Barbell Basics: Olympic-Style Lifting
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Eventually - if you want to build quality, lean, functional, muscle mass - you have to strength train. Lifting weights, though sometimes boring, is by far & above the most practical & effective method of strength/resistance training. Certain weight-lifting principles & exercises have withstood the test of time and thus they are included in the Olympic games.
These exercises involve ONE BARBELL: a 45 lb long bar that you slip disc-shaped weights onto either side of and grip in the middle. You then lift, or pull the weight from the ground and hoist it up into the air in one or two, full-body, functional movements. These time-tested Olympic-lifting exercises generally include the Snatch, the Clean&Jerk, and the Clean&Press.
In the video below I demonstrate the Clean&Press exercise and how to properly warm-up for it. So basic yet very technical - correct form is critical! The quality, full-body gains in power & muscle-mass you will attain if done properly are unmatched, except perhaps from the Deadlift, which is a Power-Lift vice Olympic.
I recommend warming up with resistance bands, kettlebell, then an empty barbell, (which of course you can count as part of your total workout!)
Enjoy!
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