2012 Asian Weightlifting Championships Days 1&2

Posted by liftingc on Apr 22, 2012 in Blog, News & Updates | 1 comment

First in the news:
USOC lifted the bar for Muslim woman by Philip Hersh at the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/globetrotting/chi-usoc-lifted-the-bar-for-muslim-woman-20120412,0,5770306.column He also wrote 2 other articles last year. here and here

The IWF also has a copy here: http://www.iwf.net/2012/04/16/usoc-lifted-the-bar-for-muslim-woman/

Asian WL Championships Preparations

My schedule has been pretty hectic till I got to sit on the plane (and finally started typing towards this blog post). I generally train 6 days a week. When my shoulder got better, I started adding 2 days of 2 workout sessions for a total of 8 visits to the gym. I have been really focusing on snatch and the split jerk (my weaknesses) trying to be more consistent in technique. Doing a lot of volume work helps to maintain consistency which will lead to being able to get higher weights, as the higher you go and the closer the weight is to body weight, the more precise and fast you need to be in these lifts.

Day by day, I managed my time and had on going to do lists to prepare for Korea and I think this time (and hope) it will be more calm and an easier experience.

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Great News, T-shirt/Jackets & Asian Games Update

Posted by liftingc on Apr 9, 2012 in Blog, News & Updates | 0 comments

GOOD NEWS!

Thanks for your support and purchasing an apparel item(s).  I am getting sponsorship for the trip to the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Korea.  They are going to help me with the remainder of the costs left after donations and t-shirt/jacket proceeds are collected.  The organization is:

Social Vision  

Social Vision is the self-funded, strategic philanthropy arm of ML Resources, LLC. The division invests in innovative capacity-building and community development initiatives with expected high social returns. Social Vision also seeks to increase understanding between the West and the Islamic World by fostering dialogue and partnerships that transcend faith, cultural and ethnic lines. The division’s entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy embodies both the spirits of sharing and tolerance, supporting meaningful causes at the grassroots level.

Muslim Lakhani is Chairman and CEO of ML Resources and ML Private Investments, LLC. He is an entrepreneur and philanthropist of Pakistani origin. For over 25 years, he has developed natural resource projects as well as undertook other business ventures in the Middle East and South Asia. Mr. Lakhani resides with his family in Washington DC.

http://www.mlresourcesllc.com/

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Pakistan Weightlifting T-Shirts, Jackets & the Asian Weightlifting Championships *updated 4/4/12*

Posted by liftingc on Mar 30, 2012 in Blog, News & Updates | 0 comments

(Update – long sleeve choices, sleeve printing info & extended deadline) The details on the Pakistan Weightlifting t-shirts are finalized. The following is information on the t-shirt choices, sizing detail, price, payment information and deadline.   Proceeds go towards the travel expenses for me and Travis to go to the Asian Weightlifting Championships that are being held in Korea where I represent Pakistan.  Thanks to Sarah Watson for help with the design again.   Also thanks both to the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation and my friend from undergrad at University of Central Florida, Humayoun Khan, for help with logistics and moral support.

April 4, 2012 – THANK YOU to those who are also helping out by donating.  I am updating the Sponsor page in real time (yes, I am a computer type person, so I use the lingo).  I also really appreciate the moral support.

(CLICK READ MORE to see the entire post)

Back:

This will be on the back of the t-shirts and jackets.

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March 2012 updates, training & inspiration

Posted by liftingc on Mar 11, 2012 in Blog, News & Updates | 0 comments

Language Translations & Subtitling:

If anyone out there can help me translate my website content into different languages, please let me know. Google translate is improving, but the result is not always accurate or easy to read. I am using this free wordpress plugin: http://www.qianqin.de/qtranslate/

With the help of kind and awesome people, I have gotten translations for the Crossfit Journal video “Lifting Boundaries” and created subtitles files for Youtube. Currently, Arabic (عربی by Tarek Eid) & Farsi (فارسی by Maryam Abbasi) are available, and other languages are pending.  Link to the video with captions flags on. If that does not work, go to the Youtube video and can click on the CC box, and you will see the option to select Arabic, Farsi/Persian and other languages as I get them up there. Then when the video plays, you will see them.

News links:

• Amira Elghawaby interviewed me for Muslim Link a newspaper based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, (Thank you!) http://www.muslimlink.ca/life/leisure/in-conversation-with-hijabi-weightlifter-kulsoom-abdullah
• I got a mention in this article about the Beren Academy’s boys basketball team who are headed to the Texas state championship as now it won’t conflict with the Sabbath. http://hosted2.ap.org/txdam/Article/Article_2012-03-02/id-75baf2a818544f4c9445484e6ecd2283/recordType-Spot%20Development
• Good News – FIFA has now allowed the headscarf for Muslim women players & will be testing specially designed headscarves for the next four months. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-dorsey/iran-womens-soccer-hijab_b_1318549.html

 

Competitions:

Georgia open competition & USA Nationals
I recently competed at the 2012 War Eagle Open held February 11, 2012 at Chestatee High School, Gainesville, Georgia, USA. This competition was after my shoulder healed, so I think I did OK considering that, but of course I wanted to do better. I did not go to USA Nationals which was March 2, 2012 in Columbus. Ohio, USA (held during the Arnold Sports Festival). I needed a qualifying total of 100kg. Currently, I have a 98kg total for valid lifts (no press outs). Because of my shoulder recovery, I decided not to try to compete before the deadline to make a qualifying 100kg total. Finally, for financial reasons, as traveling to Ohio would require a flight, plus all of the travel and accommodation costs, I thought it was not in my best interest to compete. I hope I can next year. Currently, I am planning and training for the Asian Championships.

Asian Games sponsorship

I still need help to cover the financial cost of traveling and competing at the games. Please contact me for more detailed information.

Dr. Susan Kaiser, a Professor in Women and Gender Studies at the University of California in Davis has donated $100. She is writing a book: Fashion and Cultural Studies, to be published by Berg in London in late 2012 or early 2013. It will contain a picture of me competing and will include my story, as she explains “as a brief case study of the interplay between identity/agency and cultural regulation — and how individual agency and identity issues can successfully challenge cultural regulation of style-fashion-dress.”

My good friend from high school, Mary Lewis (http://www.maryjanelewis.com/) has donated $25. She owns a business; Just Bead It! which specializes in handcrafted beaded jewelry and hair accessories. I also received a gift of $27 from a brother who wishes to remain anonymous.

Pakistan Weightlifting T-shirts I need to make a few for my next competition. I decided I will open this up to orders and hopefully be able to raise some funds. (I might include hoodies with a zipper as another option for purchase.) This will not be large scale due to my very busy schedule and limitations. I will need payment for the shirts in advance and I will not be ordering any extra for later purchases. Additionally, I will only use USPS Priority mail shipping which will cost about $7 (several shirts can fit into the flat rate piece). The other option will be to pick up at Crossfit Atlanta. I am in process of finding out the cost from vendors but wanted to post this now as I will only have a 1 week or less time window in which I will advertise and collect payment for shirts before submitting the order. Most likely I will be using these graphics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/105707183241970393017/PakistanWLTShirt?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Inspiration

Dr. Karyn Marhsall

CLICK READ MORE to see the rest of this post.

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Third Crossfit video “Culture Divide”, Asian Championships website

Posted by liftingc on Feb 5, 2012 in Blog, News & Updates | 2 comments

Third video up at Crossfit – “Culture Divide”

Third and final video is on the Crossfit Journal from the Crossfit Media interview by Michael Koslap @ http://kozproductions.com.

The video is linked here at the Crossfit Journal: http://journal.crossfit.com/2012/02/kulsoomabdullahculturedivide.tpl

I uploaded it to my Youtube Channel:

In spite of the negative remarks, there have been a lot of positive comments. I really appreciate the support. This video and topic is a good culmination of everything. I always hope that misunderstandings, stereotypes, ignorance, generalizations can be reduced. We are a pluralist society. We may look different but we have the same goals of unity, freedom, and social harmony (contrary to historical myths, misunderstandings about Islam and those who claim to follow).

2012 Asian Senior Championships website up

Official website for the Asian Senior Championships is up at http://pt-weightlifting.com/ (tip, on the upper right corner of the page, you can click on “English”)

As I have mentioned, I could use help, financially and logistically, to compete. Every little bit helps, so don’t think you have to contribute a large amount.  Thank you.

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2nd Crossfit Journal Video – Training During Ramadan

Posted by liftingc on Jan 26, 2012 in Blog, News & Updates | 3 comments

Second video up at Crossfit – “Training During Ramadan”

Now up is a second video on the Crossfit Journal from the Crossfit Media interview by Michael Koslap @ http://kozproductions.com.

The video is linked on today’s (January 26, 2012) crossfit.com mainsite entry, and is here at the Crossfit Journal:
http://journal.crossfit.com/2012/01/kulsoomabdullahramadan.tpl

I mentioned the interview in my World Weightlifting trip blog post and this was the morning I trained at Crossfit Atlanta, that is, the day I was leaving for Worlds, November 3, 2011. Here is a blog post I wrote during Ramdan 2011 (8/11).

I uploaded it to my Youtube Channel:

Thanks again to Mike!

*UPDATE – I just went on a marathon updating content into the relevant pages/sections of my website, such as press coverage, non usa press coverage, and others.

Re-iterating about the Asian Championships and Request for help

(Click READ MORE, to read the entire post)

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January 2012 updates

Posted by liftingc on Jan 23, 2012 in Blog, News & Updates | 0 comments

Couple of updates, links and information….

 

Asian Championships and Request for help

I plan to compete at the Asian Weightlifting Championships April 2012 in Korea. I am seeking sponsorship/endorsement and am more than happy to provide financial details about my expenses and upcoming competitions. Training, recovery, writing, maintaining the website, is like a full time job.
 
Currently, I am researching as a visiting scholar at Georgia Tech until I become employed. I am applying to grants in humanitarian engineering, one of which I hope to get, which will help me with my career, and getting employment. All costs are covered by myself and those who have donated (Details on who have donated in the past and how much, are on my Sponsors page).
 
For future competitions and continuing to share my story to help other women, I need financial help. Any assistance, feedback, fundraising or advice will be greatly appreciated. Please contact me (lifting[at]liftingcovered.com) if you can help or have any questions.
 

Links and Press:

• International Weightlifting Federation

Here is a writeup on my 2011 weightlifting moment that I submitted to and is on the IWF website:

http://www.iwf.net/2012/01/15/moment-kulsoom-abdullah/

I am very happy to contribute and have my story and experienced shared. (Click Read more to read the rest of this post)

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Crossfit Journal video, Shoulder Rehab & Training

Posted by liftingc on Dec 27, 2011 in Blog, News & Updates, Press Coverage | 0 comments

This will be a record for the shortest interval between a previous blog post and a current one, that is, this one is less than one month after my previous blog entry.

 

Crossfit Media Interview:

I was prompted to write this post because the Crossfit Media interview by Michael Koslap @ kozproductions.com I mentioned in my World Weightlifting trip blog post, is now up! The interview was the morning I trained, the day I was leaving for Worlds, November 3, 2011. Here are some of the “behind the scenes” pictures and link to the album, at Crossfit Atlanta.

Full album is here: http://www.liftingcovered.com/crossfit-media-behind-the-scenes-w-koslap/

Currently, the video is linked on today’s (December 27, 2011) crossfit.com mainsite entry, and is here at the Crossfit Journal: http://journal.crossfit.com/2011/12/kulsoomabdullahstory.tpl

It is a pretty awesome video. Thanks Mike

I uploaded it to my Youtube Channel:

(Click READ MORE, to read the entire post)

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American Open 2011 and going forward

Posted by liftingc on Dec 15, 2011 in Blog, News & Updates | 0 comments

http://weightlifting.teamusa.org/events/7896

December 02, 2011 to December 04, 2011 – Mobile, Alabama, United States

The entire photo album from my trip is here:

http://www.liftingcovered.com/2011-american-open-championships-trip-album  

THURSDAY, December 1, 2011

The American Open 2010, was the first USA national competition I had qualified for, but I did not attend as this was before the IWF amended the clothing regulations. For the 2011 competition, I was qualified as a 48kg, and since I was weighing close to that, I decided to compete. This trip did not require as much as far as logistics were concerned because Mobile, Alabama is a little over 5 hours from Atlanta, GA. I weighed 48.6kg the Thursday morning we left, but I still tried to limit how much water I drank and food I ate during the journey.

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2011 World Weightlifting Championships (WWC) & DISNEY WORLD FLORIDA USA BEATS DISNEYLAND PARIS

Posted by liftingc on Nov 22, 2011 in Blog, News & Updates | 0 comments

What can I say, I am a Florida girl at heart. DISNEY WORLD is the best! But seriously, it is better, although Orlando, Florida is not as interesting a city as Paris is (Disneyland Paris is in the suburbs and requires a 30-40 minute train ride to get into the heart of the city).

(Click READ MORE to see this entire post)

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