I’ve gotten a number of emails from lifters who live in areas without a coach or club who wonder if it would be good for them to follow the Workouts of the Day (WOD’s) that I post up on PDX Weightlifting. The answer I have is Yes and No. I put them up (sporadically, at… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Weightlifting
Your Monthly Moment of Zen #19
Zen Quote of the Month: “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” — Muhammad Ali This Month in the World of Weightlifting Nick Horton got married! We said, “I do”, we roller skated, we drank a lot of vodka. … Continue Reading
Controversy and Responses: Low Hip Start Article
My Low Hip Start article that went up on Bret Contreras’s website last week was far more controversial than I’d anticipated – I’d expected some, but not at the level I got. I’ve been getting many emails, some in support, others not so much. I’d like to share some of the main points of disagreement… Continue Reading
Your Monthly Moment of Zen #18 – The Bulgarian Issue
NOTE to Readers: If you are astute, or just simply observant in the most basic sense, you’ll have noticed that I changed a word in the title of this series from “Monday” to “Monthly”. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first is that I’ve never put one up on every Monday anyway. … Continue Reading
Video: How To Do A Close Grip Power Snatch From The Hang … Long Name!
Here’s a quick video I did explaining how to do a Close Grip Power Snatch from the High Hang. While that name is stupidly long, the exercise is one of the easiest versions of an Olympic lift that you can possibly do. And when learned in the way I’m teaching it here, it translates very… Continue Reading
Are Back Squats REALLY Necessary? The Legs, Hips, and Ass Issue
We’ve all heard that the back squat is the King of lifts. It’s been at the bedrock of some of the most productive routines of the last 70 years. So, what I’m about to say might sound sacrilegious, particularly here in the world of Olympic Weightlifting. But, I’m going to say it anyway. You don’t… Continue Reading
Reflections After a Horrible “Strength Training” Workshop: Women, Weightlifting, and The Coach as Scientist
A few months back, my friend Beth asked if I’d like to go to a continuing education conference/workshop on Strength Training with her. Beth is a PhD, a researcher in Physical Therapy, and has a background as a clinician. She and I often have great discussions about all kinds of things, strength training among them. … Continue Reading
An Olympic Weightlifting Peaking Program – Our 4-Week Training Leading Up to the Oregon State Championships
The state championships this year went really well for us. Beth and Amy won their weight classes. Brandon set 2 Jr. State Records (Clean and Jerk and Total, the snatch record was already his, and he matched it). Chris hit life-time PR’s in the Snatch, Clean and Jerk, and Total. Jake hit PR’s so big… Continue Reading
Your Monday Moment of Zen #17
Zen Quote of the Week: “There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you… Continue Reading
The Odd Couple: How to Combine CrossFit and Olympic Weightlifting
Becoming an Olympic Weightlifter is like becoming a Samurai. CrossFit is like hunting dinosaurs with a canon. Both are awesome, but in totally different ways! Despite this, the two groups seem to find themselves in bed together quite often. And, increasingly, CrossFit athletes are become ever hungrier for knowledge about how they can train to… Continue Reading
