In a recent StrengthCoach.com forum the question was recently posed: “Are Olympic Lifts the Key to Collegiate Sports?” Although I don’t believe that one lift is the key to athletic success, it was interesting to read the responses. I have also learned in this profession to avoid acute angles. It seems that many disagree for the sake of being different and argue over the minutia.Hopefully this article avoids those angles! Still the question remains, are Olympic lifts worth the hype? I know several very well respected coaches who do not program these lifts. Hopefully this article explains differing points of view and allows the reader a better understanding of why we program Olympic lifts at Donskov Strength and Conditioning.

I miss the competition! I miss the weight room filled with my teammates, adrenaline, sweat, chalk and enough testosterone to start a small revolution! I miss the only two concerns I ever had in life back in those days, school and hockey! My how things have changed. The game has taken its toll on me and I have the scars to prove it. Cuts, pulls, multiple shoulder surgeries and enough time spent in rehab to start my own PT clinic. 

If you “teach”, but don’t apply…

I received plenty of feedback on the first installment of this article called “Three Tips to Help Your Athletes Master the Hang Clean.” It seems that many Olympic lifting purists didn’t like a few of the coaching cue’s we give our athletes’ at Donskov Strength and Conditioning. One particular cue/technical aspect of the lift came under heavy scrutiny. The hip rock! In defense of our use of the hang clean and its application to athletic development, I have come up with the following list. Below is a list of why we do what we do: defending the Hang Clean for Athletic Development.

I love the game of hockey! I’ve been involved in the sport my entire life! It’s my passion! I’ve had the unique opportunity of playing at all levels (mite-semi-pro). My passion these days involves giving back to the game, both working with youth, pro and Olympic level athletes in the confines of the gym and stepping on the ice to help run our family hockey school (Donskov Hockey Development). My brothers also enjoyed relatively long playing careers (college, semi-pro). My father often gets asked how three children growing up predominately in Mid-West Ohio all went on to have relatively long hockey careers. I love my father’s response. In my opinion it’s a motto that should be embraced by all coaches involved in youth sports.