Olympic Lifting...because TECNIQUE

At Crossfit Champions, Coach Jeremiah Lee recently completed a 6 week Olympic Weightlifting class. Since weight training is so much a part of the whole Crossfit experience, it is not surprising that athletes would be interested in more individual training in that aspect of the sport.

Olympic Weightlifting has the reputation of being the most technically challenging strength sport, and our class participants found that to be a draw. When asked why they chose to take the class, all the participants included “improving technique” as a reason. As Margarita Cisneros, a dental assistant and Crossfit athlete put it, “I realized when you know the techniques, it makes it better and I feel safer doing the movements and it gives you confidence.”

As is often the case when we study something closely, interest and understanding increase exponentially. Hayden Pritchard, another class participant, pointed out that he had developed a “greater appreciation and understanding of the complexity of Olympic lifting.”  Of course, that understanding crosses over to all of his workouts. He is more conscious of his body and back position when doing any sort of lifting, even the much lighter metcon elements.  This was one of the goals of the class, according to Jeremiah. When athletes understand the intricacy of a weightlifting motion, they are safer lifters. Each element of a lift is important and must be performed correctly to avoid injury as well as increase strength.

Of course, the element of Crossfit training that I like the most (as you’ve probably noticed in my posts) is the agelessness of it.  Athletics is often considered the realm of youth; only young bodies can do those things, right? Crossfit has proven over and again that natural, practical movements are available to athletes of all ages. Olympic lifting filled that same bill for class participant Tara Carraway.  The 46 year old Dental Hygienist noticed a change in her mental fitness after completing the class. While benefiting from the ‘constructive criticism’ (as she put it) of her coach, she ultimately reached the conclusion that “age is just a number” and while she admits to still complaining a bit, her success was multiplied since she gained strength mentally and physically.

I have not ventured into extra classes at Crossfit Champions…yet. My 3-times-a-week workouts have been enough so far. But these athletes and others like them inspire me.  We all know that hard work and attitude are what get us results. These athletes took that idea that extra step and enrolled in the Olympic Weightlifting Class coached by Jeremiah Lee. For 6 weeks, they studied and practiced the techniques to make them better weight lifters; they listened and learned from the one-on-one coaching opportunities they got; they got results.  Props, Oly Lifters! I am ready for more specialty classes coming at the end of the summer!!