Olympic Lifting Fundamentals for Strength and Power

via Coursera

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Details

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Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Effort

4 hours 20 minutes
Sessions

Self-Paced
Level

Intermediate
Subtitles

English

Found in

Strength Training Courses

Part of

Strength and Conditioning: Prehab/Rehab Specialist

Overview

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Explosive strength is the foundation of speed, jumping, acceleration, and athletic performance, but Olympic lifts can feel intimidating without the right progression. By the end of this course, learners will understand how to perform and coach key Olympic lifting movements safely, while applying their power-building principles to improve strength, coordination, and total-body performance. Taught by elite performance coach Mike McGurn, who has trained world-class athletes including the Irish National Rugby Team, New Zealand All Blacks, and Everton FC, this course provides a clear, progressive approach to learning the Clean and Snatch. Through focused video demonstrations, learners study lifting mechanics, technique progressions, safe practice methods, coaching cues, and strength programming concepts. The course explains how Olympic lifts develop power, speed, explosiveness, timing, and body control. Fitness professionals, coaches, and athletes will gain practical tools for teaching and applying Olympic lifts, while general learners will better understand why these movements are valued in performance training. This course makes elite-level strength and power training more accessible, structured, and usable in the gym, on the field, and beyond.

Syllabus

Introduction to Olympic Lifting for Strength, Power, and Speed

In this introductory module, elite strength and conditioning coach Mike McGurn lays the foundation for safe and effective Olympic lifting. Designed for athletes and practitioners new to the discipline, this session focuses on movement preparation, mobility, activation, and basic explosive drills that develop the physical qualities required for power and speed. Participants are guided through a progressive framework that emphasizes technique before load, ensuring that essential mechanics—such as posture, bracing, and triple extension—are mastered before advancing to more complex lifts. The module covers practical warm-up routines, foam rolling and mobility sequences, band activation for postural control, and early-stage power exercises such as box jumps and clean pulls. By the end of this module, learners will understand how to prepare the body for Olympic lifting, establish safe lifting patterns, and integrate structured, progressive programming to support athletic performance and injury prevention.

The Clean: Principles and Technique

This module teaches the Clean through a clear, three-phase progression that puts technique before load. Each phase runs four weeks with two sessions per week, and every session follows a consistent structure—foam roll → mobility → band activation → Olympic development → strength block—to build safe, repeatable motor patterns. Learners begin with bar-only developmental drills (RDL → clean pull, front squat, high pull, scarecrow clean) from the hip/power position to groove bar path, timing, and the sequence triple extension → shrug → fast elbows to rack. The emphasis is on low sets, low reps, and full recoveries to engrain quality movement before adding load. Progressions then move the start point down the thigh (hang clean from mid-thigh/above knee) to develop bar proximity and receiving mechanics, before advancing from the floor: partial clean to knee (first-pull mechanics), clean pulls (first pull → transition → extension), and finally the squat clean (catch and stand). Coaching cues throughout reinforce a close bar path, standardized setup, and a confident front-rack receive. Outcome: By the end of Module 2, you’ll be able to teach and perform the Clean from phased starts (hip → mid-thigh → floor), apply consistent setup and timing, and use targeted assistance work to build the front rack, receiving position, and total-body power—without compromising technique.

The Snatch: Principles and Technique

This module teaches the snatch through a phased, technique-first progression that builds confidence from simple positions to the full lift. Training runs two sessions per week for four weeks per phase, with about 72 hours between sessions for recovery. Each session follows a consistent flow — foam roll → mobility → band activation → developmental drills → Olympic work — so lifters engrain sound mechanics before adding load. Phase 1 establishes fundamentals from the hip (“crease”) position using the bar only in a circuit style: RDL → snatch pull, muscle snatch, overhead squat, and snatch balance. These drills teach a tight bar path, violent triple extension, stable overhead positioning, and confident receiving mechanics, before introducing light-loaded Olympic work (e.g., hang snatch) and foundational strength (e.g., back squat, behind-neck snatch press). Phase 2 lowers the start point to mid-thigh/above knee, reinforcing bar proximity, timing, and overhead stability with progressions like hang snatch (mid-thigh), power jerk, and snatch balance — all performed with the same session order and continued emphasis on technique over load. Phase 3 integrates the full movement from the floor: first-pull skill via the partial snatch to knee, power development with the snatch pull from the ground, and finally the complete squat snatch — combining all prior elements into a fast, stable catch and stand. Field and court athletes may still prioritize power-position starts depending on sport demands, but this phase equips lifters to execute the full lift when appropriate. Outcome: By the end of this module, learners can teach and perform the snatch from hip → mid-thigh → floor, using standardized setups, close bar paths, explosive triple extension, and confident overhead receives — without compromising technique quality.

Reflective Learning Exam

This final exam is designed to assess your understanding of the key concepts presented throughout the course. Please review all video lessons and written materials before beginning. A passing score of 70% or higher is required to successfully complete the course and earn your CE certificate. You may reference your notes during the exam. Once you pass, your certificate will be available for immediate download.