OL Basics

[Arioch]

Learning sequence for the Olympic lifts

Soviet model, as recommended by Anatoli Medvedyev:
Power Snatch
Overhead Squat
Snatch

Jerk from rack
Power Clean
Clean

USAW Model
Note: This method is responsible for producing zero world champions. The only world champions produced in the US since this program was implemented were trained in an old-school (read: Soviet/conjugate) training program under the coaching of Carl Coffee.
This model has the athlete mastering a series of basic exercises first, followed by the more advanced lifts.
Each lift is taught as part of a sequence:
Power clean, press behind the neck, then snatch grip press behind the neck.
Front squat then squat.
After this has been learned, the lifter then learns the snatch sequence.
Power snatch, overhead squat, snatch.

Romanian Model
Positioning of the body is taught first.
First stage.
Positioning for second and third stages taught through partial deadlifting.
Unloading phase taught by lowering bar from fourth stage to lower positioning, then re-bounding in a plyometric like effect.
Third and fourth phases are combined with snatch pulls from pins at knee height.
Power snatches from the same level.
Power snatch from the platform
Overhead squat
Drop snatch
Snatch

Similar sequence in the clean

Teaching sequence for the jerk:
Proper racked position
Dip
Power jerk
Split position to receive jerk
Jerk

Bulgarian Model
Squat
Front Squat
Clean Pull
Squat Clean
Split Squat
Split Jerk

Snatch Pull
Overhead Squat
Power Snatch


Teaching method for novice athlete:
Squat – taught first as this lift is vital to everything. In the words of former world record holder Victor Schreiner, ‘The squat is the basis for life on earth as we know it.”

The snatch is taught first, as the positions are somewhat unusual and often more difficult for the novice, particularly one unused to squatting. The lighter weights used in the snatch help prepare the lifter for the clean, as the pulling movements are similar. Teaching the clean first can often cause technical problems where the athlete will tend to dip the elbow to catch the bar, which can cause injury in the snatch as well as cause a technical violation.
Muscle snatch - the rotation aspect of the snatch is taught first, as this is the most important and often difficult aspect of the snatch.
Power snatch – done from the hang, to teach both the all-important explosion of the final acceleration, as well as teaching the ability to catch a dynamic lift.
Overhead squat – taught to allow the athlete to receive the bar in the correct position, as well as strengthen the musculature of the upper back to allow for a stable catch.
The amount of time spent on this portion of the learning mesocycle varies, as some athletes simply catch on quicker than others. It is important to note that the goal of this entire mesocycle is learning the basics of the Olympic lifts. Weight is added very slowly.

After those have been learned,
Power clean from hang – entire goal is to continue to master the explosion of the fourth phase of the pull, despite the different grip, as well as to learn the need to whip the elbows around as quickly as possible.
Front Squat – to learn the proper form to receive then rise from the clean, as well as continue the process of strengthening the legs.
Press – taught to strengthen the shoulders as well as teach the ability to push weights overhead, including the importance of moving the head out of the path of the bar.

The next phase of the learning process consists of working on these same six exercises while lowering the height the bar is pulled. Eventually, the power snatch and power clean will be executed from the deck. A decent working program is to lower the height from which the bar is pulled by one phase each week, and after four weeks, the bar would be pulled from the deck. This period will also include the push press, to teach the dip and drive as well as allowing the athlete to handle larger weights overhead.

The next phase includes the introduction of exercises to teach specific skills as well as strengthen weak points and provide general hypertrophy. In addition to working on the previously mentioned lifts, the following exercises are added:

Snatch grip press behind the neck – taught to strengthen the shoulders as well as improve the ability to stabilize a bar behind the head.

Drop snatch – taught to improve the ability to quickly move ‘pull’ under the bar as well as preparing the athlete to catch the bar in the deep position of the snatch.

Push jerk – teaches a more explosive dip and drive, essential for executing a jerk. This movement also allows even more weight to be put overhead.

Split squats – teaches the athlete proper form to receive the jerk as well as adding additional training volume for the legs, strengthening as well as improving tolerance to training volume.

Next microcycle would include the full lifts, the snatch, and the clean, executed in their entirety. This would also include the jerk, but it is executed as a separate lift.

Sample training program:

Week One
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday:
Squat: 5 sets, 5 reps
Muscle snatch: 5 sets, 5 reps
Overhead squats: 10 sets, 2 reps

Weeks 2-3
Power snatch from hang: 5 sets, 5 reps
Overhead squat: 10 sets, 2 reps
Squat: 5 sets, 5 reps

Weeks 4-6
Monday and Thursday:
Power snatch, lower one phase each week.
Overhead squats: 10 sets, 2 reps
Squat: 3 sets, 5 reps

Tuesday and Friday:
Power clean from hang: 5 sets, 5 reps
Front squat: 3 sets, 5 reps
Press: 5 sets, 5 reps
Weeks 7-9
Remain the same, except lower the bar on the hang clean every week.
Add the push press on Friday, same rep and set scheme.

Weeks 10-12
Monday:
Power snatch: 5 sets, 5 reps
Drop snatch: 5 sets, 2 reps
Squat: 3 sets, 5 reps

Tuesday:
Power clean from hang: 5 sets, 5 reps
Front Squat: 3 sets, 5 reps
Snatch Grip Press Behind Neck: 3 sets, 5 reps

Thursday:
Power snatch from hang: 5 sets, 5 reps
Overhead squat: 5 sets, 2 reps
Squat: 3 sets, 5 reps

Friday:
Power clean from deck: 5 sets, 5 reps
Push jerk: 5 sets, 3 reps
Split squats: 5 sets, 5 reps


Weeks 13 –15
Monday:
Snatch: 8 sets, 2 reps
Power snatch: 3 sets, 5 reps
Drop snatch: 5 sets, 2 reps
Squat: 3 sets, 5 reps

Tuesday:
Clean: 5 sets, 3 reps
Power clean and press: 3 sets, 5 reps
Front Squat: 3 sets, 5 reps

Thursday:
Snatch: 8 sets, 2 reps
Power snatch: 3 sets, 5 reps
Overhead squats: 5 sets, 2 reps
Squat: 3 sets, 5 reps

Friday:
Clean: 5 sets, 3 reps
Power clean and jerk: 5 sets, 3 reps
Split squats: 5 sets, 5 reps

This program is designed to teach the basics of Olympic lifting, and while gains in strength and size will occur, that is not the main focus. On the lifts with the higher skill requirements, the reps are low intentionally to avoid excessive fatigue of the CNS.

Changes in the program for sport specific training. It is difficult to make a general statement on what to adjust. For athletes who need more gains in size and strength while being introduced into the quick lifts, a second training session each day is recommended. Eliminate squats and front squats from the AM workouts, and execute them in the PM session, followed by assistance work for the squat, such as good mornings, reverse hypers, calves and abs. Care must be taken not to overly exhaust the core musculature while learning the quick lifts, as this can impede skill development.

Athletes who have need for specific development of the upper back, such as throwers, should follow the above guidelines, but add extra pulls into the AM workouts. This can occur after week six.

 

[Arioch]

Sample introductory program for a slightly more advanced athlete.


Periodization for Beginning Lifters

By John Cissik, C.S.C.S.

This is the first in a series of articles designed to show the reader how to apply so of the Soviet’s prionciples to Western training practices. This article will deal with the first year of a beginner’s training. The principles used here do a number of things that are often lacking in many of the training programs that we see in the West; they provide a great deal of variety in the training of the weightlifter while still developing technique and strength, they employ principles of periodization while peaking the beginner for competition, and they get the lifter used to competing early and often.

There are eight categories of exercises to be employed during the first year of training. The following is a list of exercises planned for the first year of training, by group:

Group One:
Power snatch from blocks (above and below the knee)
Power Snatch
Overhead Squats
Drop Snatch
Group Two:
Power clean from blocks (above and below the knee)
Power Clean
Push Jerk
Split Jerk
Group Three:
Squats
Front Squats
Group Four:
Pulls from blocks (above and below the knee)
Pulls from the floor
Group Five:
Good Mornings
Seated Good Mornings
Hyper Extensions
Group Six:
Military Press
BNP, Jerk Grip
BNP, Snatch Grip
Push Press, Jerk Grip
Push Press, Snatch Grip
Group Seven:
Power Snatch + Overhead Squat
Pulls from blocks + Power Snatch from Blocks
Pulls from floor + Power Snatch from floor

Group Eight:
Power Clean + Front Squat
Power Clean + Push Jerk
Power Clean + Split Jerk
Split Jerk + Front Squat
Power Clean + Front Squat + Split Jerk

Notice that the classic lifts are absent from the list of exercises. The first year of training involves peicemeal training of the lifts. Also absent are lifts performed from the hang, instead they are done from the blocks. This si due to the fact that many lifters will not have the development to perform the movments properly from the hang.

The course of the training for the first year is designed not only to teach the lifter the exercises, but also to get the lifter used to peaking several times during the year. From the very start training will be organized aournd peaking the lifter for the Nationals and the American Open – even though they probably will not get to those events for several years. Four week prior to both meets competitions will be held to evaluate the lifter’s current status in time to corrrect weaknesses prior to the big meets. In addition, meets will be hled in January and July. The reasons for training the beginning lifter around six meets a year are:
To get the lifter used to competing
To evaluate the lifter under stressful conditions
The peaking process for each meet will provide a great deal of variety to the lifter’s training, this will increase their development.

The training for the year is divided into three blocks, or macrocycles.The first macrocycle is designed to teach the lifter the foundations and peak them for the American Open, even though the beginning lifter will probably not be going. The second macrocycle is designed to peak the lifter for the Nationals. The third macrocycle is designed to peak the lifter for the summer competition.

Each macrocycle is divided into smaller blocks, called mesocycles. There are three different mesocycles; a transitional mesocycle, a prepatory mesocycle, and a precompetition mesocycle.

The First Macrocycle

The first macrocycle is sixteen weeks long, and is broken down into the following mesocycles:
First two weeks: Transitional Mesocycle
Next eight weeks: Prepatory Mesocycle
Next two weeks: Precompetition Mesocycle I
Next four weeks: Precompetition Mesocycle II

The first macrocycle invovles training three days a week. In this cycle the beginner learns the basics and begins to develop a strength and power foundation. The snatch and clean and jerk are trained in each training session. However, the exercises emplyed will change depending on the mesocycle. In general, each workout will include exercises from exercise groups one through six, plus flexibility work.

First Macrocycle

Transitional Mesocycle:
Group One:
Power Snatch, AK
Power Snatch, BK
Group Two:
Power Clean, AK
Power Clean, BK
Push Jerk
Group Three:
Squats
Front Squats
Group Four:
Pulls, AK
Group Five:
Hyperextensions
Group Six:
Military Press
BNP, Snatch Grip

Prepatory Mesocycle:
Group One:
Power Snatch, AK
Power Snatch, BK
Power Snatch
Group Two:
Power Clean, AK
Power Clean, BK
Push Jerk
Split Jerk
Group Three:
Squats
Front Squats
Group Four:
Good Mornings
Group Five:
BNP, Snatch Brip
Group Seven:
Power Snatch + pulls, floor
Group Eight:
Power Clean + Split Jerk
The Second Macrocycle
The second macrocycle is designed to peak the lifter for the Nationals, even though the lifter will probably not get there during their first year of training. The second macrocycle is twenty-four weeks long, and the lifter is training four days a week. Workouts are now unidirectional, one workout emphasizes the snatch while another workout emphasizes the clean and jerk; both exercises are no longer trained in the same workout. Each workout is borken down using exercises from the following groups:
Workout One: One, three, four, five
Workout Two: Two, three, four, six
Workout Three: One or seven, three, four, five
Workout Four: Two or eight, three, four, six

The second macrocycle is broken down into the following mesocycles:
First two weeks: Transistional mesocycle
Next four weeks: Prepatory mesocycle I
Next two weeks: Precompetition mesocycle I
Next eight weeks: Prepatory mesocycle II
Next two weeks: Precompetition mesocycle II
Next six weeks: Precompetition mesocycles III

Transitional Mesocycle:
Group One:
Power Snatch, AK
Power Snatch, BK
Group Two:
Power Clean, AK
Power Clean, BK
Split Jerk
Group Three:
Squats
Front Squats
Group Four:
Pulls, floor
Group Five:
Hyperextensions
Group Six:
Military Press

Prepatory Mesocycle (I and II):
Group One:
Power Snatch, AK
Power Snatch, BK
Power Snatch
Overhead Squat
Group Two:
Power Clean, AK
Power Clean, BK
Power Clean
Push Jerk
Split Jerk
Group Three:
Squats
Front Squats
Group Four:
Pulls from floor
Pulls from AK
Pulls from BK
Group Five:
Hyperextensions
Good Mornings
Group Six:
Military Press
BNP, Snatch Grip
BNP, Jerk Grip
Group Seven:
Pulls, blocks + Power Snatch
Power Snatch + Overhead Squat
Group Eight:
Power Clean + Front Squat
Power Clean + Split Jerk
Split Jerk + Front Squat

Precompetition Mesocycle (I, II, and III):
Group One:
Power Snatch, AK
Power Snatch, BK
Power Snatch
Overhead Squat
Group Two:
Power Clean, AK
Power Clean, BK
Power Clean
Push Jerk
Split Jerk
Group Three:
Squats
Front Squats
Group Four:
Pulls from floor
Pulls from AK
Pulls from BK

Group Five:
Hyperextensions
Good Mornings
Seated Good Mornings
Group Six:
Military Press
BNP, Snatch Grip
BNP, Jerk Grip
Push Press
Group Seven:
Pulls, blocks + Power Snatch
Pulls, floor + Power Snatch
Power Snatch + Overhead Squats
Group Eight:
Power Clean + Front Squat
Power Clean + Split Jerk
Split Jerk + Front Squat

The Third Macrocycle:
As this cycle progresses, the lifter will begin transitioning into combination exercises to get ready to learn the competition lifts during the second year of training. In the third macrocycle, the lifter is training four days a week. Each workout is broken down amongst the following groups:
Workout One: One, three, four, five
Workout Two: Two, three, four, six
Workout Three: Seven, three, four, five
Workout Four: Eight, three, four, six

The exception to the above is during the two week transitional mesocycle, when exercises from groups one and two will replace exercises from groups seven and eight, respectively.

The third macrocycle is broken down into the following mesocycles:
First two weeks: Transitional mesocycle
Next eight weeks: Prepatory mesocycle
Next two weeks: Precompetition mesocycle

Transitional Mesocycle:
Group One:
Power Snatch, AK
Power Snatch, BK
Group Two:
Power Clean, AK
Power Clean
Split Jerk
Group Three:
Squats
Front Squats


Group Four:
Pulls from AK
Pulls from BK
Group Five:
Hyperextensions
Group Six:
BNP, Jerk Grip
BNP, Snatch Grip

Prepatory Mesocycle:
Group One:
Power Snatch, AK
Power Snatch, BK
Power Snatch
Overhead Squats
Drop Snatch
Group Two:
Power Clean, AK
Power Clean, BK
Power Clean
Split Jerk
Push Jerk
Group Three:
Squats
Front Squats
Group Four:
Pulls from AK
Pulls from BK
Pulls from floor
Group Five:
Hyperextensions
Good Mornings
Seated Good Mornings
Group Six:
Military Press
BNP, Jerk Grip
BNP, Snatch Grip
Push Press, Jerk Grip
Push Press, Snatch Grip
Group Seven:
Power Snatch + Overhead Squat
Pulls from floor + Power Snatch
Group Eight:
Power Clean + Front Squat
Power Clean + Front Squat + Split Jerk
Power Clean + Split Jerk

Precompetition Mesocycle:
Group One:
Power Snatch
Drop Snatch
Group Two:
Power Clean
Split Jerk
Group Three:
Squats
Front Squats
Group Four:
Pulls from AK
Pulls from BK
Group Five:
Hyperextensions
Good Mornings
Group Six:
Military Press
BNP, Snatch Grip
Group Seven:
Power Snatch + Overhead Squat
Group Eight:
Power Clean + Front Squat + Split Jerk

Volume and Intensity of Training:
Beginners, in their first year of training, should not be trained at a percentage of their max lifts. This is because a beginner’s technique will vary from workout to workout and so will their max. Instead, there is a range of repetitions that beginners should train at for each set. In other words, when the program calls for them tot rain for 3-4 reps per set, this means that they should train with as much weight as they can handle, for 3-4 reps a set, in good form, for that day. Below are the recommendations for set and rep ranges for each mesocycle type. The exercises are broken down by category, with each category having a corresponding reps/set and sets/workout. The numbers do not include warm up sets.

Transitional Mesocycle for the First Year of Training
Category Reps/Set Sets/Workout
One 3 – 4 3
Two 3 – 4 3
Three 6 – 8 3
Four 4 – 6 3
Five 6 – 8 3
Six 6 – 8 3
Seven 3 – 4 3
Eight 3 – 4 3

Prepatory Mesocycle for the Frist Year of Training
Category Reps/Set Sets/Workout
One 3 – 4 3 – 5
Two 3 – 4 3 – 5
Three 6 – 10 3 – 5
Four 3 – 5 3
Five 6 – 10 3
Six 6 – 10 3
Seven 3 – 4 3 – 5
Eight 3 – 4 3 – 5

Precompetition Mesocycle for the First Year of Training
Category Reps/Set Sets/Workout
One 1 – 4 3 – 5
Two 1 – 4 3 – 5
Three 4 – 8 3 – 5
Four 3 – 5 3 – 5
Five 4 – 8 3
Six 4 – 8 3
Seven 1 – 4 3 – 5
Eight 1 – 4 3 - 5

 

[Deciever]

great article, as usual. This should be a sticky soon as a mod reads it.

 

[bigokie]

Isn't it sad that the US' training has not created any champions. Yet, we still use it and it is almost all that is taught in the US. I'm glad someone decided to put science back into lifting and create a method that works. Even if he didn't invent it, he just rediscovered it.

Sorry about the little rant, great article as usual. Just curious, where did you learn your Olifting, Arioch?

 

[Arioch]

Just curious, where did you learn your Olifting, Arioch?

Well, I started out lucky living down the street from a club coach, and he was very old fashioned, nothing fancy, just get the job done sort of coach. He was great. Not much on science, but had an incredible intuitive grasp of not only lifting, but coaching that I am still envious of. Went on to compete in college, although this was secondary (hammer thower). Majored in Ex phys. Went on to keep competing for a while and still coach.

 

[Gladiola]

Printed, will study. This going to be on the quiz?

I hope that guy from the OL club in town returns my call - I need some RL help!

 

[Arioch]

This is a work in progress. I will be adding things when I have time.

Teaching method for novice athlete is mine. This is what I will be adding to and modifying.