How One coach Built the Most Dominant Weightlifting Team in Olympic History episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 15, 2026 · 1H 21M

How One coach Built the Most Dominant Weightlifting Team in Olympic History

from Cheeky Mid Weeky

Christos Iakovou is one of the most influential figures in the history of Olympic weightlifting. A former Olympian himself, competing in the 1968, 1972, and 1976 Summer Games, he later became the chief trainer of the Greek National Weightlifting Team and architect of what became known as the “Greek Dream Team.”Under his leadership, Greece rose to international dominance, earning 13 Olympic medals and more than 60 World and European Championship medals across the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympic cycles. Iakovou is known for building a culture of discipline, unity, and competitive excellence that shaped an entire generation of athletes and coaches. His methodology emphasized technical mastery, progressive overload, psychological resilience, and a relentless commitment to preparation.$1 Trial Membership to SCN🏫CEUs: https://strengthcoachnetwork.com/TrialSave on your re-certification to the NSCA and CSCCa with best price CEUs🏫CEUs: https://strengthcoachnetwork.com/CEUCONNECT:🌎Site: https://strengthcoachnetwork.com/From our sponsors:Hawkin DynamicsSite: https://www.hawkindynamics.com/Hawkin Dynamics is the world leader in force plate solutions. Wireless hardware, intuitive software, and powerful analysis make Hawkin Dynamics the best choice for any coach or trainer.Vitruve VBTSite: https://vitruve.fit/Join the over 7,000 coaches that trust Vitruve VBT. Vitruve makes Velocity Based Training simple and effective with reliable, affordable and easy to use technology.Power LiftSite: https://www.powerliftusa.com/Power Lift is an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of American-made strength and conditioning equipment. They understand that your Brand is important and offer several diverse ways to incorporate that Brand into your strength equipment.DashrSite: https://www.dashrsystems.com/Dashr is a performance testing company best known for its laser timing, but also integrates with Teambuildr and offers a free Player Profile app used by 6k+ athletes. Beyond timing, they provide a full suite of testing solutions including verticals, broad jumps, RSI, biometrics, reaction, and AMS.PlayerDataSite:https://www.playerdata.com/en-usPlayerData is Strength Coach Network’s trusted GPS provider and a FIFA Quality–certified system, used by coaches at every level to quantify training load and understand movement demands. PlayerData delivers reliable, actionable data at a strong value point, with seamless syncing that saves coaches precious time—so the focus stays on coaching, not managing technology.TeamBuildrSite:https://www.teambuildr.com/enTeamBuildr is a platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete training in a simple and manageable way.

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How One coach Built the Most Dominant Weightlifting Team in Olympic History

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This episode was published on April 15, 2026.

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Christos Iakovou is one of the most influential figures in the history of Olympic weightlifting. A former Olympian himself, competing in the 1968, 1972, and 1976 Summer Games, he later became the chief trainer of the Greek National Weightlifting...

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