US Sports Strength & Conditioning: Does Olympic Lifting Deserve a Place in Your Routine?

Power Clean up your Routine

Caryn Robbins 

BBcom! 

Explosive, technical, and exciting; Olympic weightlifting movements look sexy and fun. The question is then, what are the benefits of using these movements in your own training? Let’s dig in.

A Brief History

Olympic weightlifting as we know it made its entrance into the Olympic Games in 1920. Prior to that, there were several versions of strength events in culture and in competition, but none quite like the double-overhand barbell movements of the snatch, clean and jerk, and clean and press. These movements have since made their way from the Olympic platform stage into modern fitness, sport, and training culture (though the clean and press event was abandoned competitively in the 1970s).

A Breakdown

The snatch and clean exercises, whose objectives are to move the barbell from the floor to either overhead or into the front rack position, are highly technical movements consisting of several different “phases” when broken down biomechanically. These phases signify changes in joint angles and intent, a carefully choreographed synchronization of flexion, extension, and timing. In competition, the movement sequences are scrutinized by judges to ensure proper technique was maintained in order to perform a successful lift, not dissimilar to powerlifting.

Weightlifting in Training

The snatch, clean, jerk, and their variations have been popularized as training tools for non-weightlifting sports as part of strength and conditioning culture. They can be highly beneficial for training muscular power and coordination, but the benefits are often limited by the technicality. For example, in order to move relatively heavy weight efficiently, it requires a fairly high level of technical proficiency.

Everyday Application

Though your training goals may not align with the weightlifting movements’ intent when designed, one cannot underestimate the value of learning a new skill and keeping things fresh and interesting. Several fitness brands have made the snatch, clean, and jerk staples within their training programs and have helped them become more mainstream than ever.

If possible, working with a coach is one of the best ways to learn these lifts. Having another set of eyes to watch and provide feedback can be highly beneficial. Otherwise, here are a few tips as you get started:

• Fail First. Many people may be hesitant to try out weightlifting. In reality, the technical nature of these lifts effectively regulate your success at completing them according to your strength level. The most important thing that must be learned early on is not the lifts themselves - it’s how to fail at them and dump the bar. Regardless of the weight, you will fail at catching a snatch, clean, or jerk repeatedly. Inevitably, this will happen early in your weightlifting endeavors. In the interest of safety, it is important to learn how to fail these lifts.

• Take Your Time. Few things feel better than the first time you catch and stand a snatch after working on it for a while. Chances are, you won’t care how much weight is on the bar. Train responsibly, and take your time building up in load.

• Return on Investment. You may be considering weightlifting movements when training for a particular sport. Depending on where you are in your playing career, you may benefit more from using other power movements over weightlifting. As mentioned above, power development solely due to these lifts is limited by technical proficiency. Evaluate if it is worth building these lifts from the bottom up or if other movements will help create adaptations sooner for when you need them.

Whether you’re looking to mix up your normal routine, or if you’re training for sport, weightlifting movements can be a valuable addition to your training program. Next Olympic cycle, check out these strength and power athletes in action! Until then, train responsibly, and channel your inner movement technician!

Works Cited

1. “History of Olympic Weightlifting: Eleiko.” Https://Eleiko.com, https://eleiko.com/en-es/stories/history-of-olympic-weightlifting. 

2. “Weightlifting.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/sports/weightlifting. 

About the Author

Caryn Robbins

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Olympic Lifting

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Adding Deadlifts to Your Fitness Program

 

• Author Jonathon Hyatt

After the squat, the deadlift might just be the most important exercise for physical fitness. It's such a basic movement, yet it involves almost every muscle in your body.

Even better, most trainees can deadlift more weight than with any other exercise! No matter your current goals, this is one move you've got to be doing. Here are a few ways you can add deads to your own lifting program.

Heavy Lifting for Mass

Heavy deadlifts will put slabs of muscle on your back like no other exercise. They'll also stimulate new growth in your quads, hamstrings, traps, and even biceps. If you have one day per week for training your back, try getting a few heavy sets in before your pull-ups and rows. If you train your upper and lower body on separate days - or if you train every muscle at every session - rotate deadlifts in with your other leg exercises.

Deadlifts for Fat Loss?

Most people don't think of heavy lifting as good exercise for fat loss. However, it's FAR more effective than cardio can ever be! Heavy deadlifts activate muscles all over your body, and they have to work hard to move all that weight. This is metabolically demanding, and you'll burn hundreds more calories for hours after a good training session. However, you've got to focus on deadlifts and other "big" movements. Curls, raises, and other isolation exercise are not very demanding, and they will have minimal impacts on your metabolism and body composition.

Condition with High Reps

If you've got great form, then deadlifts can actually be a good conditioning tool, as well. While sets of five or six are great for building muscle, high reps will tax your cardiovascular system like nothing else. When it's too rainy to run - or you just don't have time to hit the track - try knocking out a few sets of twenty with short rest periods. Just make sure you keep your back in a safe position when you start to get fatigued.

Tips for Perfect Form

Despite its simplicity, there are still several important form tips for the deadlift. Make sure you understand this advice before including deadlifts in your physical fitness program.

*Keep your lower back in a safe position. Arched or flat is fine, but a rounded back will inevitably lead to injuries.

*Lift with your whole body. Make sure you're engaging your hips, quads, and hamstrings in addition to your back.

*Pull back. You should think about pulling the weight "backwards" as you get it off the floor. This keeps the bar as close to your body as possible, making for a faster, smoother rep.

*Mix your grip. Once you start deadlifting some heavy weights, you'll need to alternate the directions your palms face when you grip the bar. This keeps it from rolling out of your hands.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF WEIGHT TRAINING WORKOUTS FOR THE MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE

• By Chris
 

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The multi-sport athlete has many things to consider when preparing to compete and developing a weight training program. Each athlete needs a program that will maximize athleticism for the current sport they are playing. When evaluating what weightlifting program to use, ask the following questions: What energy system is needed the most for my current sport? How important is power, strength, speed and agility? How much recovery time will the athlete have between workouts and competition? And when scheduling your workouts what are the time demands of this sport?Remember, each program should be as specific as it can be to the sport currently being played.

Here are twelve benefits to weight training that relate directly to your in-season game:

1. Injury prevention 2. Increase performance – muscular strength, power, endurance, speed, agility 3. Injury rehab 4. Increase stabilization 5. Increase flexibility 6. Improve attitude 7. Improve balance 8. Improve stability 9. Increase energy levels 10. Improve body composition 11. Increase mental toughness 12. Improve confidence level

Ideally, a program that incorporates most, if not all, of these benefits would best equip you for success in a variety of sports. A tailor made workout that meets the needs and demands of the sport you are currently playing should be employed for the duration of the season.

Two Killer Weight Training Strategies

For the purpose of this article, I recommend one of the two following strategies when setting up your weight training program. First, you can apply a general workout that uses 5 or 6 basic lifts to meet the power, strength, flexibility and stability needs that most sports require. Second, a workout that employs push-pull exercises, training the core and functional exercises that are specific to the sport you are currently playing. Also, this type of workout can create a variety of exercises so that boredom does not become an issue. Third, a rotation of the first two strategies; this will add diversity to your program and force your body to adapt to different training stimuli. This will produce tremendous results. Whichever strategy you choose make sure you are adequately overloading to the body part you are training.

The following list of what to add and what not to add to your workout will make it more efficient and productive regardless of the type of program you choose to follow. Your body will adapt to the specific training that you provide it so, be careful how you train because that is precisely how you will develop.

Weight Training Do’s

1. Perform Core Exercises. All sports require a strong and stable hip and torso area for absolute body strength and protection and are therefore, essential for all training programs. This area is known as the core, or foundation, of the body. Denying training to this part of your body, is neglecting the central part of where all of your sports movements originate. 2. Perform Push-Pull Lifts. – Lifts like the bench press, lat pull downs provide the push/pull effect. When performing one right after the other, or superset, greater amounts of work can be performed in a shorter period of time. 3. Perform Functional Exercises. Functional training exercises train your muscles to perform as they would on the field or court. These training movements mimic particular movements in sports and can have tremendous carryover to your sport. Make sure you don’t perform a sports skill with heavy overload, this will lead to faulty mechanics in your skill and can cause much more harm than good to your game. 4. Perform Strength and Power Exercises. Strength lifts such as the deadlift, bench press and squat and power lifts such as the push press and hang clean can provide the basics needed for all sports.

Weight Training Don’ts

1. Don’t Perform Plyometric Exercises In-Season. Keep plyometric exercises to a minimum if you are currently playing a sport that is dynamic in nature, such as football or basketball. The combination of these two will lead to excessive wear and tear on the body in the form of overtraining, decreased athletic performance and injuries. 2. Don’t Perform Single Joint Exercises. There are NO movements in sports that are limited to only one joint. Movements occur at multiple joints and in more than one plane. So, the benefits of performing multiple joint, compound body movements in your workout program will transfer more positively to the sport you are playing. 3. Don’t Use Exercise Machines. Machines isolate muscle groups and do not allow for other body parts to act synergistically. Stick to free weights, medicine balls, kettlebells, exercise bands, stability balls, body weight training etc., that simulate real life and recruit larger muscle groups.

This article is written by Rusty Gregory of Forte Fitness. Rusty is a an Austin personal trainer with 25 years of experience after earning his Masters degree in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan. Rusty also serves as a highly valued consultant to Austin basketball trainer (and Coachtube.com co-owner) Chris Corbett. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as well as a Certified Wellness Coach. Rusty is also the author of the following books: Self-Care Reform & Living Wheat Free For Dummies.

Note: The content in this article should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

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