Today I’m catching up with American weightlifter Mary Theisen-Lappen. A former collegiate thrower (track & field), Mary found weightlifting about four years ago through a USA Weightlifting recruitment program. Since then, she’s made astounding progress in the sport and is now one of the top lifters in the country. She’s also a Pan American Champion breathing down the neck of the American women’s record clean & jerk. We talk about her rapid progress in the sport, “thrower cleans,” and why Mary thinks it pays to be frank about your goals in the sport — even if they’re lofty.
In this episode of the BarBend Podcast, host David Thomas Tao talks to Mary Theisen-Lappen about:
- Mary began competitive weightlifting EXACTLY four years ago (1:30)
- Lifting every day as a collegiate thrower (4:10)
- Mary’s competition lift progression over the past four years (7:30)
- Was there a moment when Mary realized she could be elite in weightlifting? (11:30)
- Her path to becoming Pan American Champion (13:50)
- “It’s fairly obvious that we all want to be Olympians” (15:50)
- 400 pound rack jerks (17:20)
- Goals in the next few years (19:10)
Relevant links and further reading: