Olympic Lifting Classes

We held our first specific Olympic Lifting class last night at the box and it was great to see you all putting the time in to learn these important lifts.

Coached by Holly who is the World, British and Southern Masters Olympic lifting champ we focused on the lifts themselves (the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk) and specific drills that improve your technique. With the Olympic lifts its the little things that can make a difference between success and failure. Learning to properly shrug those shoulders, keeping the arms straight or extending the hips fully before dropping under the bar all help you achieve a much higher success rate.

We have a couple of videos on our YouTube channel that break things down nicely:

The Snatch - Technique Series

(YouTube - CrossFit Connect channel for the others)

Classes are held at 6.30-7.30pm on a Thursday evening at the box. Get in touch if you would like more details on how you can learn these lifts with us.

So why are these lifts so good for you anyway? Its because they involve a massive amount of musculature in the human body including the small stabiliser muscles, so you are working your whole body as a unit and developing strong relationships between your legs, arms and trunk. Also the movement patterns generated during the lifts help to develop great athletic ability and transfer to numerous other sports as they develop speed and explosive power. Nothing else makes you feel quite so strong, powerful, fast, balanced and agile as heaving a heavy barbell straight overhead from the floor and catching it in a deep squat as you do when you snatch.

However, these lifts are hard and challenging and it must be remembered that you will not pick them up as quickly as you can a deadlift or squat. With perseverance and practice though they are amazingly good for you and a whole load of fun! You can tell when you have done everything right because the bar feels as though it floats up to your catch position. But it can also be demoralising when things just don't go right. And this is aimed at our existing members who are learning with us. Not getting frustrated is one of the key points to learn when practising as an unfocused mind will only lead to worse results. Stay calm, focus on what you have to do and lift. If it goes wrong its not as if the world is going to end. Have a rest, re-set yourself and go again. Lifting is a journey that should be fun and enjoyable. With practice you will make more than you don't. And the weights you're lifting will go up.

So whether you are already a member looking to improve your efficiency of movement and your 1 rep maxes or a newcomer who would like to learn these lifts from qualified coaches get yourself booked in for a class soon.

More details at www.crossfitconnect.co.uk