Strength and Conditioning

When people are looking taking up a workout program most of the time they want to get lean, become fitter and put on some muscle. For others their requirement are different in that they are not so much after a general program but need additional attention to their current strength training regime and are now ( seriously)  looking at stepping it up in order to be able to perform. For current fitness enthusiast and sports participants it’s got to the stage where they are needing more specific  strength variables in adding value to their sport or simply don’t have the skill-set to properly plan out and execute what’s required to breach the gap from where they are now to where they need to be.

Whether it’s to become more resilient to take the knocks, increase their aerobic capacity or simply increase work output a properly qualified and experienced Strength and conditioning coach can certainly help out.

Let’s cover a few of the pathways available to becoming more conditioned. It depends on what type you need. For example, the requirements for a cyclist will be different to a rugby player. However both are looking at improving their performance. So what are the tools in getting the job done?

The following is an outline of the equipment required in order to be in a position where you will get to that goal. It explains the various tried and true methods that have proven over time to work out. Given this knowledge it goes a long way in prescribing through a Strength and conditioning programs on what you need to do.  Otherwise it’s just a bunch of exercises that can be done anytime with only reaping the benefits of just lifting with no purpose. Remember, this is not for recreational weight training purposes. It’s for performance.

Olympic Weightlifting Method

If your sport is requiring  the type of conditioning that will deliver explosive power then look no further than the classic sport of Olympic Weightlifting. Many of us have become familiar with these two lift by watching the Olympic Games on the television. The clean and jerk along with the snatch are what most of us enjoy viewing on the telly. The sport is much more than that, In addition to it been highly technical and within the reach of most, it is the assisting lifts and semi competition lifts within your program that allow you to fully appreciate this power building sport. The assistant exercises like the power versions of the clean, jerk and snatch are usually enough for you to develop the explosiveness for your sport; the more classic lifts are for those who wish to pursue this as their chosen sport.

Here’s a sample template for one of my client who after participating in a Crossfit class has decided to refine his technique on the weightlifting component of his semi regular Crossfit classes. He sees me once a week for PT and in addition to his own home based training attend this local Crossfit box for a bit of fun. Given the nature of Olympic lifting it’s important to keep it simple and effective. The sample workout following was performed with lighter than normal weight to allow for teaching and not overly fatigue the body.

w/up Various drill incorporating overhead extension, ankle , hip and wrist flexibility.

Clean

Clean from knee height – Skill/Cond

Power clean – explosive/core/skill

Clean Pulls – Strength of pulling phase

Snatch

Power snatch – Explosive/core/skill/catch

The high (snatch) pull – pulling skill

Snatch from hang/or floor – speed work on catch/ volumes/

Drop snatch (from shoulders) – skill (practice overhead squat)

Jerk

Jerks from rack –Skill work

Jerk dips – Strength of explosive drive/ relaxed arms/ only hips/knees forward

Push press – Strength and conditioning for overhead movement /strength

Jerk/press behind neck – stability /alignment prep for catch phase.

In regards to athlete training here’s what a an expert in the field wrote – Athletes in certain sports will benefit from just performing power snatches and power cleans and jerks initially, along with some back squats, front squats, good mornings, and presses. They do not need to learn to do the classic lifts, nor to train with great intensities. The body control and awareness developed through performance of the lighter derivatives will do a great deal to enhance athleticism, balance, and proprioception, and consequently result in a greater improvement in performance. – Bob Takano

Powerlifting method 

When your sport requires you to become one strong hombre, the Powerlifting 3 are the most superior in getting the job done – Period.  The simplicity of the big 3 in combination cannot be beat.

Bench press

The powerful bench press and its many variations is favourite by most due to its ease of learning and oblious quick results has for many years been a go to exercise for first movement to do during the week. For sports application the ability to fend off opponents or generate the strength to push away is an essential component in keeping the opponent off you or simply holding your ground.

Squats

The squat is often hailed as the most dynamic movement the body can perform as it works not only the whole bottom half of the body by also gets the core involved in linking the resistance/weight to the upper body. Keep in mind that to hold onto the much heavier weights the upper body is also required to be strong enough to maintain the barbell in position. All up, its an extremely effective exercise in delivering true results when it comes to maximum leg strength. Get your squat on and get results.

Deadlift

An equally benefiting exercise is the hip dominant pulling strength developed from the basic and brutal Deadlift. The movement in its simplicity requires you basically lift a “heavier” weight from the floor. Well sort off. Once you have mastered a basic understanding of the flexibility to get into place and the hip power and balance required it then turns into a mental game when it comes to lifting up the bigger weights from the floor. An impressive feat when watching the big boys lift!  When performed correctly with proper mechanics it a safe and fun exercise that delivers all over body strength due to the recruitment of the muscles in getting the weight up.

When it comes to pure strength the above three cannot be neglected. Make sure you include these in you program if you are after real results. Otherwise just do a pump class. It’s pretty clear that by incorporating either the Powerlifting or Weightlifting methods and their variants will go a long way on improving your overall conditioning. It’s just a matter of having the right mix depending on your particular needs. The common factor here is clearly the use of the dominate Barbell. Part two will cover some of the reasons why the barbell is supreme.

If you haven’t figured it out yet.

Claudefit Personal training is located in Mill Park and operated out from his own private facility catering to the individual who want to take their strength and conditioning to the next stage.