Power and Weight Lifting
BIG LIFTS = BIG RESULTS
Weightlifting dates back to 3000 BC in a Chinese text that describes soldiers lifting weighted objects before entry into the military. The tombs of Pharaohs describe athletes lifting bags of sand. Sculptures from ancient Greece illustrate weight lifting. A stone was found at Olympia dating back to 600 BC. The stone stated that it was lifted by an athlete named Bybon. The first world weightlifting championship was held on March 28, 1891 in London, England. Weightlifting was added to the Olympics in 1896 in Athens, Greece. The first weightlifting competition consisted of two events, the one hand lift and the two hand lift.
Barbells have been around fitness since the beginning and an image of a weightlifter always comes to mind when reference to a gym is made. Funny however the most beneficial and functional exercises used in barbell training have been replaced mostly by cable cross overs and cable stack machines in today’s gyms. But make no mistake about it, these other exercise which are seldom done are the most beneficial and deliver the greatest gains. Ask any serious trainer or athlete the simple barbell is the cornerstone of the elite athlete.
Power lifting utilizies the whole body to lifting maximum weights with three key movements in particular the deadlift, squat and bench press. These compound movements are the basis of any serious training program. From there progression onto the dynamic Olympic lifts.
Olympic weightlifting- lifting slightly lighter weights yet in a very explosive manner including “the Snatch” “worlds most technical and fastest lift” and Power clean ”the worlds most powerful lift “ along with other lifts that will be covered like Push Press, Push Jerk, Clean&Jerk, overhead squat.
These lifts train athletes to effectively activate more muscle fibers more rapidly than through any other modality of training. The explosiveness that results from this training is vital necessity to every sport. Practicing the Olympic lifts teaches one to apply force to muscle groups in proper sequence ie from the centre of the body to its extremities. Learning this vital technical lesson benefits all athletes who need to impart force to another person or object as is commonly required in all sports. These movements also condition the body to receive such forces from another moving body both safely and effectively.
The benefits of Olympic weightlifting include strength, speed power, and flexibility. Also the Clean & Jerk, and Snatch will develop coordination agility, accuracy and balance. These movements will also elicit a profound neuroendocrine response basically meaning it will smash you hormone and nervous system leading to additional hormone production and fat burning.
