Started Olympic Lifting

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
21

[quote]barbiegirl wrote:
coach told me that the DL will have only a positive effect on the clean and jerks.

Also he taught me how to be explosive on the DL

Right now I feel like an idiot practicing cause I really suck at it (more the clean then the jerk actually) so I’m really hoping that I will eventually get the hang of these lifts and for it to become more natural and comfortable and interesting.

Right now, I feel like a true barbie girl just lifting the stupid bar…then I get some testosterone filled comment by a twirp at the gym: you really work hard! Yes, by lifting my measily 45 lbs bar I am working really really hard!!![/quote]

Congrats on the OLY lifting! so much fun, and yes, they’re addictive for me too.

I’ve been working on my lifts for about a year, and the movements are so much cleaner/smoother/ and just seem to flow.

Just a question; what verbal cues did the trainer give you to make the deadlifts more explosive? Mine seem really slow when the weights get heavier. I love to work on speed in order to get past a sticking point.
Thanks, and good luck. Have fun!

22

[quote]bjalifts wrote:
barbiegirl wrote:
coach told me that the DL will have only a positive effect on the clean and jerks.

Also he taught me how to be explosive on the DL

Right now I feel like an idiot practicing cause I really suck at it (more the clean then the jerk actually) so I’m really hoping that I will eventually get the hang of these lifts and for it to become more natural and comfortable and interesting.

Right now, I feel like a true barbie girl just lifting the stupid bar…then I get some testosterone filled comment by a twirp at the gym: you really work hard! Yes, by lifting my measily 45 lbs bar I am working really really hard!!!

Congrats on the OLY lifting! so much fun, and yes, they’re addictive for me too.

I’ve been working on my lifts for about a year, and the movements are so much cleaner/smoother/ and just seem to flow.

Just a question; what verbal cues did the trainer give you to make the deadlifts more explosive? Mine seem really slow when the weights get heavier. I love to work on speed in order to get past a sticking point.
Thanks, and good luck. Have fun![/quote]

They will feel slow as you get heavier, you just have to continue exploding as if you were lifting light. You won’t really feel it but its more of your starting position: upper body muscles tight ready to pounce, shoulder blades back and tight, lower body muscles tight as well and…go (thats the cues I got)

Sorry! I’m a newbie so I can’t really give you more info, its more of a feeling you just have to think fast with your tempo and not slow

Hope that helps

23

arghhhh! having a hard time lately getting all my workouts in, x-mass shopping, parties, lack of sun…

Anyways, managed to get in some deadlifts tonite:

5 sets: 3 of 5 reps, 2 of 4 reps

Weight: went up, 3 sets at 145lbs and 2 sets at 150 lbs

My grip is getting better with the thumbs in technic, starting to really feel in in the thumb though.

Wednesday I’ll be practicing my clean and jerks, hoping to add some weight to the bar.

24

Did some clean and jerks tonite:

2 warm up sets of 6-8 reps of each clean and jerk

2 sets of 6-8 reps at 55 lbs…yes I have added weight and all went well for both clean and jerk

Tomorrow more dealifts will be increasing weight again…yahoo!

I am not progressing quickly but I’m trying to get these in with my regular workouts which are quite hectic until tomorrow, after that 2 weeks of only oly lifting, full body workouts,

lighter workouts until Jan 8th 07

I did a 4 week escalating density training and this last week is a killer, everything is hard, harder beating the numbers too as its the fourth week, some exercises are going well, others are pure hell (push press, pull ups, bench press)almost over …tomorrow…yeah! couldn’t do another week of this type of training for now it really burns you out

25

Deadlifts last nite:

1 warm up set at 135 lbs for 6 reps
5 sets at 155 lbs, went up 5 lbs only for 3-4 reps each set.

Had a hard time with my grip, that particular bar is large and I have very small hands, even with thumbs in, I kept losing my grip at 3 reps, that why I couldn’t get more in, managed a few 4 reps.

no powder, no gloves yesterday so wasn’t helping me either. My forearms are probably not strong enough right now either, so I will be working on 155 lbs for now with the deadlift.

26

Took a week off from weight training after finishing a 4 weeks EDT (very tough, mentally and physically)

Got back in the gym last nite with much hapiness. When I take a week off I always feel like its been forever since my last workout.

So, got some O lifting in last nite:

cleans: 5 sets of 8 65lbs (went up in weight!!!)

Jerks: 5 sets of 8 65 lbs as well

Deadlifts: 5 sets of 5 at …155 lbs, last time had a hard time with my grip and was only able to get in 3-4, changes my grip (small hands, thumb in doesn’t work for me anymore) so I use the alternating hand grip (don’t know what else to call it)

Squats: 5 sets : 4 sets of 8 reps at 95 lbs and 1 at 115lbs for 5 reps

My goal: to increase every time, either reps, or weight but increase every time I hit the o lifts.

Starting a 4 to 6 weeks of pure strength training so I’m doing the 10X3 method. Haven’t decided on 4 or 6 yet as it depends on my next fitness test date (max bench press, chin ups, bench row 2 min lactic test as well as 2 min bench press test)

I will also probably buy the mobility DVD as I get tight very easily now with paddling, weight training and running.

27

Update on my O lifing from yesterday:

5 sets of 5 reps cleans: 75 lbs

5 sets of 2-5 reps jerks: 1 at 75 lbs, one at 70 lbs and the rest at 65 lbs, tougher then I expected.

Deadlifts: 5 sets of 5 at 155 lbs, grip is better

Squats: 5 sets of 5 at 105 lbs, next time going up to 115lbs for 5 sets

So cleans are getting better, weight is increasing

Jerks are harder will have to wait a bit before increasing

Deadlifts: will increase 5 lbs next time

Squats same thing

My traps are feeling it today, my legs normally feel after 24 hours

So far, considering that I am not able to get O lifting in more then 2 times a weeks, mostly only one, I’m very happy so far with my progress

28

[quote]harhar wrote:
After a certain point, there is a negative correlation between DL and the OLs. DLs teaches you to lift heavy weights slowly.[/quote]

Just plain incorrect…

DL’s are a great infrequent test of strength with no negative affect to your oly lifts. If you’d like to use it more often just pull as explosively as possible - as the weight gets heavier the bar will move slower, but you’ll be exploding just as quickly.

Exploding is different from a slow, grinding PL type pull and oly lifting can teach you that. Try this:
grab the bar and pre-load your skeletal system, that is, put some pressure to the ground against the weight of the bar so you’re not jerking it off the ground. From here, a PL type pull will slowly add pressure until enough is compiled to move and keep moving the bar. An explosive OL type lift will place max pressure against the bar at once - lighter bars will fly, and heavier bars will crawl. The former will teach you to lift slow, the latter to explode.

Good luck on your training. And what is “elite dragon boat”?

-SK

29

I’m beat!

Started my 10 x3 training with added corrective exercises before and specific exercises after with stretching and I’m totally beat tonite.

Core lifts are not may but 10 x 3 hits you pretty hard…so bench press, jerks, squats and pull ups (ladder style to get some improvement in there)

Jerks: tried them again at 70 lbs, not happening yet, not explosive enough to easily get the weight up and over my head, it kinda gets stuck just at my head so back down again to 65 lbs but for 10 sets of 3, my traps are already screaming at me :slight_smile:

Deadlifts will be wednesday as well as cleans…I think

What is elite dragon boat? Check out the thread of our fav pas times with a bunch of pics, I posted one of my team racing…20 people in a boat paddling, speed, power and stregth is required at the elite level to win a race

30

A bit late in logging my last workouts. This week and tonite:

jerks: still stuck at 65 lbs but doing them again tonite so next week I should be able to increase

Cleans: 75 lbs and will be doing up next week

NOte: these are now part of my 10 x 3 program which I find excellent so far, first week for that as well

Deadlifts: 160 lbs

squats: 115 lbs

In my 10 x3 I’ve changed the pull-up sequence for a ladder sequence with 10 sets as well, I’m trying to improve my max pulls, right now can do 10 which is not enough, trying to get to 20 by spring. For girls, it takes forever to improve. It took me a year to get to where I am now, even losing 10 lbs hasn’t made these any easier.

31

Have a question for you guys, don’t know if anybody is actually reading this thread but anyways:

Those of you who are doing olymic lifts and don’t have access to the bumper weights as well as olympic plateform (bouncy plateform)

What do you do for jerks? I’m starting to find it hard to bring the weight back down cause I can’t let it drop when doing cleans and jerks, ok I’m not lifting heavy (75-80 lbs cleans and 70 lbs jerks) but I won’t be able to bring them down without droping them for very long, so any input???

Thanks

32

Wow, it’s great that you’re doing olympic lifting! To me, those lifts have always been the most “fun.” I just like the feel of picking a bar up from the ground and putting it over my head. However, I don’t really do them because I have never been taught how and I feel uncomfortable with the technique. So, two quick questions:

  1. How did you find a coach?

  2. Do you lift on a platform thing that allows you to drop the bars? The most awkward part of the lifts for me have been putting the bar back down. I always feel like I’m going to injure something doing it.

33

[quote]The Rover wrote:
Wow, it’s great that you’re doing olympic lifting! To me, those lifts have always been the most “fun.” I just like the feel of picking a bar up from the ground and putting it over my head. However, I don’t really do them because I have never been taught how and I feel uncomfortable with the technique. So, two quick questions:

  1. How did you find a coach?

  2. Do you lift on a platform thing that allows you to drop the bars? The most awkward part of the lifts for me have been putting the bar back down. I always feel like I’m going to injure something doing it.[/quote]

Hi, to answer your first question, I found a coach here at T-Nation, someone from where I live refered me to coach and then I took it from there.

For your second question, read post before yours, which is exactly my current problem, I don’t have the plateforms to drop the weights or the rubber weights to drop to bar and was wondering if others are in the same situation and what do they do??

34

[quote]barbiegirl wrote:
Have a question for you guys, don’t know if anybody is actually reading this thread but anyways:

Those of you who are doing olymic lifts and don’t have access to the bumper weights as well as olympic plateform (bouncy plateform)

What do you do for jerks? I’m starting to find it hard to bring the weight back down cause I can’t let it drop when doing cleans and jerks, ok I’m not lifting heavy (75-80 lbs cleans and 70 lbs jerks) but I won’t be able to bring them down without droping them for very long, so any input???

Thanks
[/quote]

Three options:

  1. lift iron weights over a hard rubber floor. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a gym without some sort of rubberized floor. Go ahead and drop the bar.

  2. if the gym folks don’t agree with your practices, you can drop the bar to the rack position on your shoulders, then down to the hang, then to the floor.

  3. If your doing singles you can drop the bar to the rack position then dump it off to a set of racks. Unload, floor, and reload… or have your training partner help you out to floor it.

Personally, if I get too much trouble from the gym folks I use method #2 trying to use as little eccentric strength as possible. One advantage to using this method is performing the movement in reverse helps tighten your technique.

And as an aside, something that really helps your technique while your learning is to mentally “see” yourself performing the movements while your at rest throughout the day… in case your coach hasn’t given you this little treasure yet.

-SK

35

[quote]The Rover wrote:
Wow, it’s great that you’re doing olympic lifting! To me, those lifts have always been the most “fun.” I just like the feel of picking a bar up from the ground and putting it over my head. However, I don’t really do them because I have never been taught how and I feel uncomfortable with the technique. So, two quick questions:

  1. How did you find a coach?

  2. Do you lift on a platform thing that allows you to drop the bars? The most awkward part of the lifts for me have been putting the bar back down. I always feel like I’m going to injure something doing it.[/quote]

Have you ever thought of teaching yourself?

I learned from Crossfit.com
they have all the Olympic lifts under their exercise section (and in specific parts)

Also Danjohn.org is Dan John’s site, look under Old Stuff

Mike Burgener as well at http://www.mikesgym.org/ (he has a sweet warm-up, you can find it on crossfit.com and his site)

Just keep your ego in check, watch A LOT (LARGE AMOUNTS) of quality Oly lifters, and read everything you can get your hands on.

Sorry, for “hijacking” your thread Barbiegirl. Keep on keeping on!

36

[quote]barbiegirl wrote:
Have a question for you guys, don’t know if anybody is actually reading this thread but anyways:

Those of you who are doing olymic lifts and don’t have access to the bumper weights as well as olympic plateform (bouncy plateform)

What do you do for jerks? I’m starting to find it hard to bring the weight back down cause I can’t let it drop when doing cleans and jerks, ok I’m not lifting heavy (75-80 lbs cleans and 70 lbs jerks) but I won’t be able to bring them down without droping them for very long, so any input???

Thanks
[/quote]

You have already run up against one of the problems with trying to do olympic weightlifting in this country. Few places are equiped for OL and many that are still won’t allow you to drop the weight after a lift. I’ve been kicked out of more gyms than I can remember for doing OL.

For repitions on jerks, many of us just keep on with catching the bar on our shoulders. There are these things called jerk blocks, stacks of solid wooden blocks that you jerk between and drop the weight onto after each rep. They are set high enough so that a only a minimal squat is needed to get set for the next jerk. They are nice, but a pain to get set up. Besides, you would have to build them yourself and get the gym’s permission to keep them there.

As for dropping other lifts to the floor, you are almost up to 40 kg in you lifts. Talk to your gym and see if they would let you bring in some bumper plates, and then let use them appropriately (i.e. for dropping your weights after lifts). A set of ten kilo bumpers won’t set you back too much and well worth the money if you would actually be allowed to use them.

Another alternative is to go looking for a gym that supports and allows OL. (hard to find, a quick message at goheavy.com often yields good results).

Or you can do what many of us have done, and set up at home with your own platform and weights. Then you can drop the bar to your hearts content. Expensive at first, isolates you from other lifters, and besides, you might not have the space anyway.

I think other posts have given suggestions that involve working within your current setup.

Good luck and keep lifting.

37

Still going…just forgot to keep this log up to date.

Have not found a solution for the dropping weights situation, can’t makes to muc damn noise and the weights would probably break, we thought about buying ourselves some rubber weights… need to look into that

So, deadlifts last week 160 lbs 5X5 so the weight is going up again this week, jerks 70 lbs 5x5 these seem to be a bit harder and take longer to up in weights, cleans 75 5x5

So weights are going up next week and back to 10x3

Wish I could train at an olympic weight lifting facility, that would be so much fun, just letting the weights drop, lifting heavier without worrying about letting the weight drop :slight_smile:

The whole point of my doing these lifts is to develop explosiveness in my paddling sport and in spriting and just getting faster with dead starts and so far I find it is helping.

Also its improving strength in back, leg, shoulders abs etc.