The One-Bar Warm-Up

by Wil Fleming   01/03/14

Here's what you need to know...

• The best warm-ups are those that closely mimic the movement patterns of the upcoming training session.

• A good warm-up should follow a logical pattern and address mobility, activation, and movement prep.

• If you want to attract some looks, try rolling out your quads using an Olympic bar instead of a flimsy foam roller.

We Olympic weightlifters prefer to always have a bar in our hands. We're like babies with a pacifier – a bar in the hand makes us feel all warm and fuzzy. So it should come as no surprise that this article details a warm-up for the Olympic lifts, squats, and deadlifts that uses the barbell, exclusively.

Good Warm-ups

A good warm-up should follow a logical pattern and address three key areas: mobility, activation, and movement prep.
Mobility: This addresses common areas of range of motion restriction. It should follow a joint-by-joint system that addresses mobile areas above and below stable areas. For Olympic lifting there are three in particular that require attention: the ankle, the hips, and the thoracic spine (specifically, you need extension).
Activation: Next we stack some muscular work on top of the mobility stuff to keep those patterns available. For example, if we've been working on hip mobility but the glutes still aren't firing, then we aren't done yet. Add some hip mobility drills and some work to activate the muscles around the glutes and you're more likely to keep that newfound mobility.
Movement Prep: This prepares you for the specific work your sport requires. All the ground-based, slow-paced work in the world isn't going to prepare you for your particular sport. Baseball players should warm-up their arms by throwing the ball; football players should warm-up by running some three-directional sprints; and Olympic lifters should get the bar in their hands before snatching or cleaning.

The Oly Bar Warm-up

Similarly, our three-phase Olympic lifting warm-up will have mobility, activation, and movement prep phases.
This warm-up is done in three parts, and each part should be performed for 2-3 sets. The rep scheme for each portion should be about 5-8 reps per exercise, except for the movement prep portion, which should only be performed for 5 reps per exercise.

Phase 1: Mobility

The four specific areas that we want to mobilize in the Olympic lifts are:

• Ankle
• Hip
• Thoracic spine
• Shoulder external rotation

A lifter that doesn't spend time mobilizing these areas could have problems executing the lifts with any semblance of good technique. A lack of mobility in these areas can lead to compensatory patterns that could cause injury.
One note about this mobility piece: while there are equal or better mobility drills that can be done without the bar for the hip, t-spine, and shoulder, I argue that there isn't a better mobility solution for the ankle than the above drill.
This drill is specific and effective for squatting. Let's just admit that nobody's ankle mobility has ever improved through "wall ankle mobs."

Phase 2: Activation

The activation phase is intended to stack stability around the newfound mobility. For that we're going to look to stabilize at the pelvis, trunk, and shoulder specifically.
Mobility with no stability is just a floppy mess. As you go through this phase of the warm-up, make sure to feel yourself activate (or contract) at points where stability is required.
Here you'll do three movements, each with a specific area of activation.

Romanian Deadlift (glute activation). Don't rush through this movement. Feel yourself extend the hips fully at the top.

Squatting Muscle Snatch with Trap Raise (shoulder stability). To lock in shoulder stability, pull through a full range of motion and then press the bar with a trap raise at the top. This is also an awesome move for practicing good "tight bar" technique.

Overhead Squat (trunk activation). The last piece of activation is to work on stabilizing the trunk throughout the movements. Without trunk stability you won't be able to maintain position in the lifts. Now you could certainly hammer out some overhead squats without even thinking about having a stable trunk, so the key is to really focus on finding and maintaining stability.

Phase 3: Movement Prep

The final piece of the warm-up puzzle is to start performing the movements at a lower intensity. Like a baseball pitcher, this is your "bullpen" session before hitting the mound, but without the silly socks.
The movement prep phase will advance in both range of motion and technical difficulty by starting from an easy short range of motion and progressing to a full lift. This allows you to practice every piece of the Olympic lift.

Muscle Snatch from Hip. Practice the pull and turnover of the lift, keep the bar close throughout and turn the hands over at the top.

Power Snatch with 2 Halts. Now we'll start grooving a good bar path. Move the bar in towards you as pull off the ground, and keep pulling into you as you pass the knee. Finish with an aggressive pull.

Second Pull Snatch. Move slowly through the pull until the bar reaches the mid-thigh, and then practice jumping under the bar with great speed.

Go Lift

Life's too short to spend half an hour doing meaningless warm-up drills that do nothing but sap your energy and annoy the daylights out of you. If you have the heart of an Olympic lifter – the type of heart that only feels 

The Lazy Man's Guide to Olympic Weightlifting

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The Lazy Man’s Guide
People like the bare minimum. Instinctively we want to know what’s the least we 

can do to get a result.  Yes there are some that would say “if one ibuprofen is good, then 10 must be better” but those are the same people that end up with liver problems.  It could be laziness, but it’s more than likely intelligence.

Training is no different, we should strive for the minimum effective dose, when delivering it to our athletes or to ourselves. Becoming great at a skill like Olympic weightlifting is a different beast, but for most that is not an issue until after we have tried out the minimum effective dose.

This is the bare minimum Olympic weightlifting program you should be doing to be a good Olympic lifter.

Combos to start

Start here. Use combos to get used to real Olympic weightlifting. Combos ease the transition to the full lift.

For the clean use a power clean + front squat and a jerk (power or split depending on your comfort). Get used to pulling under the bar and catching at a lower height to move to the full clean.

For the snatch do a similar movement, power snatch + overhead squat. Start pulling under the bar and eliminating the pause before going into an overhead squat.

The Real Thing (or a variation)

To be effective at the Olympic lifts you have to use the real movement. Even if you have every intention of power cleaning for the rest of your life, take some time to get good at catching in the deep squat position.

Once you are comfortable at the real movement, choose a variation that is the right one for you, or your athletes. This means one that will get your athletes the greatest benefit, or yield the biggest returns for yourself.

For most field sport athletes: use the hang power clean

For sprinters in track: use the power clean

For tall athletes: Use a dead start on the blocks

For times where hypertrophy is needed: Use the full movement to grow some massive quads.

I recommend some time spent doing the full movement because the full movement is the purest expression of technique. You can’t do the full movement while catching the bar in the starfish position, you can’t do the full movement without great mobility.

These technical details will then carry over to whatever variation you choose for your main movement.

LOTS of squatting

A wise man once said “squatting helps everything.” Since I am referring to this man as wise, lets go ahead and assume that I agree with him.

It’s true. If you want to be better at the Olympic lifts squatting is the life blood of champions.

The crazy thing is, even if you aren’t doing the full lifts (floor start, A2G catch), squatting still helps. One of my elite pole vaulter’s does the hang clean exclusively but she was missing all of her lifts at the receiving position. Slightly forward catch and dumping the weight anytime she got heavy.

The solution was simple she had to squat more. After adding 20k to her front squat, and with no technical changes to her clean, she made every clean she attempted.

I do have some bad news for you. You have to be able to squat deep for their to be carry over. Power lifting squats just don’t work for Olympic lifting improvement. Olympic lifting squats need to be front squats or high bar, narrow stance back squats.

Like these (this is Clarence Kennedy a European Jr. lifter, he’s good)

Some pulls

Plenty of people argue against pulls as part of the training program. The typical objection is that they teach people to extend up too much rather than move under the bar (I am in favor of them, they are my plateau busters).

Pulls shouldn’t make up all of your program, but including them periodically will go a long way to making your O lifts improve.

Remember the snatch grip deadlift and clean grip deadlift are pulls as well, just approach the lift like you are moving the bar from the ground for an O lift and not a normal deadlift (Like this).

The Lazy Olympic Weightlifting Program

The bare minimum Olympic weightlifting program could look as simple as what is below.

Two movements per day.

This is designed to be something that you could do while also doing all the curls, bench press, and leg presses you want.

Week 1: Day 1

Exercise	Set	Reps
Power Snatch + OH Squat	4	(1+1)x3
Front Squat	4	4

Week 1: Day 2

Exercise	Set	Reps
Power Clean + Front Squat+Jerk	4	(1+1+1)x3
Clean Deadlift	4	4

Week 2: Day 1

Exercise	Set	Reps
Power Snatch + OH Squat	5	(1+1)x2
Back Squat	5	4

Week 2: Day 2

Exercise	Set	Reps
Power Clean + Front Squat + Jerk	5	(1+1+1)x2
Snatch Pull (or from deficit)	5	3

Week 3: Day 1

Exercise	Set	Reps
Snatch	4	3
Front Squat	4	3

Week 3: Day 2

Exercise	Set	Reps
Clean and Jerk	4	3+2 (1+1 style)
Back Squat	4	3

Week 4: Day 1

Exercise	Set	Reps
Snatch	5	2
Snatch Deadlift (or from Deficit)	5	3

Week 4: Day 2

Exercise	Set	Reps
Clean and Jerk	4	2+1 (1+1 style)
Front Squat	4	2

*On combos (including clean and jerk) the first number is for the first movement, the second number is for the second movement.

**Loading should be done with the greatest amount of weight that one can handle for each prescribed set.

***This program can be repeated, replacing the combos to start the training program with full movements or your chosen variation

Conclusion

Getting better with the Olympic lifts does not mean that one has to spend hours upon hours on the platform (becoming GREAT does). Rather, focused attention to the craft and the movements that assist the craft the most.

Olympic Lift Variations to Get Big

by Wil Fleming – 3/19/2013
Sneak into any Russian training hall, Chinese sports school, or Bulgarian weightlifting Mecca and you'll see dozens of guys with traps popping out of their T-shirts, backs as wide as freeways, and quads that would make the Incredible Hulk turn another shade greener.
These world-class weightlifters may possess the powerful physiques we all want, yet they aren't following the typical models when it comes to putting on muscle mass.
It's not Hypertrophy Training For Dummies that they're using – you won't find these guys maxing out reps on the dumbbell shrug, leg extension, or leg curl machine. Instead, you'll see power cleans, snatches, deadlift variations, and several other killers that both stretch the seams of your shorts and scare your momma.
However, were I to peruse college textbooks or ask successful bodybuilder at the gym how to get ripped and get huge, it would be unlikely that the Olympic lifts would come up in any way, shape, or form.
It's because they're seemingly diametrically opposed endeavors, as the main thing it takes to put on muscle mass, high reps, is the kryptonite of Olympic lifting.
So what gives? My eyes tell me that Olympic lifting can make people jacked, but the textbooks and empirical evidence tell me that Olympic lifting and putting on size don't mix.

Hypertrophy Basics

If you're on this site you know how to get bigger. It's no secret, putting on size means some serious time under the bar, but let's review some hypertrophy basics.
The main objective in training for hypertrophy is maximal protein catabolism. In so doing, one should stimulate maximal synthesis of muscle protein in the recovery phase. Break down more muscle through your workouts and gain more muscle through your recovery.
Protein catabolism is greatest when the repetitions per set number 5-12, and the recovery between sets is 1-2 minutes. Training sessions for hypertrophy typically focus on a particular muscle group rather than a particular pattern of movement.
However, compare the above with Olympic lifting and you'll see more differences than while comparingRambo to The Notebook.
There's absolutely nothing similar about training protocols for Olympic lifting and hypertrophy. Hypertrophy calls for high reps, Olympic lifting calls for low reps. Hypertrophy calls for minimal rest, Olympic lifting for maximal rest.

Variable	Hypertrophy	Normal O Lifting
Intent	Activate and exhaust working muscles	Recruit maximal motor units
Reps	5-7 to 10-12	1-3
Rest Intervals	1-2 minutes/set	3-5 minutes/set
Volume	Large	Small
Weight Used	Maximal or sub-maximal	Maximal or sub-maximal

So what gives? Training for hypertrophy and using Olympic lifting are like oil and water, but there obviously must be some way to get jacked and use Olympic lifting.

Using Olympic Lifting for Hypertrophy

There's one common problem that we must overcome to make Olympic lifting useful for hypertrophy.
Hypertrophy requires volume, and big increases in volume result in huge changes muscle size.
But this runs contrary to what most Olympic lifters typically do, as an Olympic lifting program for even a national level lifter rarely exceeds 200-300 reps per week.
Contrast this with the typical "3 sets of 10 reps" hypertrophy workout we often see recommended in beginner bodybuilding articles – applying that to just a total of 10 exercises per week would yield more reps than most serious Olympic lifters do in a week.
Now this doesn't mean that sets of 3 reps are now sets of 10 and 12 reps. That won't work with the Olympic lifts (I'll explain why later). We sneak in volume by using combo movements to double or triple the volume of an exercise.

Heavy Combos

Combos are multiple movements completed 1 repetition at a time, or 1+1+1 until completion. This is in contrast to a complex where movements are completed in their entirety until completion.
Two examples of a heavy combo are below. The first is a clean combo of deadlift, full clean, and front squat.
In the video I complete it for 1 repetition each. The key here is that I chose a weight (125 kilos) that would be challenging had I done it for only 1 repetition of the full clean, as it's about 85% of my current 1RM.
In a typical Olympic lifting program, doing singles at 85% of your 1RM is not uncommon, but by using a combo I was able to sneak 2 extra reps in to my weekly volume.

The second combo is a snatch combo of snatch deadlift, snatch high pull, and power snatch.
In the video I complete the movement for 1+1+1 x2, making the total reps completed in the set fall right in the middle of the number of reps one should be doing for hypertrophy (6 reps).

Heavy combos used for hypertrophy should be done with 2-4 combined movements done one rep at a time. Make sure that when doing them the total reps completed within any given set doesn't exceed 10.

The Klokov Combo

The rules of combos go out the window with this one exception, the Klokov combo.
The Klokov combo is named after Russian lifter, Dmitry Klokov. This combo features 5 movements in sequence completed for 1 repetition each: deadlift, full clean, front squat, push press, and split jerk.
If combos are named after animals (i.e., the bear), this one should be named the shark-tiger-bear. Try completing this combo with 80-85% of your 1RM.

Klokov has famously completed this exact complex with 205 kilos on the bar. The bar has been set!

5+5 Regression Complexes

While I'm trying to be all sneaky about adding extra reps into Olympic lifts to train for hypertrophy, I'm certain some are thinking, "Wait, why don't I just do sets of 8-12 reps on the clean?"
The answer is simple: high rep Olympic lifts are terrible for you. Consult any textbook and you'll find that Olympic lifts are never prescribed for more than 5 repetitions...ever. Consult any successful coach and they'll tell you that 90% of all sets should be done at 3 reps or below. See, no matter where you turn, it just isn't a good idea.
The problem with high rep Olympic lifts is that no matter how good the technician is at the movements, their form will ultimately break down as the set goes on.
The regression complex is a perfect remedy for this problem.
The concept is simple. Take a complex movement and at the precise moment that form typically breaks down, regress to a similar movement that requires less technical efficiency.
Here's a video of me doing a regression complex of power snatches and snatch grip Romanian deadlifts for 5 reps of each. It's another sneaky way to add repetitions to your Olympic lift training program and get huge in the process.

A second example is to use the power clean and deadlift in a 3+3 complex. While 110 kilos isn't typically a challenging weight on the deadlift, it's an entirely different story after knocking out several cleans and clean pulls first.

How to Use Them

So how do you use these? Should you just throw some extra reps at your workout and hope for some gains?
No, use the 3-week training program below to quickly develop mountainous traps, aircraft carrier lats, and giant quads. You've got my word on it.

Week 1

Workout 1

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Combo: Snatch Deadlift, Snatch High Pull, Power Snatch	4	1+1+1x2
B	Back Squat	4	5
C	Push Press	4	5
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 2

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Clean Regression Complex	4	5+5
B	Clean Pull	4	4
C	Dumbbell Row	2	12
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Workout 3

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Regression Complex	4	5+5
B	Front Squat	4	5
C	Split Jerk	4	3
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 4

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Klokov Combo	4	1+1+1+1+1
B	Back Squat	4	5
C	Pull-Up	4	10
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Week 2

Workout 1

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Combo: Snatch Deadlift, Snatch High Pull, Power Snatch	4	1+1+2x2
B	Back Squat	4	6
C	Push Press	4	5
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 2

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Clean Regression Complex	4	5+5
B	Clean Deadlift	4	5
C	Dumbbell Row	2	12
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Workout 3

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Regression Combo	4	5+5
B	Front Squat	4	6
C	Split Jerk	4	3
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 4

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Klokov Combo	4	1+1+2+1+1
B	Back Squat	4	6
C	Pull-Up	4	10
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Week 3

Workout 1

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Combo: Snatch Deadlift, Snatch High Pull, Power Snatch	4	2+1+2x2
B	Back Squat (10% higher than week 1)	4	5
C	Push Press	4	5
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 2

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Klokov Complex	5	1+1+1+1+1
B	Clean Deadlift	4	5
C	Dumbbell Row	2	12
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Workout 3

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Snatch Regression Combo	4	5+5
B	Snatch High Pull	4	5
C	Split Jerk	4	3
D	Abs	3	X

Workout 4

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	Clean Combo: Deadlift, Full Clean, Front Squat	4	2+2+2
B	Back Squat	4	6
C	Pull-Up	4	10
D	Turkish Get-Up	3	2 each

Conclusion

While hypertrophy isn't normally the province of Olympic lifting, here's your opportunity to get creative like a weightroom Picasso and implement some sneaky strategies to gain massive size from the O lifts.

The Comprehensive Guide to the Snatch

by Wil Fleming – 01/03/2013

There's an epidemic going on in the world right now that needs to be stopped. Shoulders are being ruined, elbows are being blown out, and foreheads are being crushed.
The epidemic that I speak of?
Horrible versions of the snatch, filmed and put out onto YouTube for the world to marvel at. Just like listening to Fabio talk about astrophysics can drop your IQ by 20 points, watching these videos may lead to immediate reductions in strength and muscle mass.
Well I'm here to put those videos to bed through a lengthy breakdown of my favorite lift in the world: the snatch.

Set up Tight to the Bar

Successful Olympic lifts happen when the lifter and the barbell are moving in one efficient "system." The lifter-barbell system, as it is called, must share one center of mass, and ideally this center of mass lies within the framework of the lifter's body. Setting up close to the barbell begins to make sure that this will happen efficiently.
Setting up too far from the barbell will move the center of mass forward of the athlete's toes and will lead to difficulty in achieving the lift later on.
The proper distance away from the bar is different for athletes based on body dimensions but can be summed up closely for most athletes:
When standing over the bar, the athlete should see their shoelaces covered by the bar. This means that from the coach's perspective, the bar will be over the midfoot (a much more solid base than the toes) and will be far enough away from the body to allow the lifter to get in the start position.

Flat Feet

Stability is the name of the game when it comes to the Olympic lifts, and in the case of setting up for the snatch, stability comes from being in an optimal balance of weight towards the forefoot and the heel.
This optimal balance position is called "tripod foot" position and means that the athlete should have weight balanced between 3 points on each foot. The 3 points of contact are:

• The joint at the base of the big toe.
• The joint at the base of the little toe.
• The heel.

An optimal interplay between weight at each point in the tripod will keep the athlete in balance throughout the lift. The strategy will also allow for corrections to be made in balance throughout the lift. If an athlete is too far forward, then more weight should be distributed to the heels; if the athlete's toes come off the ground, then more weight can be distributed to the forefoot.

Jump Width or Slightly Wider than Jump Width

The short answer for how wide your feet should be when doing the snatch is "jump width." The long answer is a little more complex and is more like "it depends."
Setting up for a hang snatch is a little easier than a power snatch or full snatch from the ground, and in those cases the stance should be jump-width apart. Toes should be pointed out slightly; not much, but slightly.
In the jump-width stance (about as wide as your hips), feet should be directly below your hips. When your feet are directly below your hips, force created in the posterior chain is directed straight into the ground and there is no lateral leak of power. This is a good thing. If we're using the big movers of the back-side, ideally we're using the fullest power potential we can create and not losing power to lateral forces.
In the power snatch and the full snatch we'll again start to think about our starting position as jump width, but trial and error may deem this to be an inappropriate stance for some athletes.
The "depends" part comes into play when getting into the start position. The wider grip of the snatch means that athletes must get lower and closer to the ground to grip the bar. Athletes lacking in hip mobility will achieve this lower position through compensations in lumbar flexion which will, of course, eventually lead to a back that is over fatigued and more prone to injury.
A simple correction is to work on hip mobility and raise the start position on blocks for a period of time. For some athletes, though, it will be necessary to make a modification to the start position on a more permanent basis.
For those athletes, "slightly wider than jump width" is the stance of choice. In this position (the legs slightly abducted) there isn't as great a demand on hip mobility in the starting position (but they may have to deal with a slight energy leak to lateral forces).

Lock the Lats Down

We use a cue of "lock the lats down" when hands are on the barbell. This is accomplished rather easily. When the athletes' hands are on the bar, they should picture pinching a roll of quarters in their armpits. Another idea is to squeeze your arms towards your body. Both cues work, so it's just about finding the right one for the right athlete.
Locking the lats down will pack your shoulders into a strong position, lend more stability to the back, and enable a tight lifter barbell system.
For starters, packing the shoulders down with the lats is a great way to start when your hands are on the barbell. Elevated shoulders will ultimately lead to shoulder pain and discomfort.
Overuse of the upper traps will lead to early fatigue and while I haven't seen much written on the exact involvement of the upper trap and the shrug movement in completion of the lift, it's an important part of the lift. Tired traps will not be able to contribute to the lift. Pack the shoulders down by locking in your lats.
Locking the lats also leads to greater stability in the lower back. The origin of the lats is spread vertically down the lower back. When activating this muscle it synergistically assists the lumbar extensors in keeping the lumbar spine, well, extended.
The lats should remain tight until the 2^nd pull is initiated. Once the arms become involved, it's necessary to forget the idea of lat tightness and focus on the fast, relaxed movement of the elbows above the bar. The lats are powerful and if held tight throughout the lift, they'll inhibit the motion of the arms up and under the bar. That being said, even in a hang snatch, "lock the lats in" is one of the first cues we use.
I can't stress enough the importance of the idea of a "tight lifter-barbell system." This idea and a lack of understanding or execution of this idea is at the root of many problems that athletes have in completing the Olympic lifts. The lats being tight leads to this tight system and a better execution of the snatch or the clean.

Hip Hinge to Above the Knee

Regardless of whether one is starting in the hang snatch position or the floor start (like in the power snatch, or full snatch), a hinge is the first movement that needs to occur.
Start each movement by unlocking the knees and then hinging until the hands are at knee level. If you're doing a floor start, your hands will be free at this point.
If you're doing a hang snatch, the bar will be in your hands and tight to the body. Both instances – hang and power – require the exact same hip hinge position when the bar or your body are above the knee. That is a constant

Squat to the Bar

The next step is to squat to the bar. When the bar is on the floor, the Olympic lifts are a combination of deep hip angles and deep knee angles.
However, when the bar is in the hang snatch position, the bar is above the knee and the movement is primarily a hip hinge (with slight knee movement). To put together the deep knee and hip angles, we start by RDL'ing/hinging to the knee level and then squatting vertically to the bar.
When in the RDL position at the knee level, the torso is roughly 30 degrees above horizontal (the floor in this case), and ideally we'll again start at about 30 degrees above horizontal to begin the lift-off from the floor.
Squatting involves the vertical displacement of the hips and will allow this 30-degree angle to be maintained until you reach the bar at rest on the ground.
If there were to be horizontal movement of the hips, thus putting the torso at an angle less than 30 degrees above horizontal, you'll find it difficult to pull from the ground and maintain a tight lifter-barbell system.
To summarize, to get to the bar on the ground:

• Hinge to your knee level.
• Squat to the bar.

Neutral-ish Neck but Eyes Up

Finding the optimal spinal position in the Olympic lifts is extremely important. Flexion will not do at any point, but a balance between completely neutral and extension is necessary to move efficiently and strongly in the lifts.
The super simple answer to where your neck and in turn, your eyes, should go when you have your hands on the bar is, "keep it neutral." Cervical spine hyperextension can lead to corresponding lumbar hyperextension, which can in turn lead to some serious pain in the lumbar spine later. We want to avoid this at all costs, so if worse comes to worse, keep the neck completely neutral.
The optimal position isn't entirely neutral, though. The optimal position is a slightly extended neck/cervical spine, and in turn, a slightly extended lumbar spine.
Let me qualify the statement about the lumbar spine. It should be slightly extended, only to the point that there's some activation of the spinal erectors to lend more stiffness in the lift and help to avoid spinal flexion.
Keep your eyes on the horizon and let them look forward throughout the lift and don't focus your gaze on the floor or the ceiling.

Knuckles Back and Down, Elbows Out

The role of the arms is not to screw up the rest of the lift. If the arms are too active, then they'll likely do just that: screw up your lift.
If, on the other hand, they're too passive, and no thought at all goes into what your hands or arms are doing in the lift, they won't be doing their job to keep the lift in the right trajectory.
For the snatch (and even the clean), the goal of the hands and arms is to keep the bar tight to the body; to not let the trajectory arc away from the body.
To accomplish this task is rather simple. Prior to starting the lift, as your hands are first placed on the bar, neutralize the wrists so the knuckles are pointing directly towards the ground and internally rotate the upper arm so that your elbows are pointing laterally.
Now relax. Your arms are in the right position and their only goal is to stay out of the way and then punch aggressively once you need them later.

The Truth About Your Snatch Grip

The biggest problem with most pieces of advice written on the snatch grip is the dependence on various markings and lines on a bar. These recommendations usually center on where the knurling ends or a ring here and there.
If you always train with the same bar, then there's no great issue with this advice but in cases in which one must train with a different bar, in a different gym, you can be left in the dark as to where to grip the bar.
There's a simpler solution to always find a consistent grip width for the snatch:
Stand tall with your arms extended and the bar gripped in your hands. Widen your grip until the bar is resting across the crease in your hip. To ensure that you're at the correct height, flex your hip until your hip is at 90 degrees. If your hip can't flex to 90 degrees, you'll need to move your hands wider. This is a starting point for your snatch grip – it may be a little wider or narrower, but this will get you close.
There's just one more thing about the grip – use a hook grip.
I know it's going to make your thumbs "hurt," but I have 12 year old children using it and not complaining, so I don't need to hear you whine about it.

Powering Up Your Start Position

Most problems with the snatch, and clean for that matter, happen from the floor to the knee. Screw up early in the lift and you have little chance of making the lift later on.
There are several ways to start moving the bar from the ground, including the static start and multiple versions of a dynamic start.

Rocking Start

The rocking start is my variation of choice when it comes to the snatch. It requires greater hip mobility and can be difficult to do, but for athletes that struggle with keeping their chest up as the bar breaks from the ground, this is a perfect way to get the bar moving.
Get to the bar in the normal way (hips back, chest up). Once in the start position, keep the chest up and sink the hips even lower. You'll end up in a nearly vertical torso position. Once the hips are actually below the bar, let them begin to rise, and as the torso reaches the magic 30-degree angle, the bar breaks with the ground.

Going a little further, you'll sometimes see this method performed with athletes in a "duck stance," i.e., their feet and knees will be turned out slightly and their torso should be extremely vertical.
The bar will rise vertically rather than back in this stance. It's a perfectly acceptable strategy, but keep in mind that athletes still need to have a 30-degree torso angle when the bar passes the knees. A too vertical torso will lead to more problems than casting Vin Diesel in the lead role of Downton Abbey.

How to Power Snatch: The Performance

Drive Through the Heels

At the moment of lift off, the athlete should think "drive through the heels," but maintain contact with the platform with the entire foot.
The cue, "drive through the heels," can be misleading if the athlete removes any weight from his toe during the lift off. Using drive through the heels is an effort to ensure that the athlete does not get pulled to his toes while lifting off.

Knees Back, Translate the Torso

The initial lift-off from the floor should be done by extension of the knees. Driving the knees back but lifting the torso is what we're aiming for. The torso should remain in the same relationship to the ground (30 degrees above horizontal) throughout the first pull.
In this way, we're looking to translate the position of the torso vertically through space. This will maintain the powerful RDL/hips loaded position above the knee. The knees should continue driving back until almost reaching extension as the bar begins to pass the knee.
There's one thing to be careful of when athletes are driving their knees back. At no time should the shins go "behind vertical." At maximum, the shins should be perpendicular to the platform.

Bar Sweeps Back

Up to this point we've spoken much about the position and movement of the body in the power snatch. The bar, however, does make a slight movement off the floor back toward the body to maintain the tight lifter-barbell system.
The one exception to this is for athletes that have long legs. In those athletes the knees will be in front of the bar while the bar is at rest on the ground. In these cases it's nearly impossible to move the bar backwards into the body. The goal remains the same, but as a coach you'll not see a backwards trajectory of the bar.

Slow off the Floor

A big mistake I see athletes make is jerking the bar from the ground. The first pull should not be a violent movement; rather it should be a smooth movement that may even look slow. A goal of the first pull is to set up the second, more violent pull and a fast first pull will likely inhibit the athlete's ability to be efficient in the second pull.
A good analogy is the following that I picked up somewhere along the line, but cannot recall well enough to give the proper attribution:

"Imagine a car moving past you at 60 miles per hour. If you were to stand off to the side and try to shove this car to make it move faster you would have a difficult time putting your hands on the back bumper long enough to make it go any faster. Now imagine the same car moving past you at 10 miles per hour. As this car rolls by you will have plenty of time to really put some serious force into the car and make it accelerate.

A bar moving quickly as it passes the knees is like the first car, you will have no ability to accelerate it to speed in the second pull."

At the Knees

Once the bar is at the knees, several things should be occurring, although this is a difficult place to coach the athlete because the system is already in motion. It is however, a great place to break down video and make adjustments to later lifts.
The feet should be flat so the athlete can transition correctly for the second pull. The hips should still be higher than the knees (very little hip extension has occurred up to this point, any movement being primarily knee extension). The torso should still be roughly 30 degrees above the horizontal. The arms should also remain straight – athletes that have bent their arms by this point will have difficulty with completing the second pull.

Creating the Triangle – The Second Pull

A really important concept that I like to teach my athletes is that once in the above knee position, they've created what's called a "power triangle." This triangle consists of their entire arm, their torso, and the angle of their hips.
From this point on the only goal, and the only way to make a successful second pull is to flatten, or close the triangle. This is a vivid image that can help any athlete hit the correct positions.

Close the Triangle

Once above the knees, it's important not to rush the bar just yet. Rushing the bar at this point shows up when the knees begin to slide forward underneath the bar immediately after the bar passes the knees.
This movement does not "close the triangle." The only way to close the triangle is to begin driving the hips forward to extension. The speed of the bar has begun to increase at this point, but is not at its maximum just yet. The bar will be in a mid-thigh position by this point.

Knees Forward (scoop/double knee bend)

A lot is made about the knee bend during the second pull. Entire articles have been written about just the double knee bend and some would make this post look like small potatoes. The fact is this, in a good snatch, the knee bend occurs to align the body in a position to create vertical movement.
Pure hip extension from the above knee position will create too much horizontal projection and the athlete will jump forward. To counteract this it 's necessary to perform the double knee bend (or scoop, or transition) for vertical projection. It's highly debatable as to whether this fact should be coached, or even mentioned to a novice lifter. This movement is a natural phenomenon that is easily seen in typical jumping mechanics.

Finish the Hips and Knees

Once the bar has reached a high thigh position, and the torso has come to nearly vertical, the hips and knees will both be nearly extended. At this point the athlete should finish driving the hips and knees to extension. Athletes may drive up through the toes in this phase and will achieve FULL extension. This is the highest speed portion of the entire lift.
As I've lifted more and more and trained higher level athletes it's become apparent that plantarflexion of the ankle (sometimes improperly called ankle extension) is not a part of the pull. I, repeat, it is not something to be coached.
At best, ankle plantarflexion is a result of a powerful second pull, or a mechanism of pulling under the bar. At worst, ankle extension makes it difficult for the athlete to get back under the bar as it increases the distance that an athlete must travel to get their heels to the ground and the hips in the right position.
Taking a look at high level lifters, you'll often see what amounts to a flat footed pull. This flat foot position is a trained efficiency. To coach this position, encourage athletes to complete as much of the lift as possible without extending to the toes. "Heels, heels, heels, toes!" is the common cue used in my gym to coach athletes in the right position and tempo.

Relaxed Arms, Elbows High

After the power spike of the second pull, the bar will have tons of inertial energy and it is important to take advantage of it. Just as a boxer keeps his arms relaxed before throwing a punch, maintaining a relaxed arm is important for maximal speed later. The elbows should remain out and above the bar to guide the bar in a path that's tight to the body.

Punch the Hands

The arms have stayed relaxed to a great degree up to this point, but once the athlete hits the "high pull" position it's time to use the arms forcefully. The action of the arms at this phase is best described as punching the hands overhead. The hand punch should result in a receiving position that's in-line with the spine and over the ears.
When the bar is overhead the athlete should actively press up with their upper traps and try to spread the bar apart. There's nothing passive about holding weights overhead and this is the most active and "strong" position we can create. Don't worry much about packed shoulders, worry about not letting the bar land on top of your dome.
A common mistake is receiving the bar too far back or too far forward. Lifts that are received forward are typically missed, but it's lifts that are received too far back that are the real problem. When received behind the body, imagine an image where the torso and the arms make 2 sides of a triangle. As such, there's great stress placed on the shoulders. Remember to "punch up, not back."

Hips Back, Feet Flat

This step will occur simultaneously to punching the hands. Athletes should aim to receive the bar in an athletic position just as they would land from a jump. The useful cue we use is to tell the athletes to think, "toe, heel, hip."
This means toes to the ground, heels follow, hips go down and away from the bar. The athlete will widen his feet slightly from a hip width/jump width stance to a shoulder width/squat width stance to receive the bar. The athlete should also have very little forward or backward travel at the time they receive the bar.
To get a good handle on the width you need the feet to be at landing, have an athlete do 3 consecutive vertical jumps and stick the last landing. This last jump is the position, width, and knee bend that should occur in a good power snatch.

How the Hell do you Get Down There?

It takes a special athlete to be able to complete a good-looking full (squat) snatch. Many athletes will lack the mobility to get into the correct position to receive the bar. This is the last progression we'll use when incorporating Olympic lifts into athletes' programs because of this difficulty.
The world's most explosive athletes use this technique to complete the snatch in competition, so the upside in terms of potential weight used is great. The full snatch is an even greater total body exercise because of the need for great leg strength to come up from the full overhead squat position.
An easy progression from power snatch to full snatch is the following:
Power snatch + overhead squat. Complete the power snatch and then following the rep, descend into an overhead squat.
Power snatch to overhead squat. Receive a power snatch in the 1Ú2 squat or higher position and then ride the bar down into the bottom of an overhead squat.
Full snatch. Aggressively pull under the bar after completing the 2^nd pull.

The best lifters in the world aren't separated by their ability to pull the bar to higher heights and higher speeds. The true separation point is the speed with which they can move under the bar. This is an important point to consider when coaching the full snatch and full clean.

Snatch Balance

Ask me about a problem with the snatch and you'll likely get a common prescription – snatch deadlifts and snatch balances.
Most problems at the receiving position can be solved with the snatch balance. This movement mimics the timing and effort that's required in the catch of the snatch and teaches you to not be a passive participant in the movement. It's my panacea of snatch related exercises.

Selecting Loads for the Snatch

For goodness sake, can we start by saying that under no circumstances is 30 consecutive snatches for time ever a good loading strategy? With that out of the way, let's move on to the right way to load the snatch.
The 100% snatch should be about 78% of your 100% clean and jerk. This percentage increases as the athlete becomes more highly trained. The clean is much more about strength and at some point as strength plateaus, your snatch will begin to catch up to your clean.
The power snatch is typically around 80% of your 100% snatch. Pulls and deadlifts can be based off of the 100% number as well.
For novice lifters, much of their training should be centered around using 50% of their 100% snatch. This weight will allow lifters to learn the motor patterns associated with the movement at a less challenging weight. Advanced lifters will get little out of a 50% snatch for reps, and a much greater portion of lifts will be done at 70-80% of their snatch 1RM.
For lifters of all levels the greatest majority of reps should be performed between 70-85% of the 100% snatch and Prilepin's table can be used fairly accurately to determine the repetitions and sets necessary at each intensity zone.

Prilepin's Table

Percent Zone	Rep Range per Set	Total Reps
70-75%	3 to 6	18
80-85%	2 to 4	15
90%	1 to 2	10

I'm a big believer that those learning the snatch should spend more time working with just a bar or up to 50% of their bodyweight than anything else. Every athlete that I work with spends a significant amount of time working with just the bar prior to loading. Spend the time to learn the movement and then have confidence to attack big weights later on.

Wrapping it Up

By no means should you take everything I said in this article and start to add it to your program. Just pick a portion of the lift and start to make it work.
Then move on to the next problem spot and do the same thing until you've attained mastery of this magnificent lift.

Complexes: Different, Harder, and Better

by Wil Fleming – 11/01/2012

I know what you're all thinking: another article about complexes that I'll never use cause I want to be big and strong, not just smash myself.
I feel your pain. Complexes have been covered extensively in the fitness and bodybuilding media, including T Nation. That said, this ain't your momma's complex training article – what you're about to read may be the Greatest Complex Article of All Time (yeah, I said that).

So How's This different?

The complexes in this article will help you burn fat, get strong as an ox, and put your will to the test. Granted, there are many complexes already published that can accomplish this, but these are different.
They use different rules, different implements, and way different rep schemes than what you're used to. And the results they deliver give new meaning to the expression "change is good."

New Rules for the Complex

1. Pick an implement.

Barbell complexes are the most popular and are what I choose to do most of my complexes with (Im an Olympic lifter, so it makes sense).
However, any implement will do. Kettlebells, sandbags, dumbbells, or a TRX can all be the tools of your destruction. Each implement has its advantages and disadvantages, so use them accordingly.
For instance, barbells suck when it comes to upper body pulling exercises, and the TRX sucks for vertical pressing exercises. Pick something and rock it out the best you can.

2. Choose from several categories (or just a couple).

With barbells I like to choose from tons of categories. Pretty much every complex has an explosive movement, some sort of hinging and squatting pattern, and likely some pressing or pulling.
When it comes to the other tools, you can still do the same thing and stay balanced, but an alternative is to smoke a particular movement pattern or a body part.

• Use the kettlebell to just work on your conditioning by doing a ton of swings, snatches, and carries.
• Using the TRX or suspension trainer, pick multiple movements that require a ton of stability, and targeted ab exercises to hammer your core.

If you choose from multiple categories you can get an awesome finisher; if you choose from just a couple you can dominate some body part training.
The list below offers some ideas for movements from each category.

Categories	Sandbag	Kettlebell	Dumbbell	TRX
Explosive	Rotational Snatch, Split Clean, Shouldering	Swing, Snatch, Clean, Deadlift Jumps	Split Jumps, Snatches, Cleans, Squat Jumps, Split Jerk	Jump Squats, Sprinter Starts, Pistol Jumps
Lower Body Push	Bear Hug Squat, Shouldered Squat, Overhead Squat, Rotational Lunge	Goblet Squat, Threaded Lunge, Reverse Lunge w/ Rotation, Dbl Front Squat	Goblet Squat, Lunge, Reverse Lunge	RFE Split Squat, Assisted Pistols
Lower Body Pull	Zercher Good Morning, Single-Leg RDL	RDL, Single-Leg RDL, Deadlift	Single-Leg RDL, RDL, Stiff-Leg King Deadlift	SHELC (Supine Hip Extension to Leg Curl) Supine Sprinters
Upper Body Push	Shoulder to Shoulder Press, Push Press	Racked Press, Push Press, Floor Press	Press, Push Press	Push-Up Variations (Hands In or Out), Triceps Extensions, Handstand Push-Ups
Upper Body Pull	Bent Over Row (Again)	Bent Over Row, Double Sumo DL High Pull, Renegade Row	Renegade Row, Bent-Over Row	Muscle-Up, Inverted Row, Facepull, YTI Rows, Curls
Miscellaneous	Crawl and Drags, Shouldered Get-Ups, Cyclones	Turkish Get-Up, Chops and Lifts, Carries		Sawing, Pikes, Knee Tucks, Core Worm

3. Use rep schemes that make it interesting.

We always see the same thing, "Do x reps for x sets." It's time to ditch that line of thinking!
Try some innovative ways to use complexes in terms of sets and reps. Here are some that I use:

Ascending/Descending Pyramids (1,2,3,...3,2,1)

Start with 1 rep of each exercise and move through. Each set add a rep until you can add no more. Then, descend the pyramid back until you finish with 1 rep again. When it gets hard, tell yourself that after you finish the hardest set (the top of the pyramid), it'll only get easier.

Accommodating Complexes (AC)

You know yourself better than any coach, so why not figure out yourself how many reps you can do on each exercise?
For instance, say you can do 10 kettlebell swings, but only 3 snatches per arm, 8 goblet squats, and 15 Romanian deadlifts? Voila! You now have the perfect rep scheme for your kick-ass kettlebell complex.

Complex Drop Sets (DS)

Pick your exercises, sets, and reps; say 3 sets of 6 reps on every exercise.Now choose a challenging weight and get to work on your 3 sets.
At the end of 3 sets drop the movement that's most challenging, or the one where you were closest to technical failure. For each set after that, move up in weight to challenge yourself and approximate the volume from the first 3 sets.

The Sandbag Complex

I'm a big fan of the sandbag. Adding in a rotational component to exercises makes it an awesome tool for athletes needing greater stability in all planes of motion.
The cool thing about the sandbag is that it offers so many different options for holding it. While the barbell offers very little in the way of changing grips, with the sandbag we can shoulder it, hug it, crossbody hug it, and Zercher hold it. The possibilities are many, and each different grip or hold offers a different set of challenges.
Here's an example:

Order	Exercise	Reps
A	Split Clean	5*
B	Rotational Lunge	4*
C	Push Press	8
D	Zercher Good Morning	8
E	Shouldered Get-Up	2*

* per side

In the video below my athlete is using an 80-pound bag and he's getting crushed by the end.

The KB Complex

Everything is rosy when you have 2 hands firmly on a barbell, but it can be a different story when you're forced to move unilaterally. The beautiful thing about many kettlebell movements is that they're designed to be completed one hand at a time.
This complex forces you to brace for rotation, and can absolutely smoke your core. I use this with drop sets by working up to 3 sets of 5 reps and then dropping the hardest exercise, in this case, the Single Leg Romanian Deadlift Plus Row.
Once that beast is out, I move up in weight with my 'bells while thanking the Almighty for taking mercy on me, and move on.

Order	Exercise	Sets	Reps
A	One-Arm Swing	3	5 each*
B	Threaded Lunge	3	5 each*
C	SLRDL + Row	3	5 each*
D	Strict Press	3	5 each*

* drop sets

The 2 KB Complex

This is one of my favorite complexes for developing strength. There aren't many things harder than working with two heavy-ass kettlebells.
In no scientific way whatsoever, I've determined that a double-kettlebell front squat is just as difficult as a barbell front squat with twice the weight. Seriously though, even the strongest athletes wilt under two racked kettlebells.
In this video my athlete is on his 3-rep set as he descends the backside of the 1-5 pyramid illustrated below. Needless to say, he's smoked.

Order	Exercise	Reps
A	Double Clean	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
B	Front Squat	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
C	Push Press	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
D	Sumo Deadlift High Pull	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

And Now, Introducing Monkey Jumps

This complex features a move that I named monkey jumps a long time ago, before I had ever seen a real monkey in nature or a zoo, and it turns out monkeys don't actually do this.
The name stays, though.
Monkey jumps are just the C exercises of this complex, and combine an alternating split jump with a high pull on each jump. They may look funny, but the truth is they actually have some carryover to the Olympic lifts as it mimics the timing of pulling yourself down to the bar.

Order	Exercise	Reps
A	Snatch	5
B	Split Jerk	5
C	Monkey Jumps	5
D	Renegade Rows	5

TRX Complex

If you ever get the urge to do a complex on a beach or in a forest (which I'm embarrassed to say has happened to me on more than one occasion), and don't have access to your kettlebells and dumbbells, you're basically out of luck. However, if you happened to have a suspension trainer with you, you're ready to rock it out no matter where you find yourself.
This is a killer complex if you use it in an ascending fashion. In the video below I filmed my set of 5 reps as I worked up to 8 reps of each exercise.

Order	Exercise	Reps
A	SHELC	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
B	Push-Ups	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
C	Core Worm	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
D	Handstand Push-Ups	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

The Obligatory Barbell Complex

You didn't think that I'd leave this one out did you? Like Vin Diesel in The Fast and Furious series, you knew the barbell had to make an appearance, even if only for a moment at the end.
For this cameo I'm going way back in the archives to bring out the Javorek complex, appropriately named after its creator, Istvan (Steve) Javorek.
So how is the oldest complex in the book any different from the hundreds of complexes you have seen before?
Big ass weights.
Javorek writes of the need to do this complex at extremely high weights as a predictor of future performance. He tells tales of this complex being completed with 240 pounds by Romanian weightlifters, and 220-pound exploits by American record holders.
I personally witnessed my former Olympian coach complete this complex with over 200 pounds. After picking my jaw up from the floor and searching for my manhood, I completed this complex with 165 pounds. I went on to clean 330 pounds later that training cycle.
But in case you're not going to the Olympics, there's a very simple rule to follow to make sure this complex will challenge your strength and will: use 50% of your 1RM clean and jerk.
The 50% rule is what the best athletes are able to do with this 30-rep complex and it provides an indicator of what you're capable of (with good technique) on the platform.
In the video below of the Javorek complex, I'm using 143 pounds (which is about 50% of my current 300-pound clean and jerk 1RM).

Order	Exercise	Reps
A	Barbell Upright Row	6
B	Barbell Muscle Snatch	6
C	Back Squat to Push Press	6
D	Good Morning	6
E	Bent Over Row	6

Conclusion

Complexes are a fantastic, multifaceted tool, and using a variety of tools and many different rep schemes makes them even better.
When you're stumped for a training session, crave some variety, or just want to punish yourself, there's likely a complex for you. If you manage to get through all of these complexes, I'm certain that your next challenge will be how to design a complex of sleeping, eating, and napping.