Oly Lifting

Everytime I watch Olympic Weight Lifting I want to do it again. Strongman has definitely been good to me the last few years and I am sure I will go back to it one day but with Olympic lifting I can do a number of things that I don't seem to have the discipline to do with my regular strength training.

• I will be able to work on my flexibility and mobility as I lift and train. Not only that if I don't work on it I just won't be able to hit the right postitions at all.
• It allows me to do what I really enjoy - squatting and putting stuff overhead.
• If I get to work now I can at least consider competing in Master's Weight Lifting which is still very competitive. This is some way off of for me.
• It keeps me athletic for my work.
• It keeps me strong all over without having to gain any weight. I can stay at my current 95-96kg and easily get down to the 94kg category in the future.
• I can train technique when I am tired and not go heavy all the time. This is a natural way of deloaded the stress of heavy lifting. I am terrible for going too heavy too often.

I have contacted all my Olympic lifting friends who gave me some great advice and I went back and started reading my Olympic lifting books like Tommy Kono's fantastic Weightlifting, Olympic Style and the brilliant must have book by Art Drechsler, The Weightlifting Encyclopedia.

Last week I had already started painfully stretching my wrists, elbows and shoulders and yesterday and today I did some super light prelimanary stuff.

W-up with barbell
Overhead squats - barx10, 90lbsx5x5x5
Front Squat - 135x5x5x5, 180x3x3. Trying to keep the bar in my hands but ending up on 2 fingers
Squat - 220x5x5x5. Pausing at the bottom and doing VERY small bounces.
Front Squat - 180x5
Overhead Squat - 135x5x5

I then did a rotator cuff circuit based on Eric Cressey's excellent article HERE.

Cuban Press with Oly barx10x10
L lat raise - 15lb DBsx10x10
Side DB Abduction - 15lbsx10x10
Low Pulley Ext Rotation x10x10
Wrestler's Wall Walksx3

Then today...

Lot's of rotation warm ups like in Super Joints.
Overhead squats with bands. Standing on the bands and using a broom handle I stretched the bands overhead. Lots of sets of 10 with different strength bands.
KB overhead walks and lunges. For overhead stability.
Quad, glute, hamstring, achilles, shoulders, wrists stretches throughout
Overhead Wall Squats
Tricep Band Extensions
KB Windmills
KB Figure 8's with flat back
Yoga Bridges

Nick

And for inspiration...the current Russian Olympic Weightlifting National Coach, David Rigert, shows us how it's done...

 

Comments

[Allen Y]

A new book just recently came out by Greg Everett which I think might be worth taking a look at.

Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide for Athletes & Coaches
http://www.performancemenu.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=155

Lyle McDonalds review of the book here:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/blog/2008/09/03/product-review-olympic-weightlifting-a-complete-guide-for-athletes-coaches/

Hope this helps.

[Nick McKinless]

Thanks Allen I will take a look at it!

Nick