Training twice a day - Input on an article wanted

I just read Lyle McDonalds three part series on weight training twice a day. I know there are lots of folks on this forum interested in the topic.

The articles are written from the perspective of bodybuilding and weight lifting, so getting comments from Coach and other immortals on the forum on this article and gymnastics would be cool.

It seems a bit funny that Lyle lists swimming as the most technically demanding sport along with olympic lifting. Input on this? I know swimming on the higher levels is no joke, but it's still just one apparatus (water) compared to multiple ones in gymnastics.

Weight training twice a day:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Embedded was also an interesting, short article on Bulgarian O-lifting.

Bulgarian

when i have the time, i cut my workout in two part and i recover a lot faster.

olympic weightlifting one of the most technically demanding sports?

 I have to agree with  Lyle, about swimming being very technical, if you are swimming laps.   And have a weak, technique, you will have to stop often to rest.  I have been swimming laps for a couple years now.

Swimming might just be one apparatus but there are so a huge amount of different races besides 4 different strokes and combinations thereof during certain events.

Olympic Weightlifting is more technical than many sports but it tends to be very physically demanding. It's helluva lot more tiring than any of the ball sports training. I wouldn't say it's more technical than gymnastics by any means. More technical than most of the T&F events unless you are a mutli event athlete.

There is a reason that the only kids who become Weightlifters in China are from the provinces and rural areas.It's been said that the kids who often get picked for weightlifting are the ones who didn't cut it at the other sports (especially the ball sports). Lu XiaoJun for example was a sprinter before he switched up (probably because he wasn't fast enough and he isn't really that tall (5'8").

Many of the Bulgarians often did more than 2 sessions per day as it would be divided into at least one session and break afterwards of Snatch, Clean&Jerk, Back Squat. Often 2 sessions of each per day (though they also inserted the use of Powers for lighter days and not necessarily all lifters limited it those exercises as you can find lifters doing pulls, front squats, single leg squats/step-ups, etc). Quick 30-45 minute sessions often with that much rest in between before the next session.

korija said:

olympic weightlifting one of the most technically demanding sports?

How many other olympic sports is there really a danger of snapping nearly any bone or blowing out nearly any joint, or dropping that much weight on your head (neck or spine, too).

On the other hand, I'd like to see the criteria he used to define "technical."

jfreaksho said:

How many other olympic sports is there really a danger of snapping nearly any bone or blowing out nearly any joint, or dropping that much weight on your head (neck or spine, too).

 

On the other hand, I'd like to see the criteria he used to define "technical."

Well personally i wouldn't call it technical because there are only 35 movements in the WHOLE sport! and when competiting you are only performing 2 different lifts

korija said:

Well personally i wouldn't call it technical because there are only 35 movements in the WHOLE sport! and when competiting you are only performing 2 different lifts

Please be joking. Both the snatch and the jerk are extremely technical movements that take years to master. 

chigiskob said:

Please be joking. Both the snatch and the jerk are extremely technical movements that take years to master. 

if you can master the whole sport in like 4 tops,  then its not very technical is it?

korija said:

if you can master the whole sport in like 4 tops,  then its not very technical is it?

Very ignorant statement.

Those 35 movements could be 35 very technical movements. If the sport would be 35 time placing your foot 1 inch further, than no It wouldn´t be technical.

It isn´t about how many movements there are, but how technical THOSE movements are.

Jurre said:

Very ignorant statement.

 

Those 35 movements could be 35 very technical movements. If the sport would be 35 time placing your foot 1 inch further, than no It wouldn´t be technical.

It isn´t about how many movements there are, but how technical THOSE movements are.

http://www.t-nation.com/training/olympic-lifting-made-simple

"What i'm talking about is becoming good at the Olympic Lifts, as opposed to that meathead in the gym who reverses curls the weight to his chest and then muscles it overhead" As quoted from the article you posted.

Sure with a coach that has been doing it X years you can get better than a meathead in the gym in a few sessions. If you honestly think that is being a 'good' olympic lifter than.. lol.

What the meathead does is not technical. What you do after a few sessions with this guy is probably a bit more technical. What you do when becoming good is very technical.

Also, it says enough having to need a coach to do this stuff correct.

TBF I have read about 3 sentences of that article and that popped out, but says enough.

Being a mere mortal... I have two cents.

Whilst I don't train twice a day, I think that Gymnastic Strength Training™ might be too taxing on the CNS to perform well twice per day. I suspect it would be better to have a single, quality GST session. Thoughts?

However, this could probably be supplemented quite well with skills style training. Something like Handstand 1 or 2 as the first session and Foundation or GST style training as the second session may be appropriate. I dare say you could probably do movement skills at a moderate intensity as a supplement also. 

Lastly I think the most important thing would be to maintain focus on your primary training session and adjust if performance in this area wanes (or improves!).

- Callum

Questioning olympic weightliftings difficult technique-wise means exactl one thing: you never tried it.

Blairbob do you remember where you read the story about lu? From my experience weightlifting is one of the most important sports (definitely much more important than sprinting) and the chinese use a system similar to the russians of measuring and selecting those kids built the best for the sport. Since he has perfect oly-proportions (= proportions that suck for sprinting) its only natural they selected him.

What sort of body proportions would be best for olympic lifting? I can only think of having relatively short arms as an advantage.

Short arms would put you in a more disadvantaged position during the pull off the floor. Generally speaking a short lower body compared to the upper body and especially shorter femurs give you a much better leverage. J