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If you followed weightlifting in the 2010s, you knew Max Lang. Max, now 33, was part of a group of weightlifters whose technique and stage presence helped popularize the sport across social media—think Klokov, Lu, Aukhadov, and so on.
As a competitor, Max performed at 22 IWF events between 2011 and 2024. His singular international win was in 2019, at a small European tournament called the Cup of Blue Swords.
Max’s career closed with a bold but unsuccessful bid to break into the top 10 at the IWF World Cup in Thailand.
WLHOUSE spoke with Max just before the European Championships this spring. We talked about the direction his life is going after retirement, how the sport has, and continues, to change, and more.
Max Lang
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Weightlifting House
Weightlifting House (WH): How has your training schedule changed since retiring from competition and changing to full-time coaching?
Max Lang (ML): "At the beginning of retirement I had more time, so I used my own programs. It was much less volume than before, I mainly just wanted to stay fit. During that time, I also started working on my squat programs."
WH: You mentioned the Abitur exams. How does that work, and why are you pursuing an education now?
Max Lang (ML): "Abitur is a remote learning program, which means I have to teach myself most of the material. Study booklets, school textbooks, YouTube, and ChatGPT help me with that. It’s not easy. To be honest, I wouldn’t do it this way again.
But if you want to study at university in Germany, you need the Abitur. My weightlifting career didn’t interfere with my education, I was simply lazy when it came to schooling."
WH: Of the four different weight classes you competed in, which one made you feel most comfortable and competitive?
ML: "I felt most comfortable in the 77-kilogram class. That’s where I was, or would have been, the most competitive as well. Lifting at 81 was too much, and 73 was too light for me."
WH: What are your thoughts on the qualification procedure for Los Angeles compared to Paris or Tokyo?
ML: "The most understandable system we had was for Rio 2016. Nations collected points and then decided independently who would go to the Games. Everything afterward has been, above all, terrible for the athletes.
New weight classes, gold-silver-bronze events, individual qualification…it took away quite a lot of the enjoyment for me. But now it’s also clear that the sport needs to be interesting to spectators too. In that sense, fewer athletes or weight classes, like they have for LA28, might make more sense."
WH: Shortly after your last competition, you said you “just couldn’t manage” another Olympic cycle. Have things changed?
ML: "I felt pretty relieved at the time. All the pressure was gone after that event. At the same time, there was some sadness, because it also meant the end of my career. Looking back, stepping away was definitely the right decision."
WH: What makes German weightlifting instruction valuable to athletes from all over the world?
ML: "It’s a mix of training systems and technique. German coaches tend to design very solid training programs and have a good eye for technical details."
WH: What is the biggest difference in weightlifting as a whole now compared to ten years ago, from your perspective?
ML: "Social media."
WH: What’s the one piece of coaching advice you think all beginner weightlifters need to hear?
ML: "Technique before load!"
WH: What can you tell us about your style of squat programming?
ML: "My squat programs are designed for 12 weeks. Athletes alternate between front squats and back squats. It also includes accessory exercises to keep things varied and help prevent injuries.
At the beginning of the cycle, the focus is on high repetitions with lighter loads to build a solid base. Over the course of the 12 weeks, repetitions decrease while loads increase accordingly. It’s very pragmatic."
WH: Regarding weightlifting being interesting for spectators, do you think the current rules are too strict?
ML: "I don’t have a problem with strict rules, but they should be applied consistently. Recently, I’ve had the impression that there has been too much leeway. That only leads to confusion among spectators and frustration for the athletes."
WH: Do you have a favorite competition from your career? What is it and why?
ML: "My favorite competition was the European Championships in Split in 2017. The placing wasn’t anything special, but going six-for-six and hitting a personal best in the snatch was quite rare. It was even shown on live TV."
