Randle McMurphy
11-07-2009, 09:50 AM
Hi there!
I am looking for a basic Olympic weightlifting routine. I am told that you don't have any books out right now that cover this, and that 'Practical Programming' is more about general strength, rather then specific weightlifting stuff. You should definitely write one!
I am self taught lifter, and have been doing clean and jerks for about 1 year and snatches for about 4 months, and have been doing gym work for over 10. Despite the conventional wisdom that I need a coach, I seem to be doing ok as far as form goes without one, and the only coach in my area doesn't seem to be at all savvy with weightlifting (He advocates not touching the bar at all with the thigh etc), and often contradicts the things you have said in Starting Strength, which is what I have been using.
I am 25, 5ft 7", weigh around 185lbs/82kg, 8% body fat. I try and get as much food down my neck as I can.
I can only get to the gym 3 times a week, but can train long and hard when I am there. If I can get my lifts up to competitive standard (would be nice to compete in the 78kg or 85kg division, with a lift of 130kg C&J, 104 SN), so right now I am just looking to get as strong as possible.
I have been using Prilepin’s table, which is just something I noticed a lot of people using.
It goes like this:
Percent......Reps/sets.....Optimal.....Total range
55–65........3–6..............24...........18–30
70–80........3–6..............18...........12–24
80–90........2–4..............15...........10–20
90+...........1–2...............4............10
You have probably heard of this, since this was made by one of those old soviet coaches in the 70’s that had trained/observed many weightlifters, and then was later used to make the Westside/EliteFTS template for powerlifting.
More can be read here: http://www.elitefts.com/documents/prilepins_chart.htm (http://www.elitefts.com/documents/prilepins_chart.htm)
So when I started with this a couple of months ago my max C&J was 100kg and front squat was 125kg (I have left out the snatch as I am still learning, so am going light to make sure I have the form down before I start loading up heavy).
So my routine looked light this:
SNATCH = 7 sets of 3 reps at 60kg (with a few hang cleans, and OHS if a particular area of the lift needed more practice)
C&J = 5 sets of 3 reps at 90kg
FRONT SQUAT = 5 sets of 3 at 110kg
And the end of the session, I would throw in some weighted sit-ups, and depending on the day of the week I would do either DB bench press, Press, or (weighted) pull ups done with 3 sets of 6, just for general training/health.
The reps were done solidly, with no time gaps, and hands not leaving the bar. And I take as much of a break between sets as required.
This would be done 3 times a week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
After a while the weight began to feel easy, so I added another set to the C&J and front squat (so now I am doing 6 sets of 3 reps for both), and a little more weight to the snatch. This corresponds to prilepin’s chart, and doesn’t seems to contradict too much with general advice I have read.
I intend to carry on adding sets until I am doing 7 sets of 3, and once that is easy, I will increase the weight and go back to 5 sets of 3.
Once my snatch form is solid (roughly 80% of my C&J abilities), I intend to do the same with this.
Once in a while, if I can see a weakness in my pull, I may throw in some clean pulls/snatch pulls/barbell shrugs, as and when required.
Does this routine seem ok? Does it seem like a sensible path in the long term? Or is it just total madness? Are there any massive gaping flaws? How can I improve it? Any critique would be very much appreciated!
Many thanks,
Randle McMurphy
P.S. By coincidence, I stumbled across an article you wrote about weighted situps for hypertrophy. I noticed that you took a similar approach, where you start off by doing 3 sets of 12, and carry on adding sets until you are doing 6 sets of 12, at which point you increase the weight, and go back to doing 3 sets of 12, and so on. Does this particular style of ‘periodisation’ have a specific name?
I am looking for a basic Olympic weightlifting routine. I am told that you don't have any books out right now that cover this, and that 'Practical Programming' is more about general strength, rather then specific weightlifting stuff. You should definitely write one!
I am self taught lifter, and have been doing clean and jerks for about 1 year and snatches for about 4 months, and have been doing gym work for over 10. Despite the conventional wisdom that I need a coach, I seem to be doing ok as far as form goes without one, and the only coach in my area doesn't seem to be at all savvy with weightlifting (He advocates not touching the bar at all with the thigh etc), and often contradicts the things you have said in Starting Strength, which is what I have been using.
I am 25, 5ft 7", weigh around 185lbs/82kg, 8% body fat. I try and get as much food down my neck as I can.
I can only get to the gym 3 times a week, but can train long and hard when I am there. If I can get my lifts up to competitive standard (would be nice to compete in the 78kg or 85kg division, with a lift of 130kg C&J, 104 SN), so right now I am just looking to get as strong as possible.
I have been using Prilepin’s table, which is just something I noticed a lot of people using.
It goes like this:
Percent......Reps/sets.....Optimal.....Total range
55–65........3–6..............24...........18–30
70–80........3–6..............18...........12–24
80–90........2–4..............15...........10–20
90+...........1–2...............4............10
You have probably heard of this, since this was made by one of those old soviet coaches in the 70’s that had trained/observed many weightlifters, and then was later used to make the Westside/EliteFTS template for powerlifting.
More can be read here: http://www.elitefts.com/documents/prilepins_chart.htm (http://www.elitefts.com/documents/prilepins_chart.htm)
So when I started with this a couple of months ago my max C&J was 100kg and front squat was 125kg (I have left out the snatch as I am still learning, so am going light to make sure I have the form down before I start loading up heavy).
So my routine looked light this:
SNATCH = 7 sets of 3 reps at 60kg (with a few hang cleans, and OHS if a particular area of the lift needed more practice)
C&J = 5 sets of 3 reps at 90kg
FRONT SQUAT = 5 sets of 3 at 110kg
And the end of the session, I would throw in some weighted sit-ups, and depending on the day of the week I would do either DB bench press, Press, or (weighted) pull ups done with 3 sets of 6, just for general training/health.
The reps were done solidly, with no time gaps, and hands not leaving the bar. And I take as much of a break between sets as required.
This would be done 3 times a week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
After a while the weight began to feel easy, so I added another set to the C&J and front squat (so now I am doing 6 sets of 3 reps for both), and a little more weight to the snatch. This corresponds to prilepin’s chart, and doesn’t seems to contradict too much with general advice I have read.
I intend to carry on adding sets until I am doing 7 sets of 3, and once that is easy, I will increase the weight and go back to 5 sets of 3.
Once my snatch form is solid (roughly 80% of my C&J abilities), I intend to do the same with this.
Once in a while, if I can see a weakness in my pull, I may throw in some clean pulls/snatch pulls/barbell shrugs, as and when required.
Does this routine seem ok? Does it seem like a sensible path in the long term? Or is it just total madness? Are there any massive gaping flaws? How can I improve it? Any critique would be very much appreciated!
Many thanks,
Randle McMurphy
P.S. By coincidence, I stumbled across an article you wrote about weighted situps for hypertrophy. I noticed that you took a similar approach, where you start off by doing 3 sets of 12, and carry on adding sets until you are doing 6 sets of 12, at which point you increase the weight, and go back to doing 3 sets of 12, and so on. Does this particular style of ‘periodisation’ have a specific name?