Another successful year is drawing to a close. Congratulation to all our lifters who performed so well in Provincial, Regional, National and especially in International competitions. Looking at the MWA Ranking List, you cannot notice a growing number of competitive Hercules members. Currently we have 23 lifters listed. This makes us a strong and vibrant organization.

The club has received its first responses to the Adopt-an-Athlete program. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the services our new partners provide. Your support and reference is greatly appreciated. To get involved in the program go to Adopt-an-Athlete web site, or contact me directly.

Thanks to the creative work by Jon Astolfi, you can catch the highlights of the Fall 2003 Canoe/Bike Adventure Trip the club organized in September at the Big Whiteshell Lake. The site gives you an option to provide your comments or suggestions on the program. It is very likely that I will organize the program once again in the spring of 2004.

Marry Christmas and have a safe and happy New Year.

2003 World Strongest Women, September 27-30, 2003, Zambia, Africa

Manitoba Open Provincial Championships, November 8, 2003, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg

Another memorable Manitoba Open in our history, each one is better then the last. A total of 26 athletes, 6 of them women and 20 men, competed at the High Performance Center gym at the University of Manitoba. Athletes attended from the Hercules Club, Brick Gym, Morden Weightlifting Club, Thunder Bay in Ontario, Glencoe in Minnesota, USA, and Carl Dumas who at the time of competition was unattached. The competition trophies were as follow:
Best Junior Female Lifter - Rosie Densmore, Brick Gym
Best Junior Male Lifter - Nick Clain, Glencoe, Minnesota
Best Senior Female Lifter - Noreena Bodagle, Brick Gym
Best Senior Male Lifter - Jon Astolfi, Hercules
The individual highlight of the competition was Rosie Densmore, who set a new Provincial Records in the Junior and Senior categories with 77.5 kg clean & jerk and 137.5 kg total.
For the full competition results please go to http://www.herculesacademy.com/html/manitobaopen2003.htm

Junior Provincial and Senior Challenge Championships, December 13, 2003, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS NEWS

Correspondence from Tanna Payne
Hi Mirek!!!
I can't wait to come back!!! I was ready to come back about two days after I got home! Well, my workouts are done now and they went really well. I'm trying really hard to JUMP JUMP JUMP and use my hips. I'm also working on not jumping out so far with my feet and it feels a lot better. I'm not exactly feeling really strong or fast yet but I'm working hard on it!! Not sure what else to tell you other than I'm loving every minute of it and I can't wait to come back!! Thank you very much for taking me in and I'll see you in a month!!!! bye Mirek!!
Tanna

Hi Tanna,
The changes in your program will pay off. You need to go through the initial adjustment phase and it takes time for the body to respond. The good news is, once you are on the right truck, the progression should be more regular and easier to control. With your attitude, you will do very well in weightlifting.
See attachment with the program extension. For now, stay with light to medium weights and keep focus on the main technical point. Rafal will try to train a couple of times twice a day. If you want to do the same, include some upper body exercises (press, dumbbells, triceps, chest) and some light power lifts for speed, stay away from squats and full exercises.
Good luck and see you in a month,
Mirek

Editors note: Tanna arrived in Winnipeg at the end of September to spend a month training with the Hercules Club. She went back home to Nanaimo, BC with a baggage of memories and a decision to come back for a full year.

Adopt an Athlete Program
Hercules Weightlifting Club would like to welcome new partners, who responded to "Adopt - an - Athlete" program.

The first partner comes from Eastern Healing Clinic. Rick Skully promoted the program and the adopted athlete is Rafal. The owner of the Eastern Healing Clinic is Dr. Lin Liu, is a graduate of the Shandong Traditional Chinese Medical University in Jinan, China. Dr. Liu practiced as a physician at the Liangshan Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital for seven years and eventually moved to Canada in 1997. She brings to the center an incredible wealth of tradition and knowledge bestowed by her education and her family, as both her mother and father are very renowned doctors themselves. Dr. Liu area of expertise is the diagnosis of symptoms, the preparation of herbal medicines specific to the individual, and treatment of systematic pathologies through acupuncture.
The Eastern Healing Clinic also employs Melissa Scully, who is a recent graduate of Wellington College of Remedial Massage Therapies Inc. Through the collage, Melissa received extensive education in anatomy, physiology, pathology and exercise rehabilitation. During her time at the college, she was able to practice her massage skills in various areas in the city, St. Boniface Hospital and Grace Hospital being just a few. Through her skills of joint assessment and knowledge of muscular and neural dysfunction, as well as a strong morale of professionalism, Melissa offers a safe and secure atmosphere for her clinic.

The second partner is Reid's Roofing. Justin Hoffer promoted the program and he is the adopted athlete. Reid's Roofing specializes in asphalt shingles and concrete roof tile. The business owner Reid Harcus provides free estimates, senior rates and help with insurance claims. All work guaranteed. You can contact Reid at phone 896-5876.

You can view Dr. Liu, Melissa's and Reid's business cards posted on the Hercules Promotional Board located in our gym at the University of Manitoba or on our web site at http://www.herculesacademy.com/html/partners.html

UPCOMING EVENTS

Senior Provincial Championships, January 24, 2004, Winnipeg, MB

Junior National Championships, January 24, 2004, TBA

La Coupe du Voyageur, February 14, 2004, Winnipeg, MB

2nd Manitoba Masters Reunion, March 13, 2004, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg

Wester Canadian Championships, March 27, 2004, Edmonton, AB