How to Train Like an Olympic Weight Lifter

Two-time Olympic weight lifter Wes Barnett is training in Colorado Springs, working toward making the Sydney Olympics. Here's his regimen.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Weight Gain Products
• Health Club Memberships
• Home Gyms
• Plate Weights
• Weight Belts
• Weight Benches
• Weight Lifting Gloves

1. Plan on training twice a day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and at least once a day on Tuesdays and Saturdays. "Sometimes we'll also have double sessions on Tuesdays and Saturdays," says Barnett, "but we try and take Thursdays and Sundays off."
2. Work on squat lifts and overhead lifts in the morning sessions. "This is where we try and build strength. We may lift a little heavier weight and do some military presses in the morning to build our shoulders."
3. Practice the technical exercises in the afternoons. "The second session of the day is where we try and perfect technique," Barnett says. "We may work on the actual snatch and clean and jerk lifts, but also do exercises that help us with individual elements of the lifts."
4. Do additional abdominal work in the second session. "Build a natural belt around the abdominals. We do crunches, jackknifes and hanging leg raises all to strengthen our abdominal muscles."
5. Work on the technical lifts on Tuesdays and Saturdays. "We do power snatches and power cleans on those days. These are lifts that focus on the individual power elements."

Tips & Warnings

• Power plus speed equals strength. Work on building strength, not bulk.
• Lift every weight as quickly and as explosively as possible. Try to stay strong but stay quick as well.
• Focus on your technique. It can be as important as raw strength.
• Never push too much weight. Injuries are a key part of the sport. If you are injured, you can't train. So stay within your limits.
• Don't overtrain. Be sure to take at least one day off a week. Weakness can set in if you overtrain.