I’m assuming the surrounding tissues are providing much of the support but still, I have a hard time understanding it. How does the spine of that Olympic lifter who just busted a world record not accordion in on itself when he lifts that 1000+ lbs? Or his knees?
In: Biology
Definitely decades of training helps prepare the body. Most Elite lifters start full time training (6 days a week, 2times a day most days) before the age of 10. You slowly build up over time. This time exposed to constant stimulus definitely allows them to withstand and eventually play around with those huge weights.
I also think the human body has way more potential to withstand more force than most people realize. 265kg/585lbs is heavy, but there are tons of people who squat that for reps, and a few people have squatted or deadlifted 1100lbs, so there was no real risk of someone at the Olympics getting crushed vertically. People can withstand load as long is it’s balanced properly through the body and not hyperextending anything. There are however horrifying injuries when the weight is shifted to an awkward position and the lifter can no longer hold it. Dislocation of elbows and shoulder has happened a few times (search up “Sa Jae-hyouk elbow dislocation” for an obviously uncomfortable example). The weight needs to be loaded in a more or less vertical plane with the weight supported with the wrists,elbow, shoulder,trunk,hips,knees and ankles all stacked
You really need to go to a gym, and load up those weights to see how damn impressive that shit is. Load up 5plates (495lbs) and that’s what Lasha has put overhead in ONE motion. It’s insane. I can’t even move 400 off the floor and there’s these guys just throwing these weights around.
Also minor correction, but the weight lifted (assuming Lasha Talakhadze) was nearly 500lbs overhead in 1 motion, and close to 600lbs in the clean and jerk (bar to shoulder, then shoulder to overhead).
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