Most coaches have devised their own method for teaching the snatch and clean to their athletes and thusly, so have I. Although in more recent decades the top-down approach to teaching the Olympic lifts has prevailed, I believe there is still merit to using the bottom-up approach and have therefore incorporated it into my method, which I call the “Pause Method.” I have used this approach to train beginners, as well as veteran athletes, with great success.

Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing an example of a Pause Method program I have used for teaching the lifts. The goal is to ingrain the proper positions, encourage the athlete to slow down in this initial learning phase, and teach the athlete how to time the receiving of the weight to avoid losing the bar in space.

The workouts will be posted twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays. To learn more about the Pause Method and how to use it, you can read the explanation I have provided here.

Week 4, Day 2

Power snatch practice and clean and jerk practice
Hip/power position (PP) power snatch + overhead squat (OHS) 1x(3+3)
Hang above the knee power snatch + OHS 1x(3+3)
Power snatch + OHS 3x(2+2)
Upper thigh/PP clean + jerk (3+3)
Clean and Jerk 6×2
Back squat 3×4

The post Strength & Conditioning: Ursula Garza Papandrea – Week 4, Day 2 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Most coaches have devised their own method for teaching the snatch and clean to their athletes and thusly, so have I. Although in more recent decades the top-down approach to teaching the Olympic lifts has prevailed, I believe there is still merit to using the bottom-up approach and have therefore incorporated it into my method, which I call the “Pause Method.” I have used this approach to train beginners, as well as veteran athletes, with great success.

Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing an example of a Pause Method program I have used for teaching the lifts. The goal is to ingrain the proper positions, encourage the athlete to slow down in this initial learning phase, and teach the athlete how to time the receiving of the weight to avoid losing the bar in space.

The workouts will be posted twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays. To learn more about the Pause Method and how to use it, you can read the explanation I have provided here.

Week 4, Day 1

Full snatch practice and power clean and jerk practice

• Hip + Hang snatch 2x(2+2)
• Snatch pull to hip/power position (PP)+ Sn 2x(1+2)
• Snatch 6×2
• Hip power clean + front squat + jerk 2x(2+2+2)
• Power clean + front squat + jerk 3x(1+1+2)
• Clean pull with pause at upper thigh/PP+ chest and shoulder elevation 3×5

The post Strength & Conditioning: Ursula Garza Papandrea – Week 4, Day 1 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Most coaches have devised their own method for teaching the snatch and clean to their athletes and thusly, so have I. Although in more recent decades the top-down approach to teaching the Olympic lifts has prevailed, I believe there is still merit to using the bottom-up approach and have therefore incorporated it into my method, which I call the “Pause Method.” I have used this approach to train beginners, as well as veteran athletes, with great success.

Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing an example of a Pause Method program I have used for teaching the lifts. The goal is to ingrain the proper positions, encourage the athlete to slow down in this initial learning phase, and teach the athlete how to time the receiving of the weight to avoid losing the bar in space.

The workouts will be posted twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays. To learn more about the Pause Method and how to use it, you can read the explanation I have provided here.

Week 3, Day 2

Practice 3 position snatches and cleans

• Hip/power position (PP) snatch 1×5
• Hang snatch above knee 1×5
• Snatch pull to hip with pause above knee 1×5
• Hip/PP snatch + hang snatch + snatch 3x (2+2+2)
• Hang snatch + snatch 3x(2+2)
• Upper thigh/PP clean 2×3
• Clean with pause at upper thigh/pp 1×3
• Cleans 4×3
• Front squat 3×5
• Snatch pull to hip/PP 3×5

The post Strength & Conditioning: Ursula Garza Papandrea – Week 3, Day 2 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Many of today’s American Olympic weightlifting coaches hold degrees in exercise science, having studied biomechanics, exercise physiology, and other sports science subjects with the intent of practical application to our sport. Unfortunately, many college kinesiology or exercise science programs do not specifically address strength sports. Instead, the majority of research is directed towards physiology of conditioning and biomechanics of more popular sports. The result is that the Russian training manuals have become the cornerstone of many coaches’ education. My development as a coach was largely influenced by these manuals. Additionally, I had several coaches of different nationalities, including Hungarian, Bulgarian, Russian, and American. They all added significantly to my practical education.

The Systems

Not able to find any one system that I preferred or felt superior to another, I, like many other coaches, started the trial-and-error practice of programming using basic principles borrowed from the likes of Vladimir Zatsiorsky and R. A. Roman. The simplest of the concepts being progressive overload training, which I learned via my formal education but in practice from John Coffee. This has been overall basis for my programming.

I have also borrowed suggestions from Roman’s The Training of the Weightlifter, in which he suggests training phases of two to three months each. He starts with the preparatory phase, to create a base sporting form. This lasts one to two months and is the cycle characterized as having large volume with a gradual increase in intensity. I usually refer to this phase as the strength conditioning phase and will typically build the load for five to six weeks before lowering. Roman then suggests a transition phase, in which the coach must avoid overtraining the athlete, while maintaining sporting form. As suggested, I use this cycle to raise intensity while maintaining the condition of the athlete.

Then, this is the point at which I introduce the Bulgarian wave method into the program. I usually refer to this second cycle as a strength phase since there are more high intensity lifts attempted, and there has been a transition from lower intensity-high volume work to higher intensity work with a lowering of volume. In the third phase, which Roman calls the competition phase, there is a gradual transition with a goal of a “realization of results.” This is typically called a competition, pre-competition, or power phase, where there is an attempt to have the athlete recover from both the volume and intensity of the previous cycles so that he may perform in competition. The product should be an “improved organism” that can produce better results on the competition platform. Roman also suggests rest after four months of training. I too think this is important in prevention of injury and for both mental and physical recovery of the athlete.

The Challenge of Clean Athletes

Although I attempt to implement principles borrowed from both Bulgarian and Russian systems, I have to also acknowledge one deficiency in the American athletes that I train – they are clean. I think to ignore this obvious difference between my athletes and those who have trained in the aforementioned systems would be a failure on my part to recognize the truth. I have worked to alter and adapt the programs to address the lack of performance enhancing drugs and the benefits that would come from them.

In general, if performance-enhancing drugs will make you stronger and better able to recover, we can assume that without them these two areas will suffer. My adjustments to programming therefore include overloading the pulls and squats to make athletes stronger. Second, my athletes train four to five days a week since most work a full-time job and train. Without recovery aids being used regularly, I must rely on their natural abilities to adapt to the various stresses of training and life. I do advocate adaptogens as part of their supplementation but these, although somewhat effective, pale in comparison to the recuperative qualities of banned pharmaceuticals. In response to this difference, I have reduced the number of training sessions from the norm of nine-plus sessions a week down to four or five.

Below are four weeks of workouts, two weeks of conditioning and two weeks of strength. You can also download the entire four weeks in a printable PDF.

Sample Workouts – Conditioning Phase

Here are samples programs from the conditioning phase. These are the working sets and the athlete does warm up to these percentages. The weights, reps, and sets are written in the standard international form with % as the numerator and # of reps as the denominator with the numbers of sets to the right.

Sample Workouts – Strength Cycle

Click Here to Download the Entire Four Weeks in a Printable PDF

The post Programming for the American (Clean and Working) Weightlifter appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Most coaches have devised their own method for teaching the snatch and clean to their athletes and thusly, so have I. Although in more recent decades the top-down approach to teaching the Olympic lifts has prevailed, I believe there is still merit to using the bottom-up approach and have therefore incorporated it into my method, which I call the “Pause Method.” I have used this approach to train beginners, as well as veteran athletes, with great success.

Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing an example of a Pause Method program I have used for teaching the lifts. The goal is to ingrain the proper positions, encourage the athlete to slow down in this initial learning phase, and teach the athlete how to time the receiving of the weight to avoid losing the bar in space.

The workouts will be posted twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays. To learn more about the Pause Method and how to use it, you can read the explanation I have provided here.

Week 3, Day 1

Teach snatch from the blocks and front squat + jerk

Hip/power position (PP) snatch 2×3
Hang snatch above the knee 2×3
Snatch from blocks above the knee 5×3
2x rebound front squat 2×3 – very light
Jerk balance 2×3
Front squat + jerk 5x(2+2)
Back squat 3X6
Slow snatch pull to hip/PP (may keep pauses as needed) 3×5

The post Strength & Conditioning: Ursula Garza Papandrea – Week 3, Day 1 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Most coaches have devised their own method for teaching the snatch and clean to their athletes and thusly, so have I. Although in more recent decades the top-down approach to teaching the Olympic lifts has prevailed, I believe there is still merit to using the bottom-up approach and have therefore incorporated it into my method, which I call the “Pause Method.” I have used this approach to train beginners, as well as veteran athletes, with great success.

Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing an example of a Pause Method program I have used for teaching the lifts. The goal is to ingrain the proper positions, encourage the athlete to slow down in this initial learning phase, and teach the athlete how to time the receiving of the weight to avoid losing the bar in space.

The workouts will be posted twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays. To learn more about the Pause Method and how to use it, you can read the explanation I have provided here.

Week 2, Day 2

Teach clean from floor

• Drop snatch + Overhead squat 4x(3+3)
• Upper thigh/power position (PP) power clean receiving and pausing in ¼ or ½ squat then following into front squat 2×3
• Hang clean below the knee with pause above the knee, pause at upper thigh/PP, and receiving in ¼ squat then following into front squat 2×3
• Hang clean below the knee with pause at upper thigh/PP, and receiving in ¼ squat then following into front squat 2×3
• Hang squat clean below the knee with pause at upper thigh/pp 2×3
• Hang squat clean below the knee 2×3
• Clean with pause at upper thigh/pp 2×3
• Clean 4×3
• Clean pull to power position with 3 pauses, pausing below the knee + above the knee + hip/power position 3×5

The post Strength & Conditioning: Ursula Garza Papandrea – Week 2, Day 2 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Most coaches have devised their own method for teaching the snatch and clean to their athletes and thusly, so have I. Although in more recent decades the top-down approach to teaching the Olympic lifts has prevailed, I believe there is still merit to using the bottom-up approach and have therefore incorporated it into my method, which I call the “Pause Method.” I have used this approach to train beginners, as well as veteran athletes, with great success.

Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing an example of a Pause Method program I have used for teaching the lifts. The goal is to ingrain the proper positions, encourage the athlete to slow down in this initial learning phase, and teach the athlete how to time the receiving of the weight to avoid losing the bar in space.

The workouts will be posted twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays. To learn more about the Pause Method and how to use it, you can read the explanation I have provided here.

Week 2, Day 1

Teach snatch from the blocks and front squat + jerk

• Hip/power position (PP) snatch 2×3
• Hang snatch from above the knee 2×3
• Snatch from blocks above the knee 5×3
• 2x rebound front squat 2×3 very light
• Jerk balance 2×3
• Front squat + jerk 5x(2+2)
• Back squat 3X6
• Slow Snatch pull to hip/PP (may keep pauses as needed) 3×5

The post Strength & Conditioning: Ursula Garza Papandrea – Week 2, Day 1 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Most coaches have devised their own method for teaching the snatch and clean to their athletes and thusly, so have I. Although in more recent decades the top-down approach to teaching the Olympic lifts has prevailed, I believe there is still merit to using the bottom-up approach and have therefore incorporated it into my method, which I call the “Pause Method.” I have used this approach to train beginners, as well as veteran athletes, with great success.

Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing an example of a Pause Method program I have used for teaching the lifts. The goal is to ingrain the proper positions, encourage the athlete to slow down in this initial learning phase, and teach the athlete how to time the receiving of the weight to avoid losing the bar in space.

The workouts will be posted twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays. To learn more about the Pause Method and how to use it, you can read the explanation I have provided here.

Week 1, Day 2

Teach hang snatch and hang clean

Then:

• Drop snatch/snatch balance – descending heights, ¼ squat + ½ squat + full squat 3x(2+2+2)
• Hip/power position (PP) power snatch – receiving and pausing in ¼ or ½ squat then following into overhead squat (OHS) 3×3
• Hip/PP snatch 2×3
• Hang power snatch from above the knee with pause at hip/PP, and pause in ¼ or ½ squat then following into OHS 2×3
• Hang squat snatch from above the knee with pause at hip/pp 3×3
• Hang squat snatch from above the knee 4×3
• Upper thigh hang/power position muscle clean + front squat 2x(5+5)
• Upper thigh hang/power position power clean pausing in ¼ squat then following into front squat 3×3
• Hang power clean from above the knee pausing at upper thigh hang/power position, and receiving and pausing at ¼ squat then following into front squat 3×3
• Hang squat clean from above the knee pausing at upper thigh hang/power position 3×3
• Snatch pull to power position with 3 pauses, pausing below the knee + above the knee + hip/power position 3×5

The post Strength & Conditioning: Ursula Garza Papandrea – Week 1, Day 2 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Most coaches have devised their own method for teaching the snatch and clean to their athletes and thusly, so have I. Many older-generation coaches have utilized a bottom-up approach, but in more recent decades the top-down approach has prevailed.

Most coaches have devised their own method for teaching the snatch and clean to their athletes and thusly, so have I. Many older-generation coaches have utilized a bottom-up approach, but in more recent decades the top-down approach has prevailed.

It is, for example, the method used by both USA Weightlifting and the CrossFit Olympic Lifting Trainer Course. By most accounts, it is effective and prepares the athlete for reception of a bar overhead.

I do, however, believe there is still merit to using the bottom-up approach and have therefore incorporated it into teaching beginners, as well as heavily relying on it to fine tune veteran athletes. I prefer to call my method of teaching the “Pause Method.” (Yes, I have foregone naming it after myself. Call me a fool.)

Before I begin, I would like to explain my basic conceptual understanding of the snatch and clean. The snatch and clean can be dissected into three basic movements:

From the floor to the hip, the athlete is simply standing the bar to the hip, positioning himself for the explosion.

This standing phase requires acceleration of the bar and is initiated by a drive through the floor with the legs to bring the bar to below the knees.

The transition from below the knee follows, with the knees extending slightly as the athlete continues pressing against the floor so the bar can pass without clipping the knees.

The result should be that the athlete is in the hang position above the knee. This stand is followed by an extension of the hip using the posterior chain and ends with the bar in the hip crease. These are often referred to as the first and second pulls.

The “explosion” occurs when the bar reaches the hip and is a pressing of the legs through the ground violently to acquire the requisite force to propel the bar so the athlete can get under it.

This is often described as the jump. To properly execute the jump, the knees are slightly bent when the bar approaches and contacts the hip. The athlete pushes against the ground, utilizing the extension of the hip, knee, and ankle, resulting in a full-body elevation that thrusts the barbell upward.

The explosion is followed by an action of the wrists and elbows functioning to maintain the proximity of the bar to the body and preparing for the reception of the bar in the final or bottom squat position.

The receiving position must coincide with the height of the bar in order to meet the bar in a coordinated fashion. When this happens, the bar will land on the lifter, timed so that the centers of mass and gravity combine and seamlessly continue moving downward in concert.

My goal is to teach all the requisite positions as well as how the athlete should move so that these positions are moved through on each lift. The Pause Method allows the coach to segment the lift so the athlete can develop his spatial orientation and find these same positions on his own quickly, as is required for lifting heavy weights.

I begin teaching with a light barbell adding weight conservatively. I would estimate the athlete is working with anywhere from 40% to 60% of maximum capacity when learning, but since we often do not have a max yet, I watch the speed and movement to determine whether an athlete should add any weight to the bar. I err on the side of too light.

Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing an example of a Pause Method program I have used for teaching the lifts.

The goal is to ingrain the proper positions, encourage the athlete to slow down in this initial learning phase, and teach the athlete how to time the receiving of the weight to avoid losing the bar in space.

In the receiving of the bar overhead or on the chest, the pause aids the athlete in meeting the bar, learning to turnover quickly, and allowing him to feel his balance before the squat portion of the lift. It also encourages a complete extension in the pull.

I have witnessed many athletes whose snatch is simply a power snatch with a cut pull-and-dive under the bar. I often have to correct this and I find the Pause Method is helpful in both teaching and re-teaching.

I additionally want to ensure that athletes find the contact of the bar at their hips with their knees slightly bent in the jump position so they can learn to transition with minimal deceleration into the jump.

The athlete should bring the bar towards themself and maintain pressure on the heel in the pull from the knee to the hip or upper thigh, as opposed to moving towards the bar. I can reinforce this by having the athlete pause repeatedly at the hip/power position in the snatch and upper thigh/power position of the clean.

This allows me to watch how the athlete places pressure on the foot and to keep him or her on the heels longer in the long term, avoiding the problem of the early jump that is often seen in experienced athletes.

In the first two weeks of this program the pauses will be abundant.

I will begin to remove them for athletes who are moving well. For others, I may choose to keep them until they can move through all positions correctly.

In the final week, I teach a complete pull with chest/torso/shoulder elevation. I have found athletes will also rush into the extension and teaching them first to pull to the point from which they jump and then adding the shoulder elevation helps them with timing in both the pull and the actual lifts. I allow them to speed up the pulls once they have learned to contact before elevating the torso.

The post The Pause Method for Teaching Olympic Weightlifting to the Beginner appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Most coaches have devised their own method for teaching the snatch and clean to their athletes and thusly, so have I. Although in more recent decades the top-down approach to teaching the Olympic lifts has prevailed, I believe there is still merit to using the bottom-up approach and have therefore incorporated it into my method, which I call the “Pause Method.” I have used this approach to train beginners, as well as veteran athletes, with great success.

Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing an example of a Pause Method program I have used for teaching the lifts. The goal is to ingrain the proper positions, encourage the athlete to slow down in this initial learning phase, and teach the athlete how to time the receiving of the weight to avoid losing the bar in space.

The workouts will be posted twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays. To learn more about the Pause Method and how to use it, you can read the explanation I have provided here.

Week 1, Day 1

Teach hip/power position snatch and split jerk

Then:

• Hip/power position (PP) muscle snatch 2×5
• Snatch push press+ overhead squat 2x(3+3)
• Drop snatch/snatch balance receiving and pausing in ¼ squat 3×3
• Drop snatch/snatch balance receiving and pausing in ¼ squat then following into overhead squat 3×3
• Hip/PP power snatch 2×5
• Hip/PP power snatch receiving and pausing in ¼ squat then following into overhead squat 3×3
• Hip/PP snatch 4×3 – Athlete only removes the pause if the bar is being met well
• Upper thigh hang/power position muscle clean 1×5
• Press from chest 1×5
• Push press 2×5
• Power jerk 3×3
• Split jerk position press + push press + jerk balance 3x(2+2+2)
• Jerk 4×3

The post Strength & Conditioning: Ursula Garza Papandrea – Week 1, Day 1 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.