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Olympic Weightlifting & Core Strength 

Olympic Weighlifting Basics 

  • True Core Strength 
     

  • submaximal fundementals good for everybody
     

  • Learn from a former competitive weighlifter

Graham Healy is a former middle heavyweight competitive Olympic weightlifter who was a competitor in the 1976 Queensland Olympic weightlifting titles and his coach for 12 months 7 days a week was Olympian Nevel Pery  .
 

The Basics and fundamental movements of Olympic weightlifting are grossly underestimated and the correct squatting, dead lifting and power cleans are an invaluable exercise to strengthen core muscles including the whole back(from lower back to traps)

We don’t have to go to ‘maximums’ as a competitive weightlifter would , all we do is go from 50 to 80 percent of maximums , simply converting the basics to a ‘base exercise’ rather then focusing on the one rep max as a competitive weightlifter would.

The submaximal Olympic Basics are 'extremely' beneficial as a BASE to all other training in the Healy's system .
In fact Graham Healy will state that 'olympic weighlifting' fundementals are the FOUNDATION OF TRUE CORE STRENGTH and the base from which a lot of other systems are taken from (kettle-bells being a prime example)

Side-profiling the curvature of the spine and lower back when you carefully analysis the complete movement of a power clean from the floor to the chest , it describes the complete curve of the spine , so when you complete this move submaximally as a 'exercise' you involve the complete erector spinea muscles (the multitude of back muscles that support the spine structure).

Wearing of weightlifting belt ,knee straps and werist straps this is recommended in the Healy's Health ssytem for the following reasons:

  • Lower back must be supported with a weight lifting belt (more speficilly the L1,L2,L3,L4 vertebrae ) because unlike the 'fools' who say they don't wear weighlifting belts because they are 'building core strength' demonstrated absolutely 'zero knowledge' of the structure of the lower spine or the 'compression forces' involved here , a weightlifting belt supports the lower back and takes out the compression risk of this exercise (power cleans etc) 
    THE SPINE DOES NOT LIKE COMPRESSION or TWISTING under force period.
    The use of a weightlifting belt = RISK MANAGEMENT policy implimented.

  • Knee straps and wraps the knee is a complex joint with several attachments and cross over points that needs support with deep squats of any discription again the use of elastic knee straps protects all these cross over ligaments and muscle insertions/origins another RISK MANAGEMENT Policy as much as common sense.

  • Wrist Straps same principle applies here , the cross over ligaments and 'capel tunnel nerves' are close to the surface at the wrist which is a 'weak point' in any lifting . I have recommended Elastic wrist straps to Doctors and the next day the 'pain' they had was gone. unfortunately , the fundemental understanding of the atomony and all the muscle and ligament crossover points need some in depth study rarely done by your average gym member, owner or run of the mill PT. 
    refer my section on Lower back care and my PDF file of wrist and knee joints HERE to eductate yourself
     

However, if you wish to ‘challenge yourself’ then that option is always there to progressively increase your lifting capacity.
If you are simply trying to learn technique and make the ‘Olympic weightlifting’ as part of your overall base (which is the main function used at Healy’s Heath).
Healy’s Health uses ‘Olympic weightlifting’ as a base ‘power surge’ component of their general ‘advanced’ programming, however, anybody can learn the techniques, for example simply with a bar only (no weight on the bar) is where we start.
That way males and females and younger people can practice the basics without fear of injury.
The benefits of Olympic weightlifting basics are:

  • Ultimate Core Strength

  • Balance and co-ordination

  • Correct squatting and lifting facilitated
    (as opposed to incorrect biomechanical technique taught in most gyms)

  • Base training as ‘power surging’ any other programme

  • May be used as a base to underpin further advanced training

  • Be taught correct technique by a former Olympic weightlifter
    (Graham Healy Queensland titles 1976 who was coached by  Nevel Pery competitor at Mexico and Rome games  ) .

  • Have confidence that you will be taught correctly from day one 
    (Incorrect technique is very difficult to re-train out of somebody's mind set)

 

 

 

Graham Healy

Diploma in Fitness & Sports coaching
Principal Healy’s Health and Fitness 
Approved Industry affiliate partner for ACSD 

Dont be frightened by the weights these guys at the start of the video but have a look at the Girls doing the fundemental basics for olympic weightlifting and 'explosiver' power .

In Everyday training 
You can use the basics of Olympic lifting in the submaximal versions(not with necessarily heavy weights) as a 'exercise' using all the 'principals of olympic weighlifting' as a basic of general training.

You cannot teach what you have not done yourself 
Most PT's have never seen a Olympic weighlifting platform and usually come from a 'body-building' base this is unfortunate as the static use of weights can be 'so boring' and the 'world' of dynamic lifting' needs to be taught as a fundemental base for any other form of weights use.
Healy's Health will always teach Olympic Weightlifting basics as a BASE to any other programming , and works these routeens in as a 'power surge' 'secret' to Healy's High Intensity training systems

Even performing olympic lifts 'just with a bar' or 'a broomstick' can be beneficial  so at Healy's we start you on the simple basics.

Special note: In the above video the athletes are obviously training at a specfically set up olympic training facility , in a normal Gym the dropping of weights as such is forbidden , and for safety and for the comfort of others around you 'lowering of the weights carefully' should be implimented.
The above video the athletes have rubber coated weights so the equipment can handel the 'throw down' effect.
However, Healy's do not use the throw down techniques in our normal training (unless you were abviously doing MAXIMAL LIFTS
Normally I recommend Clients to CONTROL ALL LIFTS and GET TECHNIQUE PERFECT and CONTROLLED .

Graham Healy
 

 

California strength  demonstrate correct form for power cleans with the bar only , as you can see there is a lot of technique is every move in olympic weighlifting as with all sports the fundemental basics are broken down into smaller fundemental moves and then practice,practice,practice, but you have to make absolutely certain that the techniques you are being taught are CORRECT to start with .
I personally recomment California Strength (link above) as the best on utube , these guys are 'pro's' and know their stuff and are quite entertaining , if you want to see all the correct olympic weightlifting techniques then check these guys and girls out.

In the meantime  if you don't live in California then see us at Healy's Health and we will teach you these principals under the watchful eye of Graham Healy whose was taught and mentored by Olympic weighlifter Nevel Perry (Mexico games and Rome Olympics)

Remember you cant teach what you can't do yourself 
 

 


Graham Healy
 

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