OUR MISSION
At the Weightlifting Workshop, our mission, and our passion, is to help you become the lifter you want to be. Whether you want to get stronger, to learn how to lift, to master the power clean for football, to excel in the lifting events of CrossFit, or to become a World Champion weightlifter, we can, and want to, be your guide.
OUR STORY
Our founder, Artie Drechsler, tells our special story. “I started in the sport of Weightlifting as an athlete, nearly 60 years ago, and managed to set three Junior World Records in Weightlifting during my career (including a coveted record in the total). In the meantime, I was learning to coach others, having had my first national level coaching experience at the 1968 Senior Nationals, and my first senior international level coaching experience at the 1978 World Championships.
All during my career as an athlete and coach, I dreamed of creating a gym where athletes could train for weightlifting with expert guidance and equipment unparalleled in terms of quality and technical innovation. I wanted a gym that enabled elite athletes to achieve their very best, while at the same time warmly welcomed anyone who wanted to learn weightlifting – whether they wanted to compete, or to augment their performance in sports, such as football and CrossFit. I’m proud to say that with the development of the Weightlifting Workshop, we’ve achieved that goal.”
THE CRITICAL QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK ANY COACH YOU CONSIDER WORKING WITH
Artie (lower right) at the 1978 World Championships, coaching in the first lifter he brought to the Sr. World level, Jerry Hannan. Jerry would go on to win a US Nationals, and make the US Olympic Team in 1980.
OUR UNIQUE FACILITY AND EQUIPMENT
The building where it all happens, devoted exclusively to teaching weightlifting to those at all levels, and to training lifters for all levels of competition.
Abtin demonstrates the Overhead Squat in a safety rack of our design – which let’s you take the bar from the rack with your arms fully locked and return it that way, while catching a miss.
We believe that our facility and equipment are the best available anywhere, for several reasons. First, every feature of our facility and equipment is focused on improving performance in Olympic-style Weightlifting. For example, we have eight full-sized training platforms and four cages designed specifically for Weightlifting, so you can do snatches, cleans and jerks within them from various heights, and blocks that enable you to lift the bar from below the knee to jerk box height. In addition, we have myriad propriety feedback devices that can help you to understand how you are doing on each rep you perform, increasing learning dramatically. For more details on our facility and equipment, please see our coaching page.
Testimonials
Artie has tremendous knowledge about all facets of the sport of Weightlifting, from his experiences in being an elite level athlete, then the same level coach, an international referee, and the former Chair of the Board of USA Weightlifting. He taught me a great deal about weightlifting technique, training and mental preparation. He was there for me when I set the Guinness World Record for the greatest weight ever lifted overhead by a woman (there were no IWF women’s world records recognized at that time) and when I won the first Women’s World Championships, setting all the light heavyweight world records, and out lifting the Chinese heavyweight. I owe him many thanks.
Karyn Marshall – First Woman to C&J:300 lb. Officially, 1st Women’s World Champion from the US, 9 World Records and 9 Time National Champion
I moved to New York in 2012, after competing in boxing for a few years. I was on the hunt for another sport to compete in: challenging both physically and mentally. I had decided to try Crossfit in 2013. I really loved the barbell work in Crossfit workouts, so I ended up competing in both weightlifting meets and Crossfit competitions for the first year. The rest is history…I fell in love with Olympic weightlifting. I had toured the country looking for a weightlifting coach, and then discovered Artie Drechsler actually coached nearby. Prior to training with Artie, I had competed at the 2014 National Championships with a 17th place finish. In less than a year of training with him, I won the 2015 National Championships and secured a spot on the 2015 World Team. See before and after of Rhi’s C&J technique.
Rhiannon Reynolds – 2015 USAW Sr. National Champion and World Team Member
Having worked with Artie as an athlete for well over a decade with consistent success at the national level over a Junior and Senior career, I can confirm the following: Artie has made a life commitment to the sport of Weightlifting that few others can approach; Artie is an encyclopedic source of knowledge on the sport, its training, competition and history; His methods of training are both logical and innovative; Artie has spent decades tirelessly developing weightlifting athletes, supporting them and seeing that they excel. My years working with Artie are a foundational experience in my life, the depth of knowledge that Artie has to share is unrivaled.
Ed Herger – Three Time Sr. National Championship Medalist, Junior World Team Member
Having tried in person classes, online tutorials, and working out by myself, I was frustrated with my lack of progress in the Olympic lifts and the gym. All of that changed when I started training with Artie online. Under Artie’s well trained eye and amazing programming, I improved my technique, became stronger than ever before, and gained confidence in my lifts. Artie has been invaluable with his depth of knowledge, advice and encouragement since day one.
Kate – has trained with us virtually for several consecutive years and is one of our most diligent lifters
When I started working with Artie Drechsler, I was a competitive powerlifter struggling to learn the Olympic lifts. In no time, I was performing the lifts, and in just over a year, I was able to compete at the American Open. Artie's methods brought me from a slow, inflexible lifter to competing at national meets. Most importantly, thanks to his mentoring, I learned to feel confident in my abilities and developed a lifelong love for Olympic-style weightlifting.
Dr. Peter Nickless – Powerlifter Turned Sr. National Weightlifting Championship Competitor
“I had the pleasure of bringing a group of my athletes to work with Artie Drechsler at his Olympic weightlifting center in Albertson. In terms of weightlifting proficiency, we ranged from beginners to more advanced lifters. Over the course of several weekly sessions, Artie worked with us on cleans. He broke down the movement, fine-tuned each component, and helped us perform the lift more efficiently.
For example, while I consider myself an experienced weightlifter, Artie encouraged me to simplify my footwork, as I was adding an ``extra`` movement that wasn't providing me with any necessary or added power through the lift. Thanks to Artie's cues, I even hit a post-hip-surgery personal record for my clean!
Artie provided this same level of nuanced, expert-level coaching to all my athletes. He always knew the best, most effective cues to reach them. We all left with deeper knowledge on how to perform the clean, and many of us set new personal records. Some of the athletes who attended the seminar also coach at my gym, and we all feel confident about bringing this knowledge to the broader gym community. The hour-long car ride each Saturday morning was highly worth it! Artie is truly a master of his craft.”
Mariana Goncalves, The CrossFit Kryponite team at one of our Special Classes
Finally someone has published a book about weightlifting to be proud of. It’s complete, accurate, informative and inspiring. A definite must have. This book will help every weightlifter from novice to world champion, I only wish it were available when I competed.
Bob Bednarski, Former World Heavyweight Champion and World Record Holder
AN ACCLAIMED BOOK AND
VIDEO BY OUR HEAD COACH
WEIGHTLIFTING ENCYCLOPEDIA BOOK
Most acclaimed and comprehensive book on becoming an accomplished weightlifter ever written – more than 550 pages.
WEIGHTLIFTING ENCYCLOPEDIA VIDEO COMPANION
Most acclaimed and comprehensive book on becoming an accomplished weightlifter ever written – more than 550 pages.