Olympic Weightlifting Routine
I don’t like watching sports so I get in about 90% of my sports viewing every 2 years during the Olympics. I’m a huge Winter Olympics fan (along with most other Canadians, I think), but the Summer Olympics still keep my attention. I particularly like watching rowing, swimming, track, and kayaking (which doesn’t get nearly enough coverage as far as I’m concerned).
I also like watching weightlifting, naturally. Especially this year when for the first time ever a Canadian woman actually medalled in weightlifting. 63kg (138lb) Christine Girard got a bronze medal after lifting more than twice her body weight, 133kg (293lb), in the clean and jerk.
THIS is Fitspo.
How amazing is this?
I don’t include a lot of olympic style lifting in my normal weightlifting routines. I should though. These kinds of lifts incorporate full body strength and tonnes of power. They also require a lot of technique; it’s not the type of thing that you can easily pick up on either.
I do have some practice with olympic lifts and I think I have pretty decent form– which I got from practicing with light weights, doing lots of squats, and having a strong lumbar– though I do end my cleans and snatches in a “power position” (1/4 squat) instead of a deep squat the way the olympians do.
So for fun I’ve been working on Olympic lifts at the gym all week. I made an Olympic weightlifting routine for 4 weeks (though I’m not sure I’ll do it for all 4) based on these programmes from the Queensland Weightlifting Association website. It’s composed of lots of snatches and cleans and breaks them down into components. There are also conditioning exercises for chest and back.
Here’s a PDF of the workout:
Click for a PDF of the Workout
It’s been super fun so far this week. This kind of workout is one that I can really only pull off during the summer when the gym is quiet and I can spend 45 minutes hogging one of only three squat racks without impeding on someone else’s workout.
Oh, and in other Olympic awesomeness, check out this super cool Olympic Body Type Matcher from the BBC. Just put in your height and weight and the widget will show you the Olympic athlete whose height and weight are the same. Obviously it doesn’t account for muscle mass, but it’s still kind cool.
I was matched up with a javeliner from Finland to which Matt replied: “Makes sense. You look like a javelin thrower.”
I’ll take his word for it, since he does coach javelin and all.
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- e-mail: samanthaamenzies@gmail.com
- Samantha Menzies is an opinionated young firecracker who just happens to enjoy distracting web surfers with chronicles of her mildly entertaining daily pursuits.
I’m going to have to try that Olympic body matcher! It sounds kind of fun!!
Do it! And let me know what you get.
Apparently, I’m most like Kenki Sato from Japan… He’s an equestrian. Well, I always did like horses! Ha, ha!
You missed your calling!
Hmmm…I’d be a water polo player. I love the water, so why not?
I am so intrigued by Olympic weightlifting. It’s so dynamic and powerful, and people who do it really look like badasses. I would actually pursue it if it weren’t for the fact that I’m already training for other stuff.
I wouldn’t even know where to start with seriously training for weightlifting. I know some power lifting competitions that happen in my area but not many olympic weightlifting competitions.
I’m actually going to be taking a course so that I can teach others to do the Olympic lifts properly. I have a little experience with them, but certainly not enough to coach anyone else. I’m super excited for that! I got matched to a female javelin thrower as well
PS. I’m loving your photos of Greece! We’re going next year, and I can’t wait!!
I don’t really watch sports either! Olympics, YES!
You and this FitSpo! Aaaargh! With the Olympics going on, suddenly everyone wants to get into shape, and everyone thinks they too can medal in something. However, I do find those athletes absolutely inspirational, and I’m super jealous ’cause I’m lifting cute little pink weight right now due to a back injury. PS: Read your post about your trip to Greece. Just the other day I was telling my husband that I wasn’t into Europe. Well, after seeing the gorgeous scenery, I might have to rethink that statement.
[...] in my third week of my Olympic Lifting programme and I’m exhausted. Last week my hip flexors were more sore than they’ve ever [...]
[...] After watching the badass women’s weightlifters at the Summer Olympics I was inspired to start an Olympic Lifting routine. [...]