Professional New Zealand rugby player Owen Franks dedicates a portion of his training to Olympic weightlifting. His coach: Lee Attrill of Weightlifting Canterbury.
“I like to train for sport, train for competitions and compete internationally at high levels,” says Attrill, a strength coach and former Olympic lifter.
In this video, Franks, who plays for the New Zealand All Blacks, begins his day with a 90-minute morning session of muscle cleans and pulls. He’ll return later in the day for a second session.
For the Olympic lifts, “You gotta have good posture and basically be put together correctly,” Owens explains. “You need timing, and you need to be able to think and be explosive.”
The training provides a huge strength base that lasts into your 30s, he adds.
At his facility, Attrill trains Owens and other rugby players not just for power and strength but also for fitness, he says, “so their bodies can take the knocks.”
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Additional reading: Upward, Onward by Bill Starr, published March 28, 2012.