Pulling with the Quadriceps

2008 silver medalist Li Hongli and his developed quads

Credit Natalie Behring Photography

"For whatever reason, there's a tendency in this country at this time to think we have a dearth of hip extension strength (glutes and hams) and a wealth of knee extension strength (quads). That wasn't the case in 1998 when I first got into this profession. There was no big emphasis on hip extension.

Somehow, somewhere, the emphasis changed from triple extension to emphasis on hip extension and this new thing emerged: the posterior chain.

And what great timing it was, because suddenly we had become a nation of quad dominant, dysfunctional people, plagued by gluteal amnesia."

- Excerpt from "That P-Chain Thang"

by Physical Therapist Tracy Fober

When I started lifting weights in 2006, I had to take in a lot of new information. Technique was stressed repeatedly and it's still important to this day. While performing movements with good form minimizes risk of injury, it also makes exercises easier and allows us to derive more benefit from them for our goals.

It's training efficiency - getting the most bang for your buck in the training you do.

In my social media feeds, several training videos tend to show up. I watch a good number of them and it's apparent there's a disconnect in understanding technique. Technical deviations are common near maximal efforts, but most videos I see are submaximal.

The most notable issue I notice is pulling a barbell off the floor using the quadriceps muscles.

The popularity of gluteal training has cause the hips and glutes to be heavily emphasized in training. This is especially true for recreational exercisers who sit for long periods throughout the day. In many lower body movements, most people are taught to focus on their hips, such as sitting back when beginning a squat. Unfortunately because of this, the quadriceps muscle group gets overlooked. Remember the function of the quadriceps - to extend the knee.

When the mistake happens in deadlifts or weightlifting pulls, it's easy to observe. The hips are high and the movement ends up resembling a stiff legged deadlift where the legs are almost straight.

Notice the high hips and vertical shin

Credit PowerliftingToWin

Sometimes trainees set up correctly, but either due to lack of knowledge or strength, their hips shoot up, the torso becomes almost parallel to the floor, and they end up pulling with their hamstrings, glutes, and low back. This doesn't make use of the quadriceps and ends up fatiguing the other areas sooner in the movement.

In a good pull that utilizes the quadriceps, the barbell and hips rise at the same speed. This is the quadriceps initiating the movement as it extends the knee. When done correctly, the back angle remains constant at the start of the movement.

Depending on whether a deadlift is being done by powerlifters or pulls by weightlifters, there are things to consider when looking at the technique and incorporating corrections.

Powerlifters

Powerlifters have a lot of freedom in their deadlifting styles. Conventional, sumo, low hips, high hips, narrow stance, rounded upper back, and any other number of variations or combinations of them. Pulling style will be up to the individual's build and preferences, especially if the person has a history of injury.

For reference, take a look at the following conventional and sumo deadlifts. Both show good pulling technique.

Mike Tuchscherer

 

Chen Wei-Ling

However, there are exceptions and this isn't the only way to deadlift. An experienced lifter won't necessarily have the same deadlifting style if they know what works best for them. For instance, Bob Peoples was well known for deadlifting with his legs nearly straight and a rounded back. It would generally be considered bad form and ill advised to perform deadlifts in that way, but it suited him the best based on his own build and experience.

For beginner and intermediate trainees, they have less time under the bar. More often than not, they unintentionally deadlift with their hips high. The issue tends to reveal itself at heavier weights.

A quick correction is to give a point to look at for the person to focus on as they straighten their knees or think about pressing their feet into the ground. However if a little more assistance is needed, guiding them with hands on their hips and low back can also do the trick.

If the quadriceps are lacking strength in this specific position, hack squats (previously discussed here) can be used as a correction.

Begins at the 3:35 mark

Done properly, a hack squat has the bar lifted without any issue. If the hips come up first, the bar will hit the hamstrings before it reaches lock out. It teaches to begin the lift from the knees by using the quadriceps and requires maintaining good positioning of the torso before finishing with the hips.

Fortunately for weightlifters, there is less range in pulling styles and simplifies the issue.

Weightlifters

Alex Lee at 2015 World Championships

Weightlifting should be straightforward, but for whatever reason lifters make the classical movements more complicated than necessary. The first pull is described as the portion of the lift from the floor to the knees.

Similar to powerlifters, for weightlifters the issue may be lack of awareness. Some simply pull too fast off the floor and lose their position. This is especially true if the main thought is to stay over the bar and emphasize hip extension after the second pull. Sometimes the quads are not taken into consideration.

Corrections for this were discussed in last year's FuBarbell + Training Geek seminar review. To recap the relevant section,

"From the start position, we were told to go straight up as if we were trying to draw a straight line from a pencil sticking out of our ear. Visually, a PVC can be held adjacent to the lifter. Keeping the ear in line to the PVC will force the lifter to pull straight up. If the lifter still needs further feedback, Diane demonstrated by having her hand on the upper back and told Lester to press her hand upwards. This achieves the correct pulling action.

They provided excellent cues to understand how it should feel. I particularly liked the emphasis on feeling the quadriceps contract in the start position and in extension. In the start position, "feel your heels float" gave the right idea of how far you should start over the bar - the weight is shifted forward just enough to have your heels stay lightly on the ground. If done correctly, the quadriceps muscles can be felt."

These cues are great for shifting the trainee's idea of the set up and execution without being overly analytical and verbose.

To exaggerate feeling the quadriceps, I learned a very good drill from Stephen Powell. When I reached out to him for coaching, this was one of the first exercises he introduced to me. It's a modified set up to perform pulls called Sex Pocket Pulls.

Demonstrated by Carlee Acevedo-Fuller

In the video above, Carlee is doing pulls on plates, but with her heels hanging off the back. This forces her to slow down and pull with the quadriceps. She has to find the right balance so her heels do not touch the floor. By ensuring her heels don't touch the floor, her pull is smooth and fluid.

These can be done with a snatch or clean grip or even a grip width in between the two.

Closing Thoughts

The quadriceps are strong and should be used to our advantage. By not using all our muscles, progress will be slow and the workload will be transferred to other muscles. Those muscles have to do more than required during a set and limits what we are capable of.

Whatever sport you apply yourself to, working hard is one part of the equation and can only take you so far. It's also important to work smart. Working smart makes our hard efforts all the more worthwhile and beneficial in the long term.

‘’Technique is the ultimate expression of strength in weightlifting.’’

- Robert Roman

Further Reading,

• Sex Pocket Pulls by Stephen Powell

• PowerliftingToWin - Deadlift Setup Science

• PowerliftingToWin - Deadlift Form Analysis

• PowerliftingToWin - How to Deadlift like a Powerlifter

The FuBarbell + The Training Geek Seminar with Diane Fu and Lester Ho

A day of learning and lifting

After attending the Ma Strength seminar in December 2014, I didn't plan on attending another seminar for a while. However, when the "FuBarbell + The Training Geek Tour" popped up on my Facebook feed, I couldn't pass on the chance to attend - the session was going to be held awfully close to my neighborhood at Brazen Athletics in Fairfield, NJ.

The session was held on a Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM. The hosts were:

Diane Fu
- Owner of FuBarbell
- Extensive work with Kelly Starrett
- Weightlifting coach for Team NorCal
- Mentored by Wu Chuanfu, coach of Singapore's national weightlifting team

Lester Ho
- Co-Owner Southeast Strength
- PhD candidate, three dimensional kinematics of the snatch
- Mentored by Robert Kabbas, silver medalist at 1984 Olympics

The day before the seminar, I received an email with the course manual. It was a pleasant and appreciated surprise that allowed me to review the material beforehand. The manual gave me an idea of the day's schedule and what to expect.

The seminar had 15 attendees in total with the group comprised mostly of coaches.

Diane began with an introduction of her template which is geared toward improving the athleticism of a specific type of individual - the modern athlete. The modern athlete is usually a person who has little-to-no exercise experience and has a sedentary lifestyle as a student or office worker with limited time to exercise. They tend to pick up weightlifting in their 20's or 30's and are very new to it.

In order of most important to least important, the template prioritizes:

• Position - A combination of mobility, proprioception, and strength in certain positions/postures

• Movement - The flow and  rhythm of the full movement and consistent rep quality

• Speed - Position and movement are prerequisites to speed. Speed will be detrimental to reps if the other two qualities are not developed

• Load - Weight is the least prioritized aspect. Skill is required first and an individual will lift whatever they are capable of with the correct technique

Lester then began to speak on the biomechanics and physics of weightlifting and covered the laws of motion and the center of mass. This lead to the next segment on levers and varying body types using the toolbox method.

Participants paired up and used their phones to take a picture of each other in the position shown above while lying on our back. Using that image, two boxes - using an app or a computer program like paint - are drawn on to the upper and lower body. This gives an understanding of the lever relationship between the torso, femurs, and lower legs. Depending on a person's leverages, they will have one of three body types, which are:

(1) A long torso with short femurs (ideal for weightlifting)

(2) Long Femurs compared to their torso (more use of legs)

(3) Equal length torso with their femurs (strong upper body)

These characteristics affect a person's positions. For instance, a weightlifter with long femurs will take a wider stance with their feet somewhat externally rotated and catch the bar with an inclined torso in the snatch. A longer torso individual will be able to set up comfortably in a narrow stance and receive the bar with a more upright torso.

They noted levers add another layer of information and give insight, but a coach shouldn't rely only on levers when examining a lifter.

Assessment and Mobility

With the fundamentals explained, we proceeded to the movement portion and started with assessment testing.

The first assessment was simply to crawl on our hands and feet. This is what I consider a true bear crawl - trunk parallel to the ground with the hips at or slightly below the height of the shoulders.

Notice the controlled limb movement
Opposite hand and foot move together

I'm familiar with the crawl and use it in a warm-up or part of the training session. However, I've never thought to use it as an assessment, but it makes sense. The crawl allows you to see pelvic control, core strength, and coordination. Some of the participants found it a bit challenging.

The second test was a narrow stance squat with the hands clasped together overhead called the Charlie's Angel Squat. It's a very simple movement that reveals mobility restrictions in the lower body and shoulder extension along with feeling the quadriceps (more on this below).

Those two movements illustrated how well one's body can move. Understanding how we did on those drills, we went into mobility of the upper body, hips, and ankles.

The upper body stretch we did was a hang from a pull-up bar and our partner pushed on us right below the scapulae. Over the course of three sets, we worked towards a more narrow grip. This stretched all of the anterior pressing muscles really well. Combined this with the fact a bar hang also stretches the lats, there was significant improvement in shoulder extension.

Jump to the 1:20 mark to see a 
similar take on the stretch we did

The next focus was on the hips and ankles by using band distractions. With a band anchored on the rack, you take the other end and put it around your hip or ankle. With the band on, work through various angles - lunge, split, squat, and then repeat on the other side. Almost everyone saw improvements in their positions. The drills were good, but if anyone had an injury they were advised to not do them.

Snatch

Now that we were all warmed up, we began the actual lifts. They used a top-down approach to break down the pull. It progressed as,

Extension > Power/Hip > Knee > Start

After hitting each point, we reversed the movement and initiated the pull. Combining it together, we did a snatch pull, power snatch, and then finally a full snatch.

From the start position, we were told to go straight up as if we were trying to draw a straight line from a pencil sticking out of our ear. Visually, a PVC can be held adjacent to the lifter. Keeping the ear in line to the PVC will force the lifter to pull straight up. If the lifter still needs further feedback, Diane demonstrated by having her hand on the upper back and told Lester to press her hand upwards. This achieves the correct pulling action.

I really enjoyed their cues. They provided excellent cues to understand how it should feel. I particularly liked the emphasis on feeling the quadriceps contract in the start position and in extension. In the start position, "feel your heels float" gave the right idea of how far you should start over the bar - the weight is shifted forward just enough to have your heels stay lightly on the ground. If done correctly, the quadriceps muscles can be felt.

Extension was cued in a similar fashion. There was no forceful plantar flexion, but instead were told to extend upwards and feel the quadriceps. Done correctly, the heels again "float" as opposed to doing a calf raise.

We were now given 30 minutes of open lifting to snatch on our own. We were allowed to go as heavy as we chose under the condition we maintain good technique. As we lifted, Diane and Lester went around observing and coaching everyone.

I did some light muscle and power snatches and took this as an opportunity to take photos (which can be found at the end). At this point, we were about halfway through the day and we broke for a one hour lunch. I stuck around and took more photos of Diane and Lester lifting. This surprised me a bit because they taught for 3-4 hours, lifted during lunch, and then taught for another 3-4 hours. That is awfully tiring, but kudos to them for being able to do it!

Clean & Jerk

Once everyone got back, we briefly went over the clean and spent more time on the jerk. For the clean, we went through the same progression as the snatch. Everything discussed on the snatch applied to the clean. The only change was the grip width and the bar being racked on the shoulders.

They stressed to set the lats in the rack position by not having too much space between your armpits. If the elbows are too high where the humeri are parallel to the ground, the lats are unable to support the weight. Once the bar was correctly racked, we did a complex that consisted of a push press, push jerk, and split jerk. The goal was to first achieve proper depth on the dip and then complete extension. Most trainees will cut the two movements short which results in a shallow dip and splitting too early for the jerk. To ingrain proper dip depth, including dip holds into your training will cement the new change.

"Jerk dip holds are not uncommonly programmed for youth females to strengthen the rack position - particularly for the jerk. They did this for 6 sets of 60s holds."

A video posted by Larry (@yangl123)

Just like the snatch, we were given 30 minutes free lifting time for the clean and jerk. In the previous seminar, I was instructed by Liao Hui for the rack position - have elevated shoulders and make a big chest. This actually strained my shoulders and caused them to cramp. Lester said set the lats instead. I found it much more comfortable.

Closing Discussion

After lifting, we had the opportunity to ask questions. Questions were asked throughout the day, but I don't recall any questions during this specific Q&A. Diane and Lester spoke about how they taper and deload - including how they are different from one another - plus how a trainee should set their annual training if they compete minimally or not at all.

The final discussion was on programming. They program in 3-4 week blocks. Diane recommended for those who only do WOD's to include strength training sessions that incorporates trunk work (core and lower back). They both agreed pulls are underrated and very beneficial. Pulls done correctly really employ the legs. If feeling the quadriceps is hard to understand, then they recommended narrow stance squats.

Observations

It appears Crossfit certifications teach sitting back in the start position of the snatch and clean with an emphasis on hip extension. I am not 100% sure - because I've never taken a Crossfit certification - but this is what I took away from the seminar.

Suggestions

The seminar was solid. The only adjustment I would consider is adding a segment on programming prior to lifting. It felt somewhat brief and lumped together with the Q&A and end. It can be expanded on with an overview of a sample training week along with how to set up the main movements plus accessory work to improve technique.

This next point is not exclusive to this seminar and something I've seen in every seminar I attend. While questions were asked throughout the day, when it comes to Q&A at the end of a seminar, participants hardly ask questions. For whatever reason, that's the way it is. I'd recommend any seminar presenter(s) to instead try and anticipate questions or ask themselves "Can I/we elaborate on this here?" because people will rarely put forth the good questions. I had to do this in college for research papers and I've found it helpful. It's not a foolproof method, but it might encourage more dialogue from the guests.

Material aside, sitting on a wooden box is surprisingly extremely uncomfortable. I would have gladly enjoyed being able to sit in a chair. Call it nitpicking, but it's hard to pay attention when your glutes hurt.

Suggestions for Trainees

If a trainee engages in only WOD's, devote time to training you typically wouldn't do, such as bodybuilding work. Try to feel the muscle for each rep, do isolation work for smaller muscles, go slow, do high reps, and don't worry about the load.

Need to get use to the new start position and staying over the bar? Apply the same concept from the jerk dip hold to the the start position, Hold it for time and get accustomed to how the start position should feel. Stay in the start position for 10, 20, or 30 seconds and then do the snatch or clean. You become familiar with the set up and can use a light load for the lifts.

Final Thoughts

Weightlifting is simple. You take a heavy barbell and you put it over your head. Learning how to do it efficiently is difficult, but teaching someone else how to do it is much harder. Describing how weightlifting should feel to an individual is not easy and can be tough to grasp.

Diane and Lester did a terrific job at conveying that feeling without making it overly complex. This is what I walked away with and it enhanced my coaching skill set. Both of their extensive backgrounds and experience combined into an enjoyable seminar.

If you're lucky, they will do the tour again in 2016.

You can view photos I took from the seminar here.

FuBarbell Sites

• Main Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

The Training Geek Sites

• Main Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

Further Reading,

• Leverage in Weightlifting Part 1: How to Improve Your Pull
• Leverage in Weightlifting Part 2: How to Train
• The Ma Strength Seminar with Yu Jie, Liao Hui, and Lu Xiaojun

The Ma Strength Seminar with Yu Jie, Liao Hui, and Lu Xiaojun

That's my best Yu Jie face

Not many people can claim they are the best in the world. Olympians Liao Hui and Lu Xiaojun made no such statement, but that's because they don't speak English. Ma Strength co-director Jianping Ma addressed the group that morning saying that these guys are the best.

This past Sunday, I attended the Ma Strength seminar at the South Brooklyn Weightlifting Club. For those unfamiliar with Ma Strength,

"Welcome to Ma Strength – your ultimate site on Chinese weightlifting. Our mission is to provide athletes and coaches with the tools they need to enhance weightlifting performance using the knowledge and methods of the Chinese weightlifting system.

What makes us unique is our expertise and experience in these methods. We aim to fill the growing demand for knowledge and application about the Chinese weightlifting system through this blog and website, along with our technique clinics, coaching seminars, products, and online projects."

The hosts and guests were:

Jianping Ma
- Ma Strength Co-Director
- Head Coach at Lindenwood University
- 1984 Olympian

Manuel Buitrago
- Ma Strength Co-Director
- Head Weightlifting Coach at Supreme Sports Performance & Training
- Trained under Ivan Abadjiev

Yu Jie
- Head coach
- Athletes include Liao Hui, Lu Xiaojun, Lu Haojie, Zhong Guoshun, Tian Tao

Liao Hui
- Men's 69 kg weightlifter
- Four gold medals
- Holds the world records in snatch, clean & jerk, and total

Lu Xiaojun
- Men's 77 kg weightlifter
- Six gold medals
- Holds the world records in the snatch and total

Before I proceed, let me give my own brief background in weightlifting. My university had USA weightlifting instructors available if anyone was interested in learning the lifts. I took advantage of it in my freshman year of 2008. It wasn't until 2011-2012 that I spent more time practicing the lifts, learning more, and meeting with the university's weightlifting club near the end of my final semester. In the summer of 2012, I developed sharp knee pain and discontinued practicing the lifts. Only until recently in 2014 have I started squatting again and making a slow transition to incorporating derivatives of the full movements.

It's not everyday world champions visit your area; the seminar presented a perfect opportunity to meet two of them. Not only that, but the most popular entries on this site are the Olympic weightlifting articles. I knew readers would like a feature on the seminar.

I chose the Sunday seminar for a number of reasons. First, since the seminar was being held from 10:00AM to 12:00PM, I would be able to avoid traffic in Manhattan. Next, there were would be less attendees than the Saturday session, which would potentially make for a more individualized experience. Lastly - and most importantly - since the Saturday session would be their first seminar, I knew any issues they may have encountered from the first seminar would be resolved for the next day.

Attendees came from local and far, but most were predominantly from the East Coast with the exception of one person from outside the US. Everyone knew the basics of Olympic weightlifting and had been training anywhere from a few months to a few years (aside from me).

Ma began with a general introduction explaining the Chinese system. The Chinese studied the systems of America, Russia, Bulgaria, and then finally developed their own.

Ma used five words to describe the snatch with the last two being his own he adds.

• Close - Bar stays against and near the body while traveling upwards 

• Fast - Lock out immediately after full extension

• Low - Lock out low 

• Timing - Rhythm (More on it below) 

• Stable - I recommend watching Kirksman's video here

I wrote timing as rhythm. It was illustrated with two fast claps in succession as opposed to one clap, a pause, then the next clap. This described the rhythm of the movement and feet. It was full extension and then boom! The bar is locked out overhead. The aim is to develop rhythm instead of extending aggressively and then riding or squatting the bar down.

After the explanations, we were told the seminar's format was changed and we will get the chance to lift and receive on the spot instructions and corrections. They explained experiencing the concepts first hand will help us better learn them.

This was a last minute surprise. I luckily didn't wear jeans like I was considering that morning. I was dressed to lift and brought my weightlifting shoes along if such an event were to occur.

To be honest, this was a pleasant change. I wasn't sure what the seminar would entail. I signed up to see what content would be presented and how I can incorporate what I learned into my own skill set. As mentioned previously, I haven't done any Olympic weightlifting outside of front squats and snatch high pulls. Later when Ma asked how long I've been training, I just replied "not that long."

But more on that in the next section.

Hands On Corrections

SNATCH

Ma discussed and demonstrated the snatch plus its variations: the split and power snatch. He explained the form of the snatch noting the chest and head are up, the wrists relaxed (no wrist flexion), stance is comfortable around shoulder-width apart, and the knees are out/wide. He said knees out as having each knee over each foot (proper joint alignment).

Ma said full extension is straight up. Yu Jie showed the position quite a few times - on the forefeet, elbows high, wrists and hands close outside the shoulders, and head slightly back. After extending, jumping backwards is wrong. You stay where you start and your feet only move outwards to the sides.

Kazakhstan's Zulfiya Chinshanlo displays 

excellent full extension straight upwards here

As Ma called on us, we went up one-by-one. In the snatch, we would begin in the start position, do a few muscles snatches followed by the full snatch. Either in the start position or the full snatch, Ma would instruct the lifter with Yu Jie adjusting them - raising the hips, head up, relaxing the arms, keeping the bar close, aggressive lock out, head through/forward (not down), and tight back.

Yu Jie adjusted almost everyone's overhead position by internally rotating the shoulders. It was the most intense retraction I've felt. The best way I can describe it as him grabbing the scapulae and folding them into the spine. This is "tight back." It's similar to the retracted scapulae in the bench press in that it's a stable position.

Notice the retracted scapulae and

elbows pointing backwards

My start position required positioning my head slightly up rather than looking straight ahead. I also needed to have the bar closer at the end of extension. The full extension position Yu Jie showed helped and I also understood the scapulae adjustment.

Ma told me that I need tight and flexed hips (so I stay over the bar) and my posture is caved forward: chest and shoulders pulled forward and inward knees. Given how much time I spend sitting (commute + work = over 11 hours a day), it made sense. As for the knees, I've avoided excessive knees out to mitigate my knee pain and have emphasized the adductors in training. His last observation was that only one foot moves out in the catch and I remember that bad habit from the past. After I finished, I was surprised he didn't mention my poor stamina because I was breathing pretty damn heavily.

After this, we took a 10 minute break before beginning the second half of the seminar.

CLEAN & JERK

Liao Hui began and said technique is greater in the snatch than the clean, therefore strength is very important for the clean & jerk.

The rack position has the elbows set up naturally with the chest tight/high. This position is strengthened with lots of jerk dips and front squats.

We didn't do many cleans. Instead, Ma had us start with clean deadlifts. Everyone did clean deadlifts well with minor adjustments here and there. Liao Hui helped while Ma instructed - relaxed arms, pulling the elbows upwards, and keeping the bar close.

From there, it was a power clean into three split jerks. The dip for the jerk should be stable and slow. The drive up should use the whole body to extend upwards getting up on the toes then splitting and continuing to drive the arms overhead. Ma said don't just drop under the bar.

The split jerk has the torso vertical, back leg semi-bent, and the front leg's shin vertical. Again, the head is through/forward. The trunk only moves up and down as the legs split apart.

Liao Hui, Yu Jie, and Ma switched off between correcting each person. They emphasized the controlled dip, head positioning, and the set-up of the legs in the split. For instance, Liao Hui took a piece of PVC and slid it between the lifter's head and shoulders for them to understand the forward head posture.

For split jerk corrections, the stride of the front foot was usually short and needed to be further out. The rear leg was too straight and needed more knee flexion and plantar flexion. Usually the heel was off the ground, but not high enough. The weight distribution is spread evenly among both feet, 50-50.

My clean deadlifts and rack needed "tight chest" which felt like exaggerating a big puffed up chest. Liao Hui had me maintain this as I pulled and then he stepped away as I approached a full stand. Because I was very focused on holding my chest like this that as I neared the top, the bar was already well past mid-thigh. For me, staying over the bar and naturally shifting to the power position has always been an issue.

My split jerk was mediocre and I needed the above corrections. Truthfully, I've never done jerks as part of my regular training. I'm willing to bet Yu Jie noticed this because his advice was to practice the split.

General Advice

A question about the back squat came up. Ma said squat straight up and down with the back tight. There's no backwards movement. Weight is distributed on the entire surface of the feet with just a little bit towards the back of the feet.

We were all in need of more flexibility.

Overall, I believe everyone needed to slow down and be smoother in their lifts. There's no reason to rush through the movements. Whether it was standing out of the snatch or dipping for the jerk, Ma emphasized controlled movement and to have solid positions.

Hasty execution leads to poor movement or lack of the full movement. I learned something similar back in eskrima. The head instructor was going through a session with me and kept drilling the basic strikes. He stressed following through after each strike to maximize effectiveness. The same applies to extension, lock out, and driving up after the dip. This is why close, fast, low, timing, and stable are very important. They are the basics to develop rhythm and tempo in a fluid snatch, clean, and jerk. By being precise and having accuracy in the movements, you promote the most powerful positions.

Observations

The seminar gave me a lot of information to process. For one, they focused on end positions with little attention on the in-betweens. There was no mention of first pull, second pull, or anything between the start position and extension unless inquired by an attendee. It was only the essentials and it proved to be productive.

Next, they predominantly used internal cues. Liao Hui and Ma had me stay over the bar in the clean without having to say it once. I understand external cues can be helpful, but lately I've found internal cues to be more efficient.

The more I reflect on the seminar, the more I realize it was similar to what I've previously read and watched from Tommy Kono. Both have their differences, but I couldn't help notice the resemblance in some parts. Maybe that's just good weightlifting.

During Q&A, someone asked about sweeping the bar. The second pull was was not directly discussed during the seminar. When translated to Yu Jie, all I saw him do was gesture to the pocket area. The first thought that came to mind was, "Kirksman." From what I recall, he's the first person I read referring to and calling it the pocket area.

Considerations/What If's

I have been wondering - was the minimal instruction effective because it was simple or was it simple because the lifters already had some proficiency? It's hard to say, but I would guess it was a mix of both. Enthusiastic participants plus good coaching are a productive combination.

Second, I am curious if the instruction style and corrections provided would change had our group been comprised of more advanced athletes. That's not to say the group encompassed a bunch of beginners, but what if they were, say, some competitors for the upcoming American Open? I don't think the instruction would have been drastically different because the basics are always paramount, but you never know.

Suggestions

Since we were the second seminar in the lineup, I understand the addition of the lifting portion was a last minute change. Even though we were a small group of 12, going up one-by-one to receive coaching can take time. I don't know how this is playing out in the other seminars or if changes are being made to the format. Aside from time, there was an overlap of corrections from person-to-person. During the clean & jerk, I went to scribbling notes as the person on the platform went through clean deadlifts. It wasn't overly repetitive, but I already saw others go through the same instruction.

If possible, I would have liked to see it broken down into two groups: Manuel + Liao or Lu with one group of attendants and Ma + Liao or Lu with the second group. Yu Jie could supervise and walk around advising both groups. After the break, the groups switch coaches and athletes for further instruction. Although Manuel was busy taking photographs throughout the event, his lifter was in attendance. She received positive feedback on her technique from Yu Jie and Ma. I can't speak for the others, but I would have enjoyed his comments in the seminar as well. I believe the other person with the Chinese team was an assistant coach. Assuming he would be willing, I wouldn't doubt his ability either.

The other thing that comes to mind is maybe including a printed outline to follow along. Taking notes is best, but as I review the notes I took and as I write this, my memory struggles recalling every single detail. An outline would be useful and I would have jotted down less (but probably not).

Finally, Lu Xiaojun wasn't heavily involved in our seminar. He was on the platform at the beginning of the snatch segment warming up with the bar but that was it. He wasn't present during the snatches and came back after the clean & jerk portion concluded, but that's only because someone had asked a question regarding squats. Ma had him demonstrate the back squat plus a squat jerk.

I don't know how it was planned. Maybe Lu was involved the previous day and it was Liao Hui's turn to engage with participants on Sunday? Or something else altogether? I'm not sure. This is especially true since the format changed and we were lifting. Originally, Liao Hui and he were going to demonstrate the movements and work up to near maximal weights. I would have enjoyed the seminar a bit more if Lu spoke or helped lifters.

Other Tidbits

• Liao and Lu are on vacation and have been relaxing after competing at the World Championships and Asian Games respectively. They will start training once again when they return to China. 

• Lu has a 4 month old daughter. 

• Lu has been squat jerking for 10 years. He used to push jerk, but noticed he can go lower as the weight increased. 

• Lu's squat is his strongest lift. He can deadlift 280 kg. 

• Lu doesn't bench press. He does push-ups 

• Yu Jie is tall 

• I don't know why Liao Hui wasn't brought up. Sorry everyone.

Sorry Liao Hui - no one wanted to 

know what you lift

Final Thoughts

Should you attend the Ma Strength seminar? It depends. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it. I have been going through the material many times since it ended.

Definitely go if

• You want coaching from Yu Jie and Ma
• You want to meet Liao Hui and Lu Xiaojun
• You want to learn something new

Don't go if

• You're tight on cash
• You want a significant amount of personal coaching

The seminar was $315 and lasted two and a half hours plus time afterwards to take photos and speak with everyone. The remaining seminars near Chicago this weekend are $365 The seminars have concluded. If you really can't afford it, then I'd suggest to try attend one of Ma Strength's 8 hour technique clinics whenever the 2015 schedule is available. You would get a better bang-for-your buck in the clinic with more hands on instruction.

Was the cost worth it to attend the seminar? You bet! I realize some of you reading this may think this isn't ground breaking information or saying, "Well, I already knew this and that" and so on and so forth. Knowing and experiencing are two different things. Usually when I write a longer piece - such as this - I take time and hit mental blocks as I write. I did not have that issue as I wrote this. Instead, the most arduous part has been simply getting it all down. Two and half pages of notes transcribed into a much more thorough write-up.

Jianping Ma and Manuel Buitrago are great guys who are very knowledgeable and host an enjoyable seminar. I liked it and I doubt the Chinese team will be back from China any time soon. With preparation for the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio, Brazil, I think it is unlikely they will have time to visit again so soon.

If you want to learn more about Ma Strength, visit their website [link] and Facebook page [link]. Registration and details for the remaining seminars can be found here.

Photos from the event will be on the Facebook page. Because photography was not allowed during the seminar, I took some after it ended and they are available for viewing here.

Yu Jie and Jianping Ma

Liao Hui and Lu Xiaojun

Manuel Buitrago

Chinese Style Weightlifting Coaches in the USA

If you're seeking out Chinese style weightlifting instruction in the USA, these are the coaches with the experience that I'm familiar with:

Jianping Ma
- He trains athletes at Lindenwood University in Missouri 

Manuel Buitrago
- He's located in Washington, D.C.

Stephen Powell
- While located in South Carolina, he also does long distance consultations and is familiar with the Chinese and Russian training principles 

Further Reading and Other Reviews

Prior to the seminar, I have followed and read many weightlifting articles and sites. In doing so, it gave more depth to the topics. Below are my recommendations to learn more as well as other Ma Strength reviews.

LiftHard
- Kirksman was the first person I came across who explores the Chinese system. I've found his teachings very helpful

Yatin Prasher [Link 1; Link 2]
- He attended the Ma Strength weightlifting camp in China and wrote about his trip 

Larry's Chinese Weightlifting Experience
- During Larry's visit to China he was able to get in contact with a weightlifting coach and explains what he learned for All Things Gym 

Barbell Meditations
- Dave is another Ma Strength weightlifting camper and gives a great overview of the trip 

All Things Gym
- An attendee shares his thoughts on the Brooklyn Sunday seminar 

Crossfit SAA
- A review from a lifter who attended the Chicago seminar and has also visited the training halls in China 

Wu Chuanfu
- Kirksman's former coach who trained in China 

Takano Athletics
- Bob Takano puts forth excellent discussion and analysis about every level of the sport that I highly recommend 

The Training Geek
- Lester simplifies weightlifting which is what I loved about the seminar 

Tommy Kono Books
- While I haven't finished the first book, I've found his teachings very valuable 

Weightlifting with Marilou Dozois-Prévost
- Not exactly Chinese weightlifting, but Chris's experience echoes many of the corrections that were discussed in the seminar

Related articles,

• Typically I include specific articles from the site here, but in this case I will simply recommend the Olympic Weightlifting tag to browse all the entries

*I'll be editing this post periodically if corrections are needed

Hand Pressure in the Bench Press

When it comes to an exercise, hands tend to take the back seat and are out of mind.  Often an individual focuses more on the muscle tension throughout the set. I've written about gripping before, however it can be more specific than that.

You can give attention to the bar pressure in your hands. In the bench press, I've found it to be in the following areas in red below:

If you've positioned the bar at the bottom of your hands near the wrist, these red areas are more or less where you can get a feel for the bar pressing into your palms. While I titled this post with bench press, this isn't exclusive to that movement. Most horizontal pressing exercises have the same feeling such as the push-up for example.

Test it out, see how it feels, and if necessary, adjust however you see to fit for yourself.

Related articles,

• How to Bench Press
• How to Row
• Pressing with the Arms
• Thoracic Mobility

Visiting India, Part 2

Massive Radha-Krishna in a nearby 
office building lobby

Continuing from last time, this post will be a general overview of my observations from my trip to India.

The easiest way to describe it is that it's a different culture. Plain and simple. I grew up with a basic understanding of the culture and it made me quick to pick up mannerisms and behavior while I was there. On the other hand take a random person raised in the West and plop them in India and they will think it's a mad zoo.

Urbanization

There are a few metropolises (extremely congested), some cities, and a whole lot of villages. Very few areas had the semblance of a town. Good housing structures run 1-to-3 rooms large with a kitchen and a flat toilet. People on the lower end of the SES spectrum have a lot less space.

Depending on where you look you can see the introduction of basic modern housing utilities. The neighboring town-city has introduced gas lines directly to homes in our village - presuming your house meets the provider's requirements. Some people still use gas tanks connected to their dual stove top burners but that will become obsolete because of the new gas lines. Predating the tanks, cooking was done on an open fire.

Place the fueling agents in the crater, ignite, then
rest your cookware on top of the open flame to begin cooking

Another village we visited didn't have gas lines but direct water lines to the homes. In contrast, our village relies on an underground well that has water pumped to the homes during mid-morning. There's progress in the country but it's slow and very dependent on the region. As a result, many of the infrastructures present here and in other developed countries are not as widespread in India. The mix of urban and rural areas don't have connecting utility systems. Take rest stops for example. Because many are situated out in the middle of nowhere on the highway, the facilities are latrine-based due to the fact there is no sewer system. Unfortunately, this is the case with a number of basic services.

10 years ago I noticed people openly littered on the ground. It was a very minor problem then and little trash was noticeable outdoors. 10 years made a huge difference because there is a ton of garbage strewn about everywhere. The increase in non-biodegradeable materials - namely plastic - combined with the lack of garbage processing centers and nonexistent waste disposal practices are major contributors to the pollution. The problem is further magnified due to the large population. The only method of waste disposal I saw was garbage burning. Whatever natural scenery remains in India is in jeopardy of disappearing if these conditions continue or worsen over time.

Roads, Highways, and Everything on Them

I initially thought to exclude this section of the trip. I thought to myself, "Why bother? It's not that important." Then I thought about it again and realized it - yes it is important. Highways look almost identical to the ones we have here and appear very new and modern. Not all portions of it are like that but I'd say close to 90% of them are similar. When you get to the local roads then everything becomes a big mess.

Road systems seem to be reliant on whatever pathways were previously in place. These avenues are shared by everyone and everything. Motorcycles, bikes, cars, rickshaws, pedestrians, water buffalo, goats, you name it. I'd presume these paths were originally made for pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles but that's no longer the case. Dense areas have motorcycles and cars attempting to squeeze through crowds of people.

While there are cars available, not everyone can afford one nor do they need it unless traveling long distances. On the other hand, tourists need someone to chauffeur them around because they're unfamiliar with the locale. Consequently, this has given rise and value to the driver profession. It's a lucrative business and career choice if an individual can drive well. It's similar to being a truck driver - drive frequently for extended periods of time except that they're transporting people from point A to point B. However, instead of trucks, 5-9 seat passenger vehicles are popular. Some resemble a minivan, others are more of a mini-hummer in appearance. Often you could spot the Toyota Qualis on the roads:

Typical packed car

Why buy a massive car? The more passengers you can fit the more money you make. Even with less passengers, such as our small party of three, we had quite a bit of luggage leaving and going to the airport. It wouldn't have fit in a regular-sized sedan. Large vehicles make sense but their use in villages and small towns is an issue. The aggressive driving style is dangerous because rules and penalties are not in place and are not enforced by authorities.

People's Living

India has over a billion people. With a population of that size, the SES stratum is diverse. This actually made it difficult to distinguish who was indigent at times. For instance, an individual who earns 100 rupees* a day - roughly equivalent to 2 US dollars - is considered to have a low income. Yet, the same person can live in a one room home without any transportation means, but own a standard definition TV and a cellphone. It's a bit tricky to define "destitute" when odd variables like those are thrown into the mix. In fact, one night a neighbor and I were talking about how everyone in the village is glued to their TV at night which is contrary to a few years earlier. Everyone use to sit outside and talk to one another. A TV in each home has become the norm whereas ten years ago our home was the only one with a TV. As you can tell, that's quite the opposite!

*One dollar is roughly equivalent to 50-55 rupees depending on its current value. 50 is used as a base for easy calculations.

To better put things into perspective, I'll go over a few values and costs of goods I noticed there and discussed with my mother. First she explained that 100 rupees is a lot and is considered the same as $20 here (but remember the true currency conversion is $2). Our family's okay with giving money as a gift to a relative whether it's a birthday, Christmas, or a small occasion. This is usually when a niece or nephew is given about $20 as a nice little gift. Typically, 100 rupees isn't given to someone as a gift. It's more common to give around 10 rupees. Several prices I recall were,

• 1lb. of chicken = 200-300 rupees

• 1lb. of goat = 500 rupees 

• 20oz. of cow's milk everyday for 3 weeks = 700-800 rupees 

• full tank of diesel or petroleum fuel for a car = over 1,000 rupees

If you think about it on a $20-base scale, that is incredibly expensive! Going by those numbers, a pound of chicken would cost a minimum of $40 here in NJ. That's more than four times higher than its current cost. A gallon of milk? For one week, it's about $40 (231 rupees for 7 days [700/21 days times 7 days in a week]). The cost of living for the citizens of India is much higher than our standards.

Yet despite limited resources and technology, by our living criteria, Indians manage to do pretty damn well. They create efficiency out of inefficiency. The phrase "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade" perfectly illustrates this concept.

The dabbawala highlight how efficient and resourceful Indians truly can be. Recall last time I wrote about how women are able to carry heavy bulky items on their head as they walk. No one owns a wheelbarrow to transport stuff around the village. Another example is the use of cow dung. It's shaped into discs and set to dry. Then in conjunction with wood it's used as a burning agent (wood alone in India is not enough to keep a fire lit). That actually doesn't seem efficient at all but my dad told me before detergent was available the ashes from the fire were used to wash clothes. To my surprise he said the laundry came out very clean.

While the dried cakes are not good for the atmosphere,
this must eliminate a great deal of animal waste

Anyone who knows how driving is in India would exclaim it's erratic and absolutely crazy. To a certain extent it's true. A whole lot of honking and one car over taking another doesn't make sense. On the contrary there is a rudimentary style of how one should drive: use your horns and high beams liberally to inform the nearby vehicle of your presence or to move aside so that traffic can flow smoothly. And slow down or stop if something is in front of you. I didn't claim it was a great way of driving but it works for them.

Patriarchy

While there are very efficient processes present in the country, the huge glaring obstacle I saw was the lack of women's presence. India is a patriarchal nation. The women are tough as nails and religious scriptures highlight their value but their role in society is minimal. From what I know, women in the state of Gujarat are treated better than women in the other states (Rajasthan being the other exception). However, I'm not talking about oppression or abuse. Outside of being a stay-at-home mom, only a fraction of women are visible in the workplace. Hell, we didn't even see one driving a car in the entire 3 weeks. But the status of women became glaringly obvious when we were out shopping for women's saree. These huge fashion stores had men as their sales associates. That's not to say men can't sell women's clothing or be in the fashion industry....but not a single woman was a sales associate? That's funky. Only one store had women employed and they were in charge of administrative tasks (tracking customer orders, noting tailor requests, payments, phones, miscellaneous duties).

Outside of that, most jobs appear to be dominated by men. I won't say all jobs because I did hear neighbors mention a few women go to work in newly built factories because of the good pay. We even came across one 22 year old who runs a coconut business with her mom. And while we didn't see women driving cars, 10 years ago only men were riding around on motorcycles and scooters but now it's more common to see women dipping and diving through traffic. Like I said earlier, there's progress in the country but it's slow and dependent on the region.

People as People

Being visitors, we met quite a few people during our stay. We also visited others who weren't able to come to our neck of the woods. Let me just say that when you visit another person's home that their hospitality is unbelievable. They are EXTREMELY kind and welcoming to their guests. They want to treat them well and give them the most pleasant experience possible. At times it can be overwhelming. One memorable instance was when I stopped off at an extended relative's home after spending the afternoon out in the city. They were being so over-the-top kind to me that at one point I was beginning to feel awkward. They told me,

"Come! Come! You've been out all day. You must be tired."

Yes! Here lie down. Put your feet up.

Let me get you fresh coconut water."

You know, things of that nature.

Strangely though, there are no set formal manners, if any. No please, excuse me, your welcome, bless you, or any phrase of that sort. If you burp, you burp. No one cares that you did it because it happens and no one minds it. "Thank you" does exist in Hindi as "dhanyavaad" but no one uses the expression. They definitely need "excuse me" because people have no words to say if they want someone to step aside. I saw one guy simply waiting for another person to move. Aside from that, it did make me think if we're sometimes overly polite here.

But unfortunately, just because those individuals are kind to their guests doesn't mean they're kind to everyone. Sadly, attitudes towards a person are based on their background. If you don't come from a certain status/background or position of "power" (for a lack of a better term) then you will be treated poorly. What makes it worse is that it's tolerated and expected to an extent. I wouldn't call it discrimination but maybe it is and I'm blind to the truth. Either way it's not good for the people.

I've written a lot detailing my trip. However, words on a screen cannot convey the true experience of visiting India. I left out an incredible amount of information and what I did share only scratched the surface of the adventure. Trust me when I say a lot happened.

But it was amazing. When I got back, the trip felt like a fleeting memory that didn't even happen.

It dawned upon me that I was in India one early morning. My dad asked me if I wanted to visit our family's farm lots. We hiked through the tall grass and thickets then began to walk on a narrow dirt path. About a quarter mile in, I looked behind and in front of me. Not a soul could be seen. There was only my dad treading ahead of me pointing out and explaining the various fruit trees and how it was when he grew up, feeling the red sun warming the cool air, and listening to the peacocks' high pitch calls.

That was India.

Related content,

• Web Album: Pictures from the Trip
• Web Album: Pictures of Food from the Trip
• Visiting India, Part 1: Food & Fitness

Moment of Power

Left to right: Min-Jae Kim, Vladimir Sedov, and

Saeid Mohammadpourkarkaragh

Keep the bar close! You want to get it in or near the crease of the hip right before straightening out. The snatch hasn't changed much in the last few decades,

1958 World Championships

Compared side-by-side,

Click to enlarge

And it's not too different in the clean,

Sa Jae-Hyouk

Remember not to extend early. Wait until the bar is in the right position or you'll miss out on a lot of power.

Related articles,

• First Pull
• Panda Pull
• Second Pull
• Start Position
• Third Pull

Rules of Programming

The first rule of Fat Club is that you
don't talk about the first rule of Fat Club.

I had a conversation last week that made me think, "How do I design programs?" I rely on a few hard-and-fast (that's what she said) rules. As I learn more these may change, but for now they play a big role in how I structure programs.

Before I continue I should distinguish between a program and a workout. A workout is one exercise session whereas a program consists of many workouts spanning multiple weeks. A workout can be done for fun without having to follow any particular guidelines. I've done it plenty of times. Consider a program when you need a plan to achieve a goal like increase your back squat, run faster, recover from an injury, fix your posture, and the like.

Now the rules.

Training Should Mimic or Resemble the Goal
- Select movements that overlap with movement(s) in the sport.

• For example, shot and discus throwers generate power through their legs and hips to throw the object. Think of what develops strong legs and hip extension such as squats.

• A great way to get ideas is search Youtube for how athletes of a sport train. You can usually find a variety of videos from amateur to elite.

New Skills Go First
- You want to develop a new skill? Begin with it in the first day of the week. This allows you to avoid fatigue while hammering the technique into your nervous system. Remember practice makes perfect.

• If the goal is to learn barbell snatches or a front lever, putting them first while you're fresh makes it easier to learn without sacrificing form.

Prioritize One Plane Movement per Session
- The first lift is done when you're primed for working out. As the workout progresses fatigue sets in. Of course it's natural to become tired. Hence whatever you begin with won't suffer from a lack of physical and/or mental focus.

- In a session prioritize one lift per plane movement.* This means you devote your effort to a single exercise compared to the bodybuilding method of many exercises for one muscle.

• Pick a heavy compound lift or something that requires near 100% concentration and effort - 1-arm push-up, heavy overhead press, banded deadlift, tempo squat, etc.

*I wrote about plane movements here with an example of each here [the six compound lifts]. The only one not included is a loaded walk/carry.

Choose 1-2 Exercises per Plane in a Workout (3 Max)
- The previous rule doesn't mean you're limited to one thing. Another exercise or two can be added as secondary work. You're able to train with more volume in place of intensity.

• Follow a deadlift variation [hip-dominant] with single-leg Romanian deadlifts, glute-ham raises, or band stomps to further work the hamstrings and glutes. They're less demanding on the body than the main lift - deadlift in this case - but still provide training volume.

Free Weights Comprise the Program- With the exception of special circumstances, an injury for instance, no machines are used. Cable-based equipment is acceptable, but nothing that has a fixed path of movement [the infamous Smith machine]. Free weights provide better results.

Postural & Abs Go Last
- This is self-explanatory. Postural drills are light and higher in volume. Abs can be difficult but don't suffer as much from the preceding training in the workout. You can even pair a postural movement and abs back-to-back.

Emphasize Quality NOT Fatigue
- A common belief is we must break our bodies to a crippling state where we can barely move after enduring a brutal workout.

I don't play that crap. Go in, put effort into a few moves, and then call it a day. At most it should take 90 minutes consisting of 4, maybe 5, days a week.

Minimize Discrepancies
- Simply put: target weaknesses and any glaring problems.

• Overly strong bench press but lackluster pull-up? Hunched posture? Something else? Devote more attention to bring up a lagging area.

Remove Awkwardness & Pain
- Everything doesn't work for everyone. If it's painful or downright awkward no matter how much you attempt to work out the kinks, drop it from your program and find a suitable alternative. Don't be afraid to experiment.

These rules don't encompass everything I do but they're core principles I use to create a program. Other individuals will have their own philosophy and that's perfectly alright. Find out what works and benefits you the most.

"If it works, it works, no matter what anybody says."

- Franco Columbu

Related articles,

• Programming Cardio
• Progression Methods
• Training Program or Philosophy?

Olympic Lift Start Position

Couldn't clean the images up entirely.

(Click to enlarge)

In the Olympic weightlifting series I posted a Youtube video that showed elite lifters snatching in slow motion. Unfortunately the original user has recently removed the video. However I got lucky and was able to take a few snapshots. Take a look at the lifters above and notice they have a similar set-up.

Outlined are the angles of the spine, femurs, shins, arms, as well as the locations of the shoulders, hips, and knees (the circles). Some interesting points:

• The knees are over the toes.

• The hips are slightly higher than the knees.

• The shoulders are over the bar.

Different body types lead to variations here and there, but you can see they're all positioned more-or-less the same.

Unless you're pulling frog stance, your set-up will resemble the pictured lifters.

Related articles,

• First Pull
• Panda Pull
• Power Position
• Second Pull
• Third Pull

Olympic Lifting: Getting Comfortable

As Lu Yong shows, the mobility from

part one is important for a reason.

Mobility in weightlifting gets your foot in the door. However, that doesn't count for much. Your foot's got a long ways to go in the sport.

It isn't enough to have mobility. During various points along the movement, there are specific postures. Today's goal is to get familiar with them.

Low Back Arch

I posted this article Monday. If you've never arched your low back in deadlifts or squats you might be able to get away with it, but not in Olympic lifts.

Rippetoe states in the article women know what to do when asked to arch their back as opposed to men. Check out these three positions:

(A) Lying motionless on the floor
(B) Flattening your low back against the floor
(C) Arching your low back

Figure B displays the core exercise the dead bug where you rotate your pelvis up and towards your self. Figure C is the opposite. You rotate it backwards and down into the floor. Think of your tailbone as the thing you're trying to rotate into the floor. This will widen the space between your low back and the floor creating the arch. To understand how each feels practice a few reps of both positions.

After that, try it standing:

The flat back on the left is how most deadlift and squat. To the right is what we're aiming to achieve: rotating the tailbone back and up [clockwise rotation in this image]. If you haven't done this before, it will feel uncomfortable and exhaust your low. With time your low back will build strength in the arch.

Hook Grip

The snatch and clean are done for low reps. Between each rep the lifter resets themselves to pull. To handle heavy weights and get a tight grip on the bar they utilize a hook grip. Unlike the common overhand or mixed grip in deadlifts where the thumb is over the other digits, the hook grip has the thumb under the index and middle finger.

Understanding this initially confused me since I was use to gripping the bar as I've described here. Elite lifters on Youtube show them putting their thumb on the bar and then the other four fingers over it, but for myself this felt weak and loose.

However, I noticed Lu Yong does it differently. He grabs the bar regularly, lifts his index and middle fingers then places his thumb underneath. I've found this far more effective. Try the following:

1) Grip the bar as you would as any other pull - again see here.

2) Next, lift the index and middle fingers extending them as high up as you can. Now wrap your thumb as far as you can around the bar.

3) When you're confident your thumb is as close as it can get to the bar and wrapped as far around as it can be, wrap the two fingers over it as far as possible.

You should feel your grip has tightened significantly. At first the hook grip is painful and awkward. Practice with the bar itself and perform single reps of light to medium weight deadlifts.

Spreading the Scapulae

Scapulae simply means the shoulder blades. Protracting them - spreading them apart as opposed to retracting where you pull them together - results in a lat spread.

Bruce Lee demonstrates the lat spread.

Get in front of a mirror, puff up your chest, and bring your lats out wide. Focus on the movement coming from the scapulae, not the arms or deltoids/shoulders themselves. Tommy Kono explains this allows the lifter to take advantage of the lat muscles' power for a better pull. The above image of Bruce Lee is more or less how the body is during triple extension (more on that next week).

Perform a few poses in front of a mirror and then a few facing away from it. (You won't be able to look at a mirror in the start position.)

Lastly to maximize efficiency during the pulls, as the bar travels upwards it should remain close to the body. For a great explanation I'm going to direct everyone to Mike Robertson's post here. [EDIT: Importance of this explained here.]

Start Positions

Courtesy of Catalyst Athletics

For now, don't worry about doing this exercise. Rather, observe the start position and get into it yourself. Here we put everything together discussed thus far. The arched low back, using a hook grip, and separated scapulae.

If you do your deadlifts in the high hips powerlifter-style, this will be a big change. The hips are much lower being right above the level of the knee.

Other cues to follow:

• Shoulders over the bar

• Knuckles pointing straight down

• Looking ahead or angled at the floor in front of you

• Elbows rotated out [see here]
  

I rarely discuss the clean's start. Aside from the grip width on the bar, it's very similar to the snatch start.

What I will discuss is the racked jerk position.

Stretch the wrist and fingers
to better rack the bar.

It's as easy it looks. With your hands cocked back and outside your shoulders, let the tips of your fingers face up and rest under the bar. Note that you're not using your hands or fingers to hold the bar up.

The bar rests on your front shoulders for support as your fingers provide balance. Stand tall and make a big chest to avoid hunching over - otherwise you'll lose your balance and drop the bar forward.

Much like the other new postures, this will feel relatively odd and become more natural with practice.

Wrapping Up

This post covers many things and can appear overwhelming. The thing is, Olympic weightlifting is very technical! Practice one detail at a time before trying to combine it all together. Becoming proficient in everything discussed will make it that much easier to learn the snatch and clean.

This post wasn't brief, but hopefully thorough for beginners. Next week we'll start with triple extension and assistance exercises.

Other posts in this series,

• Part 1: Mobility
  
• Part 3: Assistance Exercises
  
• Part 4: Full Competition Lifts
  
• Conclusion