How to Start Olympic Weightlifting Training

Strength training has been an absolute trend in the fitness world for many years. People do strength training to be healthy and to have a physically strong and attractive body.

Historically, Olympic weightlifting is the ancestor of modern strength training and fitness. Over the years, a lot of stereotypes have developed about weightlifting, which undeservedly hampered its popularization. In particular, these are stereotypes of relatively low stature of weightlifters, a negative effect on posture and joints. Another stereotype is that only strong people with “big bellies” can do strength exercises.

Also, in some countries, there were bans on weightlifting exercises for women, adolescents and children. It all came down to the so-called popularization of weightlifting among the military and “villagers.” Of course, over time, all these myths and stereotypes were completely scientifically and practically debunked.

Over the past 15 years, thanks to the development and popularization in the world – fitness, the fitness industry has paid more attention to the benefits of weightlifting exercises.

It is clear that weightlifting has become a trend because it:

• Comprehensively develops strength, speed, flexibility, strength endurance, coordination, agility;
• Develops the functionality of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the body;
• Strengthening the muscles, joints and ligaments of the whole body.

In the modern world, solving these problems is essential for a healthy, fulfilling life, which will also undoubtedly affect the emotional and mental state.

So who can do weightlifting? The answer is simple – almost everybody.

What should be done before starting training?

Before starting weightlifting, I advise undergoing a medical examination. This is especially important for children and adolescents, whose body is constantly growing and forming.

It’s no secret that you need a coach and a barbell to start training. Therefore, it is necessary to take a responsible attitude to the choice of the coach. For this, some important criteria should be taken into account.

Your coach must have the appropriate education, experience and motivation. The personal qualities of a coach, the desire to continuously learn and his philosophy in life are very important and work. He must be a leader whom the athlete can fully trust.

Before starting weightlifting, you need to determine the goals and the desired result:

• To achieve the highest sports results in the international arena;
• To develop strength and power;
• Learn and improve the technique of exercises to use it for training in other sports.

Of course, this is where a coach will help you. Expect your training to start not with heavy and complex strength exercises, but with elementary tests of flexibility and coordination. They are needed to assess your initial ability and build your initial training program.

The most famous and simplest starting test in weightlifting is the overhead squat and long jump, which most beginners cannot perform correctly at all. And strength has nothing to do with it: it usually lacks basic coordination and flexibility.

Sometimes people want to start weightlifting, but it is impossible to find a coach. Then, in this case, online training, as well as independent training with a wide variety of training courses, can become. An example of this is my Snatch Masterclass.

The athlete performs lessons with simple tasks and exercises in which he learns the phases and elements of the exercises, get tips nad drills and build all the elements into one movement puzzle after puzzle.

At the beginning of training, the coach’s “weightlifting vocabulary” may seem confusing. But don’t worry, you will master it very quickly. The entire training process will consist of certain stages (week, month, or year) during which you can achieve short-term and long-term goals and objectives: learning exercises and their phases, developing strength, flexibility, and other physical qualities.

All weightlifting exercises are conventionally divided into four groups: general, special, auxiliary and competitive.

General exercises include exercises that provide general physical fitness. At the beginning of training, they are given key values.

Special exercises contain separate parts, elements of a snatch, clean, jerk, close to them in the form, structure and nature of the muscular system. These exercises are mostly new to the beginner and will require detailed learning and mastery.

Accessory exercises are aimed at creating a special strength foundation. With their help, a beginner athlete will be able to develop all physical qualities and strengthen their health integrally.

Competitive weightlifting exercises are a snatch and a clean and jerk, in which the athlete shows the maximum result on the competition platform.

So, if you decided to start weightlifting, do it right now and you will never regret it!