Olympic Lifts

Working his magic on Dave Lipson, Coach Mike Burgener refines the split jerk by breaking down the movement and rebuilding it.

In Part 1, footwork is the foundation, and Burgener coaches Lipson through a series of progressions he teaches to CrossFitters who attend his Olympic Lifting Seminars.

To develop the jerk, Burgener starts Lipson in a long lunge. He provides his coaching cues: make sure the front knee is over the ankle… Continue Reading

Louie Simmons explains the finer points of the training principles he employs at the legendary Westside Barbell in Columbus, Ohio.

While experts like Tudor O. Bompa, Y.V. Verkhoshansky and others call for a yearly or multi-year plan, they were concentrating on the training for an Olympic competition, which occurs every four years. Westside speed-strength cycles, or waves, are integrated throughout the yearly plan as absolute strength building on… Continue Reading

Coach Mike Burgener explains how to fix the path of the bar with athletes of very different proportions.

Athletes with different proportions look very different on an Oly platform, and each will require individualized coaching to get into optimal positions. Be that as it may, most aspects of good technique stay the same whether an athlete has long femurs or short ones. You still have to finish the pull, and you still have to get… Continue Reading

Join HQ trainers E.C. Synkowski and Chris Spealler as they continue to show athletes and coaches how to teach the snatch to a large group.

In Part 2, Synkowski drills position transitions from mid-shin to mid-thigh to the jump, emphasizing that the athlete needs to remain over the bar as long as possible before the jump. She spends plenty of time on the set-up for the first pull and circles up the group to… Continue Reading

Bill Starr explains how you can use your mind to get the most out of your body in the gym or in any athletic endeavor.

Anyone just starting out on a strength program will make progress if he’s consistent, learns good technique, eats right and gets his needed rest. But once he’s been training for some time and knocking on the door of the high-intermediate or advanced levels, progress comes much more slowly. This… Continue Reading

Coach Mike Burgener explains how Kristan Clever uses athleticism and raw aggression to overcome minor form breaks.

Reigning CrossFit Games champion Kristan Clever began the CrossFit-USAW Open with a miss that sent the barbell rolling off the platform toward the center judge. The SoCal athlete smiled, shrugged it off and went on to nail the 62-kg snatch on her next attempt before hitting 64 kg on her final… Continue Reading

Join HQ trainers E.C. Synkowski and Chris Spealler as they show athletes and coaches how to teach the snatch to a large group.

Synkowski begins the tutorial by showing how she coaches the snatch. She begins with an introduction to the movement, then starts the progressions to the complex Olympic lift. She bases her coaching progression on Coach Mike Burgener’s Warm-Up, but she takes her time to discuss and drill each step.

Synkowski… Continue Reading

Bill Starr explains how you can use special drills and movements to fine-tune your snatch and break your PR.

Performing a full squat snatch precisely is certainly one of the most satisfying experiences in all of strength training. When everything hits just right, the bar seems to have a mind all its own and floats overhead smoothly, allowing plenty of time for the athlete to move under it and lock it out… Continue Reading