Jordan Wissinger has been making a lot of noise on the US weightlifting scene over the last few years. His path into the sport is the typical story we hear all the time these days: He was a CrossFitter, then he figured out he had a talent for the lifting part of CrossFit, then he decided to focus on weightlifting and try a competition, then he became a full-time lifter. It seems like we’ve read this pattern a million times.
 
But there aren’t exactly a million Jordan Wissingers running around. His back story might be typical, but his performance has been exceptional. Within three years of starting the sport, Jordan had established himself as one of the top male lifters in the country, qualifying for the Pan Am and World teams as a junior, and then the senior World Team in 2018. His total is starting to creep up close to the 300 kg mark at 67 kg bodyweight, making him a player for any international team in the country, including the big kahuna: the Olympic Team.
 
Jordan balances a busy life, school, work, and an upcoming marriage while pursuing his dreams on the platform. He’s a hard-working guy, and the Performance Menu is pleased to share his story with you.
 
Tell us about your background. Where are you from, where do you currently live, what’s your occupation, family life, what kind of sports background do you have outside of lifting, etc.
 
I am from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and still reside within that county. Currently, I am enrolled as a full-time student in an online Master’s degree in Sports Science and Rehabilitation through Logan University. My undergraduate degree is a Bachelor's of Science in Athletic Training that I earned through a nearby university named Alvernia University. Besides that, I am waiting for the last few licenses to be approved before I can work part-time and per diem as an athletic trainer. I also just started a nutrition and strength and conditioning company with my fiancé within the last month, as she is ISSA Nutrition Specialist Certified. Besides my AT Licensure, I also hold the CSCS Certification.
 
I like to spend time with my close family and fiancé by relaxing at home or having a laid-back dinner outing. Besides that, I don’t have many friends or a social life other than one friend from my university and the few from my gym due to the time demands of weightlifting.
 
In my earlier life, I participated in my scholastic sports such as football, soccer, and ultimately wrestling, all while participating in recreational gymnastics from the time I was five years old until 15 years old. I found CrossFit when I was 15 from my gymnastics instructor and eventually found a love for that sport. I went for the CFL1 a week after I turned 17, the minimum age to obtain the license, and since I had coached CrossFit before moving full time to weightlifting and ceased coaching CrossFit around the beginning of 2016, my freshman year of college.
 
Describe your weightlifting history. When/how did you start? Who have your coaches been? What are your proudest accomplishments?
As I fell into CrossFit, I also found a passion for the barbell. Unfortunately, I stand only 5’6” tall, which is generally not a great size to be competitive in CrossFit as it was difficult for me to hold the weight needed to hold my own against stronger and bigger competitors. As I entered my freshman year of college at the end of the summer of 2015, I decided I needed to add some strength to my Olympic lifts and squats, so I did a four-month strength cycle. By the end of that cycle, I decided to give weightlifting a shot, and I was decent. I reached out to a coach who was around an hour away near Philadelphia and he helped me for a few months before I found Dane Miller at the end of December 2015. He was much closer, and I knew he had made a few great athletes up to that point, so I decided to switch over. Since early 2016, he has been my coach and the only coach to be by my side at a national event or higher. My proudest accomplishment has been making the 2018 Senior World Championship team. Unfortunately, it was not competing there, as I bombed out for the first time in my competitive weightlifting career. There were many great lessons learned and brought back from that trip which have been studied, learned from and applied to my training and competition preparation since then. A few of my other proud moments have been making the 2017 Junior Pan Am and World Team and also medaling at the 2019 Senior Pan Am Championships.
 
Please give a basic description of your training method. Just tell us as much as you can about your program, weekly/yearly planning, etc.
 
Our program can be quite intricate, and I would not do it justice if I tried my best to decipher it completely. I will discuss what I have seen and discussed regarding my programming with my coach Dane Miller. He considers the program as a constantly undulating program where some days will vary in intensity and volume compared to other days of the week for each of the respective exercises of the day. As the weeks progress, we tend to progress in intensity the entire cycle while the third week of the four-week cycle, we deload for volume but not intensity, generally. I have taken the approach of tracking my intensity relative to my one rep maximums, and training volume in a volume log I created upon coming back from the 2018 World Championships when I bombed out. Since adopting that record keeping, I have been able to better view my overall volume and intensity and decide weights throughout a training session or week and how to progress from one week to another across the span of micro or mesocycles. We have also implemented a new style of technique that more closely resembles Loredana Toma. This has still not been fully achieved and is currently a work in progress, and maybe for many months to come, but the idea is to become more efficient over time leading to better consistency in my successful lifts along with heavier weights lifted.
 
Describe some of the obstacles you face, or maybe some things that frustrate you in your weightlifting life. What kinds of changes would you like to see, either personally or with the sport in general?
 
I think one of the biggest obstacles for me currently is being able to support myself in weightlifting. At the time of this writing, I do not receive any form of support from USAW, as according to their support system, I have not earned the right to any support. Since I just recently graduated from an undergraduate degree, am still waiting on my licenses, in a full-time master’s program and recently started a small business which has yet to take off on my part. It is difficult to make an income that can support my training. Garage Strength has a non-profit group that has helped subsidize some of the costs to fly, register, and for hotel/Airbnb stays at events in hopes of staying eligible for the 2020 Olympics, and this has been my saving grace so far. The support from my mother and my fiancé has been wonderful as well. They have kept my dreams alive and want to see me succeed, even if that means sacrifice on their side and my side, for which I am very thankful for.
 
The other challenge is obviously doping. Although with the new changes we have seen some countries abide by the rules and have seen their athletes lifting more realistic numbers to countries known for strict doping rules, we have still seen countries known for doping still increasing their totals. With that, there are still positive drug tests. Unfortunately, I believe there will always be this doping and therefore an unfair advantage for some athletes who are unrightfully taking away medals for those who are following the rules.
 
Another issue, more specific to the USA, is a specified type of technique or training and also full time and permanent training location. With so many coaches throughout the nation, technique varies greatly and with that, a certain level of disagreement on segments of each lift. I think having a few national training camps throughout the year at well-known facilities or easily accessible facilities per year would be greatly beneficial where coaches are also invited to learn from one another, and this could lead to more successful USA athletes.
 
What are your plans and goals for your weightlifting career? How do you see your future in the sport?
 
Ideally, I would like to make the Olympics. There is a very slim chance of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but as long as there is a chance, I am fighting as the underdog to make that happen. Realistically, I would like to make the 2024 and 2028. I think I may retire at the 2028 LA Olympics if I make that team, as I will be 31 years old and that seems like a good time. If I feel as if I have more in me, I may try for the 2032 Olympics as well. After that, I would like to give back either as a coach, on the medical staff or a combination. My dream is to one day own a sports performance and strength facility and train all forms of athletes ranging from recreational to elite. Another dream of mine would be to produce a World Team member or Olympian. Until then, keep making World Teams and try to enjoy this very intense process.
 
Who are some of your major influences, people you look up to, etc.? Who are the people you want to thank for your success?
 
I look up to athletes who show a great deal of self-confidence in themselves, energy during the competition, and amazing technical skills. Such athletes as Shi Zhiyong, Mohamed Ehab, Loredana Toma, Lu Xiaojun, Ritvars Suharevs, Kuo Hsing-Chun, Lee Sangyeon, and a few others. I can watch these lifters either as inspiration for technique, confidence, energy, or for pure motivation based on their level of athletic capabilities. I would like to thank my family and fiancé for supporting me when it is very difficult to support myself. My coach, Dane Miller, and the Garage Strength non-profit help me along my journey as well. They were also a huge part in my support, along with Dane providing some of the best coaching an athlete in this nation could ask for. Along with the GS non-profit, the GS weightlifting and throwing team. We are not just a weightlifting gym, but a sports performance facility for many forms of athletes. I have found some great friends and support from the throwers. Lastly, the USAW community. I love getting direct messages from people, having conversations online, although arguably it is not helpful for my time management skills, and also meeting and having conversations with people at national events. If you see me or want to reach me, please do. I am very open, as long as it is not at an inconvenient time. The USAW community is another great source of motivation for me. Thank you all for showing love and support!

And you’ve got a lot of support from the lifting community, Jordan. Keep up the disciplined work in your life, and we’ll be watching for bigger lifts in the future!