johnsmith182 a few questions.

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I am considering making a full switch to Olympic lifting at the end of the year (i have 2 powerlifting meets left....one deadlift and one full meet).

on the 1st of jan 2003 i hope to be fully coached and focused for the sport, changing my current physical job for a more layed back job (using my new certificate).


My Only concern is that i live in a part of australia that isnt really the best for coaching in OL.

If i stay here i can get coached only ONCE a week. leaving many training days unwatched.

will this pose a problem form wise? is that enough coaching to progress in a good direction?

I have the OL encyclopedia and im considering a video/book avaliable on ironmind.

but still i dont think this will be enough....what are your thoughts?

I am considering moving with loved ones...which will place me in a town with better gyms.


Is there anything i can do to make the transition easier?
I am stretching at the moment. trying to include overhead work (even if it is only military presses). would adding front and overhead squats help? what about just adding hang or power cleans to my powerlifting program.I dont want to detract from my comps later in the year

I know this is a stupid question.....but is it easy to identify some one with a good potential for the sport?


thank you for all your help

 

[johnsmith182]

a good coach once a week is better than a bad coach every day. i have no way of knowing the relative abilities of the different coaches your considering, so i cant really advise you there.

but i do think that once a week coaching will work. is it as good as everyday... well, all other things being equal, probably not. howver, lots of national and world champions have been developed with limited coaching... and in reality it does offer some advantages. i have noticed that athletes who never have to think for themselves, never develop the abillity to do so. there is a lot to be said for self coaching, at least part of the time, you will be forced to analyze your own errors and learn a lot through doing so. actually, i basically REQUIRE my advanced athletes to take part in coaching one another and coaching some beginners. they are forced to THINK and ANALYZE when they do this... and become better lifters because of it.

as far as potential for OL... its very hard to tell. ive been fooled many times! of course if you are strong, and a naturally good athlete, it will be easier for you... but ive seen some guys ho started out weak and made limited progress at first take off after a year of unproducive training and eventually become very, very good.

as far as what to do now, id suggest lots of overhead squats an front squats, as well as military and push presses.

hope this helps a little.

 

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Thank you very much. I hope you dont mind me picking your brain for more and more questions.


speaking about the progression of lifters. Is age an issue?
I am 22 years old. Is it common for lifters my age to progress slower than a younger lifter?


I am having a problem with my front squats....getting my elbows high seems to be the hardest thing in the world. A year and a bit ago i took the oppertunity to have a couple of sessions with a coach who was passing through town. he was very dissapointed with how low my elbows were in front squats.
From what i can feel its the size of my biceps.

watching the commonwealth games a tonne of lifters all had their elbows very low.....some even lower than mine. Is it an issue?

Do you consider louie simmons "reverse hyper" valid in OL?

last question for now (thanks again for all your help)

are there any parts of the body that when they are "more muscular" help the OLifts? what about detracting from the lifts?
I only ask due to the nature of my training at the moment and wonder if i should focus on building certain muscles.

thanks

 

[johnsmith182]

of course its best probably to start around age 12... but then again many world and national champions have started in the late teens or even early 20's... so whos to say? if your starting late, its good to ahve come from another sport... its a lot easier to start late when you are already strong and fit than to start late if you are a couch potatoe!

keeping the elbows high is an advantage... but its not required. the higher you can keep your elbows, the easier it will be to catch your cleans. just keep working on it... your big arms wont prohibit you from improving in this, ive got quite big arms myself and still manage to get the elbows up.

i do consider the reverse hyper to be a great exercise for any sport, including OL.

the legs and back are th most important things in OL. those with strong legs will have a much easier time lifting big weights. the more you can front squat, the better!