Part Two: Discussing Common Arguments Against the “Full Olympic Lifts”
By
Oliver Whaley
This is part two of a two-part series.
I’ve heard people say it takes too long to teach the full Olympic lifts
correctly and that an Olympic lift with poor technique isn’t safe or effective.
Well, I agree that poor technique in any lift isn’t very safe or effective for
anyone. This is why we teach correct technique to our athletes from the
beginning in anything we have them do. However, we need to remember that we’re
dealing with athletes here. Is it really that hard to teach an athlete a very
simple, quick precision movement? We can’t seem to teach them how to do a proper
clean or snatch, but we can teach them how to do a proper deadlift? Or a proper
front squat?
My understanding is that a deadlift done correctly closely parallels a clean
pull, and the mechanical technique is largely the same. You want the athlete to
have a rigid lumbar arch, a tight core, and loose arms, and the athlete should
initiate the movement with the legs. The major difference here is that one
movement is performed much more explosively than the other and with full hip and
leg extension at the top of the lift. In addition, the deadlift is often
performed with an alternating grip whereas pulls and cleans are performed with
an overhand grip.
So which is the more athletic movement here, and which do you think might
transfer more directly to an athletic event or game situation? If an athlete can
learn how to rotationally spin and throw a shot put or learn the proper footwork
and mechanics of a three-step drop pass, he can learn how to do a full clean or
snatch in a shortened period of time. If we think otherwise, wouldn’t we be
underestimating the ability of our athletes? Or maybe we just underestimate our
ability to teach the lifts correctly? I think anyone who is seriously engaged in
the strength and conditioning field should have some self-mastery of the Olympic
lifts and should be able to correctly teach them and quickly see results in an
athlete’s proficiency in performing them.
Each year in the small town of Kayenta, Arizona (a thriving metropolis or
hard scrabble reservation town), I get around 200 new incoming students in my
weight training classes at Monument Valley High School. I teach them the basic
movements of the full Olympic lifts, which is the base of their training because
most of these kids play sports. They get feedback on correct technique,
especially the importance of starting each lift with a rigid low back arch and
tight core. They receive help and guidance from me as coach as well as positive
feedback and influence from the upper classman who have been in the program for
a few years. By the end of the first semester, most of these kids can perform
the lifts pretty proficiently, getting better and better each year that they’re
in the program. The weight room might be located in a small unknown town on a
Navajo Indian reservation, but anyone who steps in it would be amazed at what is
being done here. This type of system could be implemented on any level whether
collegiate or professional.
I’ve also heard people say that most athletes aren’t strong enough in the
right places (posterior chain) or have the flexibility to execute the lifts
properly. Well of course this would be true if they’ve never done the lifts
before! That’s why we do them—to make them strong in the right places and
develop flexibility. If your athlete couldn’t properly do an overhead squat,
that would be a good indicator that he has weaknesses that need to be worked on.
Some of the biggest causes of injury are inflexibility, joint immobility, muscle
and connective tissue weakness, and muscle imbalances. The inability of your
athlete to perform the full Olympic lifts is a good indicator that he is lacking
in these areas. Your athletes will be far better off being able to perform the
full Olympic lifts proficiently than avoiding them and trying to replace them
with other lifts.
Some say the Olympic lifts put a lot of undue strain on the wrists, elbows,
and shoulders. Again, this is probably true for an athlete who has never done
the lifts before, and it’s a very good indicator that the athlete is lacking in
necessary flexibility and joint mobility. For a younger athlete, the movement
and positions of the Olympic lifts come naturally. For an older athlete, some
discomfort is natural at first until the flexibility to do the movements is
achieved. But any athlete would benefit from the flexibility and joint mobility
it takes to do the lifts. If I had an athlete who couldn’t perform an overhead
squat correctly, I would work with him until he could.
What about a college lineman or someone with a lot of upper body mass?
Athletes like football linemen are already banging up their bodies on a daily
basis. They don’t need to place more stress on their joints in the weight room.
Really, the only time anybody puts undue stress on their joints and body in the
weight room is when they lift too heavy or lift too heavy too often. Any type of
lift done heavy and too often will lead to some kind of bodily breakdown or
injury eventually. But volume, intensity, and training load aren’t something I
wish to address in this article at this time.
Let’s take a look into the sport of weightlifting. At five foot eight, Serge
Reding, the Belgium weightlifter, weighed close to 140 kilos with arms measuring
52 cm around. I don’t think there have been very many people to have walked this
earth with as much mass packed on their frames as he had. And he had no problem
hitting rock bottom to catch a
snatch or clean. The list of
large men who could proficiently do the full lifts include Russia’s
Vasily Alexeev, America’s Shane Hamman, and Iran’s
Hossein Rezazadeh.
Our own American heavyweight lifter, Shane Hamman, has a standing vertical
jump of 36 inches and at five foot nine can dunk a basketball with two hands. He
can also easily touch his toes and even do a standing back flip. How many
college or NFL linemen can do
that? So you can’t tell me that a
football lineman wouldn’t benefit from being able to do the full Olympic lifts!
And for that matter any athlete would be better off for having the ability to do
them.
Another great reason for having an athlete do the full Olympic lifts is that
they teach an athlete how to absorb impact, which we know is a huge part of any
sport, particularly football (which is why football linemen should be doing the
full Olympic lifts).
Muscle imbalances are a great cause of injury, something that should be
avoided and should never happen as a result of weight room training. With the
correct performance of the full Olympic lifts, there isn’t any chance for an
athlete to develop muscle imbalances in the weight room. The Olympic lifts work
an individual’s whole body through a full range of motion while both
strengthening and stabilizing. Working partial movements such as partial box
squats can set you up for muscle imbalances. The body was made to move through
its full range of motion. While it’s detrimental to push beyond the normal range
of motion, it’s also detrimental to chronically work in a restricted range of
motion. Connective tissues shorten, improper firing sequences become ingrained,
and strength imbalances develop. To develop optimal strength and mobility, full
range training through the natural range of motion is best. The Olympic lifts
provide this full effect.
In part one of this article series, we discussed that the physiological
affects these lifts generate is far better than any attempt to duplicate them,
so we don’t need to touch on those topics again. The Olympic lifts aren’t some
intricate and complicated movement. They’re simple, precise, and athletic. Any
athlete would benefit from their proper performance and use in a training
program.
Injuries and other circumstances can lead to reasons for adaptation. We also
lack greatly in qualified individuals to teach the lifts correctly in all levels
of performance. Meg Ritchie Stone, throwing and coaching legend,
says, “There are no dangerous lifts, only dangerous coaches.” But in an ideal
world, these should be the lifts of choice for any athlete in any power sport.
Oliver Baahozho Whaley is an exercise and wellness major at Brigham Young
University (BYU). He currently throws hammer for the BYU track team. For more
information, visit his blog at www.haskestength.blogspot.com or email him at
oliverwhaley@yahoo.com.
Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength
training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products
and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the
industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit
us at www.EliteFTS.com.
