Ahhh, I see, an unprovoked attack upon me. First off, I assure you, those pics are of me, taken with my Canon PowerShot digital camera.
Second, your 1959 clean and jerk is only mildly impressive, if that, and I'll tell you why.
That lift is primarily technique, not pure strength. You simply practiced with progressively minute amounts of smaller weights going up, but mainly you simply have to perform better technique as time goes on and you practice more. All you had to do was repetitively work on the following techniques such as pre lift off, prelim acceleration, adjustment, final acceleration, dip, braking phase, and unsupported / supported squat under, just as a ballerina has to practice different techniques for years. According to your logic, a teenage ballerina can stand on her toes, and I can't, so she must be stronger than me.
At the age of 19, all our joints are more well cushioned, bodyfat levels are typically lower, slight changes in bone structure, metabolisms higher, muscle fiber reacts quicker, reflexes more sharpened, so your age in 1959 during that lift does not impress me. I would expect a 19 yo to do that lift with practice more so than I would a 30 yo man given the same amount of practice. The top female gymnasts in the world are 14/15, not late 20's or beyond for that exact reason.
"Unprovoked attack"!??? You mean after all the flames/name-calling you have directed my way...gimme a break will you!?
Anyway, at least you have the basic character/intelligence/common-sense to believe and accept that I actually made the lift! I mean after providing corroborating photos, contest report(s), BB mag. references, and even an additional posted copy of a verifying newspaper article with the name of the paper and the date the article actually appeared in the paper (all posted on Getbig)...some still don't believe I actually made the lift (like that druggie, brain-damaged, moron, dballn!)!?
Congratulations! You have apparently "paid your dues" in the iron game, as have I!
Now Havenbull, as us iron game vets know, ALL lifts require a degree of "technique"-even the "bench bump"! BUT, there are only two fundamental lifts with a barbell which, for nearly/approx. 150 yrs., are BASIC/FUNDAMENTAL tests of OVERALL body strength...the deadlift and the clean (or continental) and jerk!
In other words, with a loaded barbell lying on the ground/floor..how much weight can you bend over and lift off of the ground to hip-level with straight arms (i.e. just stand up with), AND/OR how much can you lift from the floor/ground overhead...all unassisted!?
Hello...whether you continental, or clean, the weight to your shoulders from the floor/ground, it takes considerable BASIC/CORE back, leg, and hip, strength and added shoulder strength to get the weight overhead and hold it there in a controlled postion for several seconds!! Surely, there is no SINGLE lift with a barbell that tests/taxes ALL of muscles of the body (at once!) as does the MIGHTY clean/continental and jerk!?
I mean if you weigh lets say 230 lbs, then SURELY to do a MERE 385 lbs. in the C&J (also, 155 lbs. over your bwt.) should be EASY for you to do (why hell, you should be able to power clean and push press 385 lbs. overhead!!)!?? AGAIN, I mean you have ALL of the added/artificial advantages of BB drugs AND these multi-ply support suits to aid you (that I NEVER had/used!)!
