The Three Pillars of Weightlifting Success: Why Strength, Speed, and Technique all Matter

To me, the most important aspect of coaching is the individual. With that being said, I've always had a keen interest in writing programs—learning, refining, and applying new knowledge to maximise their progress.

When I design a program, I'm not just planning workouts; I'm building an athlete. I analyse their existing strengths and identify areas for improvement.

While numerous qualities contribute to a successful weightlifter, I consistently focus on three fundamental pillars: strength, speed, and technique. These factors, regardless of an athlete's level, shape every program I create, with varying emphasis based on individual needs.

The Interplay of Strength, Speed, and Technique

Social media often features debates advocating for a singular focus—“Speed is everything,” “Strength is king,” or “Just focus on technique.” However, weightlifting demands precision, power, and strength. All three components must be trained. While one may take precedence at times, neglecting the others is counterproductive. Let's examine each element:

Technique

Technique is the logical starting point, as it's the initial skill learned when handling a barbell. However, mastery is a continuous process, even elite lifters spend years improving their precision.

If mastering technique simply involved performing the classic snatch, clean, and jerk, coaches wouldn't be necessary. Instead, employing constraints, variations, and complexes is crucial for developing technical efficiency and body awareness. These tools reinforce proper positioning and movement patterns, ensuring consistency under heavy loads and fatigue.

For advanced lifters, while technical refinement remains important, the focus shifts. They should possess a strong technical foundation, but targeted variations are still essential to reinforce strong positions and address weaknesses. These variations enhance precision and build strength in key positions.

Example: For a beginner, working on technique might look like the movements of the snatch, clean, and jerk broken down into partial variations such as tempos, pauses, hip, and hang versions of the movements. 

Strength

Strength is a frequent topic in weightlifting, and rightfully so. Without a robust strength base, generating power is challenging. Remember, Power = Force x Velocity. Lacking strength hinders force production and, consequently, power.

Weightlifting requires training various types of strength:

• Absolute Strength: This is the ability to lift maximal weights, such as heavy squats and pulls. While vital, it should be trained with intent; weightlifting isn't about slow, grinding movements. It’s about moving heavy weight with speed and power, but that doesn’t mean there’s no place grindy reps when we’re pushing hard.

• Positional Strength: This goes hand in hand with technique. Maintaining strong positions throughout a lift ensures stability and efficiency.

Speed

Explosive power is indispensable in weightlifting, yet many neglect its training. Have you ever witnessed an elite lifter moving slowly? No. While some athletes are naturally more explosive, consistent speed training is necessary.

A critical aspect of speed training is improving the ability to change direction. The snatch, clean, and jerk require rapid directional changes—pulling under the bar, receiving the weight, and transitioning into a squat or jerk. Snappy directional changes while maintaining control are crucial for successful lifts.

Speed training also enhances velocity output, allowing for greater force application in less time. This is what distinguishes powerful weightlifters—the ability to be both fast and strong at critical moments.

Example: For a beginner, depending on their past training, we could use something as simple as barbell squat jumps, or we can incorporate hip power snatches or depth jumps. 

Effective weightlifting programming balances strength, speed, and technique, rather than isolating one. Each quality reinforces the others: strength enhances speed, speed reinforces strength, and technique integrates them all. A comprehensive program considers all these elements, adjusting emphasis based on individual athlete needs.

The next time you hear someone advocating for a singular focus, remember the complexity of weightlifting. Training all components will lead to greater overall success.

In my next blog, we’ll explore further into how I consider these qualities when programming specifically for beginners, intermediate, and advanced weightlifters.

-Coach Sebb