So far I've read the first 100 pages and Louie has my attention. Please keep in mind that this is a strength training manual for Olympic lifters. It's not a book about technique for the snatch and clean n jerk. I have a few burning questions:
- How can you apply strength training principles for Olympic lifters?
- How can an Olympic lifter improve strength WHERE IT MATTERS and have their clean and jerk and snatch go up?
These are questions I'm asking myself as I read the manual.
Accommodation
So far the grand enemy of limiting strength gains for snatch and clean n jerk is accommodation. After a training cycle using similar percentage loads the body will accommodate. It's a biological law. The manual says that after 3 weeks of training at 90% or more of the same stimulus you will halt progress. To avoid accommodation Louie recommends using 3 week wave intervals. You train for 3 weeks using the same stimulus, same percent range, or same bar and go for a P.R. but after 3 weeks you introduce a new stimulus. For example, your first 3 weeks you can hang snatch. After 3 weeks you hang snatch from below the knees. After those 3 weeks you snatch from the floor. We haven't even talked about snatching from boxes but that's another option. There are many to choose from including complexes.
50% of training volume
Louie got his recommendations from Soviet Union research books that he got from Bud Charniga. The Soviet Union was producing the greatest Weightlifters at that time and their science was available but it was written in Russian. Bud Charniga provided translated versions in English. The Soviets kept records and planned details of programming for their Olympic lifters. Louie adopted those training methods to his powerlifting team to develop the Westside method of strength. In those soviet manuals:
50% of your training volume should be at 75% to 85% or 1 RM (Repetition Maximum)
This is important once again to avoid accommodation.
There is so much more to talk about but these 2 concepts can be implemented now into your training to continue the progress and make those important strength gains. Olympic lifting is still, has always been and will continue to be a strength sport. Those that think it's all about technique I have something to say:
- If Olympic lifting was all about technique, why do they have weight classes?
- If Olympic lifting was all about technique (and not so much strength) then it would be judged similar to Gymnastics and diving.
In gymnastics and diving, there are no weight classes. Why? Because it's a sport that whoever executes the best technique wins. Therefore, judges are required. Olympic lifting has no judges. They have referee's and officials. I believe this manual is valuable for improved strength for Olympic Weightlifting. More to talk about from this manual later.
Coach Cano
interesting book. WLifting IS a strength sport, Louie's priorities on strength development are sound. The best WL athletes in the U.S. are some of the strongest, this is more paramount than even technique. e.g.: Farris, Wes Kitts. Focus on strength first, the rest shall follow.
ReplyDeleteCertainly, it's what I've been saying to my Weightlifters is to get your overall strength up!!! Then the strength will carry over to the lifts. However, you still must be strong in the clean n jerk and snatch and that requires to execute strength lifts for the snatch and clean n jerk something that squats and deadlifts can't entirely do on their own.
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