Training at Commercial Gym, Want to Do Olympic Lifts

I am currently focusing on losing weight and doing extensive mobility work at my local gym which I have a years contract with. I can’t do olympic lifts there and wouldn’t feel comfortable attempting to learn them on my own anyway.

I am going to start lifting as soon as I have reached my goal bodyweight and have reached my mobility goals. I was planning on doing a basic linear progression style routine comprised of compound lifts.

I was wondering what would best establish a good strength base that would transfer well when I go to the olympic weightlifting gym and start training.

Basically my question is would there be any benefit in doing something like the following:

A
Hang clean
Back squat
Chin-ups

B
Front squat
Snatch grip deadlift
Overhead press

Is there any point in me doing a program like starting strength or stronglifts if my goal is olympic lifting in the future? Sorry for the very newbish meandering question but I am somewhat confused about programming and just want some advice.

[quote]YamatoDamashii92 wrote:
I am currently focusing on losing weight and doing extensive mobility work at my local gym which I have a years contract with. I can’t do olympic lifts there and wouldn’t feel comfortable attempting to learn them on my own anyway.

I am going to start lifting as soon as I have reached my goal bodyweight and have reached my mobility goals. I was planning on doing a basic linear progression style routine comprised of compound lifts.

I was wondering what would best establish a good strength base that would transfer well when I go to the olympic weightlifting gym and start training.

Basically my question is would there be any benefit in doing something like the following:

A
Hang clean
Back squat
Chin-ups

B
Front squat
Snatch grip deadlift
Overhead press

Is there any point in me doing a program like starting strength or stronglifts if my goal is olympic lifting in the future? Sorry for the very newbish meandering question but I am somewhat confused about programming and just want some advice.

[/quote]

Hey Yamato,

Stronglifts for your squat and overhead press can definetely be helpful in the beginning, if you for example 5x5 with those that would be pretty good for some months.

Perhaps you can do the hang clean and frontsquat on the same day, I would try to do several hangcleans with a relatively low weight with which you can lower into a fullsquat. You could do some hang cleans from the mid thigh position, the power position and below the knee.

Also if you want to do olympic lifting, you might consider doing clean pulls and snatch pulls instead of deadlifts.

Bench press, is fine, but won’t be that helpful for olympic lifting. You could do more shoulder dominant exercises such as the Klokov press, which is a snatch grip overhead press that is behind the neck, it will create some strength for snatches.

Also you could consider good mornings and hyper extensions for a strong back. you want to have a strong back with olympic lifting.

So perhaps consider some different exercises, and chin up and bench are good for overall power and training the arms. Many weightlifters do some exercises such as those for strength, also consider facepulls, fly’s and rotator cuff exercises.

Sorry for a lot of information, but I believe that there is a lot too say about how to prepare yourself. You could work in periods of 6 weeks and changing some exercises from now and then

[quote]Bart Power wrote:

[quote]YamatoDamashii92 wrote:
I am currently focusing on losing weight and doing extensive mobility work at my local gym which I have a years contract with. I can’t do olympic lifts there and wouldn’t feel comfortable attempting to learn them on my own anyway.

I am going to start lifting as soon as I have reached my goal bodyweight and have reached my mobility goals. I was planning on doing a basic linear progression style routine comprised of compound lifts.

I was wondering what would best establish a good strength base that would transfer well when I go to the olympic weightlifting gym and start training.

Basically my question is would there be any benefit in doing something like the following:

A
Hang clean
Back squat
Chin-ups

B
Front squat
Snatch grip deadlift
Overhead press

Is there any point in me doing a program like starting strength or stronglifts if my goal is olympic lifting in the future? Sorry for the very newbish meandering question but I am somewhat confused about programming and just want some advice.

[/quote]

Hey Yamato,

Stronglifts for your squat and overhead press can definetely be helpful in the beginning, if you for example 5x5 with those that would be pretty good for some months.

Perhaps you can do the hang clean and frontsquat on the same day, I would try to do several hangcleans with a relatively low weight with which you can lower into a fullsquat. You could do some hang cleans from the mid thigh position, the power position and below the knee.

Also if you want to do olympic lifting, you might consider doing clean pulls and snatch pulls instead of deadlifts.

Bench press, is fine, but won’t be that helpful for olympic lifting. You could do more shoulder dominant exercises such as the Klokov press, which is a snatch grip overhead press that is behind the neck, it will create some strength for snatches.

Also you could consider good mornings and hyper extensions for a strong back. you want to have a strong back with olympic lifting.

So perhaps consider some different exercises, and chin up and bench are good for overall power and training the arms. Many weightlifters do some exercises such as those for strength, also consider facepulls, fly’s and rotator cuff exercises.

Sorry for a lot of information, but I believe that there is a lot too say about how to prepare yourself. You could work in periods of 6 weeks and changing some exercises from now and then
[/quote]

Hey dude, thanks for the reply.
You make good points, I was actually thinking about putting some snatch pulls too, just my exercise choice is limited because the gym I am at are really aggressive about stopping people doing certain lifts. I can’t wait to get to a proper gym.

As for the hang cleans, what kind of rep range would you recommend? 5x3?

[quote]YamatoDamashii92 wrote:

[quote]Bart Power wrote:

[quote]YamatoDamashii92 wrote:
I am currently focusing on losing weight and doing extensive mobility work at my local gym which I have a years contract with. I can’t do olympic lifts there and wouldn’t feel comfortable attempting to learn them on my own anyway.

I am going to start lifting as soon as I have reached my goal bodyweight and have reached my mobility goals. I was planning on doing a basic linear progression style routine comprised of compound lifts.

I was wondering what would best establish a good strength base that would transfer well when I go to the olympic weightlifting gym and start training.

Basically my question is would there be any benefit in doing something like the following:

A
Hang clean
Back squat
Chin-ups

B
Front squat
Snatch grip deadlift
Overhead press

Is there any point in me doing a program like starting strength or stronglifts if my goal is olympic lifting in the future? Sorry for the very newbish meandering question but I am somewhat confused about programming and just want some advice.

[/quote]

Hey Yamato,

Stronglifts for your squat and overhead press can definetely be helpful in the beginning, if you for example 5x5 with those that would be pretty good for some months.

Perhaps you can do the hang clean and frontsquat on the same day, I would try to do several hangcleans with a relatively low weight with which you can lower into a fullsquat. You could do some hang cleans from the mid thigh position, the power position and below the knee.

Also if you want to do olympic lifting, you might consider doing clean pulls and snatch pulls instead of deadlifts.

Bench press, is fine, but won’t be that helpful for olympic lifting. You could do more shoulder dominant exercises such as the Klokov press, which is a snatch grip overhead press that is behind the neck, it will create some strength for snatches.

Also you could consider good mornings and hyper extensions for a strong back. you want to have a strong back with olympic lifting.

So perhaps consider some different exercises, and chin up and bench are good for overall power and training the arms. Many weightlifters do some exercises such as those for strength, also consider facepulls, fly’s and rotator cuff exercises.

Sorry for a lot of information, but I believe that there is a lot too say about how to prepare yourself. You could work in periods of 6 weeks and changing some exercises from now and then
[/quote]

Hey dude, thanks for the reply.
You make good points, I was actually thinking about putting some snatch pulls too, just my exercise choice is limited because the gym I am at are really aggressive about stopping people doing certain lifts. I can’t wait to get to a proper gym.

As for the hang cleans, what kind of rep range would you recommend? 5x3? [/quote]

EG bench: There is nothing wrong with bench. It can greatly improve overhead strength, shoulder stability, and overall muscle mass in the upper body. I think just about eveyr weightlifter should do it, because most beginner weightlifters seriously lack upper body strength.

Here’s a basic program you can do 3x a week that can help you progress faster:

A:
Clean technique
(hang cleans, tall cleans, drop cleans, muscle cleans, etc.) do for 5-6 sets of 2 reps.

Clean pull: Working on proper positions, these can be only the first pull, a long first pull, a normal clean pull, a paused pull, whatever.
Do for 5 sets of 5

Front Squat: 5x5, try and increase weight a little bit each week

Bench: 5x5 try and increase weight a little bit each week

B:
Snatch technique: Snatch push press, snatch balance, drop snatch, hang snatch, etc.

Snatch pull: 5 sets of 5

Back Squat: 5x5

Overhead Press: 5x5

C:
Jerk Technique: Press from the split, Jerk drives, jerk balance, tall jerk, etc.

Push Press: 5x5

Overhead Squat (Snatch grip): 5x5

Romanian Deadlift (clean grip): 5x5

Every single day, do back extensions and core work.

Post videos here or over at wl forums for critique

The program posted by Nkk is pretty good to build a good base, but how many times per week do you want to go? Since you posted initially only an A and a B workout?

If it’s only 2x a week, then just rotate through the days.

[quote]Bart Power wrote:
The program posted by Nkk is pretty good to build a good base, but how many times per week do you want to go? Since you posted initially only an A and a B workout?[/quote]

I have no set amount of days I would prefer. I would do anything that would be beneficial. I don’t know whether or not to just do 5/3/1 or a linear program and once my gym membership runs out then go to the olympic weightlifting gym and pay for coaching. I am worried about fucking myself over by learning an ingrained poor form by constantly using incorrect form.

I am a bit unsure about what to do really.

Well, if you are really worried about messing up your form, you could keep it simple and just do some conditioning with working on squats, military press, bench press, chin ups, perhaps some running and jumping and also work on your mobility.

So you will be stronger, faster and more mobile and then when you start with a coach you work on the technique.

Or take the program with some specific lifts, but it is up to you.

Either way I don’t think that some months will make a huge difference, both can be useful.

Couldn’t you do Oly lifts at a slightly lighter weight, which might allow you to slowly lower the weight back down to the floor? Obviously, you can’t just drop the barbell. I workout in a gym that’s not as anal as a Planet Fitness or LA Fitness (which there is no hope if that’s where you go), but not quite a weightlifter’s gym. They don’t bust chops as long as you are not slamming weights. It has some good floor space, however. No chalk unfortunately.