I know related topics have been discussed here and on other forums and resources many times, but I was wondering what benefit individual athletes have found from performing oly lifts. Are they added to the weights programme in the hope that there is significant neural cross over to sprinting (or other sport), or to stimulate the CNS, or simply because other athletes perform them?
They are fun to do! This carries over to more frequency, more intensity and more volume.
Well over time you learn to maximally fire your posterior chain, recruitment of your higher threshold fibers etc
teach you to explode your whole body in sequence
off course you get speed strength gain benefits, and sometimes hypertrophy in the muscles used.
Covers all most major muscle groups in single excercise.
permit compensatory acceleration…
Strength benefits with little (of the benefits/disadvatages of) hypertrophy
i would agree with all of the above and add in that the “train movements not muscles” attitude has helped me alot with strength to weight ratio and explosive power. and yes, they are alot of fun and make very efficent use of gym time.