Jim Schmitz - Olympic Weightlifting

Incredible place for any weighlifters !!

Jim Schmitz is an amazing coach and an absolute legend in the Bay. He works with all skill levels and offers a lot of wisdom in coaching, training and competing. I was fortunate enough to train under Jim for few years when I got really into the sport.He will have different programs depending on the ability of the athlete and adjusts accordingly. We would train 2-4x a week, depending on our fitness and if we were targeting a local competition date. The crowd at the gym was great, as we had such a supportive and enthusiastic group. I would definitely recommend Jim to someone starting out in weightlifting as he is a treasure trove of funny jokes, weightlifting knowledge and history, and overall great coaching.

I've had a great experience training with Jim. There's always plenty to learn from his unmatched experience.

A great group of olympic weightlifters led by a great coach. The Sports Palace is as much a historical institution as it is a great place to practice the sport of Olympic weightlifting.

Whether you're an experienced weightlifter looking to train for competition, or someone new to the sport seeking an introduction / trying to get in shape, this is the place to be.Jim lends his depth of experience and breadth of knowledge from decades of coaching, and the community of friendly lifters provides the positive reinforcement to keep you motivated and coming back. An opportunity not to be missed in the age of dangerously inexperienced and undertrained "coaches."

Jim is one of the best coaches you can get for learning the olympic lifts! He is also a wealth of stories and history from his past in working as a coach for Team USA and coaching some of the first women sent to represent Team USA in the Olympics! He also has some crazy stories of old San Francisco, since his gym used to be located right on Valencia street in San Francisco (around 826 Valencia, I think).In terms of what to expect, Jim assigns you a program to do (2-3 times a week, just let him know what you have the time for) and he will let you know how much weight to use for each exercise. If you are looking good, he will have you attempt a new personal best. Accessory exercises will be assigned if you look like you need it. If you become injured, you can get a different plan from him and he can make some suggestions on what to try. All exercises are done in group environment with other people sharing the platform as necessary and taking turns, and people are generally pretty friendly. If you want more individual attention, you can either arrange something with him or come earlier.Everyone is also encouraged to join some of the local competitions and Jim will definitely support you in this effort (he often judges at the local meets). All ages and genders are welcome at this gym! I've seen young teens whose parents want them to get strong for football to even 70-75 year olds come and learn to do the lifts under Jim. Jim is a local treasure! Don't miss it if you can come lift at the Sports Palace.

I've been training with Jim for a few months now and it has been a great experience so far. I usually feel a little intimidated when I walk into a new gym I've never been to especially if it is not a commercial gym but Jim and his lifters were very welcoming and Jim guided me on what to do and walked me through his program from day 1. It's a friendly community and you will get a good workout in and learn a lot. It is not an everyday opportunity to get coached by someone who coached team USA in the Olympics.