Performance Based Nutrition

So... I know last week I said I was going to cover training tips. However, I received a few emails requesting nutrition as the next topic. I am here to educate the readers, so nutrition it is!

LOOKS VS. LIFTS!

Unlike bodybuilders or physique competitors, aesthetics aren't the objective for weightlifters, Thus, the correct diet needs to promote recovery and provide the right foundation for the explosive power required to perform lifts to their maximum potential.

The importance of diet in sport has been recognized for many years, but there has been significant research into nutritional importance in resistance training since the turn of the millennium.
In 2003 Jeff S. Volek, a professor at the University of Connecticut, stated in the journal for Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise that diet can ‘optimize adaptations to resistance training’ by providing key energy substrates at precise times and by altering the hormonal environment to favor anabolism (muscle synthesis/growth). In short, if you eat the right things, your body will work better. So how does this so called "diet" work?

PROTEIN POWER!

It has been a widely-held belief for some time that protein intake is essential for an athlete, but particularly in resistance training-based sports. A study published in a journal for the National Institute of Health suggests, "Significant increases in 1RM bench press and leg press were observed in all groups after 10 weeks. In this study, the combination of whey and casein protein promoted the greatest increases in fat-free mass after 10 weeks of heavy resistance training." So what is the amount you should be ingesting for optimal performance? According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a range of 1.5 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight a day is optimal.

  
Many athletes try to include a protein source with each meal – whether derived from pulses, whole grains, soy, beef, chicken, eggs, dairy or seafood. Any snacks in between meals should be rich in protein, which helps to repair muscle cells when broken down into amino acids. Whole grains and pulses, as well as green and some starchy vegetables such as sweet potato, are also excellent sources of complex carbohydrates, which will delay the onset of muscle fatigue – an essential step to prevent the body from burning useful sources of fuel, such as protein.

JUST AS YOUR LIFTS, TIMING IS EVERYTHING!

Interestingly, there is also evidence that consuming the right foods at different points of the day has an impact on training productivity. In a article released by the Journal of Nutrition, studies found "protein ingestion before sleep represents an effective dietary strategy to augment muscle mass and strength gains during resistance exercise training in young men." So consuming protein before bed will aid your recovery overnight.

Consuming the right nutrients after a training session, though, is even more important according to a study released by Exercise Metabolism Research Group. McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, state that it is advantageous for athletes to consume fluid, carbohydrates and protein in the “post-exercise period… when re-hydration, refueling and repair of damaged tissues should occur.” Most of the day’s carbohydrates should be taken post-workout to aid in nutrient uptake and proper recovery. However, despite being the body’s main energy source, weightlifting does not require as many carbohydrates as endurance training. Energy is essential for weightlifting, and failing to consume sufficient calories will jeopardize any training sessions.

KNOW THE FATS!

Unsaturated rather than saturated fats should be consumed whenever possible. In a report by Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, athletes should consume between 20 and 35 per cent of total calorie intake from fats. Cooking with olive oil, rather than vegetable oils, is recommended by some weightlifting coaches as a source of good fats, as is avocado, fish oils and dark chocolate, to name a few other examples.

WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE?

While protein/fat ratios or recommendations of which type of protein are a specified science unique to each individual, you must never underestimate water. Always ensure proper hydration! You need to drink enough to replace any fluids you lose, so you don't become dehydrated. As an athlete with a large amount of muscle mass, you should drink roughly two-thirds of your body weight in ounces each day, according to PBS.

RULES CAN BE BROKEN

These are guidelines and not hard facts. Remember, every human body is different and there are no strict or unbreakable rules when it comes to YOUR diet! Many weightlifters will indulge in cheat meals every now and then – even those that are at the elite level. As long as you are feeling great and performing to your best abilities, feel free to experiment with these guidelines.

Found this weeks article helpful? How will you implement the nutritional guidelines? Want to learn something specific next week? Leave me a comment or email me directly for more info!

Until next week...
Lift it overhead, slam it to the ground and repeat! Practice leads to progression... progression to Gold!

Do you even hook grip?!?

Now its been a few weeks since I introduced the blog, gave insight into the lifts, and laid out how to go about finding programs to adhere to. Over the next few weeks, I am going to cover more detail on the lifts and how to actually execute specific aspects of each. Today I am going to expand on a very important aspect incorporated in both lifts and that is the hook grip! Almost any athlete that goes to the gym can utilize the info I am going to cover in this article! So let's read on!

The hook grip is when an athlete secures the barbell with a hook like configuration using the thumb and fingers. To utilize the hook grip, you need to grip the barbell and place either one, two or three fingers around your thumb. Most people will prefer two fingers placed over the thumb, with the thumb protruding slightly between the middle finger and ring finger. This grip is great for many lifts (cleans, dead-lift, snatch, rows, etc) as the weight placed on the bar is what secures the grip into place... not the muscles of the wrist and forearms. When you first begin, I promise IT IS GOING TO HURT! The pressure is all on your thumbs... the more weight you are pulling/lifting, the more the pressure and pain rises. So you will want to start lighter than usual and progress from week to week, gradually increasing to maximal weight as you are able to bear the pain. Get into the practice of using it now, and it will just be an extra advantage you will learn here.

 

So why do we really need this? You are already dead-lifting 500lbs right?! Well you are most likely using a mixed grip (one hand over the bar with palm facing toward you, one hand under the bar with palm facing away). That is not a feasible grip when Olympic lifting. The hook grip is important because it helps keep the bar from sliding into the fingertips during the second pull (explosion phase). The thumb helps keep the bar locked in place, thus keeping the bar close to your body during the acceleration that is generated during this phase. It is also important because as you transition from the first pull at shin height to your shoulders or overhead after the third pull/turn over, you arms are not tangled or twisting due to unequal force that could throw off the entire lift. You need a double overhand grip to complete the turn over and get under the bar! So the hook grip solves two problems in one easy set up!

Now when to use and when to go full grip.

The hook grip is typically utilized for lifts below the shoulders. During the clean, the hook grip is most commonly transitioned to a full hand (sometimes just the fingers if flexibility is an issue) when receiving the bar in the front rack. I would never suggest implementing the jerk with a hook grip because, 1. It restricts the movement of the barbell while traveling overhead  2. You are losing power throughout your arms when forcing the bar overhead due to the placement of the hand/fingers. During the snatch, you have the ability keep the hook grip throughout the lift, or you can release the hook grip when completing the turnover just as you are lifting the bar over head. The athlete has to choose which feels more comfortable for themselves. However, don't believe the hype that either way is right or wrong.

Many people attempt to hook grip the barbell but stop shortly after due to feeling as if the hook grip is slipping out. There is a solution to this problem. Tape your thumb like so:

The tape will ensure additional grip for your fingers to hold onto. This is especially helpful if you have smaller hands. Make sure to use tape that is flexible and be sure to only use a minimal amount. You can use athletic tape as I do, or you can go with a more advance and specific tape such as GOAT tape. Also, do not wrap the tape extremely tight as this will cut off circulation and could cause permanent issues to nerves as well as causes excess pain. (not cool bro!)

To get a better idea on how to Hook grip. check out this great Youtube tutorial using a small hand demo. This will help get the idea of the hook grip as well as service anyone who is struggling with the hook grip due to hand size. And if you are someone who struggles with the feeling of slipping barbell or just want to use tape, Check out the video on taping your thumbs for lifts. The only caveat to all the tape is check with the association you potentially could compete with to see rules/regulations on taping. Some federations want to see the thumb tip or knuckle.

Comment below if this helps you in any way! Do you use this for powerlifting, bodybuilding or crossfit? Having an issue I didn't discuss with the Hook grip? Leave me a message and I will reply with any advice I can!

Until next week...
Lift it overhead, slam it to the ground and repeat! Practice leads to progression... progression to Gold!

What's all the hype with completing a warm up?

If you are new to Olympic weightlifting (or just working out/training/lifting) then you probably have not clue if you should or shouldn't complete a warm up or which kind if you so choose to complete a warm up. If you rummage through the internet you will find in general three mind sets when it comes to warm ups.

First belief - Mark Rippetoe: Strength and condition specialist and author of Starting Strength states. "No jumping around in the floor, no 100 air squats, no goofy walking, no stretching other than assuming the bottom position a couple of times. Just get warm under the bar, add weight, and squat." He continues, "There is no evidence, in either The Literature or in the objectively evaluated experience of coaches or lifters, that 30 minutes of stretching before a barbell workout is anything other than a detrimental waste of time." In his mind, you would be warm once you put on your pants and get to the gym. No need for stretching or a traditional warm up as it takes away from power output.

Second belief - Mayo Clinic/Most professionals: A warm-up gradually revs up your cardiovascular system by raising your body temperature and increasing blood flow to your muscles. Warming up may also help reduce muscle soreness and lessen your risk of injury. This brief, but specified warm up is built in to the workout to prepare for lifting, bending and repeat use of the muscles and mechanics of the body to prevent injury and increase performance.

Last belief - Crossfit/Olympic Weightlifting: The belief behind these warm ups is to get your body moving/temperature raised, heart rate up, stretch to create "mobility" or flexibility and prepare for a rigorous workout. Typically you will see these athletes utilizing a lacrosse ball or foam rollers to self massage/release myofascial tissue (muscle connective tissue). According to Performbetter.com, athletes "use the roller to apply pressure to sensitive areas in their muscles-sometimes called trigger points, knots, or areas of increased muscle density." Also, the site states, "One would usually use a foam roller to apply longer more sweeping strokes to the long muscle groups like the calves, adductors, and quadriceps, and small directed force to areas like the TFL, hip rotators, and glute medius." The idea according to aaptive magazine is that by foam rolling, you can increase blood flow to the tissues and improve mobility, which aids in recovery and performance. It helps to reduce tightness in muscles so that they can move through a range of motion with ease.

So which should you believe and practice?

You probably think because I am blogging about Olympic lifting and I was so extensive on that one, it is my belief. Well, truthfully I like to incorporate all three to some degree. In my opinion, each have their perspective pros and cons... thus incorporating all of them. But I am not here to discuss all that. What I am going to go over is what I personally do as a certified personal trainer and person with a degree in Health and Human Performance. 

As a general, rule a warm up is just that... getting the body temp up and blood flowing. So the very first thing I do (and some will contest/disagree with part or all of this) is complete 2-3 minutes of exercise for one of the following:
          Brisk walk/slow jog
          Light rowing
          Jumping jacks
          Jump rope
          Elliptical
Once I complete the 2-3 minute exercise I will begin with a dynamic warm up (actively moving through the positions/stretches) of leg swings, arm swings, arm circles, trunk rotations, knee/ankle rotations and hip extension/flexion/rotation.

Next, I go into a very brief static stretch (5 second hold) for each muscle group beginning at the ankles and moving upward all the way to my neck. If I feel extra tightness in my ankles, wrists, triceps, hips or shoulders I will hold up to 15 seconds, but no longer. I am not going to be able to extend my mobility or create a greater range of flexion with these holds. That will take weeks or months to improve. However, I do want to work on getting into position, create a mind muscle connection and decrease the pain reception prior to working out.

After completing these dynamic stretches followed by static stretches, I will then move on to the PVC previously recommended in the blog titled "Equipment recommended?!?" or a barbell. At this point I complete 5 reps of each: hang snatch high pulls, Snatch Grip behind neck OH press, Good morning squats, "shitty squats", Snatch Grip OH Squat, clean grip shrugs, clean shrug to front rack, front squat, split jerk, power jerk and then finally close grip (as close as you can perform comfortably) OH squat.

After completing all of this (I know... time consuming, but very integral) I begin actual lifts with clean pulls, snatch pulls, drop snatch, hang snatch, hang cleans or full cleans (depends on prescribed exercises) with the barbell moving up in weight every three good lifts until I reach working weight (weight prescribed in plans for that day). And -NOW- you are ready for the true workout!

To get a good idea of what a traditional warm up looks like, take a look at this warm up for Olympic Weightlifting video. Or if I get enough comments or inquiry, I will put a video together and post it for you to see first hand my exact warm up.

I hope this helps get you physically and mentally ready to lift as well as prevent injuries. If you have questions such as what exercises to incorporate into the dynamic stretches, what static stretches to implement, weight to use etc., please leave a comment and I will address it ASAP!

Until next week... lift it overhead, slam it to the ground and repeat! Practice leads to progression... progression to Gold!

To buy or not to buy... these are the accessories!

The natural progression of this blog is to get into accessories you COULD use for Olympic weightlifting. Do you need these to lift? Hell no! Would you benefit from utilizing these? F*@k YES!

The first and foremost item I would highly recommend are weightlifting shoes also called lifters. I prefer Adidas, but as long as you get a heel that is 15 mm (0.6 inches), you should be good to go. The purpose behind getting a lifting shoe you may ask. "Weightlifting shoes have a lifted heel, which will increase the ankle's range of motion, or the ability to stretch the Achilles," says Lisa Reed, C.S.C.S., owner of Lisa Reed Fitness. So if you have a hard time sitting all the way down into a squat, they could help you achieve greater depth. "They also allow for hip flexion and extension in all of the Olympic movements," adds Reed, meaning they help you move through the full range of motion required for powerful lifts like squats, cleans and snatches. I would suggest getting some shoes from either Roguefitness as they have a pretty good array, or going with Amazon. If you want to splurge, look badass, and/or feel legit; I would then recommend getting a custom pair put together by BStreetShoes. The craftsmanship this guy produces is unparalleled! Below are a couple of pictures to give you a glimpse of what this man is capable of.

The next extremely recommended item is chalk as it provides a more natural boost to grip without constricting the wrist (as opposed to lifting straps) and allowing the muscles in the forearm more complete extension and flexibility. Chalk also helps ensure that your hands don’t get sweaty, which will compromise your grip and decrease your workout’s effectiveness. Now the type of chalk you choose is up to you. you can go old school and get a block, go with a chalk ball, or go progressive and get liquid chalk. Each has it's own pro's and con's, but ultimately you should be using a form of it every time you lift the barbell.

Going into things that are useful, but not mandatory or extremely encouraged would be wrist wraps. Instead of your wrists being bent wrong, fatiguing, or straining; wearing wrist wraps will actually help to keep your wrists stabilized, tight, and secure so that you can lift and target the muscles you want to focus on instead of your wrists taking all the strain. Perfect application is in the overhead squat. You will be pinning your arms overhead for up to a minute or two and need a lot of support for all that potential strain. I absolutely love my HookGrip wraps. You can go with the simple yet more secure wraps such as rogue, bear, or schiek found at Roguefitness or go with more of a traditional Olympic version with the tie closure seen on the hookgrip version. Its suggested to give the lifts a try without the wraps and build your tolerance, but utilizing them for heavier lifts. Myself... I have weak wrists therefore I use them quite frequently while performing snatch, cleans and and pressing movements. The key is to not become dependent on them.

On the topic of wrist wraps (seen above) is an item that frequently gets confused with wrist straps (see below). Wraps obviously wrap your wrist and assist with stability of the wrist joint. Wrist straps help grip the bar tighter, and complete lifts at loads unable to complete with a hook grip. I am not creating a whole category for straps because some lifters utilize their wraps to help with this demand. However, it wouldn't necessarily be a complete list without at least including the straps. I have a couple different variations of straps myself from my power lifting days. When pulling massive weight, you sometimes lose your grip, so you add straps to lock yourself into the barbell. On days I have snatch grip deadlifts or a clean pull variation at maximal weight, I will complete as many reps/sets as I can before strapping in. Again, not a huge issue to not have these and you really do want to build your grip strength and utilize your hook grip as much as possible. So not a big need, but can be useful at times.

Moving on... the next big item you may see in the gym, online or in advertisements would be knee sleeves or wraps. I personally only use these for squats and maxing cleans. However, some people have more stability in the knee joint, while others aren't as fortunate. If you have discomfort in squats, cleans, lunges or knee tracking is off when reviewing your lifts, maybe try sleeves or wraps. I have a few different sets and honestly don't have a preference or recommendation here. I would get a cheaper pair to begin with and see if they work. If you like them, you can go with a thinner, thicker, more aesthetically pleasing etc pair. I have these (below pic) just because they look nice and match a lot of my gear since the reverse/inner stitching is black and red.

The last recommended item would be a few resistance bands. These will help get you through a dynamic warm up, stretch, or do a few exercises/accessory moves to build speed, strength or technique. These bands by Oleksiy Torokhtiy are great for dynamic warm ups and overall training. Another option would be a few closed loop type of bands to help with other training assistance such as 5lb, 10lb and 15lb set. Using these can help open up shoulders, build strength in the over head position, add resistance with lifts etc. If possible, buy both the Oleksiy band and a few close loop bands. This will really give you a great variety to complete progressions of training. 

  

There you go... figure out what you may or may not want or need and go get it! Not a single one of these are mandatory, but if you were to buy only one, get the damn shoes! This will improve your lifting technique and output more than any other item I or anyone else could recommend.  

Have questions how to use any of it? Need to know a brand or an exact series I use or recommend? Leave me a comment and let me know. I may just write about it next week if it is a damn good question or recommendation! 

Until next week... lift it overhead, slam it to the ground and repeat! Practice leads to progression... progression to Gold!