Olympic Lifting

To Olympic lift, or not to Olympic lift?

Many individuals have the misconception that any barbell work can be considered an Olympic lift. In reality the only two lifts that are considered “Olympic” are the Clean & Jerk and the Snatch. Both of these exercises are complicated movements that take enormous amounts of time and practice to master. But, in CrossFit our goal is often to maximize effectiveness and efficiency and do so quickly. So how can Olympic lifting help us accomplish these feats? Olympic lifting may be the answer.

Olympic lifting provides benefits to all types of CrossFitters. For those of you who CrossFit to lose inches, reduce stress, or to maintain a healthy lifestyle consider this: Olympic lifting has been proven to aid in added bone strength, increase muscular endurance and coordination, as well as develop the physical capacity to withstand stress. The last point certainly resonates with me. CrossFit is a stress reliever for many of us.

For those athletes who CrossFit to compete or just simply have that severe competitive craving consider this: Numerous studies have demonstrated that the Olympic lifts have the unique capacity to develop strength, muscle, power, speed, and vertical leap unlike any other exercise. In addition Oly lifts have been shown to increase maximum oxygen uptake, the most important marker for cardiovascular fitness.

Furthermore, lets consider the CrossFit games. The 3 women’s top spots from the Rocky Mountain qualifier in 2009 were all from Front Range CrossFit (Denver, CO), a box that places a heavy emphasis on Olympic lifting according to owner/coach Skip Miller. In the Hell’s Half Acre 2009 Regional Qualifier two of the top 4 males have historically placed great emphasis on the Olympic lifts. Dutch Lowy (1st) is a national Olympic lifting competitor and our very own Vic Zachary (4th) consistently uses Olympic lifting to enhance his competition preparation. Let us also examine Josh Everett. An NCAA strength and conditioning coach and an individual who can Clean & Jerk and Snatch small vehicles, Everett has consistently placed in the top tier of competitors since the inception of the CrossFit games.

As many of you have noticed, lately at BCCF we have incorporated the “Burgener Warmup” in just about every workout in some way or another. This warmup is crucial to mastering both Olympic lifts, which in turn will aid all of us in maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of your CrossFit experience.

So to answer the question that my title asks: To Olympic lift or not to Olympic lift? My recommendation is a resounding YES! The benefits of Olympic lifting are proven. Let’s get to work!

Charlie Gerszewski