So, I just this past week started learning the Olympic Lifts
(the clean and the snatch) with a coach and am going to dedicate a lot of time to those lifts and the relevant assistance exercises (I love the OLY lifts!). However, there are certain muscles that dont get hit (or so it seems to me) and I want to continue to train them…the biceps come to mind.
So my question is, do any of you combine Olympic Lifts with other types of strength training? If so, can you give me some examples of a typical workout in which you do that?
I know that bench presses are a No-No, what about dips?
In addition, do you do any special flexibility training (other than the Oly lifts) that help the Oly lifts. My leg flexibility is good enough but, man, it’s hell for me to get in position when I do an overhead squat.
Actually, the Russians do bench press’s at least once a month, sometimes twice a week.
The Russians also do Soviet Arm Bends (read : Curls) once a week, so the tricep doesn’t overpower the bicep and rip the elbow in half.
I know one guy who does DB Press’s and flys once a week, but that is because he tore a pec snatching.
For flexibility, I would just work on getting comfy in the full squat(s) position and just warm up your hips properly. For me, foam rolling really help(s) out with flexbility. If It wasn’t for roam rolling, I wouldn’t be able to full squat. Don’t forget the tennis ball on the bottom of yourfoot.
[quote]romanaz wrote:
Actually, the Russians do bench press’s at least once a month, sometimes twice a week.
[/quote]
Would be interested in knowing more about WHY they do that. My coach seems to think (and it makes sense) that benches would make you tight in such a way as to inhibit the flexibility that you need to do the snatch.
I do pretty well in the full squat position. The only thing there is that my right foot rotates slightly inward, suggesting my right ankle needs a bit more flexibility.
Do you use the foam roller for the back or for the legs?
What are the tennis balls for?
Thanks. Yep, happy to have finally seen the light!
I think my problem in doing oly lifts is on my wrists. I’m still having issues once in a while with my left wrist when doing front squats or catching the clean. So I guess working on wrist flexibility would go a long way.
I love 1-arm DB snatches though. So easy to learn.
Don’t bicep curls before any OLifts. Do them at the end of your session or after squats and before pulls.
Most coaches advise against Bench pressing ONLY if your mobility isn’t already good. It DOES make you tight and it will not help you get in to a deep Snatch position or rack solid Cleans.
BUT if you can get in to a deep Snatch position and rack Cleans properly, go to town on Bench Pressing.
I do upperbody stuff on Tue and Thursdays lunchtimes when I can be bothered.
Bench press, dips, curls, bent forward rows, flies, I pick 2-3 and do them on those days.
Mon, Wed, Fri lunchtimes I squat
Mon, Wed and Saturday evenings I OLift and maybe throw in one upperbody exercise.
Tue and sometimes Thur evenings I sprint.
Dips are a good as well as close grip bench press.
Get comfy in the bottom position in the Snatch.
Do windmills with your legs. Start slow and build speed after you feel more lose and warmed up. Same with your arms.
As far as I can recall, I think the Russians bench as assistance for their jerk. As Koing says, if your flexibility isn’t totally screwed you can continue to bench, and even if it’s not so great you can keep benching if you’re willing to put in the time to sort out your flexibility.
At the beginning of the year the chances of me being able to overhead squat an empty bar were zero - I couldn’t even hold an empty bar above the back of my head when standing…I put in a lot of time doing dislocates with a brookstick and bands, plus windmills, and paid a lot of attention to stretching my chest, triceps, and upper back, lots of foam roller work on the thoracic spine, and now it’s not a problem. It could still be better, but I can full snatch now and sit real deep.
I benched the whole time I was doing all that, first with pinkies on the rings, then in the past couple of weeks I’ve started benching with my jerk grip instead, which feels much stronger to me. I flat barbell bench on Monday and incline DB bench Monday and Friday.
I’m also like behind the neck presses/push presses, which I used to hate. My jerk is poor and I have a tendency to drive the bar forward, so these are helping me no end.
Yates row, power shrugs, pullups have all helped my front squat immensely.
Yes, I am amazed at Snatches. I have been having an elbow issue for the past year and I swear since I have started doing Snatches that it has gotten better. Maybe it’s all in my head…What do you think?
Anyway, I am able to Snatch with a light weight but have a difficult time locking out. Definitely will apply some of the stretching tips advised in this thread.
[quote]Jumbo135 wrote:
I’ve heard I shouldn’t do deadlifts. Thoughts?[/quote]
Well, I’m no expert but since most of the power is oly lifts comes from your posterior chain snapping your hips forward, I can’t think of any reason not to do them. I would recommend them over back squats. In fact the oly lifts are all about accelerating weight up out of a deadlift. If you can’t deadlift the weight off the ground, you sure as hell never clean it.
[quote]Jumbo135 wrote:
I’ve heard I shouldn’t do deadlifts. Thoughts?[/quote]
No reason you shouldn’t deadlift. As the previous poster stated, you have to pull from the floor.
The only thing is that you have to remember that your pull from the floor is different in Oly lifts than with normal deadlifts. Normal deadlifts you push against the heels as you come off the floor. Not so with Oly Lifts, your weight is over the entire foot. Also in Oly lifts your shoulders need to be over the bar and generally your hips are a bit lower.
I am just a beginner, learning the Oly lifts from a coach. So if anybody thinks that I am giving wrong advice here, please give a shout out.
Anyway, I can only imagine that maybe somebody advised you not to do deadlifts for a while so that you get used to the new way of pulling from the floor while doing Oly lifts.
[quote]BlakeAE wrote:
Jumbo135 wrote:
I’ve heard I shouldn’t do deadlifts. Thoughts?
Well, I’m no expert but since most of the power is oly lifts comes from your posterior chain snapping your hips forward, I can’t think of any reason not to do them. I would recommend them over back squats. In fact the oly lifts are all about accelerating weight up out of a deadlift. If you can’t deadlift the weight off the ground, you sure as hell never clean it.[/quote]
Clean/Snatch pull. Keep your shoulders over the bar at all times. If they go behind the bar you can’t do a good 2nd pull if your shoulders are behind the bar. Your shoulders HAVE TO BE OVER THE BAR.
See how the guys shoulders are over the bar at all times? Thats what you have to do. The diagram is for the Snatch but the path until the finish of the 2nd pull is basically the same. Contact is higher in the Snatch though.
An EXPLOSIVE pull is different to a big DL. It doesn’t matter how fast the bar comes off the floor, it is how fast you can shift it from the the start of the 2nd pull to the finish and where you are in relation to the bar. Your back has to be straight and strong, if it sags it will pull your chest down and the pull will be less effective.
Well, although I am no expert… I would say it depends.
For example: If you have spend the past 2 weeks doing Deadlifts and no cleans or snatches. Then all of the sudden one day trying to do a snatch for a PR just won’t happen. 1st because your brain and muscles has to get back in the “groove” of the movement. Plus you might have strengthen some other muscle groups more and then rest need to get in sink with the new pulling power of those muscles.
BUT, you you have been switching back and forth in a fairly consistent basis for a few weeks, then your brain and muscles should not have a problem doing either movement.
then again… I don’t know much and what I am saying is based on my short O-lifting experience/knowledge.
