Olympic Weightlifting

olympic weightlifting feature

There are multiple reasons why you should start to incorporate Olympic weightlifting into you regular programme, whether its to improve that explosive power output, increase your muscle density or to enhance your overall strength.

Olympic Lifting (OL) is a key part of any profession athlete’s training programme as it’s known to increase muscle mass without having a negative effect on the athletes speed or performance. It is also proven to help build bone density. Those who train with OL have also been known top demonstrate enhanced body awareness, mobility and a higher standard of technique in other exercises such as squats and deadlifts.

Increased maximal strength and power output is also associated with OL as it increases the force and power production at a much higher rate than traditional weightlifting. Finally the cardiovascular response to OL is much greater than traditional weightlifting, meaning that consistent training will result in more efficient workouts.

Rather than replacing your current programme with a strict OL only workout, be sure to incorporate a couple of Olympic lifting workouts into your normal programme.

Olympic weight lifting can be broken down into 3 separate movement, the snatch, the clean and the jerk. In this write up I’ll talk you through the key components for each of these lifts.

Clean and Jerk

Step 1: Set Up

Set up with your feet set at hip width and slightly turned out and shoelaces under the bar. Your shoulder should be over the bar and hips lower than your shoulders but higher than your knees.

clean and jerk - step 1

Step 2: First Pull

The first pull is when the barbell is lifted from the floor, this ends when the barbell comes to your knees, at which point the second pull begins. The initial pull is basically a deadlift. Be sure to keep your spine natural and your core engaged.
clean and jerk - step 2

Step 3: Second Pull and Turn the Bar Over

Once the barbell passes the knees, you need to drive your hips out and up while pulling the barbell up towards your upper body. Be sure to stay balanced with your shoulders over the bar.

clean and jerk - step 3

Step 4: Catch the Barbell

As the barbell rises, forcefully rotate your elbows underneath the bar, you will need to quickly squat down and catch the bar across your shoulders in a front squat. Your elbows should be pointing forward.
clean and jerk - step 4

Step 5: Dip Down

From the front squat position, dip your knees a few inches down. This creates a slight countermovement which will help drive the weight overhead for the next step.
clean and jerk - step 5

Step 6: Jerk the Bar Overhead

This is very similar to a push press. From your dip down, drive upwards pushing the barbell overhead. Drop into a half squat position as the bar goes overhead.
clean and jerk - step 6

Step 7: Receive and Recover

Lock out your arms and pause at the bottom of the jerk to stabilize the weight. Hold the position until you are ready, once the weight feels balanced, stand upright.

Snatch

Step 1: Set up

Grab the barbell with a wide grip and aim for your shoelaces to be under the bar. Your hips should be about the same level as your knees, and your knees should be leaning forward over the bar. Ensure your back is in a natural position.
snatch - step 1

Step 2: Push From your Legs

Lift the bar off the floor by push upwards through your legs (similarly to a leg press). Your knees will extend out of the way of the bar as its lifted. You should glide the barbell along your thighs but be careful not to drag against them.
snatch - step 2

Step 3: Explode Up

Keep press against the floor through your legs as you raise the bar to your hips. As you arrive to a standing position, forcefully extend your lower body, pushing the bar up and out from just below your hips. Your heels should feel like they are lifting off the floor as if you are jumping. Relax your arms and allow the barbell to travel upwards.

snatch - step 3

Step 4: Drop and Catch

Once you have fully extended your lower body, quickly drop down into an overhead squat. Through the power of this movement, let your feet leave the ground and then replant them in a wider position. Make sure to lock your arms in a strong overhead position.
snatch - step 4

Step 5: Reach and Stand

Remain at the bottom of your overhead squat for as long as you need to stabilize. Once you feel secure, push through your heels to a standing position.
snatch - step 5

Sets and Reps

Learning: 8-10 sets of 2-4 reps (unloaded bar)

Power development 3-6 sets of 2-3 reps with loaded bar

If you would like any further information on this or to speak to Mick about developing your own personal Olympic weightlifting program please feel free to speak to us in club or drop us an email on info@zone-10.co.uk.
Mick Bagnall

Mick Bagnall

Zone 10 - Gym Manager

Move Better and Feel Better

Do you want to achieve a healthy lifestyle? You should do! A healthy lifestyle is essential if you truly want to take the best possible care of your health.

Yet very few people really know what is meant by a healthy lifestyle. Most believe its incorporating four things: eating healthily (although most don’t know how to do this), exercise regularly, don’t smoke and limit alcohol consumption or best still eliminate it totally. In truth that would indeed make a good start but there is far more to it than that.

Here are some other tips of how to better you life-style which will help you move better and most importantly feel better.

Get enough sleep

Sleep has the ability to optimise mental and physical energy, and optimal levels of sleep (about eight hours a night) are linked with reduced risk of chronic disease and improved longevity. Your body and mind work so hard during the day, they need sleep for repairing. Studies have shown that 8 hours of sleep per 24-hour period is the average requirement for adults.

Eat well

First of all, healthy eating doesn’t mean extreme diets! That’s why the secret is to have a balanced diet with foods that are low in unnecessary fats and sugars and high in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Exercise regularly.

Being active should be a priority. Experts say that people should have at least 150 hours of exercise per week. Achieving these hours of exercise will combat health conditions and diseases, enhances mood and well-being, boosts one’s energy, and promotes better and quality sleep. A great starting point is simply walking, aim for your 10,000 steps a day.

Drink Water

Drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day is good for your health. Roughly 2 litres for women and 3 litres for men should be consumed in a day. Maintaining hydration can have a profound influence on our vitality and energy levels, including mental alertness. Water helps to clear our system, bring on metabolism rate and flush out the toxins.

Start meditating

Sound mind, sound body! Meditation will help you set a tranquil tone for a more peace-filled life! This process of training your mind will promote emotional health and develop a positive mood, self-discipline, healthy sleep patterns and even increase pain tolerance.

Listen to your favourite songs

Make every day count and only listen to your favourite songs. Music can increase your happiness and improve our health! Did you know that if you listen to 25 minutes of music every day for at least 10 days it will help you to prevent back pain and to sleep better?

All of these tips above will not only improve your lifestyle but are all a great way to de stress and burn some of that energy in a positive and healthy way.

If you would like any further information on this or to speak to Layla about developing your own personal football specific program please feel free to speak to us in club or drop us an email on info@zone-10.co.uk.

Layla Clark

Layla Clark

Zone 10 - Personal Trainer