Topic: Hey everyone!!

[Aussie]

G'day team.

I thought i'd  start a thread to briefly introduce myself, so i can get to know you as well as ya'll get ot know me.

I"m currently 70kg (150lb), 162 cm tall (so i'm short!!). I have a bit of a mixed bag background. Initially i spent about 3 years bodybuilding (with admitidly poor results since i didn't follow what i consider golden rules).  I then converted to powerlifting. For a while i really enjoyed it. i was able back squat 2x my body weight & bench press 1.5 & deadlift almost 3 times.

I began to get a little frustrated with powerlifting, since the name of the game is the path of least resistance. you may be able to bench press 300kg, but only moving the bar 3 cm's...which to me is bull.

i like how with oly lifting it's about taking the weight from the ground to above your head. now that's cool.

I"m going to start a thread in regards to learning the snatch...since that's what i'm generally focusing on now.

who wants to know what!!

[dabrock]

Welcome, hope you find OL as fun and challenging as you had hoped.

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Aussie,
 Welcome to the board!!

  I too am reformed powerlifter  power/bodybuilder.  It's good that you have several years under the iron, because, with OL, it's all about practice with the weights.

  How's your flexibility?  Do you perform much joint mobility work?  You mention 3 years in bodybuilding, how many years did you drop on powerlifting?  Good you had a 210 to 220 pull in the DL, however that does NOT, in my experience, transfer much to OL.  Did you squat that big squat PL wide stance?  How's your shoulder flexibilty for the snatch - OHS position?

  Do you have OL coach?  Or are you, much like me, free styling it and going to rely upon the knowledges of folks on the net?

  Good luck and welcome.

All the best,
 Arden

[Aussie]

Aussie,
 Welcome to the board!!

  I too am reformed powerlifter  power/bodybuilder.  It's good that you have several years under the iron, because, with OL, it's all about practice with the weights.

  How's your flexibility?  Do you perform much joint mobility work?  You mention 3 years in bodybuilding, how many years did you drop on powerlifting?  Good you had a 210 to 220 pull in the DL, however that does NOT, in my experience, transfer much to OL.  Did you squat that big squat PL wide stance?  How's your shoulder flexibilty for the snatch - OHS position?

  Do you have OL coach?  Or are you, much like me, free styling it and going to rely upon the knowledges of folks on the net?

  Good luck and welcome.

All the best,
 Arden

wow! Now there's a lot of questions.

I"m not sure how to give a measurable term for my flexability. It can't be too bad, since i'm able to do a 50kg overhead squat for 1 rep. I"m working on becoming more flexible of course...after all that's the name of the game!!

I spent three years training the bodybuilding type of way (8-12 reps), unfortunately I didn't push myself that hard, or even organize my training right. I know now, that if you can do 3 sets of 5 reps of 60kg, for example...next session add 2.5kg...so you do 62.5, 3 sets of 5 reps. Had i had known, accepted, actually did it & recorded my lifts...i would've been a lot more succesful. I flirted with powerlifting for a year. It was a serious crush with the sport.  It was then that i got serious about training, progressive overload & dialing in on my diet.

and now i've decided to hold onto oly lifting. I became frustrated with powerlifting since it's about the most amount of weight in the smallest ROM, which leaves plenty of room for ****.

I"m putting a lot of focus now on the technical side of the snatch, re overhead squats, squat balance, muscle snatch...lifts like that.  As well as building my high bar squat. I now understand the importance of a high bar squat, since the bar is...or should be..on the same line as when doing a snatch (and jerk) if that makes any sense ?

I"m joining the local weightlifting club in a few weeks. There looking for a new head coach. When they have a new one, i'll jump straight in. In the mean time i'll train at my regular gym

[Mike Frost]

Whats up Aussie! I too have the same story as yourself, only I had success in powerlifting and am far bigger then you, but none the less we can relate! I too was frustrated watching guys with 500 pound guts benching with an armoured suit using a 3 inch ROM LOL!!! I found it to be very much a 1 dimensional sport.

I found the hardest adjustment was to quit benching, but in hindsight its so easy now I despise the benchpress and would never touch it again.

I found in relation to the snatch, just using the bar helped me alot with gaining balance and confidence... maybe give that a go.

PS: I am Canadian but use Australian weightlifting programs to help me. take care my man

[Aussie]

Hey Mike.

 I'm hearing you about bench pressing.  To me, it's no loss that I didn't go far in powerlifting. While I got to bench press 90 for a single rep, at the weight of 68-69kg...it wasn't enough. I still get guys asking me 'how much do i bench'. When i tell them i don't know, because i don't actually bench press...they usually look at me as if i'm holding out on them & not wanting to join in on their game.

i've been working on the various postions of the snatch using the empty (18kg) bar which has helped a lot. I'm still suspicious of my technique...when i start training with other weightlifters i'll be able to get some direct feedback!

Australia & Canada are farily similar.

[dabrock]

Just ask them what they bench and when they tell you say, "Cool I, I can clean that." and walk away. 

[Aussie]

Just ask them what they bench and when they tell you say, "Cool I, I can clean that." and walk away. 

i think the best moment then would be the blank look on their face as they ask 'clean' ? haha