What do ski racers and Olympic lifters have in common? Well, more than you might think.

If you’ve caught Olympic fever like we have, you’ve been glued to the screen watching your favorite athletes go for gold in Rio every minute you can. In between the coverage, we were able to catch up with USSA Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Bingaman and U.S. Ski Team alpine athlete Nick Krause at the Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah, to learn how adding the two Olympic lifts – the snatch and clean & jerk – to your workouts* can help you gain strength, mobility, and those precious hundredths on course.

*Remember to always lift weights with a certified coach in a supervised environment.