Understanding the Force Velocity Curve and Olympic Lifts

Force Velocity Curve Overview

  • The force velocity curve is crucial for understanding strength training for athletes.
  • Regions of the curve involve different exercises emphasizing strength or speed.

Maximal Strength Section

  • Location: Upper left portion of the curve.
  • Activities: Best developed through exercises such as:
    • Back squat
    • Deadlift
    • Bench press
    • Overhead press
  • Purpose: Building maximal strength.

Maximal Velocity Section

  • Location: Far right of the curve.
  • Activities: Achieved through:
    • Sprinting
    • Lifting weights quickly.
  • Purpose: Develop maximal speed.

Peak Power Output

  • Peak Power: Found in the middle of the curve (30-80% one repetition maximum).
  • Activities: Olympic lifts improve power output when executed with proper technique.
    • Includes clean and jerk, and snatch.

Other Areas of the Curve

  • Strength Speed:
    • Achieved by lifting heavy weights as fast as possible.
    • Example: Pure strength speed movements.
  • Speed Strength:
    • Exercises with a velocity bias such as plyometrics.
  • Goal: To shift the entire force velocity curve up and to the right, improving outputs across various scenarios in sports.

Importance of Power Output in Sports

  • High Power Outputs: Olympic lifts like the snatch and clean produce high power outputs.
  • Study Reference: Garhammer's study compared the power outputs of Olympic lifts to traditional strength exercises.
    • Peak power output of the second pull phase of the lifts can reach 5500 watts, which is about five times the power of a squat.

Teaching the Olympic Lifts: Snatch and Clean Overview

  • Snatch: Uses a wide grip, moving the bar from floor to overhead in one motion.
  • Clean: Bar moves from floor to shoulders using a somewhat narrow grip, followed by the jerk.
  • Differences:
    • Grip width affects bar path and muscle engagement, particularly in the upper back and grip strength.
    • Choice between clean and snatch may depend on athlete's sport specification or shoulder capability.

Snatch and Clean Technique Breakdown

  1. Pulling Technique:
    • Defined as everything from floor to hip.
    • Most crucial for deriving high power outputs.
  2. Phases of Pulling Technique:
    • Start Phase: Before lifting begins.
      • Hips higher than knees, shoulders higher than hips.
    • First Pull Phase: From floor to just below knees.
      • Slow, maintaining position.
    • Transition Phase (Scoop): Below knee to power position.
      • Knees move forward, shoulders over the bar.
    • Second Pull Phase: Extension and upward movement of the bar.
      • Maximize extension of ankles, knees, and hips.

Important Techniques to Memorize

  • Double Knee Bend:
    • Involves re-bending of knees; crucial for sports like running and jumping due to the stretch shortening cycle.
  • Triple Extension:
    • Involves full extension of ankle, knee, and hip during the second pull; critical for generating high power outputs.

Bar Path and Proper Technique

  • The bar’s movement takes an S shape rather than moving straight up to aid in effective lifting.
  • Monitoring bar path helps assess technique and coach effectively.

Balance During Olympic Lifts

  • Balance Importance: Weight should remain balanced on the foot during lifts.
  • Foot Pressure Changes:
    • Changes throughout the lift stages, transitioning from the ball of the foot to mid-foot, and finally, the outside foot for leverage during the second pull.
Balance Error Identifications
  • Actions that raise toes or heels prematurely indicate a lack of balance and proper technique.

Training Pathway for Olympic Lifts

  • Pulling Variations: Can substitute full Olympic lifts for athletes with flexibility issues, still providing benefits in power output and rate of force development.
  • Decision Making in Exercise Selection:
    • Header movements for athletes in need of lower risk loads.
    • Overload Variations: Used in conjunction with full lifts to maximize strength and power outputs without risking injuries that can come from excessive lifting.

Conclusion and Safety in Olympic Lifting

  • Olympic lifts, when taught correctly, have proven safe and effective, yielding high carryover to sports performance.
  • Common errors include:
    • Bar moving away from the body.
    • Improper shrugging or pulling with arms instead of utilizing legs.

Addressing Safety Concerns

  • Olympic lifting movements possess a high safety profile when coached properly and using bumper plates.
  • Most injuries are minor and related to overuse rather than acute injuries from the lifts themselves.

Recommended Practices for Teaching Olympic Lifts

  • Teaching Methods:
    • Ground-up approach: Start from the floor and correct as needed.
    • Top-down approach: Teach from top positions down to ensure fundamentals are mastered before adding complexity.
    • Partial movements: Break down the complexity for easier instruction.

Summary of Key Benefits from Olympic Lifts

  • Power Production Increase: Boosts athletic performance due to the unique velocities and force produced during lifts.
  • Increase in Rate of Force Development: Olympic lifts typically result in a higher rate of force compared to jumps, providing significant benefits in explosive sports.
  • Body Awareness: Improvement in kinesthetic awareness and adaptability, benefiting various sports where spatial positioning is crucial.

Upcoming Lab Sessions

  • Students will learn snatch techniques and variations in upcoming lab sessions, with emphasis placed on proper execution and corrective techniques.