Wanting to get into olympic lifting

[batonrougebrute]

Any of y'all have experience with olympic lifting?

It seems like it would be much safer to learn under a coach who can nitpick your form.

I'm fixing to move to Burlington, IA for a few months for work. The only gym that looks like it might accommodate those lifts is a crossfit gym...

Not to sure if I wan't to join a crossfit gym just to learn the olympic lifts. I've heard their group atmosphere is annoying and that they're stupid expensive.

Might have to wait till I get back home in Baton Rouge, LA. There's a guy here in town named Gayle Hatch who's supposed to be pretty damn good.

[AZBengoshi]

While it's not impossible to learn the lifts on your own, you will make much better progress under the supervision of a good coach.

I can't speak to whether it would be productive to try to learn the lifts at a CrossFit facility. I have no experience in that regard.

[Collabera]

From what I have seen, the majority of coaches in crossfit facilities are not as experienced with Olympic lifts as they would lead you to believe.

I would wait until you get home. Chances are you will be taught some things that your guy in Louisiana would disagree with and would have to spend time fixing those bad habits you developed under a crossfit coach.

I am trying not to bash on crossfit too much here considering I don't know who the coach is but I would trust my high school football coach over a crossfit coach who's certification is obtained over an 8 hour seminar and isn't even an accredited training certification.

[nexa]

Hire a coach

[batonrougebrute]

Thanks for the replies. I will indeed wait till I get back home.

[mhschiefs97]

From what I have seen, the majority of coaches in crossfit facilities are not as experienced with Olympic lifts as they would lead you to believe.

I would wait until you get home. Chances are you will be taught some things that your guy in Louisiana would disagree with and would have to spend time fixing those bad habits you developed under a crossfit coach.

I am trying not to bash on crossfit too much here considering I don't know who the coach is but I would trust my high school football coach over a crossfit coach who's certification is obtained over an 8 hour seminar and isn't even an accredited training certification.

I wouldn't say avoid feeling out a Crossfit gym. I joined one after moving out to Colorado, and I have to say, they are very very strict about proper form. They also know their stuff.

One of the coaches also finished in the top 5 for the 50-55 age group last year and almost came first in the world in the open this year.

However, the crossfit gyms back by my hometown had trainers in worse shape than above average members. You definitely want to research any gym you're thinking about signing up for. I'd look up the trainers on the website to see how they do in the open. If none of the coaches finish in the top 100 in their region, they probably don't have very good coaching.

[mhschiefs97]

From what I have seen, the majority of coaches in crossfit facilities are not as experienced with Olympic lifts as they would lead you to believe.

I would wait until you get home. Chances are you will be taught some things that your guy in Louisiana would disagree with and would have to spend time fixing those bad habits you developed under a crossfit coach.

I am trying not to bash on crossfit too much here considering I don't know who the coach is but I would trust my high school football coach over a crossfit coach who's certification is obtained over an 8 hour seminar and isn't even an accredited training certification.

I wouldn't say avoid feeling out a Crossfit gym. I joined one after moving out to Colorado, and I have to say, they are very very strict about proper form. They also know their stuff.

One of the coaches also finished in the top 5 for the 50-55 age group last year and almost came first in the world in the open this year.

However, the crossfit gyms back by my hometown had trainers in worse shape than above average members. You definitely want to research any gym you're thinking about signing up for. I'd look up the trainers on the website to see how they do in the open. If none of the coaches finish in the top 100 in their region, they probably don't have very good coaching.

As far as my own two cents about Olympic Lifting goes, though. If you are coming from a strength training or bodybuilding background, give yourself a month before you go heavy on Olympic lifts, and at least 2-3 months before you even consider going within 90% of your 1RM.

My forearms still haven't gotten flexible enough to comfortably hold the bar in a position to do a solid Jerk after two months of Crossfit, and I'm someone that would stretch religiously at the end of every workout before starting.