Our Team. Browse by Body Map. App Free Trial. Exercise Library. Do you love to clean, jerk, and snatch? Do you sometimes feel sore after doing so? Well, fellow lover of the barbell, fear not! Contained in this article are several exercises that will be sure to warm up your joints properly for any type of Olympic weightlifting you are performing on a given day.

Whether you are a competitor in the sport, or simply love to Olympic lift for pleasure, it is imperative to make sure a proper, comprehensive warm up is performed to reduce the risk of injury and ongoing pain issues 1, 2.

Follow along in this article to learn why Olympic weightlifting is useful, different types of Olympic lifting movements with written and video descriptions, and prehab exercises for Olympic lifting that will ensure you are moving optimally!

It has been widely reported that Olympic weightlifting is beneficial for both power development and producing movements that are kinematically similar to various sports. The lifts are used to train explosive power, dynamic movement, and strength-speed relationships.

Executing a proper and sound lift requires an athlete to move a heavy load over a distance as quickly as possible, therefore making explosive strength a necessity.

There is also a large body of evidence to suggest that Olympic weightlifting is transferable to improved jump, sprint, and balance performance.

This overhead stability program will give you the tools to perform overhead, olympic weightlifting techniques safely, and even better than you ever have! Overhead stability requires multiple moving body parts working together in synchrony.

Without adequate motion, stability, strength, and power in the right places, you run the risk of exposing other body regions to excessive strain. As a result, you may be limiting yourself to reach your true performance potential as a fitness athlete.

With that being said, addressing overhead stability requires a multi-dimensional approach, while taking out the guesswork and truly identifying your limiting factor to performance. We have blended science with our clinical expertise to provide you with the ultimate proven solution , we know it will help you too!

Learn more HERE! This is a common question we get as movement specialists. Is it better to perform static stretches or more dynamic movements before initiating a specific exercise routine?

It appears that the research jury is still out on which type of stretching, static or dynamic, is most useful to Olympic weightlifters 2. As with most unclear research, the answer usually lies somewhere in the middle ground.

Below are some factors to consider when deciphering what warm-up is best for you prior to performing Olympic weight lifts:. General goals for a warm up usually include 1 increasing the core body temperature, and 2 activating major muscle groups that will be used during the exercise itself.

It has been shown that dynamic warm ups recruit more motor neurons on EMG and show improved transfer to power output during Olympic weightlifting.

However, static stretching shows improved muscular flexibility and transfers to being able to hit positions with improved efficiency, a critical mark for being successful with Olympic lifting 1,2. Generally speaking, both static and dynamic stretching, given these scenarios, would support goals for a sound general warm up.

Although the barbell deadlift is not a specific type of Olympic lift, it is a common exercise that is excellent for improving lower extremity strength, core stability, and maintaining a healthy low back. Mike provides an excellent example of warming up prior to deadlifting that can help you further conceptualize why warm-ups are important , and the various systems of the body you are promoting activation for, which ultimately primes you for whatever activity you are going to engage in!

The Olympic lifting athlete should be in the constant assessment of their body and their areas of deficit. Are their tight hips limiting them from being able to hit a solid squat position at the bottom of a snatch or clean?

Is their limited shoulder mobility making the barbell unstable overhead? Attention to these details and rehabilitative exercises to address them in the warm up should be included.

Dynamic warm ups can be used to mimic the Olympic lifting movement the athlete will be performing that day, while static stretching can be called upon to open the hips or shoulders if the athlete is experiencing an imbalance or mobility issue that prevents a successful lift 2,3.

This factor comes into play for the very experienced Olympic lifting athlete most often. For athletes that have been Olympic lifting a long time, it is likely that they will have a very specific warm up or drills that help them to be successful in their training. Stand all the way up with the bar, then let it drop to the floor if using a lifting platform.

Get back into the start position and repeat. Dip down into roughly a quarter-squat, then immediately pull the bar up your body to full extension at the hips, knees, and ankles.

As with the power clean, dip under the bar, catch it in the clean position, and stand all the way up with it. Let the bar fall back down to the start position in front of your thighs, arms extended , and repeat. How To Do It: Straddle a dumbbell sitting on the floor with your feet hip- to shoulder-width apart.

Bend at the hips and knees and grasp the weight in one hand. Starting with your hips low and back flat, explosively pull the dumbbell off the floor, straight up your body, until it passes your waist. Dip your hips to drop underneath and catch the dumbbell in a clean position, with your hand just above your shoulder and elbow up high.

Stand up straight, then let the dumbbell fall back to the floor. Repeat for reps with that arm, then switch arms. How To Do It: Start in the exact same position as with a power clean—butt low, chest out, core tight. Pull the bar explosively up your body, and when it clears your waist, drop underneath it by descending into a full squat.

Catch the bar in the clean position by the time your thighs pass parallel with floor. Keeping your back flat and elbows up high, perform a front squat to stand up with the bar.

Let it fall down to the platform, and repeat. From there, drive your hips forward and pull the weight up your body to clean it up to your shoulder.

Be sure that your abs are braced tightly. Your other leg should be fully extended. Keep your chest up the entire time.

Now reverse the position to come back up. Perform all the reps on one side before moving on to the other side. Get Confident. Strong is the new skinny; as you get stronger physically, it permeates your whole life. As you are able to master new skills and see what your body is capable of, your confidence in and out of the gym will blossom.

Lifting weights with speed and technique as in the Olympics lifts is a rush and many people find that the process of learning and refining the Olympic lifts keeps them excited to workout. The more consistently you workout and use strength training as a tool, the more results you will see.

Olympic lifters are some of the most flexible and mobile athletes in the Olympics. Olympic lifts provide strength and stability around major joints at a fast speed of movement, which is what enables the body to be stable in activities of daily life as well as sport.

Weightlifting movements are truly functional exercises. Continue to content. Menu Top 10 reasons to train the Olympic weightlifting movements Age Groups Counting Attempts How to run a meet Nutrition Guide , opens in a new tab Equipment and Space Needs , opens in a new tab USADA U.

Center for SafeSport Rules Safety The Lifts Weight Classes More. Transform your physique: Performing a snatch or a clean and jerk is a full-body, fun, intense exercise working your legs, glutes, back, abs, shoulders and arms all at the same time.

Get stronger, more powerful and run faster Snatches and clean and jerks produce some of the highest power outputs in all of sport.

This overhead stability program will give you the tools to perform overhead, olympic weightlifting techniques safely, and even better than you ever have! Overhead stability requires multiple moving body parts working together in synchrony. Without adequate motion, stability, strength, and power in the right places, you run the risk of exposing other body regions to excessive strain.

As a result, you may be limiting yourself to reach your true performance potential as a fitness athlete. With that being said, addressing overhead stability requires a multi-dimensional approach, while taking out the guesswork and truly identifying your limiting factor to performance.

We have blended science with our clinical expertise to provide you with the ultimate proven solution , we know it will help you too! Learn more HERE! This is a common question we get as movement specialists.

Is it better to perform static stretches or more dynamic movements before initiating a specific exercise routine?

It appears that the research jury is still out on which type of stretching, static or dynamic, is most useful to Olympic weightlifters 2. As with most unclear research, the answer usually lies somewhere in the middle ground.

Below are some factors to consider when deciphering what warm-up is best for you prior to performing Olympic weight lifts:. General goals for a warm up usually include 1 increasing the core body temperature, and 2 activating major muscle groups that will be used during the exercise itself.

It has been shown that dynamic warm ups recruit more motor neurons on EMG and show improved transfer to power output during Olympic weightlifting. However, static stretching shows improved muscular flexibility and transfers to being able to hit positions with improved efficiency, a critical mark for being successful with Olympic lifting 1,2.

Generally speaking, both static and dynamic stretching, given these scenarios, would support goals for a sound general warm up. Although the barbell deadlift is not a specific type of Olympic lift, it is a common exercise that is excellent for improving lower extremity strength, core stability, and maintaining a healthy low back.

Mike provides an excellent example of warming up prior to deadlifting that can help you further conceptualize why warm-ups are important , and the various systems of the body you are promoting activation for, which ultimately primes you for whatever activity you are going to engage in!

The Olympic lifting athlete should be in the constant assessment of their body and their areas of deficit. Are their tight hips limiting them from being able to hit a solid squat position at the bottom of a snatch or clean?

Is their limited shoulder mobility making the barbell unstable overhead? Attention to these details and rehabilitative exercises to address them in the warm up should be included. Dynamic warm ups can be used to mimic the Olympic lifting movement the athlete will be performing that day, while static stretching can be called upon to open the hips or shoulders if the athlete is experiencing an imbalance or mobility issue that prevents a successful lift 2,3.

This factor comes into play for the very experienced Olympic lifting athlete most often. For athletes that have been Olympic lifting a long time, it is likely that they will have a very specific warm up or drills that help them to be successful in their training.

This could be static-based, dynamic, or a combination of both. If an athlete is doing mostly static based warm up stretches and suddenly they are made to perform dynamic warm ups only, for example, their body may not respond favorably to such a sudden change and their mental concentration could be thrown off, ultimately decreasing their training performance 3.

Such changes must be implemented slowly and carefully for the best results. To summarize the information above, if our goal is to improve athletic strength and power, but also the overall health and longevity of our athletes, quality movement must be of the utmost importance.

Whether this comes in the form of dynamic warm ups or static stretching is yet to be thoroughly researched. But what we do know is that MOVEMENT itself is critical to our best chances for injury prevention for the Olympic lifter.

When movements are limited, stiff, or sloppy, our joints and muscles cannot provide normal feedback. Simply put, there is more risk of damaging our joints or getting injured during lifting without a proper warm up!

We will present a mix of static and dynamic movements for you to get those joints limber for lifting! Execution of a sound clean and jerk requires power, aggressive action, mobility, and stability. Here are some exercises to help develop these skills:.

Sample [P]rehab Overhead Stability Exercise Video. In a side lying position place a foam roller just underneath your latissimus dorsi muscle, which is a big muscle just underneath the side of your shoulder. You have the option of rolling up and down, from side to side, or performing a pin and stretch.

Work around this area and see what feels good for you. Focus on your breath as your perform these mobilizations. For some great tips on how to unlock your full front rack potential for the barbell clean, check out our article on front rack mobility HERE.

The Prehab membership is the anti-barrier solution to keeping your body healthy. Access state-of-the-art physical therapy, fitness programs, and workouts online in the comforts of your own home or gym! Trial it for free , and learn how to get out of pain, avoid injury, and optimize your health with [P]rehab!

The snatch is a large, highly dynamic movement where the athlete brings a barbell from a resting position on the floor to an overhead, wide grip position without resting on the body at any point.

To perform a proper and safe snatch requires a high level of joint mobility, stability, and coordination. Here are some warm up exercises to help develop your skills. Place a foam roller on the ground long ways and lie down with it along your spine. Your head, upper back, and hips should all be supported on the foam roller in this position.

Place your arms at your side and let gravity pull them down to a comfortable resting position. Slowly raise your arms above your head and back down, like making a snow angel in the ground. Sample Overhead Stability Program Exercise Video. Straighten your arms and bring them slightly above shoulder height.

From this position, squeeze your shoulder blades and pull the bands to your face. Keep your elbows high straight out to the side of your shoulders. Your palms should be facing forward. While holding the tension in the bend in this position, press your arms straight up overhead. Lower down and return to the starting position.

Your form should stay the same, no matter how heavy you load the bar. Jerk Foundation Exercise 1: Push-Press. In addition to being one of the best shoulder-building movements you can do, the push-press helps practice one of the trickiest parts of a clean and jerk: Getting comfortable having heavy weight over your head.

It will feel scary at first, but by using your legs through the toughest part of the press, you'll build strong, stable shoulders and an iron core that, together, are more than capable of putting up big numbers.

It's a game-changer for many lifters, and an easy inclusion on my list of " 5 Exercises Every Strong-Ass Woman Needs. One Big Key: The push-press is not a standing incline bench press. I see a lot of people doing this lift with a lot of chest action.

The bar goes more forward than out and there's a lot of scary back-arching going on. Jerk Foundation Exercise 2: Push-Jerk. A push-jerk is the next step up in explosiveness from the push-press. You re-bend your knees after you dip and drive to "catch" the bar over your head. This movement is a little more complicated and thus takes a bit more athleticism and coordination.

It's not easy for every lifter off the street to master, as IFBB pro Lawrence Ballenger learned when he tackled the lift in the first episode of the Brute Strength Showdown.

But once you get comfortable, you should be able to push-jerk more than you push-press. One Big Key: Just like in the push-press, your head should poke through your arms at the top. If someone was standing to the side watching you, they would be able to see at least a little bit of your ears. Getting serious about putting heavy-ass weight overhead?

Wrist wraps will make it feel more stable up there. Snatch Foundation Exercise 1: Overhead Squat. Meet one of the most humbling exercises ever invented. If you have any weak points in your shoulders, back, or hips, the overhead squat will let you know instantly.

This isn't a reason to skip it. It's a reason to do it! The bottom portion mimics perfectly the landing position of the full barbell snatch, and it's also great for working overall balance, stability, and shoulder mobility.

One Big Key: Overhead squats can be a great warm-up with an empty bar in addition to being a heavy assistance lift. And like deep front squats, they're almost always better with high-heeled lifting shoes than without. Snatch Foundation Exercise 2: Snatch Balance Drop Snatch. The snatch balance combines elements of all the other lifts described here.

Even with light weight, this next-step-up from the overhead squat can be a tough nut to crack. You'll start with the bar racked across your shoulders like you would for a back squat. Place your hands out wide on the bar, like they would be for a snatch.

Dip like you would for a push-press, and then drive upward. As the weight unloads from your shoulders, drop into the bottom of an overhead squat position. One Big Key: This lift feels terrifying the first time you do it with significant weight, so take your time!

Practice it with a dowel, broomstick, or an empty bar for weeks or months before adding any weight to the bar. Cassie Smith is a freelance writer living in Boise, Idaho. View all articles by this author.

Learn the Olympic Lifts the Right Way with These Moves.

However, like any sport, there is always a some level of risk of injury. To stay as safe as possible make sure to follow a good warm-up, work on your mobility, and progressing gradually over time. Weight classes in Olympic weightlifting vary between men and women.

These classes may change as the International Weightlifting Federation IWF periodically reviews and adjusts them. Good weightlifting shoes should have a raised heel, solid non-compressive sole, and secure closure system laces, straps, or both. In an ideal world you would try a bunch on and check for fit, but since most weightlifting shoe shopping is done online, my best advice is to read reviews on sizing and fit before you buy.

To be fair weightlifting can help you lose weight by increasing muscle mass and burning calories. You can also drop me a message through my website contact form. With that said, I also wanted to give you some other useful sources of information. Morton, Sam K; Whitehead, James R; Brinkert, Ronald H; Caine, Dennis J.

Resistance Training vs. Static Stretching: Effects on Flexibility and Strength. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 25 12 :p , December DOI: Westcott, Wayne L.

Resistance Training is Medicine: Effects of Strength Training on Health. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide to the Sport Posted by Alex Parry Mar 31, Olympic Weightlifting 0. Olympic Weightlifting Training How often should I train Olympic weightlifting?

Olympic weightlifting technique practice How can I improve my Olympic weightlifting technique? Do Olympic lifters not bench? Do Olympic weightlifters train everyday? Can beginners start with Olympic weightlifting? Is Olympic weightlifting safe?

Collapsing in the Clean : 3-Day Program This program is for any athlete who has issues collapsing in the clean and jerk. It is geared towoard increasing your upper back strength, posture in the front squat, and overall muscular hypertrophy of the shoulders, back, and lower back.

The Bodybuilding Weightlifter : 3-Day Program This program is best for gaining general size, strength, and fitness. This can be done to help lifters gain fundamental strength and size necessary for better pressing, pulling and athletic performance.

Note: this can interfere with some weightlifting programs if fatigue is not monitored correctly, or if the lifter does too much. Therefore, be sure to make notes on soreness and how it correlates with training sessions later in the week. Day 1 Dumbbell Bench Press: 5 sets to failure Choose a weight that is near your rep maximum for first set, and then do as many as you can across five sets with that weight.

Load should not be heavy for hips and lower back. High volume pulling may interfere with lifts later in week, so be sure to go lighter than you think. This is to focus on the back muscles, not heavy pulling. Single Arm Row Dumbbell, Meadows Row , Cable, etc.

Day 3 Leg Press: 3 sets of 8 reps slow and controlled on way down, feel quad stretch Calf Raise on Leg Press: 5 sets of reps slow and controlled on way down, feel calf stretch Nordic Curls : 3 sets of 8 reps Find Your Perfect Training Plan Sometimes all you need to reach your destination on your fitness journey is an expert guide.

Look no further, we've got you covered. Browse from thousands of programs for any goal and every type of athlete. Try any programming subscription FREE for 7 days! As we age, we become more risk-averse — injuries But wait, what is a winter bulk? What does it take, and how do we achieve it?

Joseph Lucero CSCS , owner of Harvesting Strength, is a powerlifter and strongman coach with years of How many reps should you do for muscle growth? How can you get a better pump from a movement that usually doesn't make you sore? Tweaking your program to include high-volume and tempo sets is sure to get you the kind of size and strength you want from your training Coaching Tools Coach Business Guide Getting Started Guide Customer Success Stories.

Athlete Tools TrainHeroic Marketplace Popular Programs TrainingLab Blog. Help Center Contact Us Media Kit Webinars Privacy Policy Terms of Use Do Not Sell or Share My Info. Access the latest articles, reviews, and case studies from the top strength and conditioning minds in the TH Training Lab!

Home Blog About Contact. Written By. Mike Dewar Mike holds a Masters in Applied Physiology from Columbia University and a Bachelors in Exercise Science from Bowling Green State University.

The below sections will offer coaches and athletes a wide variety of exercises to specifically: Improve positional strength and muscle mass for the snatch, clean, and jerk Increase muscle hypertrophy using weightlifting-specific bodybuilding exercises to develop the chest, back, shoulders, triceps, biceps, abdominals, and lower back Weightlfting-Specific Exercises The below exercises place a high emphasis on building muscle mass and positional strength, with little emphasis on high degree of technique however, some do involve specific technique to the snatch.

Snatch-Specific Assistance Exercises The below exercises place a high emphasis on building muscle mass and positional strength, with little emphasis on a high degree of technique however, some do involve a specific technique to the snatch.

Snatch High Pull The Snatch High Pull can help to increase upper body strength in the pull, pattern better elevation of the elbows, and force a lifter to maximize leg drive for fuller extension before the turnover phase of the snatch. Behind the Neck Snatch Push Press The Behind the Neck Snatch Push Press is helpful for increasing muscle mass in the upper back, traps, shoulders, and arms specific to the snatch.

Snatch Grip RDL The Snatch Grip RDL can be done to strengthen the hamstrings, hips, lower back, and upper back specific to the snatch. Clean-Specific Assistance Exercises The below exercises place a high emphasis on building muscle mass and positional strength with little emphasis on high degree of technique however, some do involve specific technique to the clean.

Sots Press front press in squat The Sots Press front press in squat can be done to increase upper back and positional strength in the front squat, especially with those who collapse in the bottom of the clean.

Close Grip Overhead Press Building bigger space for the barbell to sit in the front rack is key for proper positioning and comfort in the clean. Clean Grip RDL The Clean Grip RDL can be done to strengthen the hamstrings, hips, lower back, and upper back specific to the snatch.

Jerk-Specific Assistance Exercises The below exercises place a high emphasis on building muscle mass and positional strength with little emphasis on high degree of technique however, some do involve specific technique to the jerk.

Strict Press in Split Stance Lunge in Split Stance Jerk Recovery Abdominals, Lower Back, and Hamstring Assistance Exercises. Backs and Traps. Warm-Up and Corrective Exercises. Back Raises GHDs Nordic Hamstring Curls Reverse Hyperextensions Goodmornings Side Bends Planks bodyweight or weighted For example, if you had a novice weightlifter come to you with a lb squat, but could only snatch lbs, you would have to quickly assume their technique, mobility, and olympic weightlifting experience is not correlated with their strength.

By using the below guidelines, you can take a more sport-specific approach to classifying athletes specific to the sport of olympic weightlifting. In the below charts, you will find the exact classification system used to rank and access an athlete based on performance.

For the nature of this article, we will only be concerned with athletes who fall within the Class 3 and 2 III and II. Note that Class 3 is the lower level athlete. As an athlete progresses, they will move down the list. Candidate for Master of Sport Training CMS Master of Sport Training MS International Master of Sport Training IMS.

In this section we will discuss the primary goals of the beginner Olympic weightlifting program, which should help coaches understand the long-term approach that should occur when working with a beginner lifter. While many beginners may lack control and basic flexibility in some positions, most of them can actually increase mobility by simply doing the movement.

With that said, if there are structural blocks in movement, such as bone on bone or scar tissue, more advanced care should be given. Be sure to team up with a qualified sports physical therapist and doctor to best diagnose and assess new athletes.

The need for proper timing and technique is paramount during this stage. Many lifters will want to lift heavier than they should and some coaches are too eager as well. Skill development is key in this phase, so learn heavier lifts — the squats, presses, and deadlifts which should still be done with great form to best transition to the Olympic lifts.

Without proper muscle hypertrophy training, many athletes will lack long-term growth in strength and performance. Weightlifting is a very neurologically challenging sport, in which the new lifter must become adapted to moving with high motor control under high amounts of loading during velocity-based movements.

The need for speed and strength, while moving in very precise patterning, requires a beginner athlete to develop better neurological connections and impulses throughout their careers as weightlifters. While you do not want to overwhelm the lifter with a million exercise variations, you do want to expose them to a good amount of exercises so they can build out their movement patterning, coordination, and understanding of the lifts.

This can be done by adding more training days as long as you drop the overall volume across the week…see below video and sections , adding complexes, or simply having a more long-term beginner phase timeline. Some beginners will be better at this than others. By increasing training volume, moderating rest periods, and adding in accessory and fitness movements, you can work to increase their basic fitness so they can participate and progress in more rigorous training cycles.

The coach must understand that most beginners that come to you are also looking to participate in weightlifting for the mental and fitness benefits. Making sure to monitor fatigue, building a strong relationship, and staying positive even when your athletes are beat is key to helping beginners transition into long-term lifters.

The easiest way to start this conversation is to first lay out a sample program for beginners that focuses on the most important training outcomes discussed above. In the below video I demonstrate how quick and easy it is to use software like TrainHeroic to create, share, store, and sell online training programs for your athletes, clubs, and team.

Below is the complete first week of a sample 4-week program, which is walked through in the above video. Note that this is geared for entry level lifters who still have some basic understanding of body movement and mobility. Below are some of the key ones coaches should monitor and manipulate, with recommendations on how to specifically do so for beginner Olympic weightlifters.

While elite athletes are often seen doing training sessions per week often as two-a-day sessions , most beginners will not need, nor should participate in programs like this. Rather, shooting for training sessions per week is most likely the ideal frequency to allow for skill development, strength and muscle mass acquisition, and adequate recovery.

By adding in active recovery days or rest days, you help an athlete also learn about the keys of rest, sleep, stretching, and nutrition, which are extremely critical once they become more advanced in the sport CMS and higher.

In beginners, you may not necessarily have a good grasp on their taxes especially in more skill-based movements like the snatch and jerk and therefore may need to use other methods for assessing exertion, such as your level of coaching experience, subjective rating systems RPE, Rate of Perceived Exertion , or simply playing it safe.

In beginner stages the focus should not be on moving heavy weights slowly, even for strength work, but rather moving with integrity, positional awareness, and control. For the skilled movement like snatch, clean, and jerk, it is vital that lifters develop a sense of timing and precision with the barbell at increasingly faster velocities.

Be sure to watch lifters who add loads to the barbell and have a chronic issue of slow barbell accelerations. This could be a sign that they are not developing the power tendencies or skill necessary for intermediate and advanced stages.