How does your body adapt for Olympic weightlifting?

[Kregna]

There's some discussion about the role strength plays in weightlifting. I think there's a consensus that being stronger definitely helps.

However, why is it that having high strength numbers does not necessarily mean having high WL numbers? The movements have to be learned, but surely once you have the basic technique, you should be able to apply that strength very easily.

I suspect what limits a WL's ability to use their strength is not technique, but something else... the ability to explode? Practical Programming had a very good section on 'The Physiology of Adaptation', which covers what actually happens to your body as you train. However, if I recall correctly, this was from a strength and CV perspective. Unless I missed it, there wasn't as much detail on developing power (although I have it in my head that it's the ability to recruit motor units (or something like that) more quickly?)

• So what is it that gets better as you train the Oly lifts (physiologically)?
• What is stopping you from performing snatches and C&Js at reasonably proportionate levels to your strength when you start lifting?
• Why can advanced female WLers jerk more than men who can press and squat more than them? (a point Mbasic brought to my attention)

[Allentown]

Based on my extensive research, Oly lifting makes your shirts disappear. That's all I got.

[cwd]

Isn't it "explosiveness" i.e. the speed at which you can go from relaxed to full muscle contraction?

I know that's the ingredient I lack. I have good power-clean technique, but my PC 1RM is usually about 45% of my deadlift 5RM. I'm just slow.

That's Rip's dogma about oly lifting, right?
Explosiveness can't be improved very much, and the sport is about 5% technique/skill, 50% genetics (segment lengths, explosiveness), and 45% strength.
The recipe for a winning team then is to sort the gifted ones out of a large starting pool, and then spend most of your training time on strength, as that's the only thing you can significantly improve.

I'm not prepared to defend his position, I'm just restating it. I have no expertise here.

[damufunman]

Based on my extensive research, Oly lifting makes your shirts disappear. That's all I got.

Fact. I rarely go shirtless unless at home. Have videos of me C&Jing shirtless. It's terrible.

Kreg, power is a function of rate of force development, which I think is neuromuscular efficiency, or recruitment of lots of muscle fibers quickly. This is generally not trainable (or to what extent it is, it is small).

[jake]

I suspect what limits a WL's ability to use their strength is not technique, but something else... the ability to explode?

I think technique plays a bigger role than you are representing beyond 'basic skill,' and that speed (not necessarily power, though these are likely related) IS trainable, to a larger extent at least than 'power.' For example, pulling under the bar has a speed component, and this can be trained to some extent. My snatch turnover was absolute garbage, but I focused on pulling under the bar (high hangs, hip snatches, etc) and my speed into the receiving position improved markedly, though it's still garbage. I could pull the bar pretty high but couldn't get under it quickly enough.

The lifts are highly skill dependent, and the better your technique the better you'll be able to use your strength in the lifts.

[mbasic]

Based on my extensive research, Oly lifting makes your shirts disappear. That's all I got.

Lol

[DirtyRed]

That's Rip's dogma about oly lifting, right?
Explosiveness can't be improved very much, and the sport is about 5% technique/skill, 50% genetics (segment lengths, explosiveness), and 45% strength.

He always GREATLY underrated the loads and loads of sterons the best Olympic lifters were and are taking.

Sure, American lifters all suck ass because they don't Low Bar Squat. It has nothing to do with them having about the tenth the testosterone in their system the average Chinese female lifter has.