Olympic Weightlifting

[Mojooo]

I do the standard deadlift/squats/bench/press/rows in my exercise program.

After watching the weightlifting in the Olmypics I told I'd have a go at the snatch and cleaker & jerk with a 20kg bar.

I learned 2 things

- you need bloody good flexibility at the hips and shoulders.

- its tiring as your heart gets pumping pretty quick and I certainly go fatigured very quickly.

I would imagine though that doing it regularly would be a good weight to shred the fat. Anyone do it for recreation/exercise?

I am guessing you need proper bumper plates and a good surface to do it properly (i.e drop the wrights after the lift).

[Halb]

Also ankles/wrists.
They're good all over ballistic exercises, quite a few regulars here do both, and variations.

[balders118]

I do both the olynpic lifts. A lot of fun, and a great feeling when you get it all right and hit a PB.

Not really a good way to shred fat though - unless you do them cross fit style in a ciruit doing AMRAPS.

[Tiggsy]

I do a lot of cleans for jump training - hang cleans mostly (sometimes with a press) That alone (with tiny weight compared to the dinky women at the games!) is enough to get me pouring with sweat. Its become my fav leg/jump exercise.

[Animal]

Only started doing them a few months ago but I'm hooked! The only limitations are a) no bumper plates (which restricts snatching especially) and b) the complete gibbons in my gym who insist on bumping into me or standing right in front of me when I'm lifting...

[Halb]

Drop a weight on them. That'll soon stop.

OL as part of crossfit circuit type thing can be insanely tough, time those rests!
One of my favourites is the bear, 8 rounds of 5 'reps' 30 seconds strict rest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WOP9J7QPwI

[rog007]

Clean & Press is a great core exercise, good for strength, fitness and conditioning. Trick is to keep at fairly high reps (12-15) in order to get the best from it.

[Tiggsy]

rog007 said:

Clean & Press is a great core exercise, good for strength, fitness and conditioning. Trick is to keep at fairly high reps (12-15) in order to get the best from it.

My fav - that followed by some dumbbell of the same.

[balders118]

rog007 said:

Clean & Press is a great core exercise, good for strength, fitness and conditioning. Trick is to keep at fairly high reps (12-15) in order to get the best from it.

I disagree - reps that high make it cardio pretty much. If you want to wrok on core, strength and conditioning you're much better off with low rep, heavier weight - 3-5 max.

[Hoofy]

Hm. Interesting posts. Been considering hang cleans for a while as a change from kb swings. Have been doing db clean and press.

It appears some runner called Usain Bolt does them... http://youtu.be/KOC7O9JOY3Y

[Halb]

If you knew Grace like I know Grace.


A great circuit using BBs, DBs and KBs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbhF0B3UgfA

[Hoofy]

Halb said:

A great circuit using BBs, DBs and KBs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbhF0B3UgfA

Thanks. Will have a look at that. "Warrior Complex"? "Hm, am I the best fighter? I think I am? But I'm not sure whether I'm good enough with this sword? And does it match my sandals? I just don't know!"

[balders118]

Hoofy said:

Hm. Interesting posts. Been considering hang cleans for a while as a change from kb swings. Have been doing db clean and press.

It appears some runner called Usain Bolt does them... http://youtu.be/KOC7O9JOY3Y

They are the worst hang cleans I have ever seen, if that's even what they're supposed to be Looks more like an upright row to clean catch.

[Hoofy]

balders118 said:

They are the worst hang cleans I have ever seen, if that's even what they're supposed to be Looks more like an upright row to clean catch.

Looks like you're not the only one to criticise them but if that's what it takes to become the world's fastest man...

[balders118]

Hoofy said:

Looks like you're not the only one to criticise them but if that's what it takes to become the world's fastest man...

Doing those won't be what's making him as fast as he is though. That's just a simple shoulder training exercise.

The whole thing about a proper clean, snatch or hang clean, hang snatch (and why it is so good for sprinters) is the triple extension (ankle, knee and hip) which is a very similar move to the propelling limb. Excellent sport training tool. This isn't what Bolt was doing though

The thing with people like Bolt is he is so fast and so talanted that he could probably do what ever he liked in the gym and stil be hella rapid.

[Tiggsy]

There does seem to be an idea that top sportsmen are coached/train in a way that is 100% in every area - I know a few GB squad coaches in various sports and they are all human! They have (just like all of us) some dumb ideas that they think work, some bad habits, etc, etc

Bolt doing iffy cleans is not all that surprising! I'm sure if his coach brought in a weights coach he'd sort it out but why bother? I saw some footage of the US basketball guys swimming the other day....no swim coach in the world could help those boys!

[Tiggsy]

balders118 said:

The whole thing about a proper clean, snatch or hang clean, hang snatch (and why it is so good for sprinters) is the triple extension (ankle, knee and hip) which is a very similar move to the propelling limb.

Helped my jumping no end - and gets the heart pumping like mad - more so on low reps i find. I do 5 sets - 12/8/6/4/2 reps (after warmup)

[BenM77]

balders118 said:

rog007 said:

Clean & Press is a great core exercise, good for strength, fitness and conditioning. Trick is to keep at fairly high reps (12-15) in order to get the best from it.

I disagree - reps that high make it cardio pretty much. If you want to wrok on core, strength and conditioning you're much better off with low rep, heavier weight - 3-5 max.

You recommend low reps for conditioning ?

I would say the higher reps are better and safer, low rep high weight sets are surely more for strength.

[balders118]

BenM77 said:

You recommend low reps for conditioning ?

I would say the higher reps are better and safer, low rep high weight sets are surely more for strength.

It depends what you are meaning by conditioning

Conditioning is sports conditioning in my opinion, and therefore the clean and snatch are for increasing strength and power through the triple extension, and so low reps. High reps just gives more oppertunity for fatigue and therefore encourages bad, rushed form - only good as a circuit style exercise for cardio if you're going to do high reps. No point in going for hypertropy style reps either as the nature of the exercise isn't designed for it.

[BenM77]

balders118 said:

BenM77 said:

You recommend low reps for conditioning ?

I would say the higher reps are better and safer, low rep high weight sets are surely more for strength.

It depends what you are meaning by conditioning

Conditioning is sports conditioning in my opinion, and therefore the clean and snatch are for increasing strength and power through the triple extension, and so low reps. High reps just gives more oppertunity for fatigue and therefore encourages bad, rushed form - only good as a circuit style exercise for cardio if you're going to do high reps. No point in going for hypertropy style reps either as the nature of the exercise isn't designed for it.

I understand what you mean but think most people use the term conditioning to describe stamina and endurance as opposed to sport specific conditioning. Not many people on here are competing or even training under oly coaches which is why I would say higher reps might be safer.

Again, it all comes down to training goals I guess.