What suits your training style - part 2
Have you found your favourite way to work out yet? Maybe you’d like to try something new! Change is good for you – at least when it comes to training. In this two-part series, we’ve gathered everything you need to know to try out something new.
In the first part we told you about physique training and powerlifting. If you missed that one, you can find it here. Now we’re back with three more different styles of training: Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit and calisthenics.
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
What is it?
Training with the two Olympic lifts: the snatch (in which you lift the bar from the floor to over your head in one motion) and the clean & jerk (in which you first move the bar to your shoulders and then press it over your head while moving underneath the bar). In competitions you will get three attempts for each movement, with the results measured in a combined score.
What is it good for?
Of course it is intended for competitions, but also to develop strength for other sports. In essence it is jumping with weights, so it doesn’t only increase your strength, but also your speed. And the speed of strength development.
What are the limitations?
It isn’t exactly an easy sport to get into. To perform the lifts in a safe manner, you’ll need good mobility, flexibility and balance. Don’t let this discourage you though – practicing the positions is an excellent way to improve the flexibility of your knees and hips. Forget about cardio until you have more experience. Fatigue will lower the quality of the repetitions, so these lifts are only suitable for conditioning when you’ve learned what your technical limitations are.
This is how you become a pro
Learn the hook grip
Stick your thumb under your first two fingers. It hurts, but it works. Using this grip keeps the bar more stable and helps you to use more weight in the long run. Everyone who lifts, should use this. It also helps you improve your deadlift.
Start halfway
Power variations are lifts performed from a half squat or higher. You can start cleans and snatches from the knee or thigh, depending on what you want to train.
Don’t say “squat clean”
That’s a CrossFit thing. In reality every squat or clean should be caught with full squat depth – otherwise it’s an indication that you could potentially lift more.
You’re ready when …
You can perform a clean & jerk with your own bodyweight. Do you want to compete? The standards are high: to qualify you have to total 239 kilograms if you weigh 85 kilogram.
Building up strength
Most sessions will start with a snatch of snatch variation. These require more speed, so they’re best performed when you’re still fresh. You can do both lifts on the same day, but try to vary the exact exercises to reduce fatigue. Most sessions will have a heavy squat or pull, but usually not both. Extra exercises like push, row, back and abs you will perform at the end.
| Snatch pull | High hang clean | Front squat | Bent-over row |
| SETS: 5 REPS: 2 | SETS: 4 REPS: 2 | SETS: 4 REPS: 3 | SETS: 3 REPS: 8 |
| Start with the barbell on the ground and your hands spread reasonably far apart. Lift the barbell and press from your hips while you pull the bar up. Go back to the starting position and repeat. | Keep the barbell in your hands with a shoulder wide grip. Bend your knees a little, perform a small jump and bring the barbell explosively to your shoulders. | Unrack the barbell and let it rest on the front of your shoulders while supporting the bar with your fingers. Descend into a squat with the weight on your heels and come back up. | Bend over from the hips and pull the barbell to your sternum. Pause and let it down again. |
Olympic weightlifting is very technical and if you want to get good at it, you need to practice a lot. If you get bored quickly, this is not for you. But the advantages are plenty – it will give you a strong body, you’ll need to be reasonably flexible, you work towards clear goals and it can be fun.
CROSSFIT
Functional movements, ultra-high intensity … and injuries? Not if you do it right.
What is it?
A style of training and competitive sport, with elements of HIIT, Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics and callisthenics. “Real” CrossFitters might follow the Workouts Of The Day [WOD’s] on crossfit.com, in a 3:1 routine (3 days of training, 1 day of rest). However, most CrossFit clubs have their own programming.
What is it good for?
Developing an all-round fitness with power, endurance and mobility. There is a lot of truth to the idea that we fail at the limitations of our abilities – so the further we can move those limitations, the better. When two runners with the same conditioning appear at the start, the one that can perform snatches, handstands or pull-ups has a definite advantage.
What are the limitations?
As a fitness regimen (when you do it twice a week for fun) it might possibly lack some isolation exercises. When you practice snatches, pull-ups, rows and deadlifts, you see less growth in certain areas compared to when you do perform isolation exercises. On the flipside, if you do pick only isolation exercises, you’ll neglect something else again.
This is how you become a pro
Know the WOD’s
The best workouts are named after women (Elizabeth, Diane and Cindy are the most well-known), or after fallen soldiers (Hero workouts). The last-mentioned workouts are typically vicious. A good time for a Murph (100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, with a mile long run before and after) is essential.
Do the penguin
If you can’t perform double-unders (a jump rope exercise in which the rope passes underneath twice per jump), you won’t come far in CrossFit competitions. But with the penguin hop you’ll master the exercise quickly: jump up, slap your thighs with your hands twice before hitting the ground and repeat at speed. They’ll give you great calf muscles and coordination.
Do EMOM’s
Beginners perform the standard WOD’s, but the coolest CrossFitters use “Every Minute On The Minute” (EMOM) training to do a lot of work without losing the right form. Choose two or three movements, set a timer and start the prescribed repetitions continuously at the start of every minute. The faster you move, the longer you can rest. Try it out with front squats and dips.
You’re ready when …
The “kipping” pull-up and the ring muscle-up are the first exercises to learn: both exercises require skill. Afterwards, do a classic WOD like the Fran (21, 15 and 9 repetitions of pull-ups and thrusters (a front squat to a press) with 42 kilos) in a reasonable time. Try to finish within 10 minutes.
Burpees and Thrusters
The WOD Kalsu, named after ex-NFL player Bob Kalsu who was killed in action in the Vietnam war, is one of the heaviest workouts of them all. Experienced CrossFitters perform it with a barbell of 60 kilos, but you should definitely start off light. Start with five burpees and perform thrusters for the rest of the minute. The next minute you start again with five burpees and keep going until you’ve performed 100 thrusters (yes really). After that you’re allowed to cry and rest.
Burpee
Descend into a push-up position and let your chest hit the floor. Jump your feet forward and then jump up while clapping your hands above your head.
Thruster
Hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height. Descend into a squat, come back up and use the momentum to help you push the dumbbells above your head.
All the intensity also comes with problems. The focus with CrossFit only seems to be on the amount of repetitions and not on the control and form of the exercise. Kipping pull-ups and muscle-ups, handstands with movement and handstand push-ups against the wall where you throw your legs up for momentum … When you combine these exercises with fatigue and competition, you’re setting yourself up for mishaps. The solution: diligently practice how to perform the movements correctly first.
CALISTHENICS
Develop functional strength without gear – in the gym or outside.
What is it?
Technically calisthenics is basically any form of training with your own bodyweight – but nowadays it is mostly a “street work-out” and consists of exercises with pull-up bars or equipment in playgrounds, with the emphasis on advanced variations including bar spins and muscle-ups.
What is it good for?
Calisthenics in an excellent training method for the development of lean muscle mass, for more strength and for control over your body. The last part is the most important: by learning to build up tension in your entire body, you will have more control when you perform your exercises. Above all it is fantastic for your Instagram-feed.
What are the limitations?
If you try to build up a lot of muscle mass, calisthenics isn’t the best option. Combined with a solid diet you’ll create a lean and chiselled body. Without extra weight you’ll also need to think about how to train your legs. Pistol squats are an option, but for those you’ll need mobility and balance.
This is how you become a pro
Know your shoulder blades
Your shoulder blades can be moved into four different positions: protracted, retracted, elevated and depressed. Even people that can perform the most advanced movements tend not to know what position they are using.
Learn the L-sit
Make the L-sit your favourite abs exercise. This static hold is one of the first skills you should try to master. However, most people need to work on their core and hip muscles before they can perform the exercise. If you cannot perform the L-sit completely (hands on the ground, with your legs stretched out in front of you), then start between two chairs and hold your thighs horizontal and your knees bent. Do this for 60 seconds, in as little sets as possible, twice a week.
The human flag
The human flag is the sideways stretched hold that you often see on Instagram. The exercise combines both a pulling and a pushing motion, because you push off with one arm while pulling with the other.
You’re ready when …
Calisthenics is more about the quality of the movement than the quantity. Most people are attracted to the advanced exercises, but it is best to make sure that you can perform good push-ups, dips, pull-ups, squats and hanging knee raises. Respect for everyone that tries to perform the movements correctly and stays in control for the entire movement.
Develop Strength
This workout is aimed towards developing strength, so the amount of reps is low and there is enough rest between sets. Focus on the quality of the exercise. Do this twice per week and perform supersets with the exercises A and B. Between sets you can rest as long as you need to complete all the reps.
| L-sit | Pull-up | Push-up | Inverted row | Hollow body hold | Superman hold | Bodyweight squat |
| SETS: 3 TIME: 20-30 SEC. REST: 1-3 MIN. | SETS: 5 REPS: 5 | SETS: 5 REPS: 10 |
SETS: 5 REPS: 10 REST: 1-3 MIN. | SETS: 5 TIME: 60 SEC. REST: 1-2 MIN. | SETS: 5 TIME: 60 SEC. REST: 1-2 MIN. | SETS: 5 REPS: 20 |
| Performed on a horizontal bar or the edge of a couch or chair. If you’re not able to perform the full version, then try bending your knees. | Try to pull your elbows backwards and tap the bar with your sternum at every rep. | Keep your hands under your shoulders and your elbows close to your body. Tap the floor with your chest at every rep. | Lie down under the bar / Smith-machine with your feet flat on the ground and your body straight. Pull yourself up until your chest hits the bar. Pause and drop down again. | Lie down on the floor, with your arms stretched out above your head and your feet off of the floor. Hold this position. | From the Hollow body hold, roll over onto your stomach and do the opposite. This will give you almost bulletproof abs. | Put your feet at shoulder width and descend into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause and come back up again. |
Do you want proof that callisthenics can improve your body, then look at male gymnasts. They’re muscular from head to toe besides being flexible. Plus they have very little bodyfat.