Olympic Lifts

In January, we took you through a series of exercises designed to teach the high-hang power snatch ("high-hang" means starting the movement in a standing position with the barbell or dowel at hip height; "power" means the barbell is received in a partial squat). In February, we took you through a series of exercises designed to teach how to receive the snatch in the full squat position. The final movement in that progression… Continue Reading

Last month, we covered the Burgener warm-up, a sequence of six movements that ends in a high-hang power snatch with a length of PVC pipe or dowel. Whereas the full snatch, which begins with the bar at the ground and involves receiving the weight in a full squat with the bar locked out overhead, can be quite challenging, just about everyone can learn to do a high-hang power snatch with PVC, regardless of strength and… Continue Reading

Now that we've established the proper grip and set-up stance (CFJ 50 and 51), the next phase in teaching the Olympic lifts is what has become known as the Burgener warm-up. This warm-up consists of six different sequences that are important for learning to perform the Olympic lifts. The Burgener warm-up is performed with a length of PVC pipe or a dowel and specifically trains the second and third pulls of the… Continue Reading

Last month, we took a detailed look at the jumping and landing stances for the Olympic lifts. This month, we'll discuss proper hand placement on the bar for the snatch and the clean. First off, it must be understood that grip in both the snatch and clean is personal and based on several factors, including flexibility, strength, body size and shape, and what is generally comfortable to the… Continue Reading

All of the Olympic lifts (the snatch, the clean, and the jerk) are nothing more than a jump and a land. The jump is a vicious extension of the ankles, knees, and hips that creates momentum and elevation on the barbell. In the brief moment that the barbell becomes weightless from that jump, the lifter aggressively pulls (or pushes, in the jerk) himself under the bar and lands with it in the… Continue Reading

for the Clean and Snatch-Treatments for Common Problems

The snatch and the clean are two of the greatest exercises known. They are unparalleled at developing athleticism in general and power in particular. All CrossFitters should incorporate them into their routines in some form. Yet the movements are complex, and perfecting them can be a lifelong pursuit. This article describes skill-transfer exercises that can be used to break down the… Continue Reading

Olympic weightlifters have been found to have higher vertical leaps and quicker 25-meter sprint times than any other athletes, including Olympic high-jumpers and sprinters.

The technical explanation for this is that the weightlifters have better "speed strength" than any other athletes. Speed-strength is defined as a combination of starting strength (ability to fire many muscle units instantaneously) and explosive strength (ability to keep these motor units firing once… Continue Reading

In our August issue we explored the overhead squat, which we billed as "the ultimate core exercise, the heart of the snatch, and peerless in developing effective athletic movement." This month we introduce three skill-transfer exercises based on the overhead squat and commonly used by weightlifters to develop the snatch.

To learn to perform and coach these exercises correctly, we ventured to Mike's Gym, a CrossFit Affiliate, in… Continue Reading