Danny Camargo leads one of the largest and most successful weightlifting programs in the United States. Himself a former international-level lifter, Danny’s Team Oly Concepts is a major force for the sport here and abroad. He’s also gained an increased level of recognition for coaching Mattie Rogers, a World Championships medalist and one of America’s most successful elite weightlifters this millennium.
But after nearly three decades in the sport of weightlifting, Danny Camargo isn’t done leaving his mark. And his position today resulted from a major life decision that, had it gone a different way, could have put Danny’s livelihood in jeopardy.
In this episode of The BarBend Podcast, Danny and host David Thomas Tao dive deep on the sport’s growth, the myth of instant gratification, and what Danny thinks most are getting wrong about athlete-driven training. (Hint: The phrase itself can trigger debate in many weightlifting circles.)
We also touch on the pros and cons of remote/satellite coaching and Danny’s hopes and trepidations for the future of the sport.
In this episode of The BarBend Podcast, guest Danny Camargo and host David Thomas Tao discuss:
- Danny’s background in weightlifting and transition from athlete to coach (2:45)
- Why Danny thinks it’s so challenge to mix coaching and competing at the same time (5:00)
- The early days of Team Oly Concepts and how Danny built his team (7:50)
- Overcoming doubt and moving to coaching as a full-time career (12:15)
- Why Danny coached for FREE for so long, and how that impacted his ability to become a full-time coach (14:50)
- The trend — among athletes AND coaches — of impatience for recognition in weightlifting; Danny talks about his “old school” perspective here (16:13)
- Online vs. in-person coaching (19:35)
- Athlete-driven training and the controversial nature of that term — misconceptions, myths, and Danny’s thoughts (24:23)
- An example of athlete-driven training/success in action (28:40)
Relevant links and further reading:
- Visit OlyConcepts.com
- Follow Danny Camargo and Oly Concepts on Instagram
