Olympic Weightlifting is "Sport Specific!"

If you don't think Olympic lifting i.e. Snatch and Clean and Jerk are "sport specific" you have been misinformed. They are in fact, sport specific! I will show pictures so you can physically see how they are. I can promise using the Olympic lifts will help you improve in your sport and can give you the "edge" that you need.

 Triple Extension

"If you think of athletic power, consider the vertical jump.It is the most often used method to assess lower body power. In its liftoff phase, the body needs to explosively extend at the ankle, knee, and hip. This is how the body can propel itself upward. I know of no other way you can do it and jump any great distance, or in other words demonstrate power. This explosive extension of the knee, hip, and ankle is triple  extension, and this is the key to athletic power or explosiveness  if you wish to call it that."(Triple Extension: The Key to Athletic Power Greg Frounfelter, DPT, SCS, LAT, CSCS)
                                                                                  

 This is me lifting at the World Championships

Notice the triple extension of the hips, knees, and ankles

"But why chose weightlifting movements? Well to be honest, if you want
 to develop maximal explosiveness, these lifts are unparalleled in their ability to develop and train power" (Triple Extension:The Key to Athletic Power Greg Frounfelter, DPT, SCS, LAT, CSCS )

"The ability to move powerfully and explosively is a critical aspect in developing athletic success.Training triple extension ability is a critical factor to this success. Use of weightlifting movements is an important bridge to this. By using weightlifting movements such as the power clean and power snatch, you can begin to unlock explosive power that can help propel you to increased athletic success." (Triple Extension: The Key to Athletic Power Greg Frounfelter, DPT, SCS, LAT, CSCS)

 

Ali Troost plays for the University of San Diego. We used to lift together

in my coaches garage. If you don't know, the top of the Volleyball net is 7 ft 4 1/8 

inches from the ground so, major power and extension is necessary to get up there.

Loree Smith releasing the hammer

This final extension is critical to a hammer thrower

Loree uses variations of the Olympic lifts to increase her power

The Jerk

The Jerk is also a very explosive movement. It works best for first-step movements,
and strengthening the "power position" most sports have.
This position is seen a lot in: batters, pitchers, throwers, boxers, golfers, jumpers, runners, etc.

                                            

Melanie Roach 2008 Olympian

                                                  

 

Trish Bartholomew

400 meter runner from Grenada. Former team mate from the University of Alabama

This is an example of a "first-step" movement. Exploding out of the blocks. She uses variations of the Olympic lifts to be able to get faster out of the blocks. 

Eric Weddle

NFL Saftey San Diego Chargers

The Chargers use variations of the Olympic lifts in their training

This is another example of a "first-step" movement.

 Catching the ball and starting to run. 

Overhead strength and stability

Rachel Crass 2010 World Team member

Former team mate and editor of Strength Plus Magazine

Having a Snatch or Jerk overhead, strengthens

and uses the stabilizers in the shoulders

I had a couple of friends on the cheerleading team at Northern Michigan Uinversity.

 Cheerleaders need stength and stability for everyone's safety and success.

Maegan Snodgrass (former gymnast) and

Caleb Ward (former team mate) doing handstands.

Gymnast also do a variety of exercises that require

upperbody strength and stability. The lifts are helpful to them, too.

I hope this has helped educate all you out there who think the lifts aren't sport specific or who don't even give them the time of day. The Snatch and Clean and jerk are SUPERIOR. No other lifts or forms of training will give you the leg strength, power, explosiveness, and stability that these lifts do. If you still don't believe me. try them out yourselves and see how they work. If NCAA D1 schools, professional teams, and athletes all over the nation and the world use the lifts, there must be a reason why...