A Beginner’s Guide For Eating to Shed Fat, Revive Your Metabolism, and Sharpen Daily Performance.
Cybersecurity incidents don’t care how well you slept or ate. They happen anytime. If your body feels slow, your mind will too.
That’s why nutrition isn’t just about physique or gym numbers. It’s about resilience.
A strong body fuels a sharp mind, which makes you a stronger IT professional.
Before jumping in, you might ask: how do you build nutrition habits that fuel performance, even under pressure? Let’s break it down with these five rules:
Rule #1: Always Eat Protein First
If there’s one macro nutrient that changes everything, it’s protein. Most people under-eat it, even those who train.
Why it matters: Protein saves muscle, keeps you full longer, and helps your body burn more calories.
Aim for .75 to 1g per pound of lean or target body weight. Spread it across meals: eggs at breakfast, chicken or beef at lunch, fish at dinner, or a shake if needed.
Think of protein like a system update: without it, your body gradually weakens until you notice it, and by then it’s too late.
Rule #2: Drink this down deep into your SOUL – Carbs are NOT The Enemy
Carbs, like protein, provide 4 calories per gram.
Carbs get demonized needlessly. If you train hard, they’re your gas pedal—not optional.
Performance: Carbs fuel high-intensity efforts (CrossFit, sprints, heavy lifts). They refill glycogen so your “engine” doesn’t sputter.
Focus: Complex carbs—including all fruits, vegetables, and grains like rice—keep blood sugar steady. That means steady energy and fewer crashes.
The key isn’t cutting carbs. What matters is eating quality carbs at the right times.
Hard training days? Eat more.
Recovery days? Dial it back a bit.
Rule #3: Fats – The Slow-Burn Energy Source
Fats do not give quick energy like carbs, but they help you last longer. Fats are essential for hormone production, brain function, and recovery.
Prioritize avocados, nuts, olive oil, walnut oil, and sesame oil, as well as grass-fed, wild-caught and free-range meats.
Most people do well with 20–30% of their calories from fat. That’s enough for health but not too much.
Rule #4: Hydration = Cognitive Uptime
Mild dehydration tanks focus faster than hunger. For IT pros, that’s dangerous.
Target: ½ gallon per day minimum.
Use electrolytes during long training or extended incident calls.
Think of hydration as uptime.Skip it, and your system crashes.
Rule #5: Structure Beats Willpower, Every Time
No one does well by guessing. Like securing a system, lasting results come from discipline and routine.
Meal prep → Simple, repeatable meals built ahead of time.
Macro targets: track for a few weeks until you get the feel.
Boundaries: Sleep, fuel, and downtime are mandatory security controls.
The goal is not perfection; it’s persistence. Remember, chasing perfection can actually slow your progress. Aim for 80 to 90 percent consistency for the best results.
Closing Thoughts
Nutrition is about training, discipline, and resilience, and it all starts with each meal.
Forget fad diets, quick fixes, and guilt. Focus on what helps you daily: sufficient protein, good carbs, healthy fats, water, and sticking to a plan that eliminates guesswork.
Anyone with a strong body and sharp mind doesn’t just survive the grind; they thrive in it.
Soon, I’ll show you how to build simple, sustainable meal prep systems. You can protect your body and mind just like you protect your network: with structure and planning.
Remember: your body is your first line of defense. Fuel it like YOU matter.
Waaaayyy back in the day, when we launched our Paleo meal prep business, people used to love and also laughed at our meme tagline: “Do you even eat, bro?”
It was funny. But it was also the truth. Most people didn’t eat well, not because they didn’t care, but because they didn’t plan. And, the truth is, most people don’t invest any time in preparing their meals, and it costs them.
The business was built on a simple idea: * Make eating clean easier than ordering pizza. * Source only local, high-quality foods–from all of our fruits and veggies, to our choices of pasture-raised poultry and beef. * Take the stress out of nutrition so people could focus on training, work, and life.
And here’s what I learned: meal prep is like security for your diet and prior proper planning always ensures success.
Plan ahead, or get hacked by junk food. If you don’t have meals ready, DoorDash or the vending machine will win.
Build guardrails, or chaos takes over. Structure (shopping lists, prepped meals, set eating windows) keeps you from drifting.
Stay consistent, and resilience follows. Just like training or cybersecurity, it’s the boring reps that make you strong when it counts.
That’s why I still fall back on three rules that anyone can run with:
Prep protein in bulk → Grill or roast a few pounds of chicken, beef, or fish. Protein is the foundation; everything else is garnish.
Keep easy fruits & veggies on hand → Frozen, bagged, or pre-chopped. Don’t overcomplicate it. Rotate what you like.
Don’t skip fats → Avocado, olive oil, nuts. They keep your hormones happy and your brain sharp when the day gets heavy.
It’s never about hitting 100% perfection. It’s about persistence — stacking small wins, meal after meal, day after day, week after week. Never forget the 80/20 rule to begin with, and do your best not to get overwhelmed. Small changes build habits that lead to permanent changes.
I didn’t always nail every meal, but because the vast majority of my meal were planned, I could keep training, keep coaching, keep working, and keep moving forward. One day at a time.
Never forget, meal prep is like security for your health and wellbeing. And, in the world I come from, when you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
And yes, I still eat, bro.
What’s your go-to meal prep hack that keeps you fueled during the week?
When most people think about cybersecurity, they picture glowing screens, rapid typing, “hacking” and maybe a hoodie or two. What they don’t picture is chalk & barbells, sprint intervals, sparring mats or even walking.
But here’s the truth: the body and the mind aren’t separate operating systems. They have a symbiotic relationship. The stronger one becomes, the more resilient the other gets. And in a field like cybersecurity, where pressure is high, hours are unpredictable, and the stakes have real-life impact, that resilience makes all the difference.
Stress Management
No breach ever times itself for your convenience. Alerts fire off at 2 a.m whether youre trying to sleep or not. It doesn’t matter if your judgment is foggy and your nerves are already frayed. Mistakes made in those moments don’t just cost hours, they can cost you and your clients millions.
Physical training is rehearsal for that kind of pressure. Every time you push your heart rate into the red zone, whether it’s during a sprint, a lift, or a round of sparring, you’re training your nervous system to stay sharp and composed. You’ve practiced breathing through discomfort. You’ve felt the panic rising and learned not to flinch.
That calm under physical stress translates directly into composure under digital fire.
Discipline & Consistency
You don’t get strong by lifting once a month. You don’t become a skilled defender by reading one book or passing one certification.
Strength and security are both built on repetition. Small daily habits, squats and deadlifts, daily log reviews, routine key rotations and hardwired discipline.
Discipline isn’t glamorous. Nobody applauds your Tuesday-night study session or your Sunday meal prep. But that quiet consistency is what separates those who dabble from those who attain mastery.
Recovery Matters
Burnout wrecks the mind. Overtraining wrecks the body. And yet in both the gym and SOC, too many people wear exhaustion like a badge of honor.
The best of the best know better. They respect recovery. They take deload weeks. They do their best to sleep 8 hours a night. They understand that stress plus rest equals growth. Without rest, stress is just destruction.
Security pros need the same rhythm. Downtime, sleep, and boundaries. They’re not luxuries, they’re daily essentials. A fried analyst is a liability, not a hero.
Confidence Under Pressure
Just like any APT or other malicious actor, the iron doesn’t care how you feel today. The sparring partner doesn’t care if you’re tired. They test you anyway. No matter how tired you are that day, the weight still weighs the same.
That pressure teaches confidence. You must feel what it’s like to fail a lift, get winded mid-round, or be pushed beyond what you thought you could handle to know that you can. Only then you’ll learn you can stay composed, reset, and respond decisively.
That kind of grounded confidence is exactly what’s needed in the middle of a high-stakes incident response, defending your infrastructure under scrutiny, or having to brief leadership with incomplete information. It’s not bravado, it’s composure forged under fire.
The Long Game
Neither training nor cybersecurity has a finish line. You’re never “done.”
Martial arts teach that a black belt isn’t an end state, it’s proof that you’ve mastered the basics and are ready to start again at a higher level. Security works the same way. Every new CVE, every new framework, every new technology is another layer, not the final one.
The goal isn’t perfection, it’s persistence. The discipline to keep showing up, stacking reps, and sharpening your resilience over time is what it takes.
Closing Thoughts
A strong body fuels a sharp mind. A sharp mind makes a stronger defender. Separate them, and you limit yourself. Train both, and you’ll be prepared for whatever comes your way — whether it’s on the mat, under the bar, or in the middle of a 2 a.m. incident call.
Next up, I’ll dive into practical ways to sharpen your eating habits — how to drop body fat, boost metabolic health, and fuel both physical and mental performance.
Closed out the training block on a high note — pulled a new PR double at 234kg (515lbs). This cycle was all about fast-twitch development and explosive power, and it paid off on the bar.
The plan now: a short deload through the holidays, then hit the ground running January 1st with fresh momentum.
Takeaway: whether in the gym or in cybersecurity, progress comes from focused blocks, not random effort. You train a specific quality, test it, then recover and reset. Discipline > perfection, every time.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas — and here’s to chasing your own PRs, wherever they are.
When I first clicked “Enroll,” I didn’t know it would add up to 162 hours of training. That’s almost a full month of time — stolen from late nights, weekends, and early mornings before work.
Like a lot of people breaking into cybersecurity, I started with curiosity and a mess of browser tabs. YouTube videos, Reddit threads, course recommendations. It’s easy to drown in the noise. What made the difference wasn’t just finding the right content, it was learning how to stay with it long enough for the dots to connect.
Udemy became my training ground. Not glamorous, not perfect, but consistent. Over time, those 162 hours weren’t just “video time.” They became hours of repetition, frustration, and slow understanding.
There’s a phase in every learner’s path where you stop studying for a test and start thinking like the work.
That’s what those hours taught me, how to reason through a network like a puzzle, how to see the seams where systems and people meet, how to build patience in a field where curiosity is the only constant.
Looking back, those 162 hours weren’t just prep for certification. They were the price of entry, not into a career, but into a mindset.
Every scan that failed, every lab that wouldn’t load, every problem that took three days instead of three hours, they were all small rehearsals for the real work ahead.
And that’s the absolute truth about cybersecurity training: the time never feels fast, but it’s never wasted. You’re not just learning commands. You’re learning endurance. It’s the art of staying with a problem long enough to earn its answer.
There’s a moment most people don’t talk about when they post their certifications, it’s that part where you stare at the screen, waiting for the result to load, rehearsing how you’ll feel either way.
That was me, after months of studying, rewrites, retakes, and nights when the last thing I wanted to see was another port, protocol, or payload.
I’d already passed the CompTIA trifecta, A+, Network+, Security+, and each one felt like a step forward. But PenTest+ was different. It wasn’t just about memorization. It forced me to think like an adversary, to build a structured approach out of controlled chaos. It was humbling.
There were setbacks. Long hours after long workdays. Missed weekends. That quiet voice that says, maybe this one’s just too much right now.
But that’s where persistence replaces motivation. I tell my students and training partners the same thing I remind myself: motivation gets you started, discipline keeps you moving.
When that “Pass” finally appeared on the screen, it wasn’t triumph, it was relief. And gratitude. Because every failed scan, every misconfigured lab, every late-night tracing network maps, they built the competence that makes the win real.
The truth is, no certification on its own changes who you are. The process does. The grind does. The decision to sit back down after the first, second, or third setback does.
In cybersecurity, as in martial arts, you don’t earn a belt to prove you’re done. You earn it because you’ve decided you’re not done yet.
And that lesson, more than any flag on a résumé, is what makes the next challenge possible.
This 8-week program is designed to improve overall strength, explosive power via Type IIx muscle fiber development, and speed in the clean using traditional strength training methods and post activation potentiation (PAP). PAP involves performing heavy strength exercises followed by explosive movements to enhance neuromuscular performance.
Program Structure & Purpose of This Method of Training
Weeks 1-4: Strength and Hypertrophy Focus
Builds a solid foundation of strength in the specific movements and build overall muscle mass.
Emphasis is on moderate to heavy weights with traditional strength training methods.
Weeks 5-8: Explosive Strength and Speed
Increase the focus on explosive movements and speed.
Utilize PAP techniques to develop explosiveness in the lifts and maximize power output.
Weekly Training Schedule
Monday: Strength and Clean Technique
Clean: 5 x 3 reps dropping each rep from the top, focusing on as close to perfect reps every set
Focus on technical perfection/bar control in all positions. Intensity: 70-80% of 1RM; rest 2-3mins between sets
B. Front Squat: Sets: 4
Reps: 6-8 (Weeks 1-4)
Reps: 4-6 (Weeks 5-8)
Intensity: 75-85% of 1RM
C. Romanian Deadlift – sets: 3 x 8-10; rest 2
D. Pull-Ups Sets: 4 x reps: 8-10 (weighted if possible); rest :90secs
E. Trunk Work – Russian Twists & leg raises – sets: 3 x 15-20; rest 1min b/t sets
Tuesday: Traditional Strength and PAP
Back Squat 5 x 5; rest 2-3 mins b/t sets — Intensity: 80-85% of 1RM
Clean Pull (Heavy) Sets: 4 x 3 — Intensity: 90-110% of clean 1RM PAP Complex: 3 sets C1. Heavy Back Squat: 3 reps at 85-90% of 1RM C2. MAX Vertical Jump: 3-5 reps immediately after each squat set; Rest: 2-3 minutes between complexes D. Shoulder Press: Sets: 4 x 6-8
Wednesday: EASY MAP 10/Active Recovery/Mobility
MAP 10 for 30-45 minutes or mobility work and stretching focusing on hips, shoulders, and ankles
Thursday: Strength and Clean Technique
Clean: Sets: 5 x 3
Intensity: 75-85% of 1RM
Focus on bar control in the first pull and FINISHing the second pull with maximal bar speed.
B. Deadlift – Sets: 4
x 5-6 (Weeks 1-4)
x 3-4 (Weeks 5-8)
Intensity: 80-90% of your CLEAN DL 1RM
C. Push Press – Sets: 4 x 6-8
D. Barbell Rows – Sets: 4 x 8-10
E. Trunk Work (Hanging Leg Raises, Side bends with empty bar on your back) – Sets: 3 x 15-20
Friday: Explosive Strength and PAP
PAP Complex: 3 sets
A1. Heavy Front Squat – 3 reps at 85-90% of 1RM; rest :10secs
A2. Clean from Blocks: 3 reps (at 60-75%) immediately after each squat set; rest: 2-3 minutes between complexes
B. EXPLOSIVE Box Jumps 3 x 5; focus on one rep at a time being as explosive as possible; rest 1 min
C. Push Jerk 4 x 4-6; rest 2
D. Glute Ham Raise 3 x 15
Saturday: Accessory Work and Recovery
Snatch Technique work (Light) 5 x 3 – Intensity: 60-70% of 1RM
Overhead Squat 4 x 6-8
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 12-15
D1. Banded Face Pulls 3 x 15; rest 0 D2. Banded upright rows 3 x 15; rest 1
Sunday: Rest and Recovery Full rest day to allow for recovery and muscle repair.
Detailed Program Highlights and Emphasis
Weeks 1-4: Strength and Hypertrophy Focus
Volume and Intensity:
Higher volume with moderate to heavy weights.
Focus on building a strong foundation with hypertrophy and strength work.
Snatch & Clean Technique:
Emphasize proper form and technique in the snatch & clean.
Use moderate weights to allow for technique improvements.
Traditional Strength Training:
We’ve incorporated compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and presses to build overall strength. We also routinely rotate accessory exercises that target specific muscle groups to build positional strength.
Weeks 5-8: Explosive Strength and Speed
Volume and Intensity:
Increase intensity with heavier weights and lower reps.
Focus on explosive movements and speed strength.
Snatch + Clean & Jerk Technique:
Continue emphasizing technique but increase intensity to prepare for maximal lifts.
Perform heavy strength exercises followed by explosive movements to maximize power output.
Plyometric Training:
Incorporate plyometrics once a week to improve explosiveness and speed.
Exercises like box jumps and cleans from blocks complement the strength work.
Recovery and Nutrition — all around the world it’s the same song, it’s the same old song!
Sleep – Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night to support muscle recovery and growth.
Nutrition – Protein: Consume 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily to support muscle repair.
Carbohydrates: Ensure adequate carbohydrate intake to fuel workouts and replenish glycogen stores. Include complex carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Healthy Fats: Incorporate healthy fats from sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil to support overall health and hormone production.
Hydration – Stay well-hydrated to maintain performance and facilitate recovery. Don’t forget your electrolytes!
Active Recovery – Incorporate light activities such as MAP 10, kayaking, swimming, walking, yoga, or stretching on rest days to promote blood flow and reduce muscle soreness.
Monitoring Progress
Tracking your progress is essential for adjusting your program and ensuring continuous improvement.
Use a training log to record your workouts, including weights used, sets, reps, and any relevant notes on how you felt during each session.
Regular Testing: of your 1RMs to gauge strength improvements and adjust training intensities accordingly.
Adjustments – be sure to make them based on your progress and recovery. Then you can modify variables such as intensity, volume, and exercise selection to avoid plateaus and continue to make training fun and make sure youre maximizing your gains.
Final Thoughts
This 8-week Olympic weightlifting program combines traditional strength training with post activation potentiation (PAP) to enhance strength, explosive power, and speed in the and clean. By following this structured and periodized approach, you can achieve significant improvements in your lifting performance. Stay consistent, prioritize proper form, and adjust the program as needed to continue progressing toward your Olympic lifting goals. I hope you’ve enjoyed this article and that you find it beneficial in your training. Ive been writing individual and team/group training plans for almost two decades and am very passionate about helping folks achieve their goals. If you need helping to achieve your goals let me know and Id be happy to help you, too. Until next time, all the best!
Here’s a sample 8-Week Hypertrophy Phase for Building Strength in the High Bar Back Squat. The high bar back squat is a foundational exercise for developing leg strength, power, and muscle hypertrophy. This 8-week hypertrophy program focuses on squatting twice a week, with an emphasis on high-repetition sets in the 15-20 rep range to stimulate muscle growth. Complementary accessory exercises, proper recovery, and nutrition are also crucial for maximizing gains during this phase.
Program Overview The 8-week hypertrophy phase is divided into two 4-week blocks. Each block progressively increases the intensity and volume of your workouts to optimize muscle growth and strength. The program includes two squat sessions per week, supplemented with accessory exercises to target supporting muscle groups and ensure balanced development.
Week 1-4: Volume Accumulation
Focus: Build a foundation of muscle mass and muscle endurance.
Rep Range: 15-20 reps
Intensity: 50-60% of 1RM
Frequency: Twice per week
Week 5-8: Intensification
Focus: Increase intensity, maintaining high volume, and technical proficiency.
Rep Range: 12-15 reps
Intensity: 60-70% of 1RM
Frequency: Twice per week
Weekly Training Schedule
– Monday: High Bar Back Squat Focus
High Bar Back Squat: 4 sets of 15-20 reps
Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Bulgarian Split Squats: 3 sets of 15-20 reps per leg
Front Foot Elevates Split Squat (FFESS): 3 sets of 20 reps – 10 per leg
Single leg, body weight calf raises: 3 sets of 20-25 reps
– Thursday: High Bar Back Squat Focus
High Bar Back Squat: 4 sets of 15-20 reps
Walking Lunges: 3 sets of 15-20 reps per leg
Front Squats: 3 sets of 10 reps at 40-50%
Frog Pumps: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Tib Raises: 3 sets of 30 reps
Week 5-8 Adjustments
As you progress into the second block, increase the intensity by raising the weight and slightly lowering the rep range to 12-15 reps per set while maintaining the same structure and exercise selection.
Monday: High Bar Focus
High Bar Back Squat: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
FFESS: 3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg
Reverse Hyper: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Single leg, body weight calf raises: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Thursday: High Bar Focus
High Bar Back Squat: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
Walking Lunges: 3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg
Front Squats: 3 sets of 10 reps at 40-50%
Frog Pumps: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Tib Raises: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Recovery and Nutrition: Prioritizing recovery and proper nutrition is crucial for maximizing gains during the hypertrophy phase:
Sleep: The NUMBER 1 thing you can fix to see increases in the gym — adequate rest and recovery! Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to support muscle recovery and growth.
Nutrition:
Protein: Consume 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kg of body weight daily to support muscle repair.
Carbohydrates: Ensure adequate carbohydrate intake to fuel workouts and replenish glycogen stores. Include complex carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Healthy Fats: Incorporate healthy fats from sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil to support overall health and hormone production.
Hydration: Stay well-hydrated to maintain performance and facilitate recovery.
Active Recovery: Incorporate intensity work on such as MAP 10 training, walking, kayaking, yoga, or stretching on rest days to promote blood flow and reduce muscle soreness.
Monitoring Your Progress: Tracking your progress is essential for adjusting your program and ensuring continuous improvement:
Training Log: Record your workouts, including weights used, sets, reps, and any relevant notes on how you felt during each session.
Regular Testing: Periodically test your 1RM to gauge strength improvements and adjust training intensities accordingly. I’d suggest testing your 1RM every 3 to 4 months.
Adjustments: Based on your progress and recovery, modify variables such as intensity, volume, and exercise selection to avoid plateaus and continue making gains.
Final Thoughts:
An 8-week hypertrophy phase focused on the high bar back squat can significantly enhance your leg strength and muscle mass. By incorporating a structured training program that emphasizes high-repetition sets, prioritizing recovery and nutrition, and monitoring your progress, you can achieve substantial gains in your squat performance and overall strength. Stay consistent, maintain proper form, and adjust your program as needed to continue progressing towards your strength and hypertrophy goals.
Always remember, quality of reps over quantity of reps!
Plyometric training is an excellent way to develop the explosive power necessary for Olympic lifts like the snatch and clean and jerk. These dynamic movements help improve muscle recruitment, speed, and power, all of which are essential for successful Olympic lifting. By incorporating a weekly plyometric session into your training regimen, you can enhance your explosiveness and overall performance. This article outlines a comprehensive once-a-week plyometric workout designed to complement your Olympic lifting training.
Plyometric Training Overview
Plyometrics, or jump training, involves explosive movements that require rapid stretching and contracting of muscles. This type of training enhances the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) of muscles, which is crucial for generating maximal force in a short amount of time. Plyometric exercises target the fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for explosive movements.
Key Benefits of Plyometric Training for Olympic Lifters:
Increased power output
Improved rate of force development
Enhanced neuromuscular coordination
Greater agility and balance
Reduced risk of injury through improved proprioception
Weekly Plyometric Workout
Perform this plyometric workout once a week, preferably on a day when you are not doing heavy lifting, to ensure you are fresh and can maximize your effort in each exercise. Always start with a proper warm-up and finish with a cool-down to reduce the risk of injury.
Warm-Up (10-15 minutes):
2-3 mins on an Ski, bike or row erg
Dynamic Stretching: Leg swings, arm circles, hip rotations
Light Jogging or Jump Rope: 5-10 minutes to increase heart rate and blood flow
Mobility Drills: Ankle hops, high knees, butt kicks, hammie sweeps, et cetera
Sets: 3 Reps: 2-3 Rest: rest :10-:12 between reps and 90 seconds
Description: Stand in front of a sturdy box or platform. 1/4 squat down, then explode upward, landing softly on the box with both feet. Step down and repeat.
Sets: 3 Reps: 3-5 Rest: rest :10-:12 between reps and 90 seconds
Description: Stand on a box, step off, and upon landing, immediately jump as high as possible. Focus on minimizing ground contact time to develop reactive strength.
Sets: 3 Reps: 2-3 Rest: :10-:12 between reps and 90 seconds
Description: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Perform a powerful squat jump forward, aiming for maximum distance. Land softly and reset for the next jump.
Sets: 3 Reps: 3-4 Rest :10-:12 between reps and 90 seconds
Description: Hop forward on one leg, focusing on distance and height. Land softly and immediately bound forward again. Complete all reps on one leg before switching.
Description: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Jump as high as possible, tucking your knees toward your chest at the peak of the jump. Land softly and reset.
Description: Hold a medicine ball overhead. Explosively slam the ball into the ground, using your whole body. Pick up the ball and repeat.
Cool-Down (10 minutes):
Static Stretching: Hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, hip flexors Foam Rolling: Focus on the legs and lower back to alleviate any tightness or soreness
Tips for Effective Plyometric Training
Quality Over Quantity: Focus on performing each rep with maximal effort and proper form rather than completing as many reps as possible.
Progress Gradually: Start with lower intensity plyometric exercises if you are new to this type of training and gradually progress to more advanced movements.
Adequate Rest: Ensure you get sufficient rest between sets to maintain high intensity for each exercise.
Listen to Your Body: If you feel any pain or excessive fatigue, stop the workout and assess your condition. Plyometric exercises are high-impact and can strain the joints if not performed correctly.
Integration with Olympic Lifting
Integrating plyometric training with Olympic lifting can significantly enhance your performance. Schedule your plyometric session on a day that allows for adequate recovery before and after your heavy lifting days. For example, if you perform heavy Olympic lifts on Monday and Thursday, schedule your plyometric session on Saturday.
Final thoughts
Incorporating a once-a-week plyometric session into your training regimen can dramatically improve your explosiveness and overall performance in Olympic lifts. By focusing on high-quality, explosive movements and ensuring proper recovery and technique, you can enhance your power output and lift heavier weights more effectively. Stay consistent with your training, listen to your body, and watch your performance in the snatch and clean and jerk reach new heights.
The deadlift is a foundational exercise in Olympic weightlifting, crucial for developing overall strength, maximum power, and athletic performance. Improving your deadlift can enhance your performance in the clean and jerk, snatch, and other compound lifts. Below you’ll find detailed strategies to enhance your deadlift, focusing on technique, strength training, range of motion work, and basic recovery strategies.
1. Perfect Your Technique — the main point here is this exercise will only help improve your lifts if it looks like the the first pull of the lifts. We are emphasizing the clean variation of the deadlift not the traditional deadlift.
Technique is paramount in the deadlift. Proper movement pattern not only reduces the risk of injury but also maximizes strength gains where it matters most. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the essential components of deadlift technique:
Foot Positioning:
Stance: From the start, use your pulling position in the clean and/or snatch as reference. Like the conventional deadlift though be sure not to begin with your feet too narrow or too wide. My starting position varies slightly but should almost always be EXACTLY the same. Stand with your feet hip/shoulder-width apart, ensuring your toes are pointing slightly outward. How much your toes point out will determined by your hip structure genetically and your over mobility or lack-there-of. No matter where you begin, you want it to a habitual and it be a position to allow for a stable base and optimal leverage during the 1st pull, i.e. the deadlift portion of the movement.
Setup: Place the barbell over the mid-foot, close to your shins. This minimizes helps prevent the bar from traveling forward off the ground and helps keep it from getting out of position in any other portion of the lift. Even though some of you are not martial artists always remember this phrase — position before submission. This means make sure you put/keep the bar in the correct position throughout the movement so you can have MAXimal control over the bar throughout the movement.
Grip: There’s only one and that’s the hook grip. get used to it early and make it habitual.
Hook Grip: Thumb is wrapped around the bar and secured by the fingers. This grip is more secure but can be uncomfortable initially.
Bar Path:
Proximity: Keep the barbell close to your body throughout the lift. The bar should travel in a straight line from the ground to the lockout position. This minimizes the distance the bar travels and reduces the strain on your lower back.
Hips and Back:
Starting Position: Begin with your hips lower than in a conventional deadlift, and your torso more upright. This engages your legs more effectively and helps you get used to using your legs to DRIVE the earth away.
Spine Position: Maintain a neutral spine throughout the lift. Avoid rounding your back to prevent injuries. Engage your core to stabilize your spine.
Pulling Motion:
Initial Lift: Drive through your WHOLE FOOT, extending your hips and knees simultaneously. Your shoulders should be slightly in front of the bar at the start.
Engagement: Engage your lats to keep the bar close to your body and prevent it from drifting forward.
Lockout: Fully extend your hips and knees at the top of the lift, ensuring your shoulders are back and your chest is up.
2. Build Strength with Accessory Exercises
Incorporate accessory exercises to target the muscles involved in the deadlift. These exercises help to build strength and address any weaknesses:
Execution: Stand in your snatch or clean pulling stance with a clean grip on the bar. Set your back in the same extension you use to pull the snatch and clean and brace your trunk forcefully.
Hinge at the hip while bending the knees very slightly to bring the bar as far down the legs as possible without losing any back extension. Actively keep the bar as close to the legs as possible throughout the motion.
Stay balanced evenly over the whole foot rather than pushing the hips back more than necessary and shifting to the heels. This will limit how much weight you can handle, but it will make the exercise more effective by increasing the force on the hips and back while reinforcing the balance we want in the snatch and clean, as well as strengthening the back and shoulders’ ability to keep the bar close to the body.
Stay braced tightly so as you change directions at the bottom, you don’t allow any softening of the back extension.
If you’re mobile enough to get the plates to the floor with perfect back extension, still stop just short of touching—the changing of direction without compromising back extension is an important element of the exercise.
Benefits: Focuses on the hamstrings and glutes, improving the posterior chain strength essential for a powerful deadlift.
Execution: The good morning is a posterior chain strength exercise that emphasizes isometric back extension strength.
Place the bar on the back as you would for a back squat. You can use either your squat or pulling stance depending on which you want to focus on.
Brace the trunk forcefully with the lower back neutral or slightly more extended and the upper back flattened as much as possible.
Bend the knees very slightly as you hinge at the hips as far as you’re able without losing back extension. Bend forward at a controlled speed, and recover at a natural to quick speed.
Maintain whole foot balance or shift slightly more to the heels, but keep the whole foot in contact with the floor.
Don’t allow your back to soften as you change direction in the bottom to stand again—resisting that force with a rigid trunk is a primary element of the exercise.
The knees can be bent more to shift more of the work to the glutes than the hamstrings, or can be locked straight to maximize hamstring emphasis.
Benefits: Strengthens the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, promoting better hip hinge mechanics.
Pendlay Rows: AKA Bent-over row, bent forward row, barbell row
Execution: The bent row is a basic but effective upper body pulling exercise that strengthens the upper back, shoulders and arms.
Hold the bar with a clean-width grip, brace your trunk in the same position you would when pulling from the floor, and hinge forward at the hips while bending the knees to bring your trunk just above horizontal, letting the bar hang at arms’ length close to the legs.
Pull the bar to the abdomen, squeezing your shoulder blades back together and forcefully extending the upper back at the top of each rep. Lower the bar to full elbow extension without losing your braced back position.
Notes The bent row can be performed strictly with a controlled tempo, or with a little body English to put some speed on the bar and then reach the trunk into the bar at the top of the row. The angle of the trunk can also be varied depending on the desired effect, from horizontal to closer to 45-degrees—the higher the angle, the more heavily it can be loaded, but the smaller the range of motion.
Benefits: Develops mid-back strength, crucial for maintaining proper bar path and posture during the deadlift.
Execution: Fix the ankles in a glute-ham bench or similar adjusted to place the pad on the upper thighs. Bend at the hip and back to hang straight down from the hip—back relaxed and trunk hanging vertically.
Extend the hip and back together to bring yourself up to an extended position above horizontal in which the entire back, including the upper back, is extended completely and the glutes are forcefully contracted. Lift your head up at the top to reinforce upper back extension.
For unweighted back extensions, placing the hands behind the head is recommended to help encourage better extension of the upper back. For weighted back extensions, hold the weight in the form of a barbell or dumbbell behind the neck to ensure better resistance and better reinforce that upper back extension.
Notes Technically, this execution is combined back and hip extension. Back extension can be isolated by fixing the hips in place with the glutes and flexing and extending only along the spine. This can be assisted by relocating the fulcrum or pad of the bench closer to the hips.
Trunk Work: Copenhagen Plank, Chinese Plank (add weight if/when you can) Russian Twists: Leg Raises: Lying Leg Raises. For the Copenhagen & Chinese planks think doing 3-5 sets of 1min resting 1-2 mins between for all of the others think 3-4 set of 15-25 reps per exercise and also resting 1-2 mins between sets.
Execution: Use a wide grip, similar to a snatch. Perform the deadlift with this grip.
Benefits: Enhances upper back and grip strength and increases the range of motion.
3. Focus on strength in your end ranges of motion not simply “mobility” or being “flexible”
Mobility and flexibility are vital for performing a safe and effective deadlift and overall quality of your movement pattern(s). Think of and possibly implement these movements into your mobility/ROM work exercises into your routine:
Hips: Perform hip flexor stretches, pigeon pose, and hip circles to improve hip flexibility.
For your hamstrings think of using using dynamic and static stretching to enhance hamstring flexibility, allowing for better hip hinge movement. Things like poor man’s GHR, Frankensteins, Hamstring sweeps, and so on.
Ankle Mobility: Incorporate ankle plantar and dorsiflexion exercises to ensure you can maintain proper foot positioning and balance. Worst case scenario just do a couple of slow, controlled bodyweight double and single calf raise to get your calves and ankle complex warm/fired up and ready to lift!
Thoracic Mobility: Here really focus on getting the support structure of your t-spine loose and work on what you need to get yourself closer and closer to the best starting position you can achieve.
Here’s a great exercise The Barbell Physio just dropped on their IG page:
Progressive overload is essential for continuous improvement. Gradually increase the weight you lift, the number of repetitions, or the volume of your training sessions to challenge your muscles and stimulate growth. Here’s how to effectively implement progressive overload:
Linear Progression: Increase the weight lifted in small, consistent increments/percentages each week.
Volume Training: Add more sets and reps to your routine, focusing on maintaining proper form.
Tempo Variations: Incorporating tempo with your lifts, primarily slow eccentrics (lowering phase), to increase time under tension and build strength are of paramount importance. Using slow tempos also help you feel the muscles you use to do the lifts, and can be the greatest tool you’ll be exposed to help you master the positions of the lifts.
5. Last, and certainly not least, prioritize Recovery
Recovery is just as important as training itself. Proper recovery ensures that your muscles repair and grow stronger, and reduces the rick of injury.
Key recovery strategies include:
NUMBER ONE! Adequate Sleep: Aim for 8-9 hours of sleep per night to support muscle recovery and overall health.
Nutrition: As one famous fitness influencer one said — you can only piss in the gas tank for so long and expect elite performance. So, be sure to quality proteins, healthy fats, and lots of fruits and vegetables. Consider post-workout nutrition/protein shakes if you struggle to meet your daily macros to aid muscle repair. But, first and foremost, be sure you are focusing on eating whole foods vs supplementing with any kind of shakes. Yes, use them when necessary but only when necessary.
Hydration: Stay well-hydrated to maintain muscle function and performance.
Active Recovery: Engage in low-intensity activities such as walking, jogging, rowing, swimming or any sort of quality mixed modal training to help promote blood flow and muscle recovery.
Improving your Olympic weightlifting deadlift requires a comprehensive approach that includes perfecting your technique, incorporating accessory exercises, focusing on mobility, implementing progressive overload, and prioritizing recovery. By consistently applying these strategies, you will build the strength, power, and resilience needed to excel in your deadlift and overall Olympic weightlifting performance. Remember, progress takes time and dedication, so stay patient and committed to your training regimen. More importantly, deadlifting feels cool because you can move a lot of weight but don’t forget to actually do the lifts!
Matt Shannon, Security Pro 