Olympic lift training exercises

For those interested in the Olympic lifts, there is an excellent article written by Jim Schmitz that appeared in the September 2007 issue of Milo magazine. Here's an outline I prepared of that article:

Basic 6 lifts for improving technique

1) Hang power snatch
2) Hang power clean
3) Clean style deadlift and shrug
4) Push press
5) Front squat
6) Overhead squat

Exercises that teach pull technique for snatch (clean)


1) Descending squat (clean) – 1st rep is ¼ squat, the 2nd rep is ½ squat and the final rep is a full squat.
2) Power snatch (clean) then squat snatch (clean).
3) Power snatch (clean) from the floor, then squat snatch (clean) from the hang, then finally a squat snatch (clean) from the floor.
4) Snatch (clean) high pull, then complete snatch (clean) power or squat, then finally another snatch (clean) high pull.
5) High pull to a stick (as explained in Kono’s book).
6) Miyake high pulls – both snatch and clean grip – performed like a Romanian deadlift – pull the bar to the upper thigh area just below the groin; you are flat-footed, with your knees slightly bent or flexed. You then lower the bar to your shins, but the barbell doesn’t touch the platform; now you pull back to the upper thigh area, lower to the shins again, do a complete high pull and then lower back to the floor. That is one of 3 reps. The 1st two reps are done medium speed and the 3rd is done with acceleration and explosion at the top. Use straps for this exercise. Good drill for teaching the double knee bend and for maintaining proper back position and straightening out the pull.

Exercises that teach jerk technique

1) Military press, then push press, then push jerk, and finally split jerk.
2) Push press then push jerk, or push jerk and split jerk.
3) Jerks behind the head, or jerk behind the head then split jerk.
4) Alternate feet jerks.
5) Front squat and jerk – do 3 reps of the front squat then split jerk – someone once said “whatever you can front squat for a triple then jerk, you should be able to clean & jerk.

Now if I only knew where to get a copy of Milo I'd be all set!

No excuses now IronMan, here is a link to the September 2007 issue:

MILO: Sep 07, 15.2-Ironmind Enterprises