Quick Note: Olympic Lifts for Athletes and General Population

What are Olympic lifts? Traditionally they are the snatch and the clean and jerk; some contemporary lifts include power clean, hand clean, muscle clean, etc.

Triple Extension

Some athletes prefer not to do Olympic lifts because they are not in the sport of Olympic lifting. Then there are some that feel like if they do not play football, hockey, or some other contact sport they do not have to do Olympic lifts. This mindset could diminish your output in your chosen sport and minimize your fitness levels. Here is why.

The Olympic lifts can be some of the most demanding, explosive, and dynamic displays of power by an athlete. I think they are thought to be too complicated this is why so many people avoid them. I have to give Crossfit credit for the resurgence of Olympic lifts and how they have made them seem “cool.”

A sport that spans over 100 years and originated in Europe had the same uses then, as it has now. They are to produce hypertrophy, improved strength, improved muscle fiber recruitment for greater force, and to increase force production at a high rate of speed. Some of you are like what does that all mean? In the simplest terms you may get bigger, stronger, faster, and create leaner muscle.

As an athlete or person in the general population, training in Olympic lifts with the right training regimen, you can yield greater results. For further information find a certified coach or go to http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Weightlifting.aspx

Stay tuned for more “Quick Note” subjects.

Train strong,

Shannon Wallace, Jr. NASM-CPT, CKT, CNT