GLEN TITHER HEALTH & FITNESS ARTICLES
Website: www.gtpersonaltrainer.co.uk
Email: glen@gtpersonaltrainer.co.uk
BIG MOVE BREAKDOWN (OLYMPIC LIFTING)
If you're looking to increase your overall muscle mass, and develop power, then look no further than Olympic Lifting.
Strength
& Conditioning coaches at all the best clubs use Olympic Lifting to
develop each and every player, from youth development all the way
through to the first team.
In my opinion, there’s simply nothing more impressive than someone performing powerful, technically complex, Olympic Lifts.
With
a little research, patience and hard work you can use Olympic Lifting
to take your training, and your game, to a whole new level.
To make
the transition a little easier I recommend breaking down the exercises
into several components, rather than just jumping straight into each
move. In this example I have chosen the Clean & Press. Break this
move down into four other moves: Deadlift, Hanging High Pull, Front
Squat and Push Press.
Once you are confident with these four moves you can put them all together to perform the Clean & Press.
BARBELL DEADLIFT
Load each end of a barbell with equal weights and secure with a clamp.
Stand facing the barbell with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart.
Place your feet underneath the barbell.
Bending at the knees, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
There are 3 types of grip for the Deadlift :-
1: overhand grip (pronated).
2: underhand grip (supinated).
3: alternate/power grip e.g. one overhand & one underhand.
However,
to enable you to perform the Clean & Press you must perform the
Deadlifts with both hands in an pronated/overhand position.
Grip the bar at points slightly wider than shoulder width.
Keep your arms straight throughout this exercise.
It is extremely important that you keep your back straight, not bent over, throughout this exercise.
One
of the best ways to ensure a straight back is to pinpoint a mark at eye
height when standing, and keep looking at this as you perform the
exercise e.g. a mark on the wall, the top of a gym frame, you can even
attach a piece of tape to the wall at the relevant height.
From this
start position, slowly, and in a controlled manner, raise the bar off
the floor by straightening the legs and allowing the bar to slide up the
shins.
When the barbell reaches the knees, straighten the torso whilst straightening the legs.
When you are stood upright, lean back ever so slightly, push your chest out and your shoulders back and pause for a second.
Slowly return the bar to the floor by reversing the exercise and repeat.
BARBELL HANGING HIGH PULLS
Think of this exercise as kind of a dynamic version combining a Shrug, and Wide Grip Upright Row with a small jump.
Load each end of a barbell with equal weights and secure with a clamp.
If
you do not have a barbell rack from which to lift the barbell off from
waist height, you will have to Deadlift the barbell off the floor to
bring the barbell to its Start position at waist height (see above
Deadlift instructions).
Firstly, bend slightly at the knees, then, as
you begin to straighten your legs and begin the small jump, keeping the
barbell close to your body throughout, shrug your shoulders.
Next,
as you reach the top of the Shrug, bending only at the elbows, fast but
in a controlled manner, explosively pull the barbell up to chest height.
Remember to keep the elbows above your wrists and raise them high.
When
the barbell is at the its highest point, and you are up high on your
toes, this is the finish part of the exercise. Therefore, in a
controlled manner, lower the barbell back to waist height and repeat.
BARBELL FRONT SQUATS
You
will lift considerably less weight for the Front Squats compared to the
standard Back Squat, so keep this in mind as you load the barbell for
the first time.
This version of the squat is an awkward one,
especially the grip and arm placement. However, it is the catch position
for the Clean and Press and places a huge demand on the front thighs.
Load each end of a barbell with weights, of equal weight, and secure them with a clamp.
Stand facing the barbell with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
If
you have a weight stack then simply position yourself underneath and
raise the barbell once it is in position on your collar bone/upper
chest/front shoulders. Otherwise you can simply “clean” the barbell
upwards then lower it onto your collar bone/upper chest/front shoulders.
Your hands should be placed on the barbell shoulder width apart.
Once
you have the barbell resting on the collar bone/upper chest/front
shoulders your grip will simply be the tips of your fingers.
To
ensure the barbell stays in the correct position throughout the
exercise, keep your chest high and push your elbows to face forwards and
as high as possible.
In the start position, keep your head up,
shoulders back and look straight ahead at something at eye height e.g.
the top of a piece of equipment, a line on a poster or simply a mark on
the wall. This will ensure you keep your spine in the correct position
as you lower and raise your torso.
Keeping your eyes on the mark
ahead, slowly and in a controlled manner, bending at the hips, lower
your torso towards the floor until your thighs are parallel to the
floor.
Contract your leg muscles and slowly raise yourself up to the start position and repeaT.
BARBELL PUSH PRESS
This
exercise is similar to the standard Standing Barbell Shoulder Press.
However, the speed of the exercise, together with the inclusion of the
legs and hips, makes it an explosive exercise and also makes it possible
to use slightly more weight.
Load each end of a barbell with equal weights and secure with a clamp.
Stand facing the barbell and place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
Grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder with apart, with an overhand grip.
If
you have a barbell/squat rack then you can load the barbell whilst it
is on the rack. Place the barbell in the rack at a height just below
shoulder height, then you can simply lift the loaded barbell off the
rack and begin the exercise. Replacing it to the rack after the final
rep.
If you don’t have a barbell/squat rack then to get the barbell
into the start position you should perform a “Clean” motion to bring the
barbell up safely from the floor to the hips, then to the top of the
chest.
From the start position, bending at the knees, dip yourself
down slightly before explosively straightening your legs and at the same
time driving the barbell upwards overhead.
Retract the head backwards slightly as you explosively push the barbell upwards.
As
the Push Press is an explosive exercise there is no need to hold the
barbell overhead for any length of time. Instead, once you have
completed the arm extension, drag the barbell back down to the start
position on your upper chest and repeat.
