JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================q" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?4Rpx?P+A|NvRJ(?952l*xn"yy!UϽ&řdqOSWF2[]E튐*$/@|i0۬A\אq:r@ XLK6(> jJM}g:|?uƪ3zy= KmsrxY ˙ oFw1[$ LjId1&`^m#SXpE4q9=ȤЬt >JGпoQ9_v=p+Sѥ($ ~5fY_YR(;Kc^V"2ha8$lRB1>i`TyV[uìsZkŜ$vMXEcq*R6a8Tn:TqZ-m|Rث> /Aoby mpEzsHJOS$zܚutX',[>6#dd󢼞zͰ$cGU=4Wa\r;w+O5!QH޽qH*@#X =Í䳷%E$^L!{Zic`t p!u`ONA~u <ߊq0A>ƻ'@ Iٱ  `zfY[WvcڹqRQEݳ'%L2ycz:sҷT8$z<:H`DžMb)\- {7jç^*c;HumU2h ^UjuTtgi ˿/ECzv`c*iŸIo s7&ՠKGD 1R-ZTXƷP:n<֕cg%um%{sf?}k/A"}E熾FJ*ɜ`it4ZUI"0%՞7S28OԊ|zھ:%眏MˠՋ~iM.G]]7R" 0,z7kil#i`ݵE(]7t^Dp+*jvkjQQqhx+,>S݉=GO{p0r=GWR39*/>4OjӂDžMgS/n\1^ӢxDъ P?Lw[:?ul'c?]z}F8uw׬ƊPGS݂+Ѵfanst=65* #X5:E!sı9*8 Xi&aۏS]0 2>e l q\h]YeҪpH϶r :~vio kp7UXD U[QV\׌5c`!''q5*+[/lP+$s(ÌCC\Wtu@3"&rYܨђ|\ W;gdr};bSq\[;XSM Y+ӼEmI@W\xHmT̬ۏ: FRi.Ǡ=RiAsϹn_2wn=>]SwJ#ߚ@/.~-'ہSZ\]B]6;IJ E9oϠW?r|E}:ob<^=@YnFV*W=yxdmAsr8|n5?WHZxg?Sգ,LԩgL&w;.5 5}k|` S L֓t&)JC/̇Ey+7|#_>._7kkd{ aW :NO5Fйw0IcDNr4K8Cׅ<={OJPn"7B1 Y⥳n"&]#eXtNJ]MJqkp#Sqި;]_[n_'':E~ 3Npzܭcd8llW\^#%= AqJaj;dH]sI5)U=JGvc~= P,0֚I K}HQYrpҊ, jDQL ^QXVN7]K序n?ޢ3LGŠSt(ÌxQE =  V_QEx5>g}?R>Q^{[ҿ!Vu8|GYǔ?TKhz=):?So(_^8ezQEv7ZCEmQ@2q:4h Aɓ)rA2;P/MRyȇ#=Ǯ x;Ф$7#*g9brzԠ^EP"q8>0"OQ@p9ݛOE_13}i#EN?QHp; Competition is a test of ones self.&nbsp; I made myself as ready as I could and then when I stepped up to compete I would say to myself I have prepared the best I can and there is nothing left for me to do but my very best." </P> <P>Al Oerter never did have professional coaching.&nbsp; But following his four Olympic victories he commented, "Now, I am introduced to professionals everywhere I go: therapists, psychologists, business managers, and trainers.&nbsp; But, I am used to being self reliant and it has worked well for me."&nbsp; Oerter's coaches were a calendar and a towel.&nbsp; He recalls, "my calendar had 1460 days on it, which was the number of days I had to train before the next Olympics.&nbsp; I checked off every day that I gave 110% effort."&nbsp; Then, during training I would use a towel to mark the distance I threw. I never set a goal on 'the perfect distance' I simply worked to beat the towel.&nbsp; Often people would watch me train but I didn't notice them much because I was so focused on that towel.&nbsp; </P> <P>"While training for the Olympics, Oerter adopted the training philosophy of Norm Schemansky: work hard for 45 minutes with no coaxing, no looking at mirrors and no B.S. talk. &nbsp;Norm quickly became one of Al Oerter's greatest heros.&nbsp; Oerter worked hard lifting 12 months a year.&nbsp; So, at age 32 when he won his fourth Olympic Gold Medal, he was 6'-4" and weighed 295 pounds.&nbsp; He was able to arrow grip Bench Press 525 for two reps, Squat (touch a bench at parallel) for 5 reps at 725 pounds, Hang Clean 5 reps at 350 pounds, perform swinging, explosive curls for 5 reps at 325 pounds and do dumbbell alternate presses, flys and curls with 100 to 120 pound dumbbells.&nbsp; "I had a strong back from doing the old Jefferson Lift," remembered Oerter.&nbsp; "I used up to 450 pounds evenat a young age."&nbsp;</P> <P>Oerter doesn't think that it is possible for an Upper Limit athlete to avoid injuries.&nbsp; "If you work at elevated levels," reasoned Oerter, "you must expect some injuries.&nbsp; You don't look for injuries but you must push yourself. &nbsp;That is the only way to become stronger."</P> <P>In Rome, Oerter slipped on a muddy ring in the preliminaries and ripped the cartilage loose from his rib cage.&nbsp; "That was devastating," remembered Oerter, "I couldn't sleep, eat or thow. It really hurt!"&nbsp; The doctors told him there was nothing they could do.&nbsp; But,