Lu Xiaojun Workout And Diet

Weightlifter

Born: 1984

Lu Xiaojun was born in the Hubei Province in China into a family of farmers. When he was 13, Lu joined a sports school and began training as a weightlifter. In 1999 at age 15, his coach sent him to join the provincial team. Lu represented his province of Hubei in the Chinese national weightlifting championships in 2003 and took bronze. He was then recruited to the national team and went to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He is a 3-time Olympic champion and has set numerous world records. In December, 2022, Lu tested positive for the banned substance EPO and was suspended until the case is resolved. He is married and has 2 children. Lu has a limited presence online. He is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs about 175 lbs.

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Lu Xiaojun’s Diet

Diet Summary

Lu has a different diet problem than most weightlifters: sometimes his weight is too low. When he was competing at 77 kg, he had an easier time, but once the weight categories were rearranged and he got bumped up to the 81 kg class, he began to struggle. He says his max weight is 82 kg, so he must eat a lot to make weight. As for his staples, he loves noodles and anything spicy. He drinks plenty of water and broth.

Estimated Macros

Medium Protein

Medium Fat

Medium Carb

Diet Details

Spice It Up

Lu loves spicy food. No matter what he is having, noodles, fish, veggies, etc., he wants it to be spicy.

All You Can Eat Buffet

Because he is naturally slim and burns calories like a blast furnace, Lu gets to eat whatever he wants, including right before a competition. His go-tos are all healthy and natural, however. He loves noodles, eggs, and soup.

Insta-Meal

Lu’s meal of choice before a competition is instant noodles. He says the team always brings lots of noodles with them when they travel, and the team nutritionist will whip up interesting sauces to go on top. His are of course spicy.

What to Eat

  • Noodles
  • Meat
  • Seafood
  • Vegetables
  • Soup
  • Fruit
  • Yogurt
  • Spices
  • Water

What to Avoid

  • Not eating enough
  • Junk food
  • Refined foods
  • Processed foods
  • Artificial additives
  • Chemicals

Lu on being part of the Chinese national team

In terms of lifestyle and diet, your coach ain’t gonna be there 24/7 checking up on you.

Lu on the food at the Tokyo Olympics canteen

I’d rather go back to my room and cook instant noodles.

Lu on making weight

I just need to get something down. Who cares about nutrition?

Lu on commercially available instant noodles

They’re all good.

Lu Xiaojun’s Workout Routine

Workout Routine

World Record Holder

Lu is a powerhouse and set the world record in the Men’s 81 kg category for Clean & Jerk 207 kg (456.4 lbs) at the 2019 IWF World Championships. Other records include 177 kg (390.2 lbs) Snatch at the 2016 Olympics and a total of 380 kg (837.8 lbs) at the 2013 IWF World Championships.

Strength Matters

Lu says strength is 70-80% of what matters with weightlifting. It was his main focus as a young lifter.

Technical Issues

Lu says that learning proper technique has really given him the confidence to perform at ever higher levels because he knows exactly what he must do, and how to do it. Lu is considered by many to have perfect weightlifting technique.

Weightlifting Rogue

Although bench presses are considered to be a key compound move like squats and deadlifts, Lu says he doesn’t bother with them. Why? Because the move restricts his shoulder mobility. Other moves he avoids include push press and strict press.

Daily Dose

Lu does 2 daily sessions of strength work each day, focusing primarily on strength.

Chinese System

Lu follows the classic Chinese training method of performing many reps of exercises for the chest, triceps and posterior chain to build strength.

Isometric Holds

Besides the standard concentric and eccentric contractions, Lu also perform isometric holds, particularly with hip extension movements.

Pyramid Method

Lu uses a pyramid method, lifting lighter weights for more reps, going to down to single reps as the weight increases.

Exercise Style

A Sample Lu Xioajun Routine

Back squats: 3 reps at lighter weight, 2 reps at medium weight, single rep at max weight.
Weighted Dips: 60 kg x 10 reps x 2 sets
Hip Extensions w/ barbell: 10 reps x 3 sets x 10-13 sec hold

Lu on his early training

Strength was a priority when I was younger.

Lu on how his training has evolved

As I got older, especially once I hit 30, I started focusing more on the “sensation” of the techniques and how the lifts should feel.

Lu on the importance of good technique

My intention is always to push toward perfection, technically.

Lu on reasons to avoid the bench press

It restricts shoulder mobility…Even worse if you form a [bad] habit…I recommend not training it.

Lu on why he continues to compete

I am completely self-motivated to commit to weightlifting because I simply love it.

Lu Xiaojun’s Supplements

Any supplements Lu might take are kept secret, so below are options that can benefit anyone following a similar diet plan.

huge whey protein

Whey Protein

Most weightlifters take whey protein to build muscle and speed recovery.

Creatine

Creatine

Creatine is always on the list for weightlifters because it supports gains and strength. Beta-alanine is another must-have for muscle strength and size.

Omega 3s

Omega-3s

Omega-3s combat inflammation and support overall health. Betaine is another weightlifting supplement which has been shown in studies to increase power and strength.

Taurine

Taurine

The amino acid taurine is yet another smart pick for boosting muscle mass.

Wheat Germ Oil

Wheat germ

Wheat germ is rich in protein and increases endurance and reaction time as well as muscle strength.

Green Tea

Green tea

green tea is popular with those who do want to cut weight, and its many antioxidants make it an excellent addition to any diet for overall health and wellness.

Lu Xiaojun’s Lifestyle

Needs Must

Lu grew up in rural China as part of a family of farmers. He began training as a weightlifter to escape rural poverty, and at age 15, his coach sent him to train with the team to help alleviate the financial burden on his family.

Great Dad

Lu says that while it is hard to be away from his family for long periods of time while training, he is proud to be a role model for the next generation of weightlifters.

Secret Interviews

As a Chinese national, Lu is technically not allowed to give interviews to anyone outside China. But he has occasionally been able to sneak an interview, involving lots of cloak-and-dagger sneaking around, and lots of waiting on the part of the journalist.

Oldest Olympian

In 2021 at age 37, Lu became the oldest man to win an Olympic gold medal in weightlifting. He plans on going to Paris for the next Olympics.

Asian Powerhouse

You might not think of China as being the home weightlifting champs, but of the 60 possible men’s and women’s combined world records, China holds 25 of them.

Doping Ban

In December 2022, Lu tested positive for the blood booster hormone EPO. He denies taking any illegal substances and is allowed to have a backup sample tested, but is banned until the issue is resolved.

Lu on the secret to a long career in weightlifting

Enthusiasm for weightlifting is pretty important.

Lu on being over 30 in the world of weightlifting

My age doesn’t bother me because to me…it’s not an obstacle.

Lu on the sport of weightlifting

I enjoy weightlifting so much that it has become a huge part of my life.

Lu on perfecting technique

To me, practice makes perfect technique.

Lu on age & weightlifting

Five years is a long time for a man of this age.

Lu on his age

I get better as I get older.

Lu on his longevity in the sport of weightlifting

It is a beautiful art, and maybe that is why I can be an athlete for such a long time.

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