Introduction
Olympic Weightlifting is a sport where athletes compete for the total weight of two lifts: the snatch as well as the clean & jerk. The courses methods utilized in Weightlifting will also be utilised by Strength & Conditioning coaches as a method of resistance training for the massive amount other sports. One of the first factors behind exploiting various resistance training modalities such is perfect for power development. There are numerous variations on the party theme of power training. Many of these training modalities include plyometrics (Wilson, Elliot & Wood 1990), assisted and resisted training (Faccioni 1993a; 1993b) and speed and acceleration drills (Cinkovich 1992). A popular method utilized to increase athletic power is Olympic Weightlifting (ie power cleans, push presses, snatches, jump jerks along with their variations) conducted within the exercise (Garhammer, 1993). This has traditionally been seen as an efficient of manufacturing general explosive ability (Takano 1992; Stone 1993; Garhammer & Gregor 1992). However, there are other important considerations that demand to become addressed when implementing Olympic lifting exercises into the Strength & Conditioning program of the athlete, a few of these include movement competency, training age, sport and training time with athlete. The purpose of this article by Elite Performance Institute (EPI) is usually to provide a biomechanical and physiological discussion that explains why weightlifting workouts are necessary to improve athletic performance and the way they should be performed within a training program. For additional information, please visit www.epicertification.com
Power Defined
Power has become defined as the optimal blend of speed and strength to produce movement (Chu 1996). Specifically, power represents ale the athlete to produce high levels of sort out a certain distance. The greater power a player possesses the better the level of work performed (Wilson 1992). Power is a blend of strength and speed:
POWER = FORCE (strength) X VELOCITY (speed of movement)
There are numerous physiological and neural adaptations which comprise the strength component (Moritani 1992). Physiological adaptations to strength include a rise in muscle tissues through hypertrophy, connective tissue density and bone integrity (Tesch 1992a). Neural adaptations (Schmidtbleicher 1992) that could be produced are: (1) increased recruitment of motor units; (2) increased firing rate of motor neurones; (3) synchronised firing of motor neurones; (4) increase in intra-muscular coordination; and (5) increase in inter-muscular coordination.
Speed of movement is made up of various interrelated factors (Ackland & Bloomfield 1995). They’re; (1) muscle fibre type; (2) skill; (3) muscle insertion points; (4) lever length; (5) muscular posture; and (6) elastic energy standby time with the series elastic component.
Olympic Weightling exercises facilitate continuing development of the middle (Strength-Speed and Speed-Strength) from the force-velocity (FV) curve (see above). The FV curve acts a map to Strength & Conditioning Courses Ireland based on the type of strength developed from each exercise, session or phase of training within the program. Therefore, the Strength & Conditioning coach can effectively plan what type of power they wish to develop and which training modality (powerlifting, Olympic liftining, plyometrics, etc) is best utilised to elicit these adaptations.
Conclusion
Concern still exists regarding the ef?cacy of including Olympic weightlifting exercises within the resistance training programs of athletes in sports aside from weightlifting. These concerns generally get into 3 broad categories: 1) Perceived time required to educate yourself on the movements because of the complexity from the lifts. 2) Deficiencies in comprehension of the opportunity bene?ts that could be produced by performing Olympic lifting exercises correctly. 3) Concern within the risk of injury caused by performing these weightlifting movements.
It really is evident you can find a multitude of biomechanical advantages of performing these lifts with limited disadvantages. The biggest risk has become from the perceived danger of performing these lifts. Based on the evidence presented by Brian Hammill from the British Weightlifting Association (BWLA), it may be stated with con?dence that the risk of harm can be as low or lower than most sports so long as there is quali?ed supervision furnished by certi?ed Strength and Conditioning coach who have been trained in coaching the weightlifting movements.
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