Conqueror Weightlifting

Conqueror

Weightlifting

Conqueror

Weightlifting

Conqueror

Weightlifting

Conqueror

Weightlifting

Conqueror

Weightlifting

Conqueror

Weightlifting

About us

Mission Statement

To provide exceptional coaching in Olympic weightlifting and fundamental strength training principles within a supportive environment that empowers everyone to develop themselves to the very best of their ability.

Core Values

Effort: The primary determinant of success for our team is effort. It is one thing we all have complete control over and everyone, regardless of ability level, can devote their very best effort towards mastering any task or challenge set before them.
Attitude: Daily attitude is another area completely under each individual’s control and is a vital part of successful development. We expect our team members to be positive, teachable, and personally accountable for their success.
Trust: Honesty and integrity are critical in developing a strong coach-athlete relationship. We expect all members of this team to be individuals who can be counted on to honor their word, be trustworthy and make wise choices both inside and outside the gym.
Respect: We are unique individuals who bring different backgrounds and interests to the team. Regardless of personal differences, we will be a team who always treats each other with honor and respect.

Coach Information

CJ Del Balso, MS, CSCS, RSCC, USAW International Coach

Coach Del Balso has been actively coaching weightlifting athletes since 2008. He is an International Level Coach with USA Weightlifting and has developed athletes who have competed on both the national and international levels including 5 national champions and 15 national medalists. Coach Del Balso also serves as a lead instructor for the USA Weightlifting coaching certification program which trains coaches in how to effectively teach and implement the Olympic weightlifting movements.

Morning by appt only

testimonials

I have known CJ Del Balso since 2007 and have found him to be a highly effective coach who is skilled at developing young weightlifting athletes. As a former high school teacher and coach myself, I have been particularly impressed with CJ's ability to teach youth athletes sound lifting technique while developing them into proficient competitive weightlifters as well as fine young men and ladies. Over the past 15 years, he has built successful weightlifting programs at 3 different schools and has extensive experience taking weightlifting athletes through the process of starting as a total beginner and developing into a national and even international level weightlifting athlete. CJ is an accomplished coach and it is my pleasure to offer him my highest recommendation.

Mike Burgener

Owner - Burgener StrengthUSA Weightlifting Senior International Coach
USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame Inductee

I have known, watched, mentored, and admired Coach Del Balso’s work with student athletes for many years. CJ has been instrumental in organization and building a Strength and Conditioning program in three different high schools. At each school program he has produced athletes in Weightlifting who have been successful in National and International Competitions. His athletes have also been successful in high school athletic competitions and student leadership roles. In addition, the athletes CJ coaches, are solid citizens and move on to successful lives. Many times we just look at the athlete’s competition achievements, when in fact, it is important how we affect their lives after sport also. CJ is a solid person who students look up to. Carl Jung said, “One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child”. CJ Del Balso is one of these people and your son/daughter will benefit in performance and character under his coaching.

Pat Cullen-Carol,

M.Ed., CSCS*D, RSCC*EUSAW International Coach

Strength & Conditioning / Weightlifting Coach , CJ Del Balso …. “gets it.” His priority has always been to teach his young students/ lifters the correct way to do weightlifting, with the priority to see them all be successful in sport , but also life. CJ is an educated Coach (masters degree), holding other specialized certifications as well , but he has good common sense. CJ knows how to “apply the lifting movements.” CJ has qualified athletes to *Local,*State, *National & *International competitions. He is one of our top developmental coaches in the USA.

Ray Jones

USAW Senior International Coach

CJ and I met in our graduate program at A.T. Still University around 2010 and it was clear that CJ was a step or two ahead of his peers. His knowledge of biomechanics and ability to apply it to Weightlifting and strength training are superior. His ability to handle youth athletes is outstanding so, I entrusted him to coach one of my athletes at the 2013 USAW Youth National Championship and that athlete achieved personal record performances under his guidance! As far as high school athletics is concerned, CJ is not a game sport coach who happens to run the weight room as an adjunct. He’s a professional that applies sensible training methods for the developmental level of the population he is working with and demands excellence from his students and peers, resulting in outstanding gains in strength and power. The student-athletes that have trained with him are truly lucky!

Adam Blalock,

MS, CSCS, USAW-IIProfessor of Exercise Science
Collegiate & High School S&C Coach

As a veteran weightlifting coach who has trained athletes of all levels including a two-time Olympic medalist and World Champion, I have been impressed with CJ Del Balso's ability to consistently develop young weightlifters who possess excellent technique and always compete well. His skill as a coach is evident in the national and international level lifters he has produced over the past 15 years I have known him. If you are looking for a coach who can help you develop into a skilled weightlifter or just learn sound strength training principles, CJ Del Balso is a coach you can trust to help you reach your goals.

Tim Swords

USAW Senior International CoachUSAW Hall of Fame Member

CJ’s experience with teaching weightlifting to youth and adult populations is a testament to his knowledge within the field. Add in the fact that he has been in the high school setting as a strength and conditioning coach managing individuals with none to limited experience regarding strength training and developing long term athletic development with those who he works with daily. I’ve personally visited CJ on multiple occasions to see him train various groups and his attention to detail is concise. He can breakdown complex movements into easier understanding concepts to get the best out of anyone who he trains.

Will Otto,

MS, RSCC, CSCS, USAW-ASPCWomen’s Soccer and Men & Women’s Swimming & Diving
Performance Enhancement Coach
Penn State University

A very common trait of people that live a happy and fulfilling life is self-confidence. Continually mastering activities and achieving goals is a proven method to increase self-confidence. Athletic development, especially in youth is an avenue an individual can explore and experience the benefits of increased self-confidence. Developing an athlete, at any age, is much more than knowing X's and O's or a training plan. It requires a balance of technical knowledge and the ability to develop a healthy athlete/coach relationship focused on long-term athletic development. CJ is in the minority of coaches that understand this balance for long term growth. CJ has the technical knowledge and knows how to foster a positive athlete/coach relationship that is important to both short and long-term athletic development. CJ can teach your child how to be successful in sport. What separates CJ from the rest is that he will do so in a way that will help your child with self-confidence and positive self-growth.

Bobby Sirkis

USAW National CoachIWF Category 2 Technical Official
International Athlete Medal Count: 6

It has been my pleasure to know Coach Del Balso for 15 years. He is an outstanding coach who coaches from his heart. He has earned the USAW International Coach certification by coaching athletes onto International teams for USA Weightlifting. Coach Del Balso is a technician in his coaching style. It is obvious in the way his athletes compete that technique is a top priority in his coaching. He leads his athletes with character, integrity and grit.

CJ Stockel

USAW Senior International Coach
2022 NHSSCA Hall of Fame Inductee

CJ is the reason I got involved in weightlifting. Early on he came to my gym and did a weightlifting clinic and helped me get started in my career as an athlete. While doing so he also began mentoring me as a coach. I now have been running my club since 2015 and have worked with 100's of athletes, all thanks to CJ for taking his time to work with me and help me become the coach I am today!

Chris Lofland

USAW National CoachOwner/Head Coach-Blue Wave Weightlifting

Coach Del Balso started an entire weightlifting program from scratch at CVCS, a tiny school in Orange County, California. From this tiny school, his technical and tactical skill in coaching weightlifting according to national standards developed not only one but two National Champions! Suffice it to say, they did not have a National Champion before he started in forty years of athletics, and they haven’t had one after he has left. Coach Del Balso is also an accomplished strength and conditioning coach whose coaching achievements far exceed that of any other strength and conditioning coach that I know of in Southern California. He is recognized as a leader in the strength and conditioning community here. A teacher at my previous school told me about “the best strength and conditioning clinic I’ve ever been to was down in Orange County this weekend.” I said “Let me guess ‘CJ Del Balso?’” And she said “How did you know??!!” That’s just the reputation that he has.

Chris Fore

Principal - Palmdale Aerospace Academy
Former President of the California Coaches Association
17-Year Veteran Football Coach

I have known CJ Del Balso for over 15 years through the sport of weightlifting. During this time I have witnessed Coach Del Balso be a premier professional and one of the best developmental coaches in USA Weightlifting. He has consistently developed technical and competitive weightlifters, while also developing young men and women with character.

Stan Luttrell

Head Strength Coach at Colquitt County HS
USA Weightlifting Senior International Coach

I had the privilege of having Coach Del Balso as my Lead Strength Coach during his tenure here at Beckman High School. Under his guidance, I observed excellent organization, structure to programming and teaching of lifts. He built great relationships with my athletes while ensuring they had a safe, positive environment to train. Without a doubt, his training made my athletes stronger, more explosive and made them more confident athletes overall.

Steve Fischel

Athletic DirectorBeckman High School

Programs

Weightlifting Team

This program is designed for individuals of any age (Youth through Masters) who desire to learn and train the Olympic weightlifting movements. The goal of this program is to develop technical proficiency in the weightlifting movements, build overall strength and prepare individuals to compete in the sport of weightlifting.

Training program based on individual skill level, goals, and commitment
Small group training sessions planned and supervised by USAW International Coach, CJ Del Balso
Coaching at local and national level competitions
Morning and afternoon training options to accommodate varying schedule demands
Month-to-month membership (no contracts and no additional fees)

4 sessions per week: $199 per month
3 sessions per week: $179 per month

Weightlifting For Sports Performance

This program is designed for youth (17 and under) athletes who want to correctly learn the Olympic weightlifting movements along with fundamental strength training principles. The methods used in this program are highly effective for developing power, strength, flexibility, and coordination that transfer well to improved athletic performance.

2-day or 3-day per week training options (60 min per session)
Small group sizes to ensure high-quality instruction and learning
All sessions planned and supervised by USAW International Coach, CJ Del Balso
Before and after school training options to accommodate varying schedule demands
Month-to-month membership (no contracts and no additional fees)

3 sessions per week: $179 per month
2 sessions per week: $159 per month

1-on-1 Coaching

1-hour sessions focused on technique development/refinement and individual needs
Available by appointment only
Must be scheduled outside of the normal small-group training hours
Remote sessions can be accommodated

1 session = $85
Package of 4 sessions = $300

Weightlifting Team

Details

3-5 days per week of programming depending on skill level, goals, and commitment
Small group training sessions supervised by USAW International Coach, CJ Del Balso Coaching at local and national level
Morning and afternoon training options to accommodate varying schedule demands
Month-to-month membership (no contracts and no additional fees)
4 days per week of programming (can be adjusted based on skill level, goals, and commitment)

$199 per month

Weightlifting For Sports Performance

Details

3-5 days per week of programming depending on skill level, goals, and commitment
Small group training sessions supervised by USAW International Coach, CJ Del Balso Coaching at local and national level
Morning and afternoon training options to accommodate varying schedule demands
Month-to-month membership (no contracts and no additional fees)
4 days per week of programming (can be adjusted based on skill level, goals, and commitment)

3 sessions per week: $179 per month
2 sessions per week: $159 per month

1 on 1 Coaching

1 on 1 coaching sessions are available to existing members only and must be scheduled outside of the normal small-group training hours.

$75 per hour

Weightlifting Team

Details

3-5 days per week of programming depending on skill level, goals, and commitment
Small group training sessions supervised by USAW International Coach, CJ Del Balso Coaching at local and national level
Morning and afternoon training options to accommodate varying schedule demands
Month-to-month membership (no contracts and no additional fees)
4 days per week of programming (can be adjusted based on skill level, goals, and commitment)

$199 per month

Weightlifting For Sports Performance

Details

3-5 days per week of programming depending on skill level, goals, and commitment
Small group training sessions supervised by USAW International Coach, CJ Del Balso Coaching at local and national level
Month-to-month membership (no contracts and no additional fees)

3 sessions per week: $179 per month
2 sessions per week: $159 per month

1 on 1 Coaching

1 on 1 coaching sessions are available to existing members only and must be scheduled outside of the normal small-group training hours.

$199 per hour

$199 per month

3 sessions per week: $179 per month 2 sessions per week: $159 per month

$75 per hour

FAQ

What is weightlifting?

Weightlifting (aka Olympic weightlifting) is a sport where athletes compete against each other by completing two lifts: the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. The Snatch is performed by lifting a barbell from the ground to an overhead position all in one motion. For the Clean and Jerk, the weight is first lifted from the ground to the shoulders and then extended overhead. Each athlete has three attempts on both the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk, with the highest successful attempt on each lift counting towards the final total. The total of the two lifts are added up and the athlete with the highest total for both lifts is the winner. Athletes in this sport compete within specific age and weight classes which makes it a great sport for people of all ages and sizes.

Can I start weightlifting if I have no prior lifting experience?

Absolutely! Having prior experience is not a prerequisite for learning the Olympic lifts or participating in weightlifting as a sport. The only requirements are an eagerness to learn and working to the best of your ability. We will systematically teach you how to correctly perform the weightlifting movements along with the fundamental strength training principles required for success. Everyone in our program will progress at a pace that is appropriate for their skill and ability level.

Is weightlifting safe for children to be participating in?

Olympic weightlifting and/or general resistance training is safe for children of any age to engage in provided the program is designed and supervised by a qualified coach with experience teaching and developing youth. Furthermore, the sport of weightlifting itself has an exceptional record of safety including one of the lowest rates of injury per 100 participant hours compared to all sports. Check out the following resources to view more detailed information on the safety of weightlifting and resistance training for youth.

Position Statement on Youth Resistance Training: National Strength and Conditioning Association
Resistance Training for Children and Adolescents: American Academy of Pediatrics
Position Statement on Youth Resistance Training: British Journal of Sports Medicine

Who will be supervising the training sessions?

All training sessions will be planned and supervised by CJ Del Balso who possesses 20+ years of experience working with youth as both a teacher and coach. Coach Del Balso is a professional Physical Education instructor who has taught the weightlifting movements to thousands of individuals in his experience working in schools. He is an International Level Coach with USA Weightlifting in addition to being a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach (RSCC) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

What is the minimum age to be able to start weightlifting?

There is no minimum age requirement for a child to begin weightlifting or general resistance training. The only prerequisites are that the child is mature enough to consistently follow instructions and undergo the physical stresses involved in a training program. The specific plan for each child will be appropriately structured based on age, developmental level, and overall physical skills.

Is there an age limit to start weightlifting?

No. One of the great aspects of weightlifting is that it is a lifetime sport that individuals of any age can participate in. Masters level (age 35+) weightlifting is growing in the U.S. and there are currently age divisions extending all the way to 80+ years old. If you would like to start weightlifting, contact us and we will work with you to provide a training program that is optimal for your current skill and ability level.

What is the benefit of training with the Olympic lifts?

The Olympic lifts, consisting of the Snatch, Clean & Jerk and variations of these movements, are a time-tested and extremely effective tool for building strength, power and overall athleticism. The explosive nature of these movements makes them particularly valuable for building physical qualities that transfer well to improved athletic performance. Even if you are just training to improve general strength and wellness, the Olympic weightlifting movements are an excellent component of any sound resistance training program as they efficiently develop multiple qualities simultaneously including strength, power, flexibility, and general body awareness.

How do I get started?

Before starting a new membership, we ask that each prospective member set up a video or in-person meeting to discuss their background and goals. Ultimately, we want to make sure that your goals and our services are aligned before proceeding. From there, we will schedule an in-person movement screening to gauge your physical readiness to begin training. The final step to get started simply involves the set-up of a monthly membership at which point training can begin.

events

USAW Level 1 Course

In this two-day course, participants will learn how to safely and effectively teach the Olympic weightlifting movements in addition to best practices for utilizing these movements with beginner lifters and sport performance athletes.

Instructed by: CJ Del Balso

Location: Conqueror Weightlifting

Address: 20343 Blondo Parkway, Suite 104, Elkhorn, NE 68022

Dates: 2/22/2025: 8am – 5pm, 2/23/2025: 8am – 2pm

Price: $549

Contact CJ Del Balso at [email protected] with questions regarding this event.