"yOu neEd tO olYmPic liFt aThLeTEs"

I need to start with this PSA before I start in: There's a thousand ways to skin a cat, so to each their own.

Now that's out of the way, so let's begin.

I have been lucky enough to experience an array of training styles for football players; from Westside/Conjugate based, high/low, 5/3/1, and Olympic. Take my opinion for whatever you think it's worth: Olympic lifting with football or any other sport team is a waste of time.

Olympic weightlifting is just that, an Olympic sport. People dedicate their entire lives towards these movements, and you think a freshman defensive back is going to come in, perform it correctly, and get the desired outcome (power)? Olympic lifters use deadlift and squats to build their lifts up, yet people seem to villainize those. God forbid we actually just get athletes stronger...

The double edged sword of it is; you either coach your ass off or let them grip and rip.

You coach the hell out of it. Good. Technique is impeccable. But now, you have wasted 45 minutes of a training session. Likelihood the work capacity will be there? I doubt it. Absolute strength there? Unlikely. Again, why not just do things to just get kids stronger?

Or, you let them grip and rip. Letting the boys horse some weight with a wide-stance, double reverse power curl. Shocker, you have injuries and/or little power development.

How would one carry this over into in-season lifts? I don't know about you, but when I was playing the last thing I wanted to do was catch an 80% clean on a Sunday lift post-game. Shoulders, wrists, elbows, and knees are all spots that are going to have issues in-season, especially with interior players.

This is a quick overview of my reasoning for being a certified, A1 hater on Olympic lifting. Down the road, I will go in-depth on this topic.

I want to be sure everyone knows this: I don't know everything. I am pulling from my own experience and the discussions I have had with others. You might think this take is horse-pucky. To each their own. There's a thousand ways to skin a cat. Maybe Olympic lifting is the best way for you.

But I doubt it... *wink

-Cody Hopkins