powerDOJO

Tag: olympic lifts

  • How to Listen to Your Body

    You often hear people say, “You’ve got to listen to your body.”

    While good advice, it’s vague and can be difficult to apply.

    I was in the gym a couple of hours ago warming up and my right knee just didn’t feel right.

    On the menu today was an appetizer of Power Cleans, followed by a secondi of Overhead Press, with the main course being a platter of Deadlifts, finished off with a delicious assortment of 1-Arm Rows.

    Not the kind of workout that is conducive to a funky knee…

    I did my best to not expect problems and lengthened my warmup a bit, ensuring that all of the muscles that cross the hip, knee and ankle were activated and mobilized.

    I stepped up to the bar to start my Power Cleans and did my usual ramping-style warmup.

    After the first couple of sets with just the bar, it was feeling about the same.

    But I continued and kept going, focusing on good glute activation. The more the glutes work, the less the quads/hams have to work and the less stress on the knee joint.

    When I got to my work sets at 185 lbs, I felt about the same, but a funny thing happened and each work set got progressively better, with the final set being my best. I finished the workout without an issue.

    Now, if I’d have thought, “My knee feels messed, I’d better not squat today” I would’ve stopped myself from having a great workout. I literally feel like a million bucks right now.

    And this is how YOU can learn to listen to your body…

    The next time something feels a bit off and you’re about to go train, I’m talking something feeling a little funky, not like a dislocated shoulder or visible ulna (an arm bone), don’t just write your workout off…

    Do your best to NOT EXPECT problems and continue with your workout (pay a little more attention to ensure your body is as prepped as possible in your warmup) as scheduled.

    The only thing you’ve got to make sure you do is to promise yourself you’ll skip any exercise that truly feels like it is making the problem worse.

    This is how you can learn to listen to your body and let it guide you to the best choice.

    Now, you’ve got some concrete actionable steps you can take to learn to listen to your body.

    That’s what I’m all about – practical, actionable, effective and efficient tips, advice and programs.

    You could follow this little routine and get great results. Power Cleans for example are such an efficient exercise, hitting your whole body and simultaneously developing power, strength and flexibility.

    If you’re not comfortable doing them, I suggest you give my Olympic Lifting Mastery Course a shot.

    Olympic Lifting Mastery Course
    This course will guide you step-by-step to mastering the world’s most explosive exercises.

    In it I’ll guide you through, step-by-step, until you’ve got these explosive lifts down pat.

    Eric

    P.S. Don’t forget about my new LIFETIME PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE – if you ever feel a program that I’ve created doesn’t live up to your expectations, just shoot me an email and I’ll get your money back to you, no questions asked.

    So if you’re not throwing barbells around your gym, scaring the guys doing curls on the BOSU, I’ve got your back. Let’s get started today:

    Click Here to Master the Olympic Lifts Today

  • Integrating the Olympic Lifts

    I got a question from cork_boi about integrating the Olympic lifts into the Ultimate MMA Strength and Conditioning program.

    For those of you who own the program already, I’ve added new templates that slot in various Olympic lifts throughout – look for it in the INSIDERS ZONE.

    However, I know not everyone has the program, so I also talk some general Olympic lifting guidelines in this week’s “Ask EricWongMMA” segment.

    I also got a new intro trailer vid – check it out:

    .

    As I mentioned in the vid, it’s vitally important that you execute the O-lifts with good technique, or you could hurt yourself or just simply not reap the full benefits of these awesome exercises.

    If you’re not confident with your current technique or you’re a new to them and want to learn proper technique, grab my Olympic Lifting Mastery course:

    The Olympic Lifting Mastery Course

    The Olympic Lifting Mastery Course

    Got any further questions on the O-lifts?

    Let me know below…

  • Common Problems Learning the Olympic Lifts

    Like I talked about last post, one of the ways to force your body to make continued progress is to increase the complexity of exercises you throw at it.

    By doing so, you’ll build new neural pathways and become more efficient and coordinated on a neuromuscular level.

    The Snatch and Clean and Jerk are 2 exercises that are at the height of technical complexity.

    Master these exercises and you’ve mastered the most efficient and powerful tools in your exercise toolbox.

    Today, I’m going to be talking about some technical stuff and for the not real bright in the room who don’t care about technique it won’t really have any lasting effect.

    But for the intelligent MMA fighters and fitness enthusiasts here who understand that progression from white to black belt in all disciplines is the goal of all training including strength and conditioning, today we’ll go through how you can start using the Olympic lifts to continue making progress in your performance and fitness for life.

    [jwplayer config=”Posts: 560×340″ mediaid=”4242″]
    Be ready to invest time and energy in learning things properly and you’ll be on your way to mastery.

    As I’ve worked with fighters at all levels over the past 6 years, I’ve come across very few who were using the Olympic lifts.

    Some have even displayed absolutely horrible form.

    But if you’re in this boat, I’ve come to realize that it’s not your fault.

    A few months ago, when I first started training with a high level fighter, I asked him all about his exercise history.

    We talked for a while and then I asked, “Have you ever done the Olympic lifts?”

    “Yeah, a few times, but I’ve never really been taught them properly.”

    “OK, show me your form.”

    He went on to perform a few reps of the Power Clean and it was clear that it wasn’t an exercise we’d be using until I taught him proper technique.

    I then asked, “How were you taught the lifts?”

    He replied, “They were usually in the middle of a circuit, so…”

    BINGO.

    Running groups of guys through circuits, spending 20 seconds explaining each station, with stations that include technical exercises like the Cleanis NOT the proper way to teach or learn the Olympic lifts.

    Circuit Training
    I don’t blame you for being distracted when you were trying to learn good technique…

    Brutal.

    Dangerous.

    And completely unacceptable!

    These lifts are not meant to be taken lightly and doing so will crush any who show this level of disrespect.

    When watching these guys and other beginners execute the Olympic lifts, I’ve been able to observe common problems.

    Knowing these points and how to fix them will help you know what to look out for when you start training with the O-lifts.

    Common Problems With the Olympic Lifts

    Problem #1 – Lack of Understanding of Proper Technique

    One aspect of the old Soviet system of churning out Olympic athletes that I greatly respect is the time they took to educate their athletes in the science behind what they had them do on a biomechanical and physiological level.

    For the athlete, this leads to a deeper level of understanding of their craft and helps them execute more successfully.

    Understanding both the technical aspects of the Olympic lifts as well as why each element is there will go a long way towards your safe and effective use of these powerful exercises.

    What I’ve done is my BIOMECH Breakdown of the lifts so you understand each phase and its importance, giving you the foundation you need for proper execution.

    BIOMECH Breakdown

    Problem #2 – Poor Mobility

    The areas where mobility is most needed is in the ankles, hips and/or shoulders, which is pretty much everywhere. 😉

    Unfortunately, the latter 2 are areas where regular MMA training (fight stance, guard, getting your neck cranked, etc) and modern society (sitting and driving) cause restrictions.

    Addressing these areas is necessary for being able to properly do the Clean and Jerk and especially the Snatch.

    I’ve personally had to spend a great deal of time on my hips and shoulders.

    My hips from years growing up playing hockey without performing any compensatory stretches or exercises, and my shoulders from the first couple of years of weight training where all I did was Bench press and Bicep curl. [Which way to the beach?]

    From my personal tightness and experience, static stretching just didn’t work for me.

    But I’ve uncovered a few critical dynamic mobility exercises for quickly fixing these troublesome areas up that I’m going to guide you through.

    Problem #3 – Bad Movement Patterns

    Incorrect training in the past has to be broken down, deconstructed and re-programmed for correct technique.

    You start by stopping the full lift that you’re trying to fix and start performing component parts of it properly.

    This allows you to develop the proper patterns while avoiding the old, inefficient movements you used to do.

    Then, you progressively put the movements together until you end up with the full lift in flawless technique.

    I’ve used the BIOMECH Breakdown of the Snatch and Clean and Jerk to create a step-by-step program that starts from the ground up.

    I call it the “Rapid Mastery Training Sequence” (RMTS) and it involves 4 levels:

    1. Fundamental Patterning
    2. Isolated Movement
    3. Level 1 Integration
    4. Level 2 Integration

    Once you complete Level 2 Integration, you’re ready to put it all together and start banging out quality lifts.

    I’ve put all this together in a program designed specifically for guys who have never done the lifts or guys who have done them before but know they need to improve their technique.

    If you’re in this group, the Olympic Lifting Mastery Course is for you.

    The Olympic Lifting Mastery Course

    The Olympic Lifting Mastery Course is now LIVE: check it out here.