A contrast in styles

gtbmed · 07-28-2009, 03:54 PM

I've recently thought about training for some Oly lifting competitions. Right now my goals are mainly for strength in the big 3, but eventually I'd like to use the strength and power I develop for cleans, jerks, and snatches.

I've been doing some reading recently on how some of the top Oly lifters in the world train, and it seems there's a big debate between 2 ideas of how training should be organized. I admit, there are much more than 2 different ways to train, but the underlying philosophy behind these methods seems to come from 2 separate ideas.

On one hand, you have a group of coaches/lifters who think that specificity and repetition is the key to success. They prefer a small variety of exercise selection, a lot of repetition (high volume and frequency), and a lot of training intensity. On the other hand, there is a group which prefers to break lifts apart and work on small portions of each lift. They prefer a large variety of exercise selection and less repetition.

So which do you think is a better way to train?

**P-funk** · 07-28-2009, 09:03 PM

There are benefits to both concepts and different countries use both ideas - Russians tend to have more variability in lifting (GPP) and the specialize as it comes closer to contest time (SPP); while the bulgarians don't do anything except the competition lifts (Snatch and clean and jerk) and then front squat - they don't even do pulls.

Just depends on you and how you learn. I tend to break things up when I teach it.

patrick

07-28-2009, 03:54 PM	#1
gtbmed Greg Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Atlanta Posts: 372	A contrast in styles I've recently thought about training for some Oly lifting competitions. Right now my goals are mainly for strength in the big 3, but eventually I'd like to use the strength and power I develop for cleans, jerks, and snatches. I've been doing some reading recently on how some of the top Oly lifters in the world train, and it seems there's a big debate between 2 ideas of how training should be organized. I admit, there are much more than 2 different ways to train, but the underlying philosophy behind these methods seems to come from 2 separate ideas. On one hand, you have a group of coaches/lifters who think that specificity and repetition is the key to success. They prefer a small variety of exercise selection, a lot of repetition (high volume and frequency), and a lot of training intensity. On the other hand, there is a group which prefers to break lifts apart and work on small portions of each lift. They prefer a large variety of exercise selection and less repetition. So which do you think is a better way to train? gtbmed's strength journal

07-28-2009, 09:03 PM	#2
P-funk Patrick Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: AZ Posts: 31,701	There are benefits to both concepts and different countries use both ideas - Russians tend to have more variability in lifting (GPP) and the specialize as it comes closer to contest time (SPP); while the bulgarians don't do anything except the competition lifts (Snatch and clean and jerk) and then front squat - they don't even do pulls. Just depends on you and how you learn. I tend to break things up when I teach it. patrick E-Book: Take Charge! Everything You Need To Know To Write Your Own Training Programs Online Consulting/Program Design Reality Based Fitness Podcast Check me out on Twitter! Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter! "In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts there are few." -Buddha's Little Instruction Book

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