Question for Orench GST vs. Olympic Lifting (Coach Sommer?)

Orench (sp?),

First off, you are awesome in follow along videos. Second, I have a question for you from my 16 year old son who does GST with me. When you compare GST vis a vis Olympic Lifting which do you think would be better pre-hab for a 1 sided sport like baseball? I know you have done both from the references in the follow along videos and would be interested in your thoughts. I am 49 and lifted weights for decades before finding GST a little over a year ago, and now only do GST. I think a young athlete, for example, would be better off working through foundations to the point of SLS mastery prior to engaging and any serious olympic lifting. Baseball coaches now a days push heavy olympic lifting when I know most, if not all of the kids lack the mobility to properly execute the movements. I know this question may be a bit out of the ordinary and can understand if you are uncomfortable answering. However, any input you may have would be greatly appreciated.

Coach, would you like to weigh in? Once again, knowledge being key, I would highly value any input you may have.

Thanks,

JWR

I know you didn't ask me, but I was a lopsided tennis player, and I work with lopsided tennis players (and lopsided-by-lifestyle people)… I would say that GTS is the best pre-hab and rehab not just for lopsided sports, but for all sports, and for Life…   Cheers! Curious what Orench and Coach will say.. 

In my book it's pretty clear if you're looking to even out asymmetries and "prehab" then GST is the way to go.  Oly lifting doesn't really do any of this, and may actually increase the risk of injury.  Don't get me wrong, it's a good tool for building power and explosive strength, but only in a well-trained, well-coached athlete.  There are even a lot of professional/elite athletes that do NO oly lifting because they don't think it's worth the time investment to do it right or the risk of injury. Even then, there's not really a "prehab" component to it.  I think you answered your own question with your statement:  "Baseball coaches nowadays push heavy olympic lifting when I know most, if not all of the kids lack the mobility to properly execute the movements."

I am an Olympic lifter and we do very little that would help asymmetry. The ultimate technique goal of the lifts is to keep the barbell in the same vertical plane. 

On the other hand, I've already discovered (or rediscovered) some imbalances through the Foundations courses, and can see them balancing out through the assigned movements.

Now, I do love lifting, and it's a great activity for strength and explosiveness, but for what you're looking for I like GB by a wide margin.

Good question.  

It took years of working with Orench to address some serious chronic problems which he came to me with: neck, shoulder, chest, back, hip and knee.

The cause of all these issues?  Olympic lifting.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Thanks coach. Your thoughts reinforce my opinion. Both of us prefer GST to OL, the activity and the results. I think your platform is excellent. I am looking forward HS follow along progressions and tips from Wesley like Foundation 1.