Olympic lifting (also known as weightlifting at the Olympic Games) is a crucial part of many popular workout routines, from CrossFit to a range of strength and conditioning programs. Our in-house strongman Bruce takes us through six of his favourite movements.
These lifts and others can be a great way to change up training whilst still developing strength, power, speed and coordination. But technical assistance is definitely advisable for beginners.
1. Power Clean (all levels)
Setup
- Stand over the barbell, feet hip width apart
- Squat down and grip bar just outside feet, shoulders over the bar, neutral/braced trunk.
Execution
- Drive barbell up with legs (similar to deadlift), keep bar as close as possible to body
- Once bar passes knees, explosively extend hips and use momentum to carry bar up
- As soon as hips are fully extended, quickly drive body under and catch the barbell in the front rack position, with elbows as high as possible and in a partial quarter squat
- To finish, slowly lower barbell to hips and absorb with bent knees and hips before lowering to ground. Always maintain braced trunk
2. Front Squat (all levels)
SETUP
- Begin with barbell in front rack position; high elbows/'proud chest with loose grip on bar
- Step away from racks, maintaining braced upright posture with feet hip-width or slightly wider and firmly set
Execution
- Taking a deep breath in to create tight 'chamber' in trunk, begin to slowly sit back into a squat (ensuring knees do NOT fold in)
- Squat to depth where upright posture is still maintained, with high elbows and 'proud chest'
- Finish by squeezing glutes and driving up out of squat to full extended position
3. Squat Clean (Intermediate to Advanced)
SETUP
- Stand over the barbell, feet hip width apart
- Squat down and grip bar just outside feet, shoulders over the bar, neutral/braced trunk.
Execution
- Similar to ‘Power clean’, however, immediately after fully extending hips and driving barbell above waist, the athlete is to drive under the barbell into a full squat position
- The receiving position should be in a full squat and look identical to the bottom of a ‘Front Squat’
- To finish, drive up whilst maintaining upright/braced trunk till fully extended.
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Slowly lower barbell to hips and absorb with bent knees and hips before lowering to ground
4. Push Jerk (Intermediate to Advanced)
SETUP
- Similar to the strict press or push press, with feet in-line and about hip-width apart
- Ensure feet are firmly set, with weight going through mid-foot. Grip barbell firmly
Execution
- Similar to a push press, with a small dip and explosive drive up, whilst still maintaining upright posture and elbows under the bar
- Use explosive drive up from legs to drive barbell up and off shoulders whilst driving up with arms
- Before barbell reaches full height and slows down, quickly dip under bar and catch with fully extended arms in overhead position
- With arms locked out, extend hips and knees to full stand up and stabilise barbell
- Finish by slowly lowering to shoulders and repeating if needed
5. Power Snatch (All levels)
SETUP
- Stand over the barbell, feet hip width apart or slightly wider
- Squat down and grip bar in very wide overhead grip, shoulders over the bar, neutral and upright trunk
Execution
- Drive barbell up with legs (similar to deadlift), keep bar as close as possible to body
- Once bar passes knees, explosively extend hips and use momentum to carry bar up
- As soon as hips are fulling extended, quickly drive body under the barbell, elbows high, and catch the barbell in an overhead position.
- To finish, slowly lower barbell to hips and absorb with bent knees and hips before lowering to ground. Always maintain braced trunk
6. Squat Snatch (Intermediate to Advanced)
SETUP
- Stand over the barbell, feet hip width apart or slightly wider
- Squat down and grip bar in very wide overhead grip, shoulders over the bar, neutral and upright trunk
Execution
- Similar to ‘Power Snatch’, however, immediately after fully extending hips and driving barbell above waist, the athlete is to drive under the barbell into a full squat position.
- The receiving position should be in a full squat, with barbell held securely overhead with extended arms
- To finish, drive up whilst maintaining upright/braced trunk till fully extended.
- Slowly lower barbell to hips and absorb with bent knees and hips before lowering to ground
You can follow Bruce at: www.instagram.com/builtbybruce
