A-Z of Program Design – Olympic Weightlifting

Olympic weightlifting performance requires many physical performance qualities, including extension strength within the ankle, knee and hip extensors, positional strength within the spinal extensors and torso muscularity, explosive rate of force development and power outputs, mobility, flexibility, and the ability to rapidly stabilise the body. All of which have a significant transfer to sports performance.

Such a positive performance transfer make the Olympic lifts and their different variations a valuable training method within a strength and conditioning coaches performance training tool box. However, the technical and performance demands of Olympic weightlifting require a large commitment on behalf of the athlete and the coach, along with a sound knowledge of how to effectively progress an athletes Olympic weightlifting ability. Therefore, the aim of this short course is to educate performance coaches on the effective programming of Olympic weightlifting, both within the field of strength and conditioning, and within the sport of Olympic weightlifting itself, providing clarity on how to improve an athletes Olympic weightlifting performance.