Olympic Weightlifting

A GREAT IDEA!

BFS Clinician Jim Brown coaching Matt Shepard on the Power Snatch movements. We at BFS strongly recommend that all coaches get involved in Olympic Weightlifting. It's a fun and challenging sport. The Olympic Lifts also help build an athlete’s explosive power. The vast majority of coaches are intimidated by the Snatch and Clean and Jerk. I used to be like that. However, I found out that an athlete can compete very well on the Snatch by doing a Power Snatch. You Matt has jerked 115 pounds. It's a lot easier than most coaches think.

Matt’s confidence and abilities took some major don’t have to drop down with your butt one inch from the floor. A Power Snatch is similar to a Power Clean in many respects. The Clean and Jerk is even easier. Just do a Power Clean like most athletes are already doing. Then dip, jumps. As of July 15, the ofÏcial end of his 7th grade launch the bar upward, split the feet explosively, and you year, his marks were as follows: Bench, 125; Clean, 135; have the jerk part of it.

Snatch, 82 1/2; Clean and Jerk, 115; and Squat, 205. His Hardly anybody Olympic Lifts anymore so you don’t body weight jumped from 100 to 125 pounds. In August, have to do much to get national recognition. For example, a 1987, Matt could barely throw a wobbly, 10-yard pass.

16-year-old, 165-pound athlete can be ranked in the top 25 He can now throw an accurate, 35-yard pass with a in the nation with a 135-pound Snatch and a 200-pound quick release. Obviously, I’m real proud of him.

Clean and Jerk. If an athlete weighs over 181, its even It is also obvious that every junior high school should easier! Just Snatch 135 and Clean and Jerk 170 pounds. offer this program, or something similar. The weight What you read is not a misprint. It’s that easy. What it workout for groups takes only about 30 minutes twice means is that every high school has the capacity of having per week. An individual takes even less time. The every member of a 10-man team ranked in the top 25 teaching of our BFS 1-2-3-4 flexibility program is easy and nationally. Obviously, that can do wonders for your it’s easy to do. A lot can be done at home.

Teaching program, not to mention the increased self-concept sprinting technique and plyometrics are also easy. The improvement for the individual. main thing is to consistently reinforce correct form. Much of the program can even be taught in conjunction with other physical education units, like basketball of softball. So much can be accomplished with only five minutes per day of teaching time. Go for it. Catch the Vision! Now one final thought on Matt. During a workout in Program to help coaches get started in Olympic lifting Competition. late July we walked the track together. Matt seemed a little down. | put my arm around him and said, “Son, am I pushing you too hard?

If | am, just tell me to back off.” He replied after Phase l: The High School Clean and Jerk Competition. This competition phase lasts six weeks beginning next February. This program is funded by a grant from the U.S.

Olympic Foundation. All you do is Clean and Jerk during a knock off a little early tonight. How ‘bout a milkshake?” Matt grinned and nodded. After all, he’s only thirteen. 12 sanctioned U.S. Weightlifting Federation meet as a U.S.

Registered lifter. If you don’t know your local weightlifting ofÏcial, you may write or call the Colorado Springs ofÏce physical education or weight-training class. You don’t have listed in Phase |. They can tell you about upcoming meets. to go to a contest, just do it as part of a class. There are To summarize succinctly: Phase I, Clean and Jerk in some nice prizes, such as T-Shirts, Medals, and Certificates P.E. class; Phase I], do both lifts in an Intramural meet; for participation. Top prizes include a 310-pound Olympic Phase III, compete in a fully sanctioned meet.

Barbell Set for a school.

Olympic Lifting: A Great Idea!

For free information on how to get involved and technique videos, write: U.S. Weightlifting Federation, 1750 East Boulder, Colorado Springs, CO 80909, (303) 578-4508. Phase II: The BFS Olympic Record Board. We will begin keeping national records on January 1, 1989 in the Snatch, Clean and Jerk, and Total. Your athletes must do these lifts in an intramural meet, a meet with other school(s) or in an ofÏcially sanctioned meet. Athletes get only three total attempts on each lift with an individual's best Snatch and Clean and Jerk recorded as the total.

To be eligible for a national BFS record, an athlete must have a 2.0 minimum GPA and be a member in good standing in at least one of the following team sports: football, basketball, wrestling, track, or baseball. All results must be verified by an ofÏcial coach or school administrator. Three age groups will be used: 14 and under, 15 - 16, and 17 and over. Weight classes are as follows: 123, 132, 140, 148, 157, 165, 173, 181, 190, 198, 220, 220+.

Stefan Fernholm with a 275-pound Power Snatch. Stefan will begin a series of articles to teach just how easy the Phase III: A Fully Sanctioned Meet.

Power Snatch can be.

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From BFS Magazine — September/October 1988. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).