlifter but a fan of the sport as well. I’m excited to share my newest adventure, a show dedicated to promoting weightlifting, while also looking back at some weightlifting history. I’ll share some of my own stories and interview weightlifters from both past and present.
I competed in Olympic Weightlifting from 1981 to 1989 and powerlifting from 2011 to 2019. Although I wasn’t what one might call “a naturally gifted lifter,” I managed to clean & jerk 140 kilos/308 lbs at 179 lbs body weight. In my later years, I achieved a 600-pound deadlift and a 431-pound front squat in my mid-fifties. Although I was more successful in powerlifting, setting New Jersey and New York State records in Masters Competitions, I’ll always consider myself an Olympic Weightlifter. I’ve also written a book on weight training titled No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training, which is available on Amazon.
No Nonsense, Old School Weightlifting book (Amazon affiliate link)
I hope that you will enjoy the show, and please leave a comment or offer a suggestion. And if you’re an Olympic lifter, past or present, let me know if you’d like to set up an interview, and I’ll do my best to have you on the show. Stay strong and God bless!
CHECK OUT YESTERDAY'S SPORTS (MY ORIGINAL SHOW)
Host Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.
No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited Time

NO NONSENSE, OLD SCHOOL WEIGHTLIFTING HISTORY is presented by the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear.
EPISODE SUMMARY
The 1972 summer games are the first Olympic games I can remember watching. The 1972 games were in Munich, West Germany. The last Olympics to be held in Germany were in 1936 in Berlin. Those Olympics had a dark cloud hanging over them as Adolph Hitler and his Nazis were about to start the Second World War. Things would be different this time........
You can read the full blog post here.
SHOW BACKGROUND
My name is Mark Morthier, and I host yesterday’s Sports on the Sports History Network. As many of you know from reading my articles and listening to my podcasts, I am not only an avid weightlifter but a fan of the sport as well. I’m excited to share my newest adventure, a show dedicated to promoting weightlifting, while also looking back at some weightlifting history. I’ll share some of my own stories and interview weightlifters from both past and present.
I competed in Olympic Weightlifting from 1981 to 1989 and powerlifting from 2011 to 2019. Although I wasn’t what one might call “a naturally gifted lifter,” I managed to clean & jerk 140 kilos/308 lbs at 179 lbs body weight. In my later years, I achieved a 600-pound deadlift and a 431-pound front squat in my mid-fifties. Although I was more successful in powerlifting, setting New Jersey and New York State records in Masters Competitions, I’ll always consider myself an Olympic Weightlifter. I’ve also written a book on weight training titled No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training, which is available on Amazon.
No Nonsense, Old School Weightlifting book (Amazon affiliate link)
I hope that you will enjoy the show, and please leave a comment or offer a suggestion. And if you’re an Olympic lifter, past or present, let me know if you’d like to set up an interview, and I’ll do my best to have you on the show. Stay strong and God bless!
CHECK OUT YESTERDAY'S SPORTS (MY ORIGINAL SHOW)
Host Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.
No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited Time

NO NONSENSE, OLD SCHOOL WEIGHTLIFTING HISTORY is presented by the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear.
EPISODE SUMMARY
The Bulgarian Weightlifting team's success began with the hiring of Ivan Abadjiev as head coach of the National team. Abadjiev had been an assistant coach for many years but, in 1959, he got into trouble with government authorities by organizing a National Teenage Weightlifting Championship. The thinking at that time was that those under the age of 17 were too young to withstand heavy weightlifting rigors.
Back then, all the Soviet bloc countries were using the same training system–training three or four times a week and not pushing for 100% maximums except when a competition drew near. Abadjiev disagreed with that approach. He challenged authorities by claiming that he had a system that would enable Bulgaria to overtake the USSR and become the world's new weightlifting powerhouse. It was an audacious goal because the USSR had dominated weightlifting through the 1960s.
The Bulgarians finally relented, naming Abadjiev head coach. The year was 1969.
Read the entire blog post here.
SHOW BACKGROUND
My name is Mark Morthier, and I host yesterday’s Sports on the Sports History Network. As many of you know from reading my articles and listening to my podcasts, I am not only an avid weightlifter but a fan of the sport as well. I’m excited to share my newest adventure, a show dedicated to promoting weightlifting, while also looking back at some weightlifting history. I’ll share some of my own stories and interview weightlifters from both past and present.
I competed in Olympic Weightlifting from 1981 to 1989 and powerlifting from 2011 to 2019. Although I wasn’t what one might call “a naturally gifted lifter,” I managed to clean & jerk 140 kilos/308 lbs at 179 lbs body weight. In my later years, I achieved a 600-pound deadlift and a 431-pound front squat in my mid-fifties. Although I was more successful in powerlifting, setting New Jersey and New York State records in Masters Competitions, I’ll always consider myself an Olympic Weightlifter. I’ve also written a book on weight training titled No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training, which is available on Amazon.
No Nonsense, Old School Weightlifting book (Amazon affiliate link)
I hope that you will enjoy the show, and please leave a comment or offer a suggestion. And if you’re an Olympic lifter, past or present, let me know if you’d like to set up an interview, and I’ll do my best to have you on the show. Stay strong and God bless!
CHECK OUT YESTERDAY'S SPORTS (MY ORIGINAL SHOW)
Host Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.
No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited Time

NO NONSENSE, OLD SCHOOL WEIGHTLIFTING HISTORY is presented by the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear.
EPISODE SUMMARY
If you’re not a fan of Olympic Weightlifting, or a lifter yourself, you’re probably asking who Lee James is? It’s not surprising that one would ask that question because Olympic weightlifting has never been a popular sport in America. Most USA lifters get very little recognition, and they don’t receive compensation for the countless hours they devote to the sport.
Such was the case with Lee James, who won the Silver Medal at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. No American male lifter has won an Olympic medal since except for Mario Martinez (Silver) and Guy Carlton (Bronze), who both medaled at the 1984 games in Los Angeles. Not to diminish their accomplishment, but Soviet Bloc countries boycotted the 1984 Games.....
Check out the article on the Sports History Network
SHOW BACKGROUND
My name is Mark Morthier, and I host yesterday’s Sports on the Sports History Network. As many of you know from reading my articles and listening to my podcasts, I am not only an avid weightlifter but a fan of the sport as well. I’m excited to share my newest adventure, a show dedicated to promoting weightlifting, while also looking back at some weightlifting history. I’ll share some of my own stories and interview weightlifters from both past and present.
I competed in Olympic Weightlifting from 1981 to 1989 and powerlifting from 2011 to 2019. Although I wasn’t what one might call “a naturally gifted lifter,” I managed to clean & jerk 140 kilos/308 lbs at 179 lbs body weight. In my later years, I achieved a 600-pound deadlift and a 431-pound front squat in my mid-fifties. Although I was more successful in powerlifting, setting New Jersey and New York State records in Masters Competitions, I’ll always consider myself an Olympic Weightlifter. I’ve also written a book on weight training titled No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training, which is available on Amazon.
No Nonsense, Old School Weightlifting book (Amazon affiliate link)
I hope that you will enjoy the show, and please leave a comment or offer a suggestion. And if you’re an Olympic lifter, past or present, let me know if you’d like to set up an interview, and I’ll do my best to have you on the show. Stay strong and God bless!
CHECK OUT YESTERDAY'S SPORTS (MY ORIGINAL SHOW)
Host Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.
No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited Time