Olympic Lifting Progressions and Techniques Flashcards
7 cards from real CROSSFIT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Olympic Lifting Progressions and Techniques flashcards as text
What is the primary difference in grip width between the snatch and the clean?
Answer: The snatch uses a wider grip, allowing the bar to be received overhead with locked arms in one motion
The snatch uses a wider grip so the bar can travel to an overhead lockout position in one continuous motion, while the narrower clean grip positions the bar at the shoulders.
What term does CrossFit use to describe performing common movements with extraordinary skill and precision before adding load or speed?
Answer: Virtuosity
CrossFit uses the term 'virtuosity' — borrowed from gymnastics — to describe performing the common uncommonly well, prioritizing mastery of mechanics before intensity.
When scaling Olympic lifts for a new athlete, what is the most important factor to consider first?
Answer: Movement mechanics and technical proficiency before adding any load
CrossFit's scaling hierarchy prioritizes movement mechanics first; athletes must demonstrate safe, consistent technique before increasing load or complexity.
What coaching cue is commonly used to help athletes maintain bar-body contact during the pull in Olympic lifts?
Answer: 'Keep the bar close' or 'drag the bar up the body'
Cueing the athlete to keep the bar close or drag it up the body reduces the moment arm and allows for more efficient force transfer during the pull phase.
What does the CrossFit coaching progression 'mechanics, consistency, then intensity' mean when applied to Olympic lifting?
Answer: Ensure correct technique first, then develop repeatable patterns, then add load or speed
CrossFit's foundational coaching model requires athletes to learn correct mechanics first, then develop consistency in those patterns, before intensity in the form of load, speed, or volume is added.
What is the proper foot position for receiving the bar in a squat clean?
Answer: Approximately shoulder-width with toes slightly turned out, matching the athlete's squat stance
The squat clean receiving position mirrors the athlete's normal squat stance — approximately shoulder-width with toes slightly turned out — to allow full depth and structural stability.
According to CrossFit principles, why are Olympic lifts included in CrossFit programming?
Answer: They develop power, coordination, and the ability to move loads quickly over a distance
Olympic lifts are valued in CrossFit for developing power (force × velocity), coordination, and the ability to generate and control high-speed movement — key components of overall fitness.