Transcending Weights
Did you notice a poster in your local gymnasium of an elderly Indian man lifting two huge dumbbells simultaneously? - no it’s not trick photography! The weightlifter is Sri Chinmoy and he has been lifting increasingly heavier weights for nearly twenty years, and now that he is approaching 77 years-of-young, that is amazing.
Sri Chinmoy is a spiritual teacher and athlete who came to
the West from India in 1964. His weightlifting career began in 1985
when he was
fifty-four years old when a knee injury prevented him from continuing
his running career.
He lifted for several years then had a break, and
recommenced lifting at the age of sixty-seven. His progress has since
been amazing – huge stacks of plates, massive dumbbells and a wide
variety of objects have been lifted skywards.
But what is the
connection between weightlifting and spirituality? Sri Chinmoy says “In
my weightlifting I am trying to show that if you pray and meditate you
can bring to the fore your inner strength. Now if you are inwardly
strong, you are always at peace. When you have confidence and strength
within you, then you do not go outside to quarrel or fight with others.
So when I lift up some heavy weights, I am hoping to inspire others to
also bring forward their own inner strength, their own inner peace.”
Sri
Chinmoy continues “the physical body has to become a pure and perfect
instrument of the spirit. I am doing these lifts with the physical
body, but the strength and power are coming from within – from an inner
source. Inner strength is not my monopoly, everybody has it.
There is no such thing as impossibility when you depend entirely on God. My lifting is one hundred percent due to God's Grace.”
Close
friends with many of the greatest bodybuilders in the game, Sri Chinmoy
is encouraged, supported and advised on lifting techniques
by Bill Pearl, 5-times Mr. Universe, Frank Zane, 3-times Mr
Olympia and Lee Haney, 8-times Mr. Olympia.
Sri Chinmoy trains
for 3-4 hours in his home every day exercising on a variety of
personally designed machines to exercise all muscle groups. He began
lifting a single dumbbell, but now lifts pairs of dumbbells and everyday objects such as cars,
elephants, helicopters and people. This year he took on a new challenge
and wrist-curled a massive 270 pound dumbbell, 30 times with each
wrist.
So Sri Chinmoy continues to workout and lift, to inspire and show that ‘old-age’ is really a state of mind. And what has motivated him for all of these years? Sri Chinmoy believes in the philosophy of self-transcendence. As Frank Zane says – “it’s not about competing with others to see who can lift more, it’s about competing with yourself, accomplishing new personal records and exceeding past efforts.”
Apart from his weightlifting Sri Chinmoy is
also a musician, composer, author,
artist, poet, philosopher, sports
enthusiast and humanitarian. He quietly demonstrates just what can be
achieved if we live with a youthful, dynamic and determined heart when
pursuing our dreams and aspirations.
Sports related links -
Article by Sri Chinmoy - spiritual connection to physical fitness
Articles on Sri Chinmoy by one of his students - redefining the impossible / mighty things from small beginnings
Weightlifting Videos and weightlifting links of Sri Chinmoy at Sri Chinmoy TV
Article in Veg. Society about Sri Chinmoy's - Weightlifting
