Well Olympic lifts are awesome

[Pugilistic]

I've been getting more and more interested in Oly lifting. I can't stop watching oly videos in awe at the elite's combination of power, strength, and grace. Really wish I learned it years ago. Among "strength" exercises, it seems to have more carry over to other sports as well, in particular striking combat sports, which is the background I come from.

I don't have a coach so I've been watching a lot of youtube videos and imitating the movements with the bar at my gym, which is just a regular fitness gym that doesn't have bumper plates, much less an oly platform. For some reason they have an oly bar so I've been using that to practice and I have no real idea if I'm doing it right. I look at the mirror and use regular iron plates to practice the power variations of the movements. I power cleaned 60kg (yeah I'm a total noob) earlier this week which felt awesome. But without proper equipment and a coach, I feel severely limited.

Can I get proficient at these movements just by watching videos? Where I live the only places that teach these movements are at dedicated gyms for Olympians which I obviously can't go to since I'm not an Olympian. And there are crossfit gyms... I am extremely skeptical of the level of instruction there, not to mention I am not sure I want to shell out money for a crossfit membership when I all I want is to just learn the two oly movements.

 

[Phlog]

I've been getting more and more interested in Oly lifting. I can't stop watching oly videos in awe at the elite's combination of power, strength, and grace. Really wish I learned it years ago. Among "strength" exercises, it seems to have more carry over to other sports as well, in particular striking combat sports, which is the background I come from.

I don't have a coach so I've been watching a lot of youtube videos and imitating the movements with the bar at my gym, which is just a regular fitness gym that doesn't have bumper plates, much less an oly platform. For some reason they have an oly bar so I've been using that to practice and I have no real idea if I'm doing it right. I look at the mirror and use regular iron plates to practice the power variations of the movements. I power cleaned 60kg (yeah I'm a total noob) earlier this week which felt awesome. But without proper equipment and a coach, I feel severely limited.

Can I get proficient at these movements just by watching videos? Where I live the only places that teach these movements are at dedicated gyms for Olympians which I obviously can't go to since I'm not an Olympian. And there are crossfit gyms... I am extremely skeptical of the level of instruction there, not to mention I am not sure I want to shell out money for a crossfit membership when I all I want is to just learn the two oly movements.

I have incorporated cleans and power cleans in my training (football), if anything I think it's the training of the neurons that activate all the muscles in the train to fore at the same time with intensity that crosses over to my sport, rather than any muscle development. When I lower my centre of gravity and explode up and out using my chest, shoulder and hands to hit someone that's when it's money.

I learned all my stuff via YouTube and whilst it's been very beneficial, there's been a couple of mistakes along the way that I wasn't able to pick up until they caused an issue. Think of it like people learning striking via YouTube.. If you're really competent you might only make a mistake or two, if you're sub par you'll actively fuck shit up.

I'm looking to do a session with a physio friend who's done courses on oly lifts to correct any errors, a single session is probably a decent investment. Some PTs will have the skills.

P.S. I went to a crossfit session once. I had other students giving instruction, none of it in technique. It was shit. Then they had me trying handstand pushups, during a ridiculous work out, already fatigued, as a 260lb semi trained dude. No one helped to make sure I didn't collapse and injure my neck, this kind of shit was endemic. It was not a place for technique or learning, only ungoverned exertion.

 

[Pugilistic]

I have incorporated cleans and power cleans in my training (football), if anything I think it's the training of the neurons that activate all the muscles in the train to fore at the same time with intensity that crosses over to my sport, rather than any muscle development. When I lower my centre of gravity and explode up and out using my chest, shoulder and hands to hit someone that's when it's money.

I learned all my stuff via YouTube and whilst it's been very beneficial, there's been a couple of mistakes along the way that I wasn't able to pick up until they caused an issue. Think of it like people learning striking via YouTube.. If you're really competent you might only make a mistake or two, if you're sub par you'll actively fuck shit up.

I'm looking to do a session with a physio friend who's done courses on oly lifts to correct any errors, a single session is probably a decent investment. Some PTs will have the skills.

What kind of issues did they cause? Also, did you do them with bumper plates? It somehow feels more dangerous for me to do them with regular plates.

 

[Oblivian]

I learned without a coach. I would have used a coach if there was one around. It takes a while, and girls smaller than me still move weight better

 

[Phlog]

What kind of issues did they cause? Also, did you do them with bumper plates? It somehow feels more dangerous for me to do them with regular plates.

Hurt my shoulder because I wasnt using my hips properly. No bumper plates, I got planks of wood and some foam I use to land on. Agreed tho.

 

[Pugilistic]

Hurt my shoulder because I wasnt using my hips properly. No bumper plates, I got planks of wood and some foam I use to land on. Agreed tho.

Huh my gym doesn't have those although I guess could do them on the deadlift platform to be safe. I guess I gotta go light and film myself and meticulously compare myself with the instructional videos I see.

 

[deadshot138]

Snatches and cleans require a great deal of flexibility. But an Olympic program complete with accessory work will make you strong and explosive. I may jump back into it once I’m done with Wendlers and Smolov.

 

[MMA Maine-iac]

I love snatches and muscle snatches. I learned from watching Alan Thrall videos. The muscle snatch is heavily used in the Greyskull program I'm following. I don't know if it's technically an olympic lift, but it does help when I do regular snatches. Sadly, I don't have the shoulder mobility to do cleans. I found out the hard way that not being able to get into the rack position can cause some discomfort/injury in your shoulders, which it did.

 

[LatFlare]

I've been getting more and more interested in Oly lifting. I can't stop watching oly videos in awe at the elite's combination of power, strength, and grace. Really wish I learned it years ago. Among "strength" exercises, it seems to have more carry over to other sports as well, in particular striking combat sports, which is the background I come from.

I don't have a coach so I've been watching a lot of youtube videos and imitating the movements with the bar at my gym, which is just a regular fitness gym that doesn't have bumper plates, much less an oly platform. For some reason they have an oly bar so I've been using that to practice and I have no real idea if I'm doing it right. I look at the mirror and use regular iron plates to practice the power variations of the movements. I power cleaned 60kg (yeah I'm a total noob) earlier this week which felt awesome. But without proper equipment and a coach, I feel severely limited.

Can I get proficient at these movements just by watching videos? Where I live the only places that teach these movements are at dedicated gyms for Olympians which I obviously can't go to since I'm not an Olympian. And there are crossfit gyms... I am extremely skeptical of the level of instruction there, not to mention I am not sure I want to shell out money for a crossfit membership when I all I want is to just learn the two oly movements.

But are u still a virgin tho?

 

[Pugilistic]

But are u still a virgin tho?

Not ever since your mom came into my room that night.

 

[Pugilistic]

I love snatches and muscle snatches. I learned from watching Alan Thrall videos. The muscle snatch is heavily used in the Greyskull program I'm following. I don't know if it's technically an olympic lift, but it does help when I do regular snatches. Sadly, I don't have the shoulder mobility to do cleans. I found out the hard way that not being able to get into the rack position can cause some discomfort/injury in your shoulders, which it did.

For me, I can get the front rack position (with some difficulty) but I don't seem to have a lot of stability in the snatch position. I can't overhead squat much because of this. I wonder if it's an issue of my shoulders or back.

 

[bad seed]

For me, I can get the front rack position (with some difficulty) but I don't seem to have a lot of stability in the snatch position. I can't overhead squat much because of this. I wonder if it's an issue of my shoulders or back.

you have no business doing oly lifts until you can get into the full range of positions it requires.

If you can't do this, focus instead on power cleans and snatch high pulls, like this


otherwise dont do these at all. Especially if you cant get coaching. You could always do the kettlebell versions, but they do not mimmick the demands of the barbell lifts at all.

 

[LatFlare]

Not ever since your mom came into my room that night.

So that's a yes?

 

[Chungungo]

Snatches and cleans require a great deal of flexibility. But an Olympic program complete with accessory work will make you strong and explosive. I may jump back into it once I’m done with Wendlers and Smolov.

This ...
After boxing I did some lifts last Tuesday and my wrist lost some flexibility , also forgot to pass elbows up in the clean . I did olympic lifting like 5 years ago and sadly lost some skill so while I love them I would do a powerlifting routine to comlpement my sport.