If Olympic lifting is so successful at raising strength, power, coordination and balance, why aren't more people doing it? The answer is Olympic lifting is tough. Bicep curls and machine presses are a breeze in comparison; they need very little help or spotting to do them well. Olympic lifts need skilled trainers who can break them down into digestible steps and show you how to perform them correctly. Otherwise you risk injuries. The Olympic lifts include the "pull" phase and the "catch" phase. During the pull, you explode upward, yanking the barbell off the floor and in front of your thighs, as if you were trying to jump out of the gymnasium. In the catch, you quickly move your body below the bar and grab the weight on your shoulders or over your head. Among the USA's top weight-lifting trainers breaks down the 2 Olympic lifts into their 4 best movements, in 2 separate routines. He believes this to be a great technique to condition your body for Olympic lifting and to build strength, burn fat, and boost sports performance. This is exactly what they seem like:
1. High Pull: Hold a barbell just below your knees, with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. With your back flat and arms straight, pull the bar upward as fast as you can by thrusting your hips forward and explosively standing up. With the bar passing the thighs, move in upwards direction with your toes, pulling the bar to the maximum height with your elbows bent and upper arms raised. Go back to the starting position and repeat for 3 sets of 3-5 repetitions, resting 90 seconds after each set.
2. Snatch-Grip Jump Shrug: With a double shoulder width make an overhand grip over the bar that is held just under the knees. Jump up straight by keeping your back and arms straight, and sending your hips forward, shrugging shoulders. Return back on your feet balls and repeat once again. Perform three sets with maximum repetitions of 5, making a rest of 90 seconds in between the sets.
3. Front Squat Use a shoulder-width overhand grip to hold a bar along with the shoulders. The upper arms are raised in such a manner that they become horizontal to the floor, making the bar roll onto your fingers, and not on the palms. Keep the back flat and feet apart with a shoulder-width. Without changing the position of your arms, lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Then push back up to the starting position. You may carry out 3 sets with highest repetitions of not more than six, taking rest for 90 seconds in between the sets. Push Press
4. Push Press: Grab a barbell with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. Stand holding the barbell at shoulder level, your feet shoulder width apart. Dip your knees a bit and push-up with your legs as you press the bar over your head. Then lower the bar to the initial position. Do 3 sets of 8 rep, resting 90 sec after every set. NOTES: Twice a week insert these two mini-routines into your present workout, doing them before you do some other workouts. Alternate between Routine 1 and Routine 2. NOTE: The high pull and the jump shrug are speed exercises, therefore use a weight which needs a strong effort to lift it quickly, but isn't so heavy that you can't control the bar. For the front squat and push press, use the heaviest weight which allows you to do all the recommended reps.
1. High Pull: Hold a barbell just below your knees, with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. With your back flat and arms straight, pull the bar upward as fast as you can by thrusting your hips forward and explosively standing up. With the bar passing the thighs, move in upwards direction with your toes, pulling the bar to the maximum height with your elbows bent and upper arms raised. Go back to the starting position and repeat for 3 sets of 3-5 repetitions, resting 90 seconds after each set.
2. Snatch-Grip Jump Shrug: With a double shoulder width make an overhand grip over the bar that is held just under the knees. Jump up straight by keeping your back and arms straight, and sending your hips forward, shrugging shoulders. Return back on your feet balls and repeat once again. Perform three sets with maximum repetitions of 5, making a rest of 90 seconds in between the sets.
3. Front Squat Use a shoulder-width overhand grip to hold a bar along with the shoulders. The upper arms are raised in such a manner that they become horizontal to the floor, making the bar roll onto your fingers, and not on the palms. Keep the back flat and feet apart with a shoulder-width. Without changing the position of your arms, lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Then push back up to the starting position. You may carry out 3 sets with highest repetitions of not more than six, taking rest for 90 seconds in between the sets. Push Press
4. Push Press: Grab a barbell with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. Stand holding the barbell at shoulder level, your feet shoulder width apart. Dip your knees a bit and push-up with your legs as you press the bar over your head. Then lower the bar to the initial position. Do 3 sets of 8 rep, resting 90 sec after every set. NOTES: Twice a week insert these two mini-routines into your present workout, doing them before you do some other workouts. Alternate between Routine 1 and Routine 2. NOTE: The high pull and the jump shrug are speed exercises, therefore use a weight which needs a strong effort to lift it quickly, but isn't so heavy that you can't control the bar. For the front squat and push press, use the heaviest weight which allows you to do all the recommended reps.
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