Hi Lauren!

Olympic Lifting is probably my favorite thing about CrossFit. Since the movements in Olympic lifting are so technical it may take some time to get the movements down. I've been doing CrossFit now for almost 2 years and I'm still working on my technique.

I believe that your talking about the Olympic movement The Clean. As far as videos go, California Strength have a Youtube channel where they post training videos, which is the best pre-workout in my opinion. They've also posted videos How-To videos on Olympic Lifting movements like the Clean.

Here's links to the Cal Strength videos (the videos are in different parts) :

Clean, Part 1, How To, Olympic Weightlifting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEyoH5FV03s
Clean, Part 2, How To, Olympic Weightlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AaSNARQPfE
Clean, Part 3, How To, Olympic Weightlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHuiw4GvB0g

The second part of the Olympic movement is the Jerk.
Here's some videos How-To videos if you would like to see the Jerk progression :

How to Jerk - The Cal Strength Jerk Progression, Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuBFnKvGwhg
How to Jerk, Part 2 - The Cal Strength Jerk Progression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc_JxaBWQLE


Here's some How-To videos on the other Olympic Lifting movement, the Snatch:

Snatch, Part 1, How To, Olympic Weightlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6SjuAOjMEk
Snatch, Part 2, How To, Olympic Weightlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4DlbzKziJM
Snatch, Part 3, How To, Olympic Weightlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOEVmzKUhQ0


Here's a video by Team USA on the Clean and Jerk:

Olympic Coaching Tips: Clean and Jerk in Slo Mo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc-0lFV1KWQ


I also really like the YouTube channel Barbell Shrugged. They do a lot of podcasts but they have a video segment called Technique WOD where they teach different movements. Here's their videos on The Clean progression:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEZx3PmXU4c&list=PLI9OxtiOLZQg1W4_l8Dm9eQp2vI1kYaSa


As far as your hurting hands it sounds like grip strength which will help with all your lifts. Here's an article from Tabata Times on how to develop your grip strength:

http://www.tabatatimes.com/grip-strength/


I hope these videos/articles help! Let me know if they do! Sorry I didn't really give you any advice on the Clean. I don't want to tell you wrong information/tips, but with the Clean it's important to stay back/keep your weight on your heels rather than on your toes. Drive through your heels! It's important to keep the bar close to your body. That's where you get your power. When the bar gets away from your body you lose that power. The power is in your hips! Make sure you keep the bar in contact with your hips!

Work on the hang clean first if you can't get proper form from the floor. You might try doing a quick set of KB swings or Romanian deadlifts before you do cleans to practice popping your hips forward explosively.

My personal solution for practicing cleans if I'm using too much arm is to put more weight on the bar--that way it will be impossible to finish the lift without hip drive. Not all coaches will agree but it works for me! Then when I get the form down I can always take weight off the bar again.

Grip strength: farmer walks and deadlifts.

Does your box subscribe to WODIFY? ours does. It is where you can log in your results, as a gym. The cool thing about Wodify is that it is also an app for your phone AND there is a video library of a bunch of different movements. If your box doesn't have WODIFY, see if it has a similar app so you can check out some great movements.

We use an app called SugarWod at my box for logging workouts. App also has instructional videos for movements. This app is free, but I'm sure there are others out there.

HELLO! I have been doing crossfit for about 7 weeks! I love the challange, but feel you about the grip stuff! I have super sensitive hands, and remember when I first started, it wasn't that I couldn't do the movements, but my hands hurt so bad I couldn't hang on!!! LOL

When I went in to learn the cleans and jerks and snatches, I could hardly grip my steering wheel driving home! It hurt sooo bad.

I still have issues with my grip, but will tell you, that in time, it will get better! You just have to push through the pain first!

Good Luck!

Kat

Hi, I'm in the middle of on-ramp at a new box (the first time I tried xfit was in October but my knees forced me to stop) and while I'm picking up on some things quickly, I'm just not getting others.

What is the move where you dead lift then heave up your shoulder and pop your hips and tuck your elbows under and bring the bar to your neck/chest? I just can't get it- I keep swinging the bar far out from my body trying to use my (non-existent) arm strength rather than my body. Any advice?

What websites/ videos do you recommend to teach and learn the basic moves? I'm getting a ton of 1:1 help and advice in class but I'd like to reinforce what I learn between sessions and just be able to put the names with the moves!

I tried hanging from the bar last night. I made it maybe 3 seconds before it felt like my arms were being pulled painfully and more so, my hands HURT!! I have a lot of weight to lose and soft hands so that's part of the problem but what is the best way, in the meantime, to start building up the ability to just hang so eventually I can more forward?

Plus any other advice is more than welcome! Thanks! Lauren

You are referring to a power clean. My advice would be to keep doing it and have your coaches help you focus on form. I did the EXACT same thing you describe when I started and have made a lot of technical improvements and have many more to go.

I just did a snatch workout at Crossfit OBX when I was on vacation and I think the advice he gave us for a hang snatch would help, just apply it to a hang clean.

Get the bar tucked into the power position (right at your hips) and stand up straight. Then bend your knees every so slightly. Lower the bar until it's just above your knees. This is the hang position. Then extend your hips FIRST and when the bar is back in the power straighten your knees and lean back a bit. This gives the bar a clean, straight path to travel upwards. Then you fire your elbows forward and catch it.

The part that no one had ever told me was "keep our knees bent until AFTER you straighten your hips." Great piece of advice.

Hanging from the bar is a good move as well. If you can, you want to try to tighten your shoulders a bit. So if you are just hanging fully extended, just slightly tense up your shoulders to pull yourself up an inch. This is the starting position for a pull up or any kipping move. Those are a ways off, I know, but it's good practice to build that strength slowly and steadily. Added bonus your grip strength will improve as well.

The best way to improve is do what you are doing. Hang as long as you can. Rest. Do it again. Do that every night after your workouts and try to add a second to each hang.

Good luck and keep your knees healthy!

QUESTION: Pull ups. I'm too weak and heavy in my upper body, not flexible enough in my lower body to get my feet in the bands. Suggestions on another exercise or anything that will help me. Today I did a variation of a low row using rings. Thanks

Sorry may have found answer on youtube, but still open to suggestions. On youtube the person put their knee through the loop instead of their foot. I'm going to try that next time

Another question:

We did kettle bells today and the lightest they have is 35lbs which is way way too heavy for me right now. How very gauche would it be to ask if I could donate a lighter maybe 20lb one to the gym. Using a dumbbell was so awkward and it's going to take me time to get form then stronger and I can't be the only out of shape person. Or is that rude?

I find it odd that the gym doesn't have a kettlebell lighter than 35 lbs. But I don't see any reason why you can't bring your own. Would you feel weird bringing your own jump rope? Same thing.

Were you doing kettlebell swings? It does seem a little odd that they don't have anything lighter, but most people can probably get a chest level swing with 35# once they get the form right (ie; it may be more of a form issue than a strength issue).