Strength Training for Weightlifting: Myths and Realities

A Deep Dive in Strength Training for Olympic weightlifting, covering core strength principles, training men vs women, how to get strong and FAST, and much, much more.
More on our Patron ➤ / posts
00:00 Intro
01:40 What is Strength?
02:20 Ho Do You Get Stronger?
02:35 Principles of Strength Training
04:18 Should Men and Women Train Differently?
06:19 Training in the Menstrual Cycle
07:52 Getting Strong for the Olympic Lifts
09:56 Reps? Sets? Weights?
12:20 Strong = Slow?
13:33 Cluster Sets
14:41 Takeaways
NOTES
- Our Cluster Set Deep Dive on Patreon: / cluster-sets-for-57899997
- ATG Shirts on hookgrip 👕👚 ➤ store.hookgrip.com/product-cat...
- Further reading & some of the articles used for this video: drive.google.com/drive/folder...
- Claire Zai, MS, essay on training and the menstrual cycle (Part 1 of 4): www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/...
- ATG Podcast with Claire: atgpodcast.simplecast.com/epi...
- Claire's Instagram ➤ / claire_barbellmedicine
-Dr Boffa on Instagram ➤ / dr_boffa
- ATG on Instagram ➤ / atginsta
- ATG Shirts on hookgrip 👕👚 ➤ store.hookgrip.com/product-cat...

[@allthingsgym]

Our Cluster Set Deep Dive on Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/cluster-sets-for-57899997

[@daegunbong8487]

'...brutally strong...' *cuts to clarence*

[@allthingsgym]

That's right! Full Video ---> kzbin.info/www/bejne/np6qYpSOZch7oJo

[@N-wordScissorhands]

@@allthingsgym using that video right now for motivation thanks for that

[@markchen8588]

He meant to say creatine at the end guys, probably just an editing error.

[@dat.striker.9352]

So kind to share the article with us David! A big up from Italy, ATG is the way ⚜

[@allthingsgym]

TIMESTAMPS 01:40 What is Strength? 02:20 Ho Do You Get Stronger? 02:35 Principles of Strength Training 04:18 Should Men and Women Train Differently? 06:19 Training in the Menstrual Cycle 07:52 Getting Strong for the Olympic Lifts 09:56 Reps? Sets? Weights? 12:20 Strong = Slow? 13:33 Cluster Sets 14:41 Takeaways

[@espinozapy]

This video is soooo good. Somehow explaining everything and pointing out every major problem with the fitness gurus problems.

[@jonahwantenaar2652]

This was a really insightful video! You gave us a science based explanation, whilst reminding us not to loose track of the basics and over complicate things. It was done in a way that was both engaging and refreshing. Good job

[@jayashrishobna]

Re menstrual cycle: I'm so glad to hear that on a population level most women aren't affected strength-wise. For me it makes a huge difference. I have an irregular cycle that ranges between 45-60 days so I'm never sure when it's coming. But 3 days before it comes I reliably have an otherwise inexplicable drop in my performance. My reps for weight go down at an even higher exertion. Then the cramps begin, and then my period starts. It's sad and hilarious how reliable of an indicator it is. So now I just deload during my period lol.

[@maxjean4292]

Omg I thought I was the only one who experienced the premenstrual strength drop! Good to know that others experience it as well

[@TehRealChruZ]

Tbf a deload every 45-60 days is probably a pretty good idea anyway!

[@siddharthawarwade4902]

Just another anecdote about what our sister weightlifters go through in sports and still muster up performance expected of the athelets . Just a small deserving appreciation for the same 👏👏

[@418cjpaul]

I give you credit for posting

[@dveziris]

This is the first video I see from your channel. I must say it's logical, structured and very informative. Your voice is calm ,warm and I can easily understand the English you speak. Thank you for the effort. Subed.

[@DWpeep]

I really appreciate the wise words in this video, especially towards the end. I think it encourages many to just follow their heart and just lift without the prejudice. It also keeps the bullying out as people appreciate the strength and lift rather than the nerdy science (knees caving in example).

[@Gamble0205]

This is truly a great video and I'd very much like to see more of this type of content from you! Very well produced, great narration that is concise and tongue-in-cheek in the right amount. Also, I'd like to see a video on cluster sets apart from more in general. Keep up the great work!

[@hookey1000]

Holly wow! Absolutely love this more metholodgical content! thank you so much. Finding well researched, structured and presented information is shockingly hard. Thank you so much!

[@iOnRX9]

your channel is a blessing!

[@GVS]

Fantastic. Different from your usual content, but you really knocked it out of the park with this video!

[@asdfkjhlk34]

it would be cool if you started doing some oly lifting, even if it was just doing stuff with just the bar and practicing technique as a warm up

[@PhiyackYuh]

@@asdfkjhlk34he wont because he doesn’t have patience and work on his technique. Its all body building vanity bs 😂

[@o-neil]

​@@PhiyackYuh bodybuilders are probably some of the most patient people on earth, physique progress is so unbelievably slow for a guy as advanced as him.

[@RyanAl92]

1:59 Was that the mighty roar of BLOAT LORD Kyriakos Grizzly?! 🙇‍♂🙌

[@Pi03k]

@2:01 Bloatloard is in the building

[@DjemGuitar]

This came at the *perfect* time for me. Thank you!

[@ike804]

The best weightlifting channel on youtube. This video is gold in every sense.

[@ClarksvilleBarbellClub]

Really enjoyed this chat!

[@toximan2008]

Fantastically concise.

[@simongonzalez8013]

Thanks Man! Great Video!! powerful information!

[@federiconunezavila6610]

Excellent topic! Well done

[@_hakunamata-ta]

Love the topics covered

[@DefenseMight]

Prof Guy Gregory Haff is world-renowned in cluster sets and periodization. He has done great research even looking at a specific cluster set known as ascending cluster set (i.e., doing reps, rest and increasing the loads within the set) would be great to see a podcast with him in it! cheers

[@brutalieri]

Absolutely love this dude’s voice :)

[@SAB-ex7de]

ATG... The legendary weightlifting channel. 😃 For years many lifters were dependent on ATG to see how the pro lifters trains.

[@lorini11]

Thank you so so much for the work, just wonderful

[@ee_1210]

Thank you for this 👏🏽

[@anssimyllymaki1624]

Yes. Cluster video please! 👍🏻

[@MeleDrummer]

World class info right here, thank you

[@nickwysoczanskyj785]

Awesome video!

[@bekakhutchua3527]

Valuable vid. Love from Georgia 🇬🇪

[@RaphaelPiras]

Great video ! The cluster part is very interesting (y)

[@AnthonyGarcia-sy3yk]

Go ahead with the cluster sets please,,, awesome video this one thanks..

[@allthingsgym]

It’s already live for our supporters on Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/cluster-sets-for-57899997

[@deblinrodriguez7392]

Yes sir....I would like to know more about cluster sets...thanks

[@MichaelZ89]

You Guys definitely hit the nail with this creating problems to offer solutions situation, It really rubs me the wrong way. Train hard and smart, eat and sleep well that's it, yet so many forget about that. And yes, that little something is for sure helpfully ;)

[@hornetluca]

Off course I would love to know more about Cluster Sets. Thanks

[@catboy7952]

your point about the opacity of understanding, perpetuated by opinionated Social Media was paramount. Excellent content. thank you

[@jasonperez1034]

have you ever done something on powerlifting. I love what you do with Olympic lifting

[@LiftHeavy]

Loved that low key roast of SquatU 😃

[@brandoncarroll9155]

Time stamp please 😎

[@LiftHeavy]

@@brandoncarroll9155 0:50 😊

[@arnauddechamps855]

Pretty good video. clear and all true. Now compare from 25 years ago, I see people who follow "influencers" that clearly are 1) not strong 2) not good athletes 3) complete blind on strength sciences....that is sad to see that your content has only people who really care about the "know how". Actually cluster set, I did that for a couple of years now because it increase you load capacity to get higher 1MR, like you said, it is all about speed and rest between sets. if you got "traditional" on 80% of 1RM for strength at 8-10reps the 6 to 10 is quite slow in the 4set' up. But using cluster set, you get much better reps and more intense, the early downside and difficulties are to manage the stamina load and heart frequency. But after 2 cycles (6months) you get much better and less tired. It is quite impressive method actually

[@chrismanich3063]

"subtle panther and squat college", nice one :D

[@smolboyi]

ATG upload, *It's Lit!*

[@KeenanModica]

15:20 is EVERYTHING!

[@sacristar]

Refreshingly clear of social media type nonsense 🙏

[@moazahmed6980]

Amazing video ever thank you summarized the weightlifting sport

[@jodo7814]

A video about this advice reflected to represent and explain the difference between enhanced and natural gain/ progress expectations would be cool

[@jbravo172]

Yes wanna know about cluster sets for strength development

[@F7INN]

I'd like to see another video on cluster sets

[@ketam1ne420]

God bless DrBoffa, I would not have gotten into this sport if it wasn't for his fantastic commentary.

[@isaacstetson5720]

I enjoyed the vid

[@mattespanol3431]

More on cluster sets please. With evidence based studies!

[@Coach_BigMac]

As an old athlete, I'm interested in the research on cluster sets. I've used a similar program structure in the past for great results.

[@cupofjoen]

Quick question from beginner who's on phul split. How heavy the weights should be in the strength days compared to hypertrophy days? Should I increase the weight every set in one strength lifting or same weights in one workout then add more weights next week? I am confused at this part.

[@8ballrocco731]

Need this voice in life 😂👊🏼

[@bchheang02]

Thank you

[@alexsalbar8567]

Please talk more about cluster sets

[@joeldicks2181]

The cluster set concept sounds interesting, please offer something more in-depth in a future video.

[@charleslim6514]

please do more with dr boffa, i love his voice

[@lanleeder717]

i fucking love this channel. the ending was hilarious XD

[@tchiikayed5929]

16:25 summarizes all the video

[@whitesurfer91]

great material, I'm interested in the topic of clusters. I am thinking about applying classes to a 5x5 system, of course, at the right moment. clusters are just a diversion whether they can be permanently entered in training.

[@ryanoconnell6617]

All things cluster sets next plz

[@abkonk]

That's it- you are my favorite weightlifting channel. Weightlifting house, Zach Telander- they don't cut it for me. THIS...chefs kiss

[@TheIantonna]

form is also good to avoid unwanted injuries especially when putting too much stress on knees and shoulders.

[@sabertoothwallaby2937]

Woah this channel is alive???

[@Warsheeper]

at around 2:00 it sounds like the bloatlord approves from the back

[@chungyanleung1607]

Claire is the bomb! Been following her and the BBM crew for a while.

[@allthingsgym]

She’s great! For every else, follow her on IG instagram.com/claire_barbellmedicine/

[@14lamnc1]

Hey Dr. Boffa, would you be doing another live commentary for the next World Championships with JP and Sean Waxman? Love you guys commentating on the lifts.

[@DavidBoffa]

We would all love to! Unfortunately it's not our decision to make-but if we're given the opportunity we'd all be thrilled to do so again (and with the same production team, as well)

[@Liberum69]

One issue with the video: Female lifters, after exhausting sets of 5, stalling progress, should switch to 3's a lot sooner than men, as they are generally less capable of utilizing as many motor units as efficiently as male lifters, and will need to utilize rep ranges that allow for greater intensity. The upside is they will see a lot more progress for a lot longer than men can in doing 3's. This is an interesting nugget of info from the Starting Strength coaching community. I've noticed it, too. Of course, it depends on the individual, so take it case-by-case, but be aware that at a point when if a male lifter misses his final set of 5, it may be that they didn't eat/sleep enough to recover from the last workout, while for a female lifter the same situation could mean it's time to switch to 3's.

[@jasonscheffler9813]

Starting Strength isn't exactly a good source for weightlifting information though.

[@Liberum69]

@@jasonscheffler9813 They are for strength training.

[@allthingsgym]

As you yourself note in your reply, "it depends on the individual." Even assuming that this is a general trend that is observed in female strength athletes-if that research is out there I'd be happy to see it-there's not much point in using population-wide trends for individual athletes, as noted in the video. Some guys stall on 5's very quickly; some women can run 5's for months.

[@Liberum69]

@@allthingsgym The solution to a problem involving an athlete's lack of progress isn't always clear, but understanding these general trends helps to make more educated guesses on how to best address them. Of course, this particular piece of advice is more for people training themselves, but it could help inexperienced coaches as well. Most people don't know that they're not eating enough, and may prematurely move to 3's. So it's helpful to warn that they be careful before moving to 3's, and make sure they're eating/recovering enough before they decide to make that change. Some people need to eat a lot more than others to progress. Women that eat plenty and get frustrated that they're stalling in their 5's much earlier than they expected given their male friends' progress, may benefit in knowing that the issue may be a sex-based/physiological one that has a solution of moving to 3's sooner, rather than just eating more, as was the solution for those male friends. It's just helpful.

[@neosporin5608]

content filled

[@turkishdelight6032]

I missed this voice. MORE weightlifting journalism!!

[@DanielRodriguez-ps6ij]

I’m getting strong Mat Fraser vibes here

[@Miiiiiiighty]

So where can I find the " warm up video with Jourdan Delacruz " please ?

[@bmstylee]

I'm curious how you would plan hypertrophy for weightlifting.

[@shanehunsicker103]

You could fo it a week every month to 6 weeks. Then at least one longer phase every six months to a year. Also can be used as finishers and accessories when intensities are lower. But I don't think those real high rep sets are worth it that are seen in bodybuilding type stuff.

[@Leonidas-eu9bb]

any thoughts on supra maximal eccentrics? I found them to be way too much fatiguing as to be productive. Basically the recovery it takes seem to be so much longer. On the other side explosive concentric only lifts like high pulls work very well and don't need much recovery. I feels like they even enhance fitness.

[@John-on5xc]

Thanks boffa

[@pietasharp]

So i assume to back to gym after pandemic closed gyms simple 5x5 will work :) great!

[@Wut123]

This man should be the new voice of Sam fisher

[@ponchorodriguez2332]

OW Requier special "suplements" to be exceptionally strong

[@NicholasTurnbull96]

YOU GOTTA LIFT HEAVY TO LIFT HEAVY

[@athletiqfitness]

We got that dig at the Squat University 😂

[@counterspell69]

Squat college shots fired :D

[@SiCKsNIpEz03]

That Bulgaria entered the chat snippet was just hilarious hahaha. Bulgarian method is crazy

[@maxsnatch1420]

I would greatly appreciaite if someone can answer my question : As a beginner/intermediate i always wonder how much effort i have to transfert to the bar according to the percentage of work. Do i need to have the same amount of energy while lifting different percentage ? I mean do I need to lift 50% with the same amount of effort than if I have 90% in my hands ? And by effort i mean speed. I remember Klokov saying that you do not always want to lift with maximum effort/intention but is that true ?

[@bwhasse]

Just find what style works for you. I try to make every lift look and feel the same regardless of weight - so I basically lift with max effort every rep. Plus mentally it trains me to always move the bar with authority.

[@houssamadjerid]

I'm a 181cm calisthenics athlete I can do full front lever and straddle planche. I achieved the front lever in 9 weeks and the straddle planche in around 6 months. My PR in dips is +70kg and in pull-ups is +35kg My nutrition is very very poor and I can't make it better anytime soon. My question is if I start lifting weights and gain lower body muscles. Does that affect my calisthenics skills performance?

[@thechosenone93]

As long you maintain the calisthenics skill consistently it shouldn’t be a problem. What you’re asking is basically if I train my legs more will my upper body be affected?

[@karthikgn6266]

Sir can one person can do or partice and cometitation in WeightLifting and Power lifting both is that gud to do or i can do 1 thing

[@powderedtoastman6265]

CLUSTER SET VIDJA PLS!!!

[@powderedtoastman6265]

Especially in it’s application for Olympic weightlifting.

[@nattybynature1262]

Hahaha great writing!

[@fihja9399]

What do you think about pyramid sets, when I squat I start with high reps and lower reps as I get higher weight, and I generally lift till fatigue for each set. Is this okay, it's built a decent amount of strength for me. I'm 18 I started lifting June 2021 and my squat is 265. But now I'm having alot of trouble progressing

[@fihja9399]

Oh and I'm 170 pounds 5 foot 8

[@brutalieri]

Where can I buy the black ATG t-shirt with the golden ATG text?

[@allthingsgym]

Currently it’s out of stock but we’ll work on finding a printer who can do a good gold print.

[@balazsvajda4936]

And also anabolics!

[@georgecarder4695]

throwing some shade on the squat "college" lol

[@KeenanModica]

15:40 are the older weightlifting coaches who sell all those books

[@abkonk]

Ttm dirty about Cluster sets

[@terrencebeers7105]

Probably the best base information on what is of first importance, strength. If you’re not strong you can only dream about big weights.

[@rtoujr]

Did he just throw shade at Kelly Starett and Squat U in that intro?

[@genin69]

very interested in more cluster set content. seems it might help quite a bit with CNS burnout as well. quality over stupidity

[@mariososterneto1191]

First?! Maybe?!

[@CMTattoos]

good video

[@FightCritic]

“Bulgarians have entered the chat” 🤣🤣

[@SiCKsNIpEz03]

I was looking for this comment!! Hahahaha