Olympic lifts-diet

How do olympic lifters diet?  I have taken a huge interest in the olympic lifts and want to know how they keep small and still gain strength.

working on explosive phase
vertical: 35
weight: 206

Big 3: 300/440/515

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.

Not sure on the diet but some of the main reasons they are able to move such heavy weight is just as heavily based on technique and momentum as strength.  Sure, there are some strong mofo's doing olympic lifts but it is a lot more technique than one would think.  This is why you see a lot of the smaller guys lifting almost as heavy as the HW's.

Yes, Oly lifting is all about technique.  Well, strength obviously is a huge aspect as well.

I would say that you can't go wrong eating clean at "maintainence".  Maintainence being just enough to be able to perform the goal lifts each workout while still being able to recover for the next workout, but not gain weight.  If you have trouble recovering, eat more.  If you are recovering fine and gaining weight, eat less.... Find the happy medium

"True genius, in many fields of human endeavor, is often revealed in elegant simplicity."

- A smart man

Journal: http://www.wannabebigforums.com/showthread.php?t=117358

http://www.sportsnutritionsociety.org/conference_presentations/ISSNConference_200806_Garzafox.pdf   this is a pretty good guide for diet

brihead301


Yes, Oly lifting is all about technique.  Well, strength obviously is a huge aspect as well.

I would say that you can't go wrong eating clean at "maintainence".  Maintainence being just enough to be able to perform the goal lifts each workout while still being able to recover for the next workout, but not gain weight.  If you have trouble recovering, eat more.  If you are recovering fine and gaining weight, eat less.... Find the happy medium

This is exactly what I was planning on doing.

I think you guys are overrating technique though.  Sure its extremely important, but these guys have tons of explosive power.  Oly lifter's vertical jumps are in the 40s, theres more than technique going on.

working on explosive phase
vertical: 35
weight: 206

Big 3: 300/440/515

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.

RollingStone

brihead301


Yes, Oly lifting is all about technique.  Well, strength obviously is a huge aspect as well.

I would say that you can't go wrong eating clean at "maintainence".  Maintainence being just enough to be able to perform the goal lifts each workout while still being able to recover for the next workout, but not gain weight.  If you have trouble recovering, eat more.  If you are recovering fine and gaining weight, eat less.... Find the happy medium

This is exactly what I was planning on doing.

I think you guys are overrating technique though.  Sure its extremely important, but these guys have tons of explosive power.  Oly lifter's vertical jumps are in the 40s, theres more than technique going on.

Absolutely not... those lifts are all technique, with the strength behind them to make the lift possible.

the timing of the explosions has to be precise, and your co-ordination has to be trained, they take a very LONG time to learn. (I am talking about real oly lifts the the full clean, snatch, clean and jerk). It is very dangerous to jump and throw 100's of pounds up over your head to catch....much more dangerous then slowly picking up 500 lbs. You really need a trainer to learn them right... If you are at are intersted in pursuing that kind of training... I looked into it a bit, I am a little in love with oly lifts.... but from a distance, as I do not have the time to commit to learn them properly.

I am not saying that technique isnt extremely important in these lifts because I know it is, and the ppl who pull tha most weight always know exactly how to do the exercise.  Im just saying, these athletes have built alot of explosive power.  A bodybuilder who has the form down isnt going to be able to pull the same weight.

That is why Im interested in these exercises.  I want more explosive power.

working on explosive phase
vertical: 35
weight: 206

Big 3: 300/440/515

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.

I know that is the same reason I wanted to learn them... but you don't understand what we are saying. the technique IS the lift...Good Luck

no, don't get me wrong...I am not arguing the muscle use factor, not am I arguing the carry over strength...

I am saying the the lifts are very techincal...

as in learning how to perform a barbell snatch a REAL honest to goodness Olympic style snatch is unbelievably difficult to learn. About 100 times harder than learning how to squat.

Like I said I am in love with those lifts.... I think for strength and fitness, and all around useful power, they can not be beat by any "body builders lift" but in researching how to do them, some what in depth (with the intention of doing those lifts myself), I have learned how hard and dangerous they are to learn... and also they are almost impossible to learn well on your own, with out a trainer who actually knows how to perform those lifts correctly.

I have learned how hard and dangerous they are to learn... and also they are almost impossible to learn well on your own, with out a trainer who actually knows how to perform those lifts correctly.

Something I completely agree with and i'll even go as far to say, some aren't even physically capable of performing the lifts correctly...even with a qualified trainer..
 
As far as technique goes.. it's all about technique.. BBing, Powerlifting.. Olylifting...... it matters for them all.....

There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing

 

k...so what do they eat haha

working on explosive phase
vertical: 35
weight: 206

Big 3: 300/440/515

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.

RollingStone


k...so what do they eat haha

Honestly I don't think there is an official or un-official "for that matter" Olympic lifter diet... If I had to guess I would say they eat similar to an Anabolic diet to maximize optimal natual muscle growth... while maintaining the lowest possible % of BF... Don't know any real Olympic lifters so it's just a guess...

There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing

 

ideally clean, whole foods, the ratios are up to you (as in you should know what macro nutrient ratio works well for you), if you don't want to gain mass, your right, maintenance.

or better yet listen to smoundzou ( I really hate spelling your sign in btw, I have to check it every time)

thehardway


ideally clean, whole foods, the ratios are up to you (as in you should know what macro nutrient ratio works well for you), if you don't want to gain mass, your right, maintenance.

my dilemma is that I do best with no carbs and a refeed, but without carbs I cant do maximum intensity.  Im thinking something like 50-80 carbs a day.

working on explosive phase
vertical: 35
weight: 206

Big 3: 300/440/515

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.

RollingStone

thehardway


ideally clean, whole foods, the ratios are up to you (as in you should know what macro nutrient ratio works well for you), if you don't want to gain mass, your right, maintenance.

my dilemma is that I do best with no carbs and a refeed, but without carbs I cant do maximum intensity.  Im thinking something like 50-80 carbs a day.

You do best in what way.... you look better, like you stay really lean? Or you feel better? Which would be improbable, only because you said you can not maintain maximum intensity.

thehardway

RollingStone

brihead301


Yes, Oly lifting is all about technique.  Well, strength obviously is a huge aspect as well.

I would say that you can't go wrong eating clean at "maintainence".  Maintainence being just enough to be able to perform the goal lifts each workout while still being able to recover for the next workout, but not gain weight.  If you have trouble recovering, eat more.  If you are recovering fine and gaining weight, eat less.... Find the happy medium

This is exactly what I was planning on doing.

I think you guys are overrating technique though.  Sure its extremely important, but these guys have tons of explosive power.  Oly lifter's vertical jumps are in the 40s, theres more than technique going on.

Absolutely not... those lifts are all technique, with the strength behind them to make the lift possible.

the timing of the explosions has to be precise, and your co-ordination has to be trained, they take a very LONG time to learn. (I am talking about real oly lifts the the full clean, snatch, clean and jerk). It is very dangerous to jump and throw 100's of pounds up over your head to catch....much more dangerous then slowly picking up 500 lbs. You really need a trainer to learn them right... If you are at are intersted in pursuing that kind of training... I looked into it a bit, I am a little in love with oly lifts.... but from a distance, as I do not have the time to commit to learn them properly.

I'd thought that strength would be the main factor. I mean they've perfected their technique so well that it's like second nature to them.

thehardway

RollingStone

thehardway


ideally clean, whole foods, the ratios are up to you (as in you should know what macro nutrient ratio works well for you), if you don't want to gain mass, your right, maintenance.

my dilemma is that I do best with no carbs and a refeed, but without carbs I cant do maximum intensity.  Im thinking something like 50-80 carbs a day.

You do best in what way.... you look better, like you stay really lean? Or you feel better? Which would be improbable, only because you said you can not maintain maximum intensity.

Actually I look better, feel better, and perform worse on low carbs.

Carb up days are a double edged sword for me.  I do great in the gym but I feel tired and lethargic throughout the day.

working on explosive phase
vertical: 35
weight: 206

Big 3: 300/440/515

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.

Then I think the answer is simple... maybe.

I'll say it like this... I would try to get some daily carbs... you can try out your planned ratio, and see how you perform, and how you feel. I think it is better in the long run to get all types of nutrients daily... Carb up days and strategies like that can work well for the short term goals... but for long term life style eating maybe not so practical... Also if you get used a little carbs regularly maybe you won't tank so often (carbs make me sleepy too, even the "good' ones)

If after a couple weeks you feel like your energy levels suffer, your putting on too much fat, doubt it's even possible for you ; ) (and your shooting for maintenence anyway), or you just don't feel well... reduce them or go back to your no carbs and refeed... and then just understand that your gym energy levels will be educed, acept it and work towards progressing, thing ofthat as your base start..

So play around a little, and see what works. From this discussion, you know how your body performs, and what affects it, good bad or otherwise... just fine tune what you know works.


That is my 2 cents, anyway.... I mainly got into this discussion to remind all about the difficulty level of olypic lifts (only because they are very difficult, not to discourage people from trying to learn them).

There are far better suibted people to help you with your diet... but maybe in this instance you just needed to "talk" out loud... to convince yourself you know what you are doing.

thehardway


Then I think the answer is simple... maybe.

I'll say it like this... I would try to get some daily carbs... you can try out your planned ratio, and see how you perform, and how you feel. I think it is better in the long run to get all types of nutrients daily... Carb up days and strategies like that can work well for the short term goals... but for long term life style eating maybe not so practical... Also if you get used a little carbs regularly maybe you won't tank so often (carbs make me sleepy too, even the "good' ones)

If after a couple weeks you feel like your energy levels suffer, your putting on too much fat, doubt it's even possible for you ; ) (and your shooting for maintenence anyway), or you just don't feel well... reduce them or go back to your no carbs and refeed... and then just understand that your gym energy levels will be educed, acept it and work towards progressing, thing ofthat as your base start..

So play around a little, and see what works. From this discussion, you know how your body performs, and what affects it, good bad or otherwise... just fine tune what you know works.


That is my 2 cents, anyway.... I mainly got into this discussion to remind all about the difficulty level of olypic lifts (only because they are very difficult, not to discourage people from trying to learn them).

There are far better suibted people to help you with your diet... but maybe in this instance you just needed to "talk" out loud... to convince yourself you know what you are doing.

Thanks hardway, nice post.  Its pretty much was I was planning on doing, but its always good to hear other's educated opinions.

working on explosive phase
vertical: 35
weight: 206

Big 3: 300/440/515

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.

I look at even super strength as being a poor compensation if you're fat.

''If one is after quick results one never learns an art.''

Erich Fromm