Training Regimen for Olympic Lifting

If Olympic lifting is very successful at increasing strength, power, co-ordination and balance, why aren’t more people doing it?  The answer is Olympic lifting is hard. Bicep curls and machine presses are a breeze in contrast; they need little assist or spotting in order to do them well. Olympic lifts require qualified instructors who can break them into digestible steps and show you how to do them correctly. Or else you risk physical injury.

The Olympic lifts include the “pull” phase and the “catch” phase. During the pull, you explode upwards, yanking the barbell off the floor and in front of your thighs, as if you’re attempting to jump out of the gymnasium. In the catch, you quickly move your body under the bar and catch the weight on your shoulders or over your head.
 
Among the USA’s best weight-lifting instructors breaks down the 2 Olympic lifts into their 4 best movements, in 2 separate routines. He thinks this to be an excellent strategy to condition your body for Olympic lifting and to build strength, burn off fat, and enhance sports performance.   This is what they seem like:
 
1. High Pull
 
Hold a barbell just beneath the knees, with a shoulder width, overhand grip. With your back flat and arms straight, pull the bar upward as quickly as you can by thrusting your hips ahead and explosively standing up.  With the bar passing the thighs, move in upwards direction with your toes, pulling the bar to the highest height with your arms bent and upper arms raised.  Return to the original position, and then repeat the lifting for as much as 3 sets with at most 5 repetitions, taking a rest of 90 `sec in between every set.
 
Snatch-Grip Jump Shrug
 
 With a double shoulder width make an overhand grip over the bar that is held just under the knees.  Jump up straight by keeping your arms and back straight, and sending your hips ahead, shrugging the shoulders.  Go back on your feet balls and repeat again. Do 3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions, resting 90 sec after each set.
 
2. Front Squat
 
 Use a shoulder width overhand grip to hold a bar on top of the shoulders. Raise your upper arms so they are parallel to the floor and let the bar roll back thus it is resting on your fingers, not your hands.  Keep the back flat and feet apart with a shoulder width.  Lower down, keeping your arms in exactly the same position until the thighs become horizontal with the floor.  And, then push up to reach the original position.  You can carry out 3 sets with maximum repetitions of not over six, taking rest for 90 seconds in between the sets.
 
Push Press
 
Grab a barbell with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. Stand holding the barbell at shoulder level, your feet shoulder width aside. Dip the knees slightly and push-up with your legs as you press the bar over your head.  Then lower the bar to the initial position. Do 3 sets of 8 rep, resting 90 sec after every set.
 
NOTE: Two times a week insert these two mini-routines into your present workout, performing them before you do any other exercises. Alternate between Routine 1 and Routine 2.
 
NOTE: The high pull and the jump shrug are speed workouts, thus use a weight which requires a strong effort to lift it swiftly, but is not so heavy that you cannot control the bar. For the front squat and push press, use the heaviest weight that allows you to do all the prescribed repetitions.

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