10* Snatches on the minute
5* Clean and Jerks on 2 minutes

The OWLI course went really well over the weekend of the 17th and 18th. Mark and myself shared the demo’s on the Saturday. On the Sunday I decided to get involved with the workout. I’ve only just recently introduced the O Lifts into my training with mixed results. I was pretty happy with the 10 Snatches on the minute session I did the other week, so Mark and myself decided to ‘trial’ it on the course. It worked really well. The protocol enables you train a decent amount of volume at reasonably high percentages. For the Snatches on the minute I managed 2/70, 1/72.5, 2/75, 1/77.5 and 4 misses at 80kg. This ended up being 11 reps, which I didn’t mind too much. The first 3 I should have held, I was under them but pretty much dogged it!! For the Clean and Jerks I managed 1/90, 1/95, 2/100, miss/110. The 110 I pulled pretty well but just couldn’t stand it up- more squats are on the menu!!

Me missing is an 80kg snatch is in the background and the 110kg clean miss is at the end, I feel both would have gone up if I wasn’t demonstrating the previous day…

Personal Trainers need to learn the Olympic Lifts so they are able to safely and competently teach these to their clients.

We know that the Olympic Lifts are important for athletes and sports people alike because of the physical skills and attributes that they develop. The Olympic Lifts develop speed, power, coordination, flexibility, range of motion, better posture, they are highly metabolic and they can burn fat.

But can they do this for us as trainers and more importantly can they do this for our clients the: office workers, manual workers, stay at home mums, elderly and weekend warriors?

In a short answer they can do a lot and here is why:

The human body is designed the same whether it belongs to an Olympian or an everyday Joe, it also needs to be trained in the same way. This might come as a surprise to a lot of people out there but it’s true. The difference between Olympians and the rest of us is ability, this is obvious, but what unites our species is that essentially we are the same!

As our bodies our designed in the same manner there is no reason that our bodies should not be trained in the same way. What differs is the load, intensity, frequency, duration and not the actual movements or exercises.

Movement Patterns
As a species we all need to Squat, Bend, Lunge, Push, Pull and rotate, these are the movements that allow us to exist and it is from these very movements that exercises can be derived. This is unquestionable.

Why then don’t we train these movements? Even if we do train these movements independently we could save a lot of time if we were able to combine them. This is where the Olympic Lifts come in. The Olympic Lifts are these movements- all of them, all at once!

Take the Snatch for example, in one exercise you have a Bend as you pick the weight up off the ground, you have a Pull as you pull yourself under the bar and you have a Squat as you stand the bar up while you Press against the bar.

David Woodhouse of Foxwood Weightlifting, shows how it’s done.

If you look at the Clean and Jerk you have all of the above movements plus you have a Lunge when you perform the Split Jerk.

Mark Hill Olympic Weightlifting for the Fitness Professional Instructor

If Olympians and athletes of the highest calibre perform these lifts because they help them to move better so too should everyone else. If everyday people should be doing these lifts to help them move better it is then every trainers responsibility to be able to teach these lifts.

The reasons why trainers need to learn to teach the Olympic Lifts:
- so their clients can enjoy the benefits of the Olympic Lifts (above)
- so their clients can perform these lifts safely and correctly
- so they get more ‘bang for their buck’ (this refers to getting more out of a movement) from exercises
- to better understand how the human body functions

So if you’re a trainer out there and you don’t know how to teach or implement the Olympic Lifts what are you waiting for? Book on to an Olympic Weightlifting for the Fitness Professional course today.

This is a true legend of the strength game- Johann Martin. He weightlifts, kettlebell lifts, squats and uses his bodyweight brilliantly. I need to keep training!!

Both the Trojans Lifting Club and the educational providers Optimal Life Fitness are often asked about children and Weightlifting. Resistance training and Weightlifitng are safe and in comparison to other sports that children participate in can be considered as extremely safe. This piece will take a look at some of the misconceptions surrounding weightlifting.

Some of the misconceptions surrounding weightlifting are as follows:
- weightlifting is unsafe
- weightlifting stunts growth
- weightlifting makes you slow
There are plenty more, but we’ll deal these for now.

Safety
The notion that Weightlifting is unsafe is completely unfounded, especially when compared to other participation sports. Brian Hamill (Head Coach of South Eastern Counties Weightlifting)in a study from 1994 took a close look at the injury rates of Weightlifting and a host of other sports including Rugby, football and basketball. Weightlifting had an injury rate of 0.0013 injuries per 100 particiaption hours compared to football 0.1400 and Rugby 0.8000. The Weightlifitng injuries in comparison to other sports are almost non existent. In fact parents when looking for a ‘safe’ sport in terms of safe from injury should seriously consider Weightlifting for their children.

Weightlifting stunts growth
This is more of an Old Wives tale as much as a misonception, however it is one that is still upheld in training and sports. As to where this came from originally who knows? Part of it could be that some of the all time best weightlifters have levers and mechanics that are very condusive to lifting high loads. This means that a lot of them have relatively short arms and legs- don’t tell them I said that! However there are plenty of elite lifters who have long limbs. Lightweight boxers and jockeys are of smaller than average stature but boxing and riding horses hasn’t been declared as stunting peoples growth! the American College of sports Medicine says “There is no current scientific evidence to support that early weight training will stunt a child’s growth”.

Weightlifting makes you slow
The final misonception that we’ll take a look at in this piece is that weightlifting makes you slow. This is probably due to the stereotype of hugely muscled up individuals lifting weights with diminished range of movement due to excessively large muscles which could obviously impact the ability to move quickly. The truth of the matter and the reason why the Weightlifting lifts are used by all types of athletes is that as opposed to making people slow training with these lifts actually makes people fast. It has to! Take the Snatch for example, a weight (often above twice bodyweight at international levels) is lifted form the ground to overhead in less than a second- this can’t happen if the weight is lifted slowly! The ability to lift in this manner has massive nervous stimulation the same nervous system that makes us run fast. So contrary to the belief that Weightlifting can make you slow- it wil actualy make you fast!

Important considerations
It is important to note that the term Weightlifting is often misused. Weightlifting is as described above and refers to the competitive lifts and training for the competitive lifts. Training with weights, bodybuilding and powerlifting are not Weightlifting.

When children are Weightlifting it should be under adult and experienced supervision. Progression and overload are not at the expense of technique and form. Even though it is Weightlifting it is more important to foucs on the body moving correctly than the loads lifted.

Who knows exactly why the misconceptions came about and who’s agenda and purpose they suit. I’ve seen first hand 12 and 13year olds Weightlifting and moving brilliantly, there growth definitely wasn’t stunted! Considering all of the benefits: strength, speed, coordination, range of motion, flexibility, posture, bone density and confidence that can be gained from Weightlifting it really is a sport that kids should be encouraged to participate in.

Young and old- get lifting!!

I’ve mentioned this Weightlifting gym with head coach Brian Hamill in the past. A good mate of mine Mark Hill trains there, I’ve written about one of their best lifters Chris Chea, I’ve even posted an article by another of their lifters David Woodhouse. So as I’ve referenced, begged, borrowed, stole and used them for writing material in the past it was about time I made my down there to train with these guys.

Now the studio is in London and Woking is in Surrey, a lot of people commute and know which trains to get, I however messed this up and I ended up on a train that stopped at every station between Waterloo and Woking .So instead of the anticipated 35minute trip, it nearly took me an hour from Waterloo alone.

Anyway upon my arrival at the Woking Centre of Excellence; which is a small room tucked away at the bottom of Woking Leisure Centre behind a sports hall, with Mark Hill, I was greeted by a couple of familiar faces Brian and Chris. Now the room is like a throw back to what gyms should be, there’s not a machine in sight! There are plenty of discs in stacks, Olympic bars, dumbbells, a few pull up and dipping bars, plus some portable benches. In the middle of the room and on the floor is- space!

The Woking Centre of Excellence in action:

Scattered about the place was an assortment of individuals in a varied state of dress and undress. With all the banter about each others training kit at one stage I wasn’t sure if I was mistakenly at the London Fashion school. However after a few short seconds I was no longer under any illusion as to where I had turned up. There was encouragement, lifting chalk, screams, smelling salts, bodies, bars and plates flying all over the place.

The lifters varied from the very experienced and elite, Chris Chea is the current British 70kg champion, to the novice and early teen. Brian the Head Coach spent time attending to everybody- including me. I was a little nervous lifting in this environment. Hell last week I wrote about taking myself out of my comfort zone and here I was lifting with some of the best in the country.

Anyway after a Snatch warm up I started to load the bar. I soon had people shouting instructions at me “Tighter at the start!”, “Pull high”, “Drop under”. How could I perform under this type of pressure? I worked my way up to a respectable single and also missed a couple.

The ones I missed were almost the most pleasing as I threw myself under the bar and at least lost the bar over my head as opposed to not even trying to get under it. My take home points are that I need to: finish the pull; get tighter at the start and; commit to get under it!

I’ve not cleaned in a while and to be honest seeing people attempt and get numbers in the range of 140- 150kg I wasn’t that sure I wanted to. Mark thought otherwise and using the same teaching points I had picked up in the Snatch I again worked up to decent singles and even ended up Cleaning 105kg. My best ever when I was training the lift was 115kg. I feel with the one session after one session at this place I now have the tools to reach above and beyond my previous best.

All in all it was a brilliant session and reinforced to me that taking yourself out of comfort zone and having a go really is worth it!

Thanks to everyone at the Woking Centre of Excellence, if I get the trains right I may see you all again soon!

There is something primal and exhilarating about the experience. A certain sense of satisfaction and achievement is felt by anyone every time the lift is completed.

A lot of the benefits are quite similar to the Clean particularly concerning triple extension and flexion, as well as motor patterns and neuromuscular activation. However the Snatch specifically develops overhead capabilities and as a result has huge postural and range of movement benefits around the thoracic spine and shoulder girdle.

For most of the general population having the range of motion and stability to hold their arms behind their heads is difficult, to actually throw a weight above their heads and catch it there is virtually impossible. Despite this every body can benefit from learning the Snatch and the progressive exercises that will get you there.

In fact by performing the exercise and its progressions: as well as developing strength, speed and power, flexibility, range of motion and structural stability will all be enhanced.

If you’re not Snatching, you should start today!!

Here’s a recent clip of Chris in action:

Speaking to Chris on Sunday was really interesting. As I mentioned he is the current British 69kg Champion (I must apologise when I last wrote about him I said he was u/23 champion). His current aim is to represent GB at next years Commonwealth Games. His current combined total is 252kg he needs to lift 260kg in a competition in order to qualify. He said this is definitely achievable, and is hoping to place when he gets there.

Chris went on to let the group know what his aims were over the next few years. It was quite inspiring. After the Commonwealth Games next year Chris’ next focus is London 2012 where he predicts a top 6, 7 or better place. The Commonwealth Games in 2014 gets better, Chris told us in fact he assured us quite frankly that he would be bringing back 3 Golds from this meet. His conviction was inspiring, it wasn’t arrogant it was self assured and everybody in the group believed in him.

We’ll be staying in contact with Chris and keeping you updated with his progress. I wish you all the best Chris.

Ivan Abadjiev & the Bulgarian Weightlifting System
By David Woodhouse
History

Ivan Abadjiev was born in 1932 and was himself a world class weightlifter having placed 2nd in the World Championships in 1953. After retiring from the sport he took an administrative position in Bulgaria but was vocal in his criticism of the team’s training methods. In 1969, following their disappointing performance in the Mexico Olympics, as a desperation move, the governing body appointed him national coach. Just three years later, at the games in Munich, Bulgarian lifters won three gold and three silver medals, their first medals in any sport in Olympic competition. This medal count was duplicated four years later in Montreal and in Moscow increased to two golds, four silvers and two bronzes. In 1984 Eastern European countries boycotted the Los Angeles games and this cost Bulgaria several likely gold medals. Nevertheless, at the World Championships two years later they won gold in 6 weight categories (versus the Soviets 3) and became the most successful team in weightlifting history.

Abadjiev was nicknamed ‘the Butcher’ for the level of discipline and commitment he demanded from his athletes. However, in his initial 20 year tenure, he coached 9 Olympic Champions, 57(!) World Champions and 64 European Champions. All this was achieved in a country with a population of just 8 million people – less than that of Greater London.

Abadjiev’s most famous athlete was featherweight Naim Suleymanoglu who actually defected from Bulgaria to Turkey in December 1986. Over the next 10 years Naim proved to be the greatest lifter in the history of the sport. He was a senior world record holder at 15, at 16 became only the second man to jerk three times body weight and still holds the highest ever Sinclair total. Despite missing the Los Angeles games, where he would have been an overwhelming favourite, he went on to win three Olympic gold medals plus 7 World and 6 European Championships. In Seoul he broke 4 World and 6 Olympic records and won gold by 30kg. His total would have been enough to win the lightweight division against lifters 7.5kg heavier!

Application of the S.A.I.D. Principle

SAID stands for “Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands” and states that “adaptation to a stressor is specific to that stressor”. Applied to weightlifting, this implies that performance is best improved by performing the snatch and clean & jerk with maximal weights. The SAID principle became the corner stone of Abadjiev’s training philosophy.

“Our athletes do not do any “supportive exercises” they stay with full clean and jerk, snatch, and front squat We have found that taking back squat out is more effective for the healthy lifter. Sticking with the three lifts named above as the only training for the advanced and healthy lifter…. If the athlete is injured they will do back squat or parts of the lift the full lifts (ie. high pulls, push press, etc…). You must be extremely careful with the stresses you put on your athletes. You must have direct benefits from each exercise because the athlete has limited recovery capacity.” IA

In 1969 when Abadjiev took over as national coach the team used 19 exercises in their training. Over the next 20 years, as he continually adapted his program, exercises were progressively discarded until 1986 when his lifters performed just 5 (Snatch, Power Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Power Clean and Front Squat) and exclusively for single repetitions. Throughout this period the team’s results in International competition continued to improve and Bulgaria became the top weightlifting nation in the world.
Popular weightlifting ‘assistance exercises’ such as pulls, deadlifts and back squats were discarded because their

movement path and speed of execution does not exactly mirror that used in the competition lifts. Abadjiev states that all available adaptation energy must be committed to exercises with the greatest cross over (i.e. snatch, clean & jerk and front squat!). Additionally, these popular assistance exercises are often performed with loads exceeding those possible on the competition lifts, and for multiple repetitions. This type of training causes substantial skeletal and central nervous system fatigue that reduces the quality of future workouts.

Lifting from the hang or from blocks at various heights, is a popular method of teaching novice athletes and in this context these exercises certainly have merit. However, as soon as an efficient technique has been acquired the focus must shift to performing the full movement from the floor. It is a common observation that substantial work from the hang primarily serves to improve an athlete’s performance at… lifting from the hang! In some situations, a lifter’s maximum from the hang can actually start to exceed his best from the floor.

Abadjiev does acknowledge that when injury precludes a lifter from performing the full lifts, assistance exercises may need to be employed.

Adaptations from Maximal Loadings

Consistent training with high intensity loadings can increase the density of nerve impulse that can be generated by the central nervous system. Over time this allows the athlete to recruit a greater percentage of their higher threshold muscle fibres and hence significantly improve power output. Additionally, there is evidence that Type IIa muscle fibres can actually be converted to the more powerful Type IIb fibre type. Abadjiev states that these adaptations are best achieved when loadings are near maximal

Employing single lifts at maximum improves both intra and inter muscular coordination. The former involves improved synchronisation of fibres within a muscle, and the latter, improved efficiency between muscles. This is especially important in the Olympic lifts which are highly technical whole body movements. Due to fatigue these adaptations cannot be optimally developed when employing multiple repetition sets. Additionally, as technique degrades rapidly under fatigue, there is a risk that lifters may be rehearsing a sub optimal movement pattern.

Zatsiorsky states that high threshold motor units are activated under two conditions, a single maximal repetition and the final repetition of a (maximum) set of multiple repetitions. However, the greater time under tension in a multiple repetition set increases both non functional hypertrophy and muscular fatigue. Non functional hypertrophy is an increase in the size of the muscle cell’s sarcoplasm rather than the actual contractile unit, the sarcomere. This can push a lifter into a heavier weight class without a corresponding increase in strength.

Finally, there are many lifters who have flawless technique at submaximal loads but whose technique deteriorates under maximal loading. The Bulgarian system obviously requires the lifter to attempt maximums on a regular basis. This translates into greater confidence with heavy weights, a more consistent competition performance, plus the advantages gained from heavier opening attempts.

SAID Vs Periodisation

Abadjiev used an extension of this argument to challenge the validity of classic periodisation:

“In Bulgaria, many other sports disciplines were built on the methods developed by the Soviet experts. The main concept is distinct periodisation, preparation stage, interim stage and competition stage… I threw it away… Is it logical to achieve outstanding results by hard work and then stop and go back to a lower level?”

Norair Nurikyan:
Olympic Gold Medalist 1972 & 76

In simple terms classic periodisation involves a gradual progression from high volume and low intensity to low volumes and high intensity. Abadjiev implies that any improvements yielded by the high intensity period will quickly be lost when the athlete subsequently reverts back to the higher volume and lower intensity work. A lifter should therefore never stray too far from the ultimate goal of lifting heavier weights!

SAID Vs Variation
This extreme application of the SAID principle has been criticised for its lack of variation, a factor regarded as essential for long term progress. At first glance, the small pool of exercises and the exclusive use of singles does appear to support this argument. However, if one looks closer, subtle but very significant variation is actually quite evident. Lifters might take as little as 1, or as many as 10
attempts at maximum. They might hit a maximum and immediately drop back to 80% before progressing back up
(sometimes with minor adjustments in the weights attempted). Alternatively, after one or more maximum attempts they may perform drop down, ‘flushing’ sets at

various intensities. Additionally lifters change the order of exercises or repeat exercises
within the same session to add extra stimulus where required. Finally, the coach might change the training frequency in a given week to permit greater time for recuperation. These and other variables can be continually adjusted to keep training both mentally and physically stimulating (See Appendix) It should be stressed that Bulgarian lifters utilise daily ‘training’ maximums rather than absolute (best ever) maximums. On a given day, depending on fatigue and arousal levels, these two loads could vary significantly.

It has been reported that Abadjiev favoured a sequence of three hard weeks followed by one lighter one. Some have described the light week as involving a reduction in intensity whilst others suggested they simply involved a reduction in the training frequency with no reduction in intensity. It is likely that Abadjiev experimented with all the variables and adopted different models depending on the individual situation.

Tapering for Competition

Abadjiev has stated that it is ‘paramount’ to maintain the intensity of training when preparing for competition. Tapering is therefore achieved by reducing training frequency over the final two weeks. Typically he would have his lifter’s drop to four sessions in the penultimate week and then two sessions during the final week. Of course athletes in his system were already very tolerant of such training.

“It is extremely important to maintain the adaptive state and keep the lifter used to the heavy poundages that will be experienced on competition day. . On the “off” days the lifter should do a generalized warm-up and no more.”

The Training Day

There are a number of schedules that have been presented by former Bulgarian coaches as examples of an average training week. Some call for absolute maximums only on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings and (maximum) power snatches and power cleans on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. Other examples depict maximum lifts morning and evening on successive days. Please see the Appendix for examples.

Yanko Rusev – Yanko Rusev, Olympic Champion 1980

Abadjiev was one of the first coaches to implement multiple daily sessions and has been the most extreme in distributing the work load across the day. He performed 2 or 3 daily sessions and required lifters to take a 10 to 30 minute break between exercises. This helped to ensure the highest quality in each training segment and allowed a degree of physical and mental recuperation. Abadjiev also claimed a reason to divide the training stimulus was that circulating testosterone levels only remain elevated for a maximum of 60 minutes. The rest periods employed between exercises would, in theory, help keep this highly anabolic hormone elevated for longer. However, in light of the probable use of exogenous forms of the drug, this explanation is more likely a ‘red herring’.

It has been suggested by some former Bulgarian lifters that social reasons were actually more important than physiological ones. Abadjiev was reputedly a stickler for timekeeping and kept his lifters under extremely tight evening and weekend curfews. The divided daily program provided him with another avenue to control his lifters. If their entire day was filled with training and restorative treatments, there was less risk of them fatiguing themselves with other pastimes or distractions!

Application of the Bulgarian System

Over the last 20 years, as more information about the Bulgarian System was made available, coaches have begun to adapt the basic template for ‘amateur’ lifters of different abilities and stages of development. When adapting the program, one must be aware that Bulgarian lifters were professional athletes who ate, slept and trained at their National Sports Centre. They had massage before and after training and employed daily water therapy sessions (e.g. sauna and whirlpools) and other restorative methods. In a recent seminar Abadjiev made no secret of the fact that his lifters (like all elite athletes of the time) also took advantage of banned anabolics.

The following is a summary of the ‘Americanised Bulgarian’ system, which top US coach Steve Gough devised for drug free (mostly part time) Western athletes:

The cornerstones of the program are the three maximum sessions performed on alternate days, e.g. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Time permitting, and with increased work capacity, lifters can then add lighter sessions (up to ~85%) on the ‘off days’ which function as active recovery from the preceding heavy workout. The last stage is to perform similar ‘tuning’ sessions on the morning of a heavy workout. There is substantial practical evidence that suggests a moderate session in the morning can actually improve the quality of a workout later in the
Tom Gough evening

To ward against overtraining, as discussed previously, a lighter week can be taken as required. (For examples of how to structure the actual workouts please see the Appendix)

If the lifter embarks on this program cautiously then it is the author’s firm belief that tolerance to three maximal sessions per week should be achievable for all, providing a lifter has an efficient technique and is injury free. I would suggest initially setting targets 5% less than (recent) maximum and limiting attempts at maximum to 2 or 3. Over time the athlete and coach will gain an intuitive understanding of when to push, when to back off, and how slight changes in training load will impact on future sessions.

When a lifter first begins to employ maximum lifts in training, he may require several days to recover. However, over time, tolerance to the heavier loading develops and he can progress to maximal loads without significant preparatory arousal. Subsequently CNS fatigue is reduced and training consistency will improve.

To make the most of this approach, the lifter must research and employ any legal methods of improving recovery. Methods that have supporting scientific evidence include creatine, contrast showers, protein/carbohydrate recovery drinks and massage. It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss these in any more depth.

When an American lifter asked Abadjiev what he looked for in an athlete, he replied simply, “will power”. Elsewhere, the Bulgarian System has been described not as a program but as a “state of mind” or “way of life”. There is no doubt that lifters who choose to employ this method must be highly motivated and robust. They must be extremely disciplined both in and out of the gym (to ensure optimal nutrition and sleep etc). Finally, they must be fearless in their pursuit of new maximums and must avoid cultivating a negative attitude toward failures. One of the most striking aspects of the Ironmind DVD, “Unbelievable Bulgarians” is actually the number of missed attempts.

Greatness will never be acquired by staying in one’s comfort zone!

Thanks to:
 Steve Gough
 Anthony Arthur
 Brian Hamill
 Arthur Dreschler
 www.weightliftingexchange.com

APPENDIX

A. Example Loading Progressions

1. 50 (3), 70 (2), 90 (2), 100 (2), 110, 120, 120, 120
3 singles at maximum

2. 50 (3), 70 (2), 90 (2), 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 120
2 singles at maximum with smaller increments to target

3. 50 (3), 70 (2), 90 (2), 100 (2), 110, 120, 102, 112, 122
1 single at maximum; drop down and work back up

4. 50 (3), 70 (2), 90 (2), 100 (2), 110, 120, 120, 105, 105, 105
2 singles at maximum and 3 ‘flushing’ sets

B. Example Exercise Sequences

1. Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Front Squat

2. Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Front Squat, Snatch

3. Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Front Squat, Clean and Jerk

4. Front Squat, Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Front Squat

C. Example Training Week

Monday, Wednesday and Friday:

9.00 – 9.30 Front Squat
10.00 – 10.30 Break
10.30 – 11.00 Snatch
11.30 – 12.00 Break
12.00 – 12.30 Clean and Jerk
12.45 – 1.00 Front Squat

4.30 – 5.00 Snatch
5.00 – 5.30 Break
5.30 – 6.00 Clean and Jerk
6.15 – 6.30 Front Squat

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday:

9.00 – 9.30 Squat
10.00 – 10.30 Break
10.30 – 11.00 Power Snatch
11.30 – 12.00 Break
12.00 – 12.30 Power Clean and Jerk
12.45 – 1.00 Front Squat

2. Zlatan Vanev’s training day on 4 November 1998. His pbs at the time at 77kg body weight were 165 & 205 (take from the Ironmind ‘Unbelieveable Bulgarians’ DVD)

Morning
Power Snatch 50/2, 70/2, 90/2, 110/2, 130, 130
P. Clean and Jerk 50, 110, 140, 160
Front Squat ???

Evening
Snatch 60/2, 80/2, 100/2, 120, 120, 130, 130, 140, 150, 155, 130, 145, 155, 160, 162F, 162F, 155
Clean and Jerk 70/2, 110/2, 140, 160, 180, 200, 210FJ, 210FJ, 210FJ, 210FJ, 210F
Front Squat 120, 200, 235, 245

This illustrates how frequent, short and intense squatting ‘workouts’, that can total only 5 or 6 repetitions, can be effective in maximising leg strength whilst minimising fatigue.

It’s the same in the fitness/ strength and conditioning industries. We seem to think that the experts or professionals need to be American, Canadian or Australian (although Aussies do rock!). Here in the UK and Europe we have access to a whole heap of leading fitness and strength training professionals and we don’t even know it.

This week I had the opportunity to speak to David Morgan. The guy is gentlemen and an absolute beast (I hope he doesn’t mind me saying…). Now if you don’t know who he is this is an overview of his career:

David has the distinction of being the only athlete from any of the 71 competing nations, in any sport, to ever win 5 Commonwealth Games. This feat has involved being at the top of his sport for over 20 years, and a tremendous amount of dedication and consistency. He has competed in 3 Olympic Games and 6 Commonwealth Games and numerous World, European and Master’s competitions.

At present he is World Masters Champion and holds 5 World Records. (All taken from his website).
Here’s a clip of David in action:

This year David took on “King Kong” and Crossfit world Champion Josh Everett and won. He not only won he put the weight up and still won. To check out David dominating “King Kong”.

My whole point is that here in the UK we have an absolute champion who has been there and done it, repeatedly and is still doing it! I’m attending a course at his gym at the end of October and hope to learn as much as I can from this guy. The best part is that David is based in Cambridge which is only a short drive away from London. I may be picking the brains of this champion (who is just under my nose) quite regularly.

In the meantime I’m going start my own journey towards taming (maybe just meeting) “King Kong”!

Here is Chris Koing from the Woking Centre of Excellence showing what training with the Olympic Lifts can do for you:

This was 2 years ago. Chris is now the current UK under23, 69kg champion. Tell me getting hops like that isn’t gonna help your sports and performance!