I'm a strength coach for the Chinese national swimming team and we trained and lived at the same base with the weightlifting team. On the day that everybody was leaving the base for Tokyo, I saw Tian loading equipments on a truck for his teammates. I asked for his signature and had a quick chat with him. I didn't really know what to say to comfort him cuz I just saw his retirement news a few days ago, so I was like "you'll do great on the national game and enjoy the rest". Tian responded with "thank you", but I still saw the disappointment from his eyes, it was truly heartbreaking.
Love this. Other weightlifters may have larger caches but I think the reason Tian is so popular is his relatability. He doesn't just smash through everything like Shi Zhiyong, it looks like he has to fight through it. And that's what us non-professionals can relate to, the struggle, the failures, and the hardship that makes triumph so sweet.
Those Chinese lifters are remarkable. Super-strong, beautifully built and superb technicians. Thanks again for a most entertaining video and perhaps the most erudite narration I've ever heard about weightlifting. I write this having been retired from OL competition for close to 50 years.
@@DamienYuen7718 I wonder why there will always be some dickhead that will try to bring politics when everyone else are just enjoying the sport and admiring the top athletes. Jealousy? Maybe.
Actually there are plenty of them. And tons of interviews too. But they are all in Chinese. Btw, Tian, Chen （Olympic record holder Chen Lijun）and Lu‘s coach is the same, who is called Yu Jie, a very considerate and talented coach from the Pla.
The fact that Tian not getting selected to Tokyo still hurts more than many of my own personal failures is a testament to his impact in the WL community. Can’t wait to see him again. Olympics only 2.5 yrs away!
Ya know I gotta agree with the folks who said there was some emotion in this narrating. This video was dope and I think gave me a perspective on and empathy for Tian Tao I haven't had previously. Well done!
I am not a weight lifter, and I actually have always loathed lifting. But I can't stop watching your videos. I appreciate your sincerity in your videos. And I can feel your passion for the sport and the respect you have for these outstanding athletes. Keep up the great work!
What a great video! Tian Tao is amazing! I believe that you make great portraits of lifters and they are really enjoyable to watch. I do have some (unsolicited) advice or ,maybe better, a fan request: it would be great if you could also feature more women on this channel. It seems to me that a lot of times the videos are either about male lifters only or females are mentioned but are not the main focus (e.g., Italian lifters video or the starting list of worlds). We do have great female athletes as well and I think they deserve more attention and also for the female viewers those videos are more relatable. I understand that as a guy you get more excited about male lifters (also the weights are more impressive) but maybe it's worth considering for the future. Sorry for the rant, I love this channel and I love how much effort goes into every single video
Seb has already covered Tatiana Kashirina, and I am pretty sure once DEng Wei (64kg) wins her next Olympic gold medal then retires WH will cover her career. Personally I have been watching her since 2015, so I am fully aware at the very least she should be a nomination for a video on WH/HOOKGRIP/ATG. The injury she had, prevented her from going to Tokyo Olympics and basically taking a free give-away prize.
I can see Tian's unquenchable spirit from his mind-blowing power and strength, as well as his journey over decades of training. What an incredible athlete.
Hi Seb, great video on Tao's story! Can you make a video about Deng Wei? In terms of dominance, she's really the female Shi Zhiyong of her category. In terms of medals and honors, she's only behind Lu in the Chinese team. She doesn't get as much attention but she's clearly one of the GOATs! I really hope she gets the recognition she deserves!
That was incredible. Your narration and descriptions are that of a top level, seasoned sports journalist. Thank you for the video (and the sweet merch)
Tao's unretirement is no joke! He just officially announced on his ins account and bilibili live stream that he'll return to the national team this month and compete as an 89kg!!!
He was already putting up numbers close to Lu at a young age. I guess that injury really prevented him from reaching his peak. We really missed out on something special.
Maybe not another episode of a lifter, but maybe on a club. The history of calstrength and it's main athletes/coaches. Glenn pendlay, max aita, David Spitz, Jon north, Donny Shankle and such
Actually this is an awesome idea. I have a friend who’s just getting into the sport and I have been sending him all of WH history of weightlifters like the Greek team, stuff on the Bulgarians, this video on Tian Tao , stuff on Naim etc. cal strength would be a great start
This was a great one Seb. The storytelling and narration was epic, edge of seat stuff. Lovely cliff-hanger, I now can't wait to see if he goes to Paris. Great video
Do not be sad he may retire. Be happy that he ever took to this sport. Tian Tao may not have won an Olympic gold medal. But he will still be regarded as one of the best ever.
I was watching the Tao vs moradi live and that 236 clean got me hyped as fuck. And then when moradi came out with 237kg and almost made it was the cherry on top.
and towards the end of the video, I finally understood the difference between a power-jerk athlete and a squat-jerk athlete. So Lu Xiaojun is squat-jerk and Tian Tao is power-jerk, is that right?
Hi Seb ,Can U do this Video Edition for Other Lifter like example EkoYuliIrawan from Indonesia ,He was 4 Times Olympics Medalist but never won Gold yet 🏋♂ .Or Maybe Other Lifter who had such Long Story with Good Ending like Hidilyn Diaz ,KuoHsingChun ,OscarFiguorea etc .I would apreciatte it if U notice My Comment
This hits different now. So long, Tian, you changed the sport forever!
I'm a strength coach for the Chinese national swimming team and we trained and lived at the same base with the weightlifting team. On the day that everybody was leaving the base for Tokyo, I saw Tian loading equipments on a truck for his teammates. I asked for his signature and had a quick chat with him. I didn't really know what to say to comfort him cuz I just saw his retirement news a few days ago, so I was like "you'll do great on the national game and enjoy the rest". Tian responded with "thank you", but I still saw the disappointment from his eyes, it was truly heartbreaking.
That's so sad, to be so talented and be left out ! China has too many good lifters so you guys can afford that.
Tremendous experience man
@@LarvaS-hj1eq lol leave your email here let me send you a pic
@@yansonggao2484 no response from him, lmao. Love when guys like that get called out
@@PanditKris He should lift for America.
Thiccboi Tiao will always be a champion in our hearts. Excellent journalism Seb
Thank you!
cringe
@@Rafael-oq9vu shut up
@@phoenyx_6146 cringe
@@Rafael-oq9vu cringe
Love this. Other weightlifters may have larger caches but I think the reason Tian is so popular is his relatability. He doesn't just smash through everything like Shi Zhiyong, it looks like he has to fight through it. And that's what us non-professionals can relate to, the struggle, the failures, and the hardship that makes triumph so sweet.
It makes it so much more exciting. When the lift means a bomb out or a world record, it adds so much more tension
imagine if he stayed healthy and didnt move up in weight^^
That elbow injury truly haunted Tian Tao his whole career, who knows what he could have done if that injury wasnt there
Those Chinese lifters are remarkable. Super-strong, beautifully built and superb technicians. Thanks again for a most entertaining video and perhaps the most erudite narration I've ever heard about weightlifting. I write this having been retired from OL competition for close to 50 years.
If Lu does retire, we NEED a full documentary about his career, his rivalries, each of his competitions and the ups and downs along the way
Ask the CCP for permission. ; )
@@DamienYuen7718 don't need that tho.
@@DamienYuen7718 CCP is bad but they don't really care about medias making documentaries about their athletes, pop stars
@@DamienYuen7718 I wonder why there will always be some dickhead that will try to bring politics when everyone else are just enjoying the sport and admiring the top athletes. Jealousy? Maybe.
Actually there are plenty of them. And tons of interviews too. But they are all in Chinese. Btw, Tian, Chen （Olympic record holder Chen Lijun）and Lu‘s coach is the same, who is called Yu Jie, a very considerate and talented coach from the Pla.
This is how we get regular people excited about the sport.
Best comment
Another thing I particularly like about Tiantao is he actively responds to his fans on his BiliBili account. He is a very funny guy
That 236 clean is my favorite lift of all time. Such a ease..
Very well written and well presented video Seb, it was a true joy to watch!
Appreciate it, Asterog!
Seb, you're such a talented narrator. I would love to hear audiobooks narrated by you =)
The fact that Tian not getting selected to Tokyo still hurts more than many of my own personal failures is a testament to his impact in the WL community. Can’t wait to see him again. Olympics only 2.5 yrs away!
The greatest fisherman
this video makes me wanna come back to life
Tian has been a contender in some of the most legendary weightlifting battles of the 2000s. That alone makes him great.
Ya know I gotta agree with the folks who said there was some emotion in this narrating. This video was dope and I think gave me a perspective on and empathy for Tian Tao I haven't had previously. Well done!
I am not a weight lifter, and I actually have always loathed lifting. But I can't stop watching your videos. I appreciate your sincerity in your videos. And I can feel your passion for the sport and the respect you have for these outstanding athletes. Keep up the great work!
Heart Attack?
More Heart Throb.. ❤
Very good video. Thank you Seb! I got a little emotional watching this. You are a very good narrator, calm yet full of emotions.
What a great video! Tian Tao is amazing!
I believe that you make great portraits of lifters and they are really enjoyable to watch. I do have some (unsolicited) advice or ,maybe better, a fan request: it would be great if you could also feature more women on this channel. It seems to me that a lot of times the videos are either about male lifters only or females are mentioned but are not the main focus (e.g., Italian lifters video or the starting list of worlds). We do have great female athletes as well and I think they deserve more attention and also for the female viewers those videos are more relatable. I understand that as a guy you get more excited about male lifters (also the weights are more impressive) but maybe it's worth considering for the future. Sorry for the rant, I love this channel and I love how much effort goes into every single video
You should check out All Things Gym's series on Kuo Hsing-Chun in the meantime! Super inspiring, great narrative arc, and overall really well done.
I completely agree!
yes please! Agreed
Seb has already covered Tatiana Kashirina, and I am pretty sure once DEng Wei (64kg) wins her next Olympic gold medal then retires WH will cover her career.
Personally I have been watching her since 2015, so I am fully aware at the very least she should be a nomination for a video on WH/HOOKGRIP/ATG. The injury she had, prevented her from going to Tokyo Olympics and basically taking a free give-away prize.
I can see Tian's unquenchable spirit from his mind-blowing power and strength, as well as his journey over decades of training. What an incredible athlete.
Very good video, as a non weightlifter, you made me love this sport as much as mine, Rowing.
Hi Seb, great video on Tao's story! Can you make a video about Deng Wei? In terms of dominance, she's really the female Shi Zhiyong of her category. In terms of medals and honors, she's only behind Lu in the Chinese team. She doesn't get as much attention but she's clearly one of the GOATs! I really hope she gets the recognition she deserves!
This is an amazing video. What a story! Goosebumps all over!
seb i really love this video im watching it for a 2nd time already
That was incredible. Your narration and descriptions are that of a top level, seasoned sports journalist. Thank you for the video (and the sweet merch)
Amazing person, an inspiration in all areas of human endeavour.
incredible short documentary. No other content quite like yours for weightlifting right now
Tao's unretirement is no joke! He just officially announced on his ins account and bilibili live stream that he'll return to the national team this month and compete as an 89kg!!!
He was already putting up numbers close to Lu at a young age. I guess that injury really prevented him from reaching his peak. We really missed out on something special.
Despite all he has achieved, it probably still haunts him
@@buttlesschap true that
I think we gained someone special; if he wasn't injured he'd just be another weightlifter without any story, so he is truly special because of it.
Mind blowing that this dude is the same age as me. What a legend
I love these types of vids way more than the news show. I still love the news show and enjoy watching it, but these vids are amazing.
This Is a very entertaining format Seb, thanks a Lot!
Definitely my favorite cleaner in the world, many thanks for the video!
HUGE LOVE FOR TIAN TAO ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Loving these documentary style videos.
first attempt miss, second attempt miss, last chance - the first place. so big heart, and so faith
i dont even lift but your narration is so compelling that i love it
Great video, was really hoping for a poster for this documentary as well. A 236 clean poster would be epic
Cyber Monday W|H deals - www.weightliftinghouse.com/
nice vid
Great video again Seb. What a legend he is💪🏋️♂️
Maybe not another episode of a lifter, but maybe on a club. The history of calstrength and it's main athletes/coaches. Glenn pendlay, max aita, David Spitz, Jon north, Donny Shankle and such
Actually this is an awesome idea. I have a friend who’s just getting into the sport and I have been sending him all of WH history of weightlifters like the Greek team, stuff on the Bulgarians, this video on Tian Tao , stuff on Naim etc. cal strength would be a great start
Yes
Seb, a video on Donny PLS
Another well written, well presented video! Fantastic
This was a great one Seb. The storytelling and narration was epic, edge of seat stuff. Lovely cliff-hanger, I now can't wait to see if he goes to Paris. Great video
Do not be sad he may retire. Be happy that he ever took to this sport. Tian Tao may not have won an Olympic gold medal. But he will still be regarded as one of the best ever.
His handsome face hasn't changed in 10 years🏋🏻
Great Video Seb!
Thanks F C!
This is amazing. Great job. Had me on the edge of my seat. 5:04
Brilliant video and narration 👌. True joy watching your channel
More of these!
These are gold man
NEED MORE VIDS LIKE THIS SEB
Great video essay Seb amazing quality
Wonderfully done video
2nd time commenting on this but WE LOVE YOU TIAN! Never give up!
Great video! Love Tian Tao. Such an exciting lifter.
That was awesome mate! Well done
This was fantastic, Seb!
It sounds like Thian was one of those cursed with connective tissue that couldn't keep up with his enormous power. And frankly, his fearless attitude.
Reminds me of Kevin Nee in strongman. He got so strong so quickly that his body could just never keep up. Always nursing an injury.
Really hope to se him on the stage again!
beautiful narration seb!!
This was awesome. I hope we see tian and me so competing in peak form again someday
Great video of one of my favorite lifters!
I love you documentaries, keep it up!
Thanks for the vids, 3rd time watching
Tian Tao is the truth😎
Thank you for the story
This video is so well made
This was
BRiLLiANT !!!!
Great little doc!
85kg Tian's training lifts are legendary
I was watching the Tao vs moradi live and that 236 clean got me hyped as fuck. And then when moradi came out with 237kg and almost made it was the cherry on top.
2:32…. How on earth did he clean that?! The first pull was so slow and the 2nd pull is so minimalist. Fascinating, magical almost
More videos like this about any and all weightlifters, please sir!
You make amazing content!
I didn't know I needed Summoning Salt videos for weightlifting, but yeah, let's go
C&J 205KG in 77kg bodyweigh at 18 years old is just insane
and towards the end of the video, I finally understood the difference between a power-jerk athlete and a squat-jerk athlete.
So Lu Xiaojun is squat-jerk and Tian Tao is power-jerk, is that right?
What a LEGEND with that troll 232
Tian is my spirit animal
Thanks again!
Hi Seb ,Can U do this Video Edition for Other Lifter like example EkoYuliIrawan from Indonesia ,He was 4 Times Olympics Medalist but never won Gold yet 🏋♂ .Or Maybe Other Lifter who had such Long Story with Good Ending like Hidilyn Diaz ,KuoHsingChun ,OscarFiguorea etc .I would apreciatte it if U notice My Comment
5:23 Love this narration
Love the double dip on the 226
Hi Seb, great video! Also, what are the background tracks playing? Anywhere we can find?
Amazing video! 👍
Major respect to moradi for taking 237 after he already won
Fantastic video
Tian weighed like 93kg in the 2018 world championships.
another great vid, Love thicc Tao
Awesome video. Loved it.
Very interesting video.
I don't practice this sport but it entertained me until the end.
Beautiful video seb
fantastic video
Favorite clean technique ever,,, why you didn't split jerk tian God Damm it lol..
Great vid! New to this channel, subscribed
Bro, I want tian to do 236 at the next Olympics.
Need that tian Tao poster
We miss Tian Tao..
But he is Return to 2024 Olympic
Great video 👍👍