Need a Coach to Be a Successful OLer?

Training Powerlifting
41

[quote]Sneaky weasel wrote:
Epic fail, dude.

You are arrogant, ignorant, and will never make it in this sport with your current attitude and beliefs. There is a reason every successful lifter in the modern era has a coach.[/quote]

x2

but for the sake of throwing some help, here:

find your state, and call the clubs on that list, and talk to a coach about wanting to go.

Also, there are usually smaller clubs/gyms that don’t make it to the list, but the coaches of main clubs can tell you about.
(for example: in MD there are 3 other clubs/gyms not in the list, plus there are a couple in DC that are not in the list)

42

[quote]Neospartan wrote:
Sneaky weasel wrote:
Epic fail, dude.

You are arrogant, ignorant, and will never make it in this sport with your current attitude and beliefs. There is a reason every successful lifter in the modern era has a coach.

x2

but for the sake of throwing some help, here:

find your state, and call the clubs on that list, and talk to a coach about wanting to go.

Also, there are usually smaller clubs/gyms that don’t make it to the list, but the coaches of main clubs can tell you about.
(for example: in MD there are 3 other clubs/gyms not in the list, plus there are a couple in DC that are not in the list)

[/quote]

Thanks a ton!

43

[quote]TYPE2B wrote:
…Would you worship me if I manage to snatch my bodyweight without a coach?[/quote]

For a bodyweight snatch? Um no. 1.5 bodyweight you are then worthy of praise. But at the end of the day, it does not matter when you do/don’t have a coach when you say what your totals are. What matters is your total, so get a coach to get it higher.

44

Thanks for all the help regardless of my condescending attitude!

ESPECIALLY with Hanley since I’ve attacked him on another thread… and yet, still posted some good advice.

45

It’s a strength sport above all, just like powerlifting. Just compare Rezazadeh (or many other superheavyweight) to Suleymanoglu. They are completely different. But they still achieved the same thing. By being the strongest.

46

I might be wasting my time, but I’m going to try to explain this in a way you might understand.

[quote]TYPE2B wrote:

  1. The set up
    -blah blah blah
    [/quote]

What you just described as “blah blah blah” is actually the make or break for me in lifting, and I couldn’t do this without a coach.

First off, the biggest issue I have is most textbooks will tell you “shoulders over the bar”. Thats great and all, and it’s not WRONG, but it’s far from 100% right. For me, I have to rip my shoulders back and down to keep a tight upper back, which puts them further back than normal. As a result, I have to get even more forward over the bar in order to get in the right start position. At first this was almost uncomfortable, and I sometimes still set up too far back, but sometimes I set up too far over the bar. Only my coach can tell me whether I need to come more or less forward. A book can’t make this adjustment for me, and even an inch in the wrong direction, either way, can destroy my pull. Keep in mind that this is only one of MANY things I have to think about and have adjusted in my set up alone, and you see how truly complicated this is.

Books and articles never told me how much I would have to rotate my toes out to get in the right position, or what grip. There are so many intricacies that not only require timing and individualization that a book could never substitute for a coach. You can read an article that can tell you exactly where to put everything, but if you are overshooting or undershooting, you won’t know without a coach.

You might get close, but you’ll be limiting your overall potential. Even if you get a 1.5xbw snatch without a coach, I’ll tell you you could have had 1.7xbw WITH a coach. Some of us just aren’t willing to settle for less than our best.

47

[quote]threewhitelights wrote:
I might be wasting my time, but I’m going to try to explain this in a way you might understand.

TYPE2B wrote:

  1. The set up
    -blah blah blah

What you just described as “blah blah blah” is actually the make or break for me in lifting, and I couldn’t do this without a coach.

First off, the biggest issue I have is most textbooks will tell you “shoulders over the bar”. Thats great and all, and it’s not WRONG, but it’s far from 100% right. For me, I have to rip my shoulders back and down to keep a tight upper back, which puts them further back than normal. As a result, I have to get even more forward over the bar in order to get in the right start position. At first this was almost uncomfortable, and I sometimes still set up too far back, but sometimes I set up too far over the bar. Only my coach can tell me whether I need to come more or less forward. A book can’t make this adjustment for me, and even an inch in the wrong direction, either way, can destroy my pull. Keep in mind that this is only one of MANY things I have to think about and have adjusted in my set up alone, and you see how truly complicated this is.

Books and articles never told me how much I would have to rotate my toes out to get in the right position, or what grip. There are so many intricacies that not only require timing and individualization that a book could never substitute for a coach. You can read an article that can tell you exactly where to put everything, but if you are overshooting or undershooting, you won’t know without a coach.

You might get close, but you’ll be limiting your overall potential. Even if you get a 1.5xbw snatch without a coach, I’ll tell you you could have had 1.7xbw WITH a coach. Some of us just aren’t willing to settle for less than our best. [/quote]

You didn’t waste your time. And you have one of the best posts in this thread so far. Thanks alot…

You’re pretty smart. My gym need people like you. (…and Koing, and Invictica, and Hanley, and Avocado, blah blah.)

My set up in both the clean and snatch is simple. I sink my hips as low as I can without losing an arched back… That’s it… My shoulders are automatically over the bar, I don’t really pay attention to it.

48

Would love to see video of your lifts, esp. your unerring, uncoached technique.

49

Just FYI, I pulled BW on the snatch my first time lifting any weight. I lifted a quater inch pipe for about 2 weeks prior to that. Its not really that big a deal if you have a decent strength base.

50

[quote]Invictica wrote:
Just FYI, I pulled BW on the snatch my first time lifting any weight. I lifted a quater inch pipe for about 2 weeks prior to that. Its not really that big a deal if you have a decent strength base. [/quote]

yeah not a big PR by any means. But i dont see this dude going too far past it coach-free. It just seems to be a plateau area for people without a coach or whos coach might as well not be there. esp at the 88kg bw where you have a poorer power ratio in the beginning.

-chris

51

[quote]Avocado wrote:
Invictica wrote:
Just FYI, I pulled BW on the snatch my first time lifting any weight. I lifted a quater inch pipe for about 2 weeks prior to that. Its not really that big a deal if you have a decent strength base.

yeah not a big PR by any means. But i dont see this dude going too far past it coach-free. It just seems to be a plateau area for people without a coach or whos coach might as well not be there. esp at the 88kg bw where you have a poorer power ratio in the beginning.

-chris[/quote]

True enough. 1.5 is the big milestone for coached lifters it seems.

Christ, I’m 5’6 sitting at 85kg…competing season starts in like a month, gotta make it down to 77kg…comoooooooon 300 sinclair.

52

[quote]Invictica wrote:
Avocado wrote:
Invictica wrote:
Just FYI, I pulled BW on the snatch my first time lifting any weight. I lifted a quater inch pipe for about 2 weeks prior to that. Its not really that big a deal if you have a decent strength base.

yeah not a big PR by any means. But i dont see this dude going too far past it coach-free. It just seems to be a plateau area for people without a coach or whos coach might as well not be there. esp at the 88kg bw where you have a poorer power ratio in the beginning.

-chris

True enough. 1.5 is the big milestone for coached lifters it seems.

Christ, I’m 5’6 sitting at 85kg…competing season starts in like a month, gotta make it down to 77kg…comoooooooon 300 sinclair.[/quote]

I hear ya I’m on my merry way to under 88kg at 92kg now. was 96kg 2 weeks ago. Let’s goooooo regressive Ketogenic!

-chris

53

[quote]Invictica wrote:
Just FYI, I pulled BW on the snatch my first time lifting any weight. I lifted a quater inch pipe for about 2 weeks prior to that. Its not really that big a deal if you have a decent strength base. [/quote]

It’s quite possible that you’re a genetic freak. How much exactly did you squat when you first snatched your bodyweight? And what was your bodyweight when you snatched your bodyweight?

54

1x BW is respectable. It’s a far cry from competitive, but without coaching it’s not bad.

I power snatched over BW (~90kg) after only a few months working on it, and this is without putting an emphasis on the classical lifts, since I compete in strongman and not Oly.

I find it funny though, that I have a coach for my oly stuff and I don’t even compete, while here is some kid thinking he can compete without one. I wouldn’t even be doing them without a coach since I wouldn’t get nearly as much out of them, let alone trying to compete in the sport.

55

[quote]threewhitelights wrote:
1x BW is respectable. It’s a far cry from competitive, but without coaching it’s not bad.

I power snatched over BW (~90kg) after only a few months working on it, and this is without putting an emphasis on the classical lifts, since I compete in strongman and not Oly.

I find it funny though, that I have a coach for my oly stuff and I don’t even compete, while here is some kid thinking he can compete without one. I wouldn’t even be doing them without a coach since I wouldn’t get nearly as much out of them, let alone trying to compete in the sport.[/quote]

I do not know how you will be able to get your dick out of the correct here sir.

It’s like people who dont like training partners. statistically speaking you will progress faster with one or more than by yourself.

-chris

56

I haven’t read all the posts on this thread, but I would say that, while it is not impossible to teach yourself the lifts, it is very difficult without at least occasional coaching.

I do, however, think that you can make good progress, even with only occasional live coaching if you get a good training DVD.

World Class Coaching, LLC sells two videos that are pretty good, “The Snatch” and “The Clean”. If you video record your lifting and post it for experienced o-lifters, they will often give you feed back on what you need to work on.

It may not be ideal, but it is at least a workable solution to learning the o-lifts in the absence of a qualified coach.

57

[quote]TYPE2B wrote:
Can someone here please tell me exactly ALL the phases of the olympic lifts? The more comprehensive, the better.[/quote]

The number of phases? One.

“Its not: (a) Extend your legs. (b) extend your hips. (c) rise up on your toes. (d) peform a shrug. (e) drop into a squat. (f) push up and lock out the bar. Its about (a) SquueeeezzzecrankfasterBAMdowntight. One movement, and frankly way too fast to be thinking of specific component movements while you are doing it.” - Jim Hooper

58

[quote]ninearms wrote:
TYPE2B wrote:
Can someone here please tell me exactly ALL the phases of the olympic lifts? The more comprehensive, the better.

The number of phases? One.

“Its not: (a) Extend your legs. (b) extend your hips. (c) rise up on your toes. (d) peform a shrug. (e) drop into a squat. (f) push up and lock out the bar. Its about (a) SquueeeezzzecrankfasterBAMdowntight. One movement, and frankly way too fast to be thinking of specific component movements while you are doing it.” - Jim Hooper
[/quote]

Man you hit the correct so hard there the person to pull you out will be the next king of england.

-chris

59

I love that quote.

60

Best quote ever. Well apart from most of Kindergarten Cop. And some of Commando.