T Nation

money exercises

Bodybuilding
#1

I have included some of the exercises in my routine for a couple of months before the article came out. I do a power clean from the floor, do a front squat, then press lower to behind the neck, back squat, press again and then lower the weight ending in a sumo style power deadlift. My core strength has gone up tremendously! My 1RM was 370 lbs on the dead, three months later I did 405. No change in diet , supps, cardio…I am 48, 190 at 6.5%.
So, I do not think these lifts are crazy, they are simply Olympic lifts that you don’t see in the Gym because noone really teaches them/knows how to do them…

Charlie

#2

I agree 100%. Patricia and I are doing more O-lifts, and our lifts have gone up considerably. Patricia is deadlifting 280 at 120lb, and mine is 375 at 160lbs. 405 here I come.

#3

John Davis (one of the greatest olers there ever was if you don’t already know) deadlifted ~705lbs with no specialization on the lift whatsoever. Just in case anyone thinks he was a ‘born deadlifter’ (ie long arms/short torso) he also pressed 365 overhead & bench pressed 425 with no uprights. He never weighed more than about 235lbs & most of his best lifts were done at a lighter bodyweight. That’s what some serious olympic lifting can do for you.

#4

So what is the “right” way to go about adding them to a program? Right now, I’m doing a fairly typical 3 day split. I added Overhead Squats to my leg day and Push Presses to my chest/tri’s day (in place of military presses).

I’m looking to add Hang Cleans and Dumbbell Snatches, at the very least. I’ll probably add the Snatch in with Upright Rows. I don’t know where to put Hang Cleans. When I did it, it seemed more like a leg day exercise to me.

Or do I just need to literally revamp EVERYTHING???

#5

Ben johnsohn benched 450 pounds twice at a body weight around 175,and he never did olympic weightlifiting,olympic weightlifitng is good but not neccesserary to get really strong.Go to charliefrancis.com I’ve learned so much about training just from reading the messeages on the forum,it is amazing stuff.

#6

Yes, that’s a pet peave of mine. Bodybuilding mentality is so deeply routed in the gym culture that peoples believe that anything outside the boundries of this mentality is idiotic.

Athletic training is NOT bodybuilding. In bodybuilding you must develop muscles. In athletic training you must develop physical qualities and energy systems. That’s not to say that athletic training will not build a good physique, I believe that form follow function. Train for function, form will follow!

However I do understand that not everybody is training to get better in their sport of choice. Some just like training to develop a lot of muscles and a good physique. That’s ok. For them, bodybuilding training is fine. However, for athletes it isn’t.

I also agree that strength and power can be developed via other means than the olympic lifts. Basic strength lifts, ply drills and medicine ball drills are very effective too.

#7

I thought the guy’s post was about the effect that olympic lifting had on his core & deadlifting strength. Davis was on olympic lifter & he deadlifted lots just because of his olympic lifting, not because of his ‘genetics’ since he was a good presser also.

#8

I add and take out based on periodization. I have ‘stolen’ from Ian King, Charles Poliquin, Coach Davies, Tudor Bompa, the Westside gang, and even Bill Phillips. I started adding Olympic style lifts because I tried an overhead squat (think I stole that one from Coach Davies) and it buried me. It woke me up to other types of lifts that could help me improve my new career as a powerlifter. And I am glad I did. But my goals are different than the typical lifter. To each their own based on their own self directed goals…Charlie