So you're interested in weightlifting but not sure where to start? Olympic Weightlifter and 2008 Olympian Francis Luna Grenier has stopped by the blog to share his tips to getting started in weightlifting.
Francis: "Careful with technique - Technique is crucial in
weightlifting. Poor technique will not only make you lift less than what your
potential could allow you to, but there's a great chance you'll get injured
over time. The longer you wait to change your motor pattern the harder it'll be
to change it. Follow your coach's advice, he/she knows.
Work in different range of intensity - It's always
satisfying to hit a PR but everyday cannot always be a PR day. When people get
into Olympic weightlifting they improve drastically from week to week and they
want to keep getting that satisfying feeling. People keep pushing trying to hit
those 1 RM but sooner or later they hit a "plateau". Don't wait until
you hit that wall. Vary the intensity of the load your working with from 60% to
90% of your 1 RM and once every 4-6 weeks you can allow yourself to challenge a
PR.
Get out of your comfort zone - We all have those movements
we hate doing because they are particularly tough on our body. They are hard
because they involve skills we don't have yet. Mastering those movements you're
less comfortable with will allow you to make substantial gains and therefore
improve your lifts dramatically.
Stretch - Make sure you stretch post workout. It doesn't
need to be long, about 7 to 10 minutes every time. Olympic weightlifting is
about intense muscle contractions and you don't want to leave the gym tight
and sore; it will affect your motor pattern learning process. Loosen up before
packing up!
Olympic style weightlifting club's are hard to find, my
suggestion for you is to get into weightlifting through a Crossfit affiliate. Happy training!!"
