Olympic Lifting is not easy, We have all found that.
I have taught Crossfitters all over the world. And I have witnessed the same easily correctable flaws.
Flaws I have also struggled with, and have now over-come.
So I have written a quick article about how these flaws can be corrected!
Enjoy,
Coach Pete
The Rep Ranges within which you Train
- Training Age Definition – This is the number of years you have been training in a committed manner.
The average training age for a British Weightlifting Champion is between 6 and 10 years.
When a lifter first begins training, it is common to see 3 lifts within the same set that look completely different. The lifter may jump forwards on the first rep, backwards on the second rep, and then stay still on the third rep. This is seen in lifters with a young training age. At a young training age a lifter's technique is not consistent and time needs to be spent refining the motor unit function.
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Even with 9+ years training, triples still make up a large proportion of my training.
The consistency of a lifter's technique improves as training age increases. The increase in training age is almost always accompanied by an improvement in performance. This is the crux of our issue.
Lifters who have young training ages look to emulate more accomplished lifters. There is a popular misconception that by training in the manner of a more accomplished lifter, you will achieve their results.
I see this time and time again. Lifters who have not yet cemented a consistent technique are trying to make improvements by doing relatively low repetition sets (1-3 reps). This is a way of making little to no progress at all. In order to improve, first cement a consistent technique, then begin to load that technique.
How to fix:
- Unless your technique is consistent- do not train the classic movements by doing less than 5 repetitions.
- Consistent technique normally establishes itself at a training age of between 3 months to 6 months.
- The consistency of your lifting technique should dictate the rep ranges you use in your training. Eg. More consistency = lower rep ranges at higher intensities.
Note: I am saying that at a young training age, the majority of your training should be done at relatively high rep ranges (5s). I am not saying do not ever do singles. One of the goals of weightlifting is to lift as much weight as possible, and this is done via singles, however progress and improvements are driven by consistency; and consistency is established by repetitions.
AND SINGLES ARE BLOODY FUN MAN!