In the event you’re an S&C coach, you most likely sit on one aspect or the opposite of the Olympic lifting fence. Whether or not you employ them or not, it is arduous to disclaim their advantages for athletes. Whether or not you are chasing pressure manufacturing, price of pressure improvement, and even mobility, it is arduous to disclaim that these advantages (and extra) could be gained when you’re good at clear or snatch variations.
I personally competed in Olympic weightlifting for over 5 years, so I do know firsthand how difficult and enjoyable they are often. So you possibly can take a look at me and say, “Oh, you have to be an Olympic lifting man.” Nonetheless, even I do not use them with all of my groups and athletes. To me, they’re simply instruments within the toolbox; I can use the instruments to get these advantages, however they aren’t the one ones I’ve (nor ought to they be for you). I take advantage of them most frequently with our volleyball groups, however I’ve additionally used them with soccer, observe and area, and rugby. Moreover, I sometimes solely use the snatch and clear suspension energy variations, generally dabbling in different variations (muscle snatch, clear pulls, and so on.). More often than not, I follow the fundamentals (and best to study), that are suspension energy variations. “Cling” means the motion begins above the knees and “energy” means you catch it above 90 levels.
“I want to share with you how I program Olympic lifts and how I’ve used this system to develop some pretty powerful kids who lift HUGE weight,” says @chergott9. Share on X
After I competed in powerlifting, I had a coach who wrote my applications. These can be periodized with percentages so I might peak at my subsequent competitors. As a coach of S&C athletes, I not often use percentages. Whereas I might like to delve into my ideas on this, that may be a matter for an additional article.
So your subsequent thought could be: “The best way to schedule Olympic lifts in your athletes with out percentages?” That is a terrific query and the primary concept behind this text.
The Rep Drop Methodology
I need to share with you the best way I program the Olympic lifts and the way I’ve used this technique to develop some fairly highly effective youngsters who carry HUGE weight.
Video 1. Right here is one in all our volleyball guys throwing 3 plates for a double. Loopy.
For starters, Olympic lifting is way more technical than different lifts. In the case of progressing within the Olympic lifts, it may be fairly simple at first as a result of there’s a giant talent part and you’ll enhance the burden just by bettering your skill to carry out them.
However, as soon as your method turns into “good,” progress comes very slowly. Sure, they’re additionally sluggish for squats, benches, and deadlifts as soon as you’re reasonably educated, however I’ve discovered {that a} technical carry just like the Olympic variations is even slower. Whereas I do not know precisely why, my finest guess can be just because the train may be very technical. Plus, it is accomplished in a short time, so it isn’t one thing you may simply “work out” like a heavy bench press or a set of squats. You both get the replay or you do not throughout the first 0.5 seconds. So when you’re feeling slightly sluggish that day, it is over for you.
For an S&C coach who does not use percentages and whose athletes do not compete in that sport, what is the best way to prescribe sets and reps to ensure gains? Here’s my answer, says @chergott9. Share on X
Utilizing percentages in Olympic weightlifting could be a good way to extend load, unload, and construct up quantity so you may hit your PRs on the proper time (in competitors). However for an S&C coach who does not use percentages and whose athletes do not compete in that sport, what’s the easiest way to prescribe units and reps to make sure features? This is my reply and what I’ve discovered works fairly effectively during the last 3 or 4 years with my rigs.
That is truly fairly easy and though I’ve used it with different workouts (squats, bench), I discover it really works finest for the Olympic variations. That is why I take advantage of it continually with them. For weight choice, I all the time encourage athletes to decide on a weight they will confidently obtain for 4 repetitions at first after which every week as we progress. The concept is to not obtain a 4RM Week 1, then a 3RM Week 2, and so on., however to achieve expertise doing good high quality reps to study the motion for the heavier work to come back.
- Week 1: 4×4
- Week 2: 4, 4, 3, 3
- Week 3: 4 x 3
- Week 4: 3, 3, 2, 2
- Week 5: 4 x 2
- Week 6: 4, 3, 2, 1
- Week 7: Restart in 4 x 4
Easy, proper?
There are most likely many the reason why it actually works physiologically, however listed here are three the reason why I prefer it:
- With an explosive motion, you want extra quantity to get essentially the most advantages, in addition to extra “apply” to study the method (arduous to study with only one set). So doing 4 is a good way to get numerous work accomplished with out taking over an excessive amount of time (we solely have one hour slots and extra workouts to do in a single session than these).
- Doing 5 reps is cardio with Olympic lifting (particularly for volleyball gamers), so I decrease the arduous/buildup weeks to 4 reps. It nonetheless sucks although.
- With this, you’ve six weeks of programming ready. Six weeks is a very long time to make progress and features over the course of a semester. And the development makes it simple so as to add weight as a result of there are fewer reps every week. By stopping doing one rep every week, athletes have a greater likelihood of including extra weight to the bar.
Whereas the primary six weeks are nice, week 7 is the place the magic begins to occur. The aim while you restart in Week 7 is to do extra weight. So whereas the burden you employ for 4 reps in Week 1 could not change while you do 4 reps in Week 2, the aim is so as to add 5 to 10 kilos to at the very least one set of 4 while you get to Week 7. Then, extra weight in Week 8 than in Week 2, and so forth. It sounds easy and maybe too simple, but it surely actually works.
Giving athletes the opportunity to try and do more weight than ever before is a pretty powerful training stimulus and an effective way to challenge the mind and body, says @chergott9. Share on X
I do know progressive overload is one thing all of us preach (including weight to the bar), however this six-week cycle provides athletes time to not solely get stronger but additionally enhance the motion with excessive reps. As a result of we carry out so many reps, once we get to the second or third cycle, they will add weight. On this means, we aren’t forcing We put extra weight on the bar with the identical rep scheme week after week and find yourself “fishing for stars” in our catches. We add weight as a result of the repetitions go down. Then, we will add weight as a result of we’re extra highly effective and higher at cleansing or pulling away.
Plus, with this fashion, each six weeks you’ve the chance to set a brand new PR (private report). I all the time inform athletes that they DO NOT HAVE to hit 1RM these weeks, however simply do one thing heavy. I do know the damage danger from Olympic lifting is not very excessive, but it surely’s not precisely low in relation to weight room workouts, so having them maxed out is not one thing I am an enormous fan of on a regular basis. time, particularly in- season. Nonetheless, giving athletes the chance to “go for it” in the event that they really feel good and carry extra weight than ever earlier than is a fairly highly effective coaching stimulus and an efficient solution to problem the thoughts and physique.
There you’ve it. Easy. Efficient.
Trusting the method
As I discussed, I have been utilizing this with a few of our groups, primarily volleyball groups, three hundred and sixty five days a 12 months for the final 3 or 4 years in a row (aside from a few weeks right here and there the place we took a break from these lifts). Clearly, it takes numerous arduous work and dedication to the method, however I’ve been lucky to work with athletes who belief me, work arduous, and love studying and bettering at these lifts. Moreover, these athletes have usually commented on how a lot better they really feel on the courtroom, how assured they’re, and the way excessive they’re leaping. Over the previous few years, the most typical remark I get from their coaches is “Cole, the staff appears to be like very bodily,” so I really feel like that is good to listen to!
Once more, you may watch the video above of our volleyball groups chasing it, or discover extra on our Instagram web page (@twustrength) – they like it! And whereas their progress is clearly a product of their arduous work within the weight room, this programming template permits that work to generate earnings and advance them into the beasts they’re.
Peace. Earnings.
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