Why We Weightlift at R3vive Fitness

What is Olympic Weightlifting? Why should I practice and train for Olympic Weightlifting? These are questions that have most likely crossed your mind. While Olympic Weightlifting is technically its own sport (and a very technical and high-level sport at that), here at R3vive Fitness, Olympic Weightlifting is an important part of our programming. 

WHAT IS OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING?

​​Olympic lifting training includes weightlifting exercises, isometrics, and other strength training techniques. These together will build explosive strength while ensuring that your body is aligned correctly. 

Olympic lifts include the snatch and the clean and jerk. These lifts are commonly seen in Olympic Weightlifting as well as Crossfit, high school sports, college sports, and team gyms around the country. You will also see them in training in gyms around the world as their benefits have become more and more widely known. 

Below are the benefits that you can gain by practicing the Olympic lifts. 

STRENGTH

Many exercises develop strength, such as traditional resistance training (i.e. squatting and deadlifting). These movements are great at developing strength in their particular muscle groups and movement patterns. What about being able to combine these movements together?  You might find yourself needing to pick up a heavy bag of dog food from the floor to your shoulder or needing to move an object from the floor to a position above your head. The Olympic lifts not only teach you how but also develop the strength to do just that and more! By combining both leg and hip extension along with upper body pressing and stabilization into one lift.

The stronger and more proficient you become, the easier moving those objects in life and the barbell during any Crossfit, R3VIVE, or other group class. These not only affect the lifts themselves but also other movements or sports. If you're a Hyrox athlete they will help you spend less energy on the sled push/pull, and make the farmer's carries even easier. If you're a field athlete this makes it harder for people to move you and easier for you to move the opposing player. 

POWER

What is power? Power is the ability to move a load over a distance quickly. Power plays a greater role and has larger implications on performance than just pure strength. 

The speed at which the Olympic lifts are done shows significantly greater power output than any other strength movement. Jumping and sprinting are other expressions of explosive power. This is a staple quality you see built in Crossfit gyms, sports training, and R3VIVE FITNESS’s way of training.

If you're a Hyrox athlete, this will help you jump further and easier in the burpee broad jump, and be more explosive in the wall ball! If you're a field athlete, these help with sprint speeds or jumping as well as explosive movement.

FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility is one of those areas in our fitness that most of us overlook. Practicing frequent Olympic lifts (and their sister movements) with an emphasis on technique will help improve your flexibility and mobility - especially in your hips and shoulders. While the lifts will help improve both flexibility and mobility, this is still no excuse to avoid a regular stretching routine. Stretching will help you prevent injury, move more efficiently, and help prevent muscle groups from overcompensating.

PHYSIQUE

Physique is something that many of us think about. You may not consider Olympic lifting to be a way to get the physique you are hoping for, but if combined with plenty of whole foods and sound recovery, you can build an amazing physique to back up the work you have been putting in. Although the Olympic lifts will grow lean muscle mass, it is not true that it will make you appear larger or “muscular” unless you purposefully try to. You would have to perform hypertrophy training along with correct nutrition for that to happen.

#BeBetter

Coach Derek