PLing/OLing - Can You Train Both?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

Hey, after watching the Olypic flyweight women, I have been inspired to start training the olympic lifts. however, I still want to train and progress as a powerlifter. How concivable would it be to become a better powerlifter and olympic lifter at the same time? I’m not looking to gain weight, just to get stronger in all areas.

I was thinking maybe a 5 day workout, three for powerlifting and 2 or the o-lifts.

Powerlifting M/Th/Sat- focus on chest, squat and dead, with one day for each. Tu/Fri could be the olympic lifts with clean and press, sntaches, high pulls, ect.

Do you think I should pick one and focus on it, or is it concivable to be train and become pretty good at both of them at the same time?

Thanks guys

2

I don’t reccommend training heavy compound lifts 5 days in a row.

I think it would be better to have one focus at a time and excel at that for 3 months then switch it up.

The strength gained in each area will add to the other.

A powerful clean/snatch/front squat will help your squat/dead and overhead pressing will help bench press strength albeit not a ton.

3

oly lift in the morning 2-3 times a week. basic 3 way powerlifting split at night.

DL training should stay close to 1rm and done infrequently. You don’t need speed pulls because you’re doing oly lifting. so tradition ME work with a little bit of assistance will work out best for you.

If I could train 2x a day I would do:

monday morning:
snatch
assistance

evening:
backsquat
leg press
glute hams

wednesday:
Bench+bench assistance

thurs:
morning- clean/assistance

night-DL assistance

training like this requires a lot of food and sleep, and everything you can think of to help with recovery.

I personally just snatched to warm up for squats, and cleans to add pulling volume to my DL days.

I’m no expert though

4

Well… I train for OlyLifting only but “I THINK” you might be able to train both. I say this because each time I teast my conventional DL (like once in a blue moon) its been higher. Plus there are a few elite PL who train thier squat by doing Olympic ATG back squats.

Now a couple things I want to point out:

1- Without coaching getting good at OlyLifting will be difficult, so I HIGHLY recommend you find some Oly Gyms/Coaches near you. Seeing a coach at least once a week will help you out more than any vids or books you might buy.

2- Bench pressing… UNLESS you have really good upper back flexibility go ahead. IF you don’t (like me when I started) don’t bench press every week. To test this hold a broom stick with a clean grip and do an ATG overhead squat. (your arms need to be BEHIND your ears, when the weight is overhead) If you come up on your toes, or you shift the bar infront of your head, or u just can’t do it. You should not bench too often as it makes u even tighter. Pushups however, you can and should do!

OK back to training. Here are a few guidelines to follow.

-Its Ok to train 4times a week, even 5 times, AS LONG AS U don’t max out every week. I recommend 4.
-You should spend 3 days training Olylifts, and the same days u Olift u should Squat (either front, back, overhead).
-the 4th day u coul either do conventional pulls or bench press.
—If you are maxing out u should train 3 times that week.

A note on OlyLifting.
-to get at it simply doin the Snatch & Clean & Jerk won’t be enogh. As a matter of fact you don’t d the full lifts very often. You do A LOT of bar work.
–Barwork means: Drop Snatches, Snatch/Clean Pulls, Snatch/Clean pull with 2 second pause @ knees, Power snatch/clean. Jerk supports, shoulder press, front squat + split jerk, Jerk Balance. Romanian Deadlift with clean/snatch grip, RDL to knee… To name the few that I know.

This is what your Olifts training days will look like.
Type I
1-Snatch/Clean or Variation (oh BTW Variation means Hang Clean/Snatch, Power Snatch/Clean, bellow the knee Sneatch/Clean)
2-Barwork
3-Squat
4-light barwork
5-abs+strech.

Type II

  1. Barwork
  2. Barwork
  3. Squat
  4. Abs+Strech

you base your workouts on what your needs are.

5

Thank you guys! I have never been trained, but I worked it tonight and think I did ok for my first time. I weigh about 170lbs, and I was able to hit a 165 lb snatch and a 210lb clean and jerk. I’ll look into finding a coach around my area. It was quite a worour and a big change from my usual powerlifting workout.

6

are you talking about using conjugate methods for movements such as squatting and dling as well as focus on OLY movements and their variations?

I think given a solid movement choice and careful amounts of volume it is distinctly possible. Here: I think they are pretty bomber!

M/W/F
Snatch
ME Squat
DE DL
Pulling Movement

Clean & Jerk
ME DL
DE Bench
Hamstring Movement

Clean Variation
ME Bench
DE Squat
Snatch Variation

M/T/H/F
Snatch Variation
ME Squat
Hamstring Focus Movement
DE Bench Press

Snatch
ME Bench Press
DE DL
Quad Focus Movement

Clean Variation
ME DL
Vertical Pulling
Tricep or Horizontal Pushing Movement

Clean and Jerk
DE Squat
OH Pushing Movement
Horizontal Pulling Movement

7

Give Oly lifts a priority and do powerlifts as assistance work.
Stay strong!

8

achilles!

9

you can train both, but be careful because the nature of heavy benching can cause the shopulders to become tight and inflexible. i use oly lifts to help with powerlifting, but must go easy on the snatch because of tight shoulders and chest muscles.

also, olympic lifting tends to bring squats over the toes and further, which can hurt form on powerlifting squats,…but they can be done together.