Providing professional coaching of Olympic Weightlifting.
Yoga classes
Circuit Classes
SO – WHAT IS OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING??
Olympic weightlifting consists of two disciplines, the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk.
In a competition the Snatch is always performed first followed by Clean & Jerk. Though both have a high degree of technique involved it is generally considered that the snatch is the more difficult of the two due to the nature of the lift and its flexibility requirements.
When performing the snatch the bar (and weights) need to leave the floor and finish overhead in one movement. There is to be no stopping from ground to overhead and the arms must be in a ‘locked out’ position (no pushing allowed). To achieve this, lifters need to have a wide hand grip on the bar and overhead strength. Flexibility plays a large role in achieving a successful snatch position, as it is needed for getting into a deep squat position whilst holding the weight over the crown of the head.
Clean & Jerk is a ‘two-part’ lift…separated into the clean and then the jerk. The weight needs to leave the ground and reach the front of the shoulders in one movement (no stopping). Then from the front of the shoulders the weight is to be ‘jerked’ into an overhead position with arms ‘locked’ out (again no pushing allowed). The lift is considered complete once the feet are in alignment. There are two methods for the jerk, power jerk and split jerk.
SPORTS YOGA
So why have I called my yoga ‘sports yoga’?
Well, the reason is that I know from personal experience the benefits of yoga in helping sporting performance and recovery.
My yoga classes, though graded so that everyone can participate, are probably not going to be like other yoga class you have attended. Whilst like most classes I focus on the breath with movement, I also like to give an explanation of each position, where you should be feeling it and what its purpose is. This information allows you to perform the poses with awareness.
A general background on yoga…
The language of yoga is Sanskrit which is ancient Indian in origin.
Most yoga classes are Hatha yoga. Hatha yoga describes any of the physical practices of yoga.
Some Sanskrit words to help you understand yoga….
Hatha - means ‘forceful’.
Asana – any of the postures of yoga practice.
Namaste – translates as "I bow to you". Namaste is said at the end of a class, the gesture being an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another.
Vinyasa – the flow of poses from one to the other using the breath.