Introduction
Sergii Putsov is a popular and certified sports training coach and former weightlifter. Born in 1982 in Ukraine, he has over 20 years of Olympic weightlifting experience and was a former National team member.
Sergii currently serves as head coach at the Training Club Discipline in Kyiv, Ukraine and the Warm Body Cold Mind team. He is also the director at Torokhtiy Weightlifting.
As a certified strength sports coach and physical fitness coach, he is designing training programs, writing blog articles, performing live commentary of worldwide weightlifting competition and organising several sports and fitness seminars.
This article was written in collaboration with our friends at Warm Body Cold Mind. The authors of the blog.warmbody-coldmind.com are professional athletes and trainers in weightlifting and other strength sports.
Early days and Education
Since the age of seven, Sergii Putsov has been an athlete. He began by playing tennis, but upon seeing his dad coach a national team in weightlifting, Sergei discovered his passion for weightlifting.
By the age of fourteen, Sergii began training in weightlifting. He reached the pinnacle of his career a decade later, smashing 163/195 in competition and 165/200 in training in the men’s 94 kg category and won several silverware in national weightlifting competitions.
Sergii’s passion for weightlifting drove him to further his education. He began his journey at the prestigious National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s in Strength Training and Physical Education, and Master’s in Olympic and Professional Sport Training.
Sergii’s unrelenting desire to advance his knowledge motivated him to pursue a postgraduate course from Greece International Olympic Academy. He earned a PhD in Sports Science, writing a dissertation on the differences between men and women in weightlifting training.
He further his knowledge and gained international experience at the Institut National du Sport de l’Expertise et de la Performance in France, where he pursued an internship.
Career and achievement
Between 2014 and 2011, Sergii was contracted to serve his country in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He also contested as a weightlifter for the army’s Central Sports Club. By doing so, he schooled under the guidance of renowned USSR Coach, Yukhim Eisenstadt.
He began his coaching career after serving in the army and worked as a strength and conditioning coach for several national and international athletes in different sports, including fencing, track & field, sailing, basketball, and boxing. He has coached notable athletes such as Olympic, World and European Champion, Oleksiy Torokhtiy and WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO world boxing champion, Oleksandr Usyk.
Between 2015 and 2019, he collaborated with Sergii Konuyshok to establish and host a fitness program in his native country, Ukraine. The fitness convention was known as the Lviv Fitness Weekend.
In 2019, Sergii partnered with Oleksiy Torokhtiy to design a Matrix style of weightlifting training which explained complex movements in simpler terms.
In 2020, Sergii was a Rio Olympics’ commentator on weightlifting. Two years later, he made a guest appearance in an episode of “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.”, a HBO documentary series.
Sergii achieved an incredible record of 165 kg in Snatch and 200 kg in Clean and Jerk. His achievements and medals in his illustrious career are:
- 2003 National Club Cup: Bronze medal, 150 kg in Snatch and 187.5 kg in Clean and Jerk.
- 2004 National Students Championship: Gold medal, 160 kg in Snatch and 190 kg in Clean & Jerk.
- 2005 National Universiade: Silver medal, 160 kg in Snatch and 187.5 kg in Clean & Jerk.
- 2006 National Ukrainian Championship: Silver medal,163 kg in Snatch and 195 kg in Clean & Jerk.
- 2016 USA Hookgrip Spartakiad: Gold medal, 132 kg in Snatch and 155 kg in Clean & Jerk.
Conclusion
Sergii has never backside in his commitment and dedication to weightlifting and sports training. Having reached the pinnacle of his weightlifting career and made his country proud at the global stage, Sergii’s expresses his love for the sport through coaching.
Since he began his coaching career, he has trained elite athletes. Having collaborated with European and World Champion, Oleksiy Torokhtiy, Sergii has been conducting seminars worldwide, and contributing blog articles to share his knowledge with the world. He hopes to make a mark in sports science and inspire future generations of athletes.