Oly-Lifting Cert

This past weekend I went to the CrossFit Oly-Lifting Cert in Columbia, MD with my friend Dave. Evan and Mandi Davidson of CrossFit Diesel hosted the event and it was an awesome time. Josh Everett lead the cert, assisted by Kirk Woolfolk (Director of S&C at Navy).

We covered the Snatch, the Clean, and the Jerk. For the most part we used the PVC piping to go over (and go over, and go over.......then go over) technique and positions. But, at the end of each day we threw some weight on the bar and I (squat) snatched 90lbs with ease, which was an ugly PR previously. I cleaned and jerked only 128, but it went up with way more ease than before. After 1000 reps I think it became second nature. Repetition, repetition, repetition.

Long and short of it...What did I learn? Patience. Be deliberate until the bar is in a position of generating power and then POP THAT SHIT!! :) No, but in all seriousness, "patience" is the key to a successful lift. If you "grip and rip" the bar, it flies out and we have the "swing" or the infamous "reverse curl" (on the clean). Patience allows you to keep the bar close until you can effectively jump hard (not high), shrug, and pull under.

* Rip and Grip totally acceptable with light-moderate weight in WOD's.....gotta get violent!! ;)

I obviously learned a lot more than than 'patience.' But for me, that one word changed the way I approach Olympic lifts.

PATIENCE!

Ps...that women is WAAAAAAYYYYYY too happy!! Doesn't she know she has to come back up??