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Training Video 12
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Q&A
Q: What should I eat after I am done training?
A: Protein and vitamins are a good start. Get the calories you need as well as nutrients. Protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and fiber should all be on your list after a training session. Your body has just been through a lot so replenish it with either a meal or a protein shake. Meat and vegetables are always a good choice. Drink plenty of water and take your fish oil. Eating immediately after training is very important so don’t skip it.
A: Protein and vitamins are a good start. Get the calories you need as well as nutrients. Protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and fiber should all be on your list after a training session. Your body has just been through a lot so replenish it with either a meal or a protein shake. Meat and vegetables are always a good choice. Drink plenty of water and take your fish oil. Eating immediately after training is very important so don’t skip it.
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Tips for the Split Jerk
#1 - You know the ones that will hold. Don’t go up until it’s perfect.
By Donny Shankle
Use degrees of repetition in the Jerk to correct inefficiency. With each Jerk you do at weights lighter than your ME, aim for perfection. All of the little details it takes to pull off a big Jerk need to be picture-perfect every single repetition. Things like dipping and driving straight, resting the bar along the five points, getting your head through the LOB, and changing direction quickly are all details which will help you pull off the PR. All of these details are visible on camera. Record some of your sets on the Jerk and go back and look at them. If you see something which could be better then don’t go up in weight until you correct it. This may take one set in the same session or many sets over a period of months.
Things you can see visually are only on the surface of a Jerk. Maybe the correction at lighter weights can be made audibly. Every repetition you do, listen to the sound of your lead foot. If you are doing a set of three reps, make sure every rep sounds the same. Grab one of your weightlifting shoes. Now get down on the floor and slap your shoe down hard but make sure it comes down flat. Listen to the crack it makes. This is how each and every Jerk you do should sound. Now take your shoe and come down at a gentle angle. Slide the toe of your shoe across the floor. Not the same sound right? A Jerk that sounds like a slide does not carry with it the same aggression. It will not have the proper balance to support the weight over your head. Whether it’s triples, doubles, or singles followed with more singles, make sure every rep sounds the same.
You know the Jerks that will hold. Don’t go up in weight until each rep looks and sounds the same. If the lead foot was soft on the third rep of a triple, then do it again. If you dropped your chest on the second rep of a double, do that weight again. Thread the needle on your Jerks each and every time. Get used to making your Jerks so crisp that it feels awkward to do it any other way. This tip doesn’t only apply for the Split Jerk. It also applies for the Power Jerk and Squat Jerk. There is no slap on the lead foot to listen for on these Jerks but you still know the ones which will hold and the ones which will not hold. If anything feels out of position or not aligned, DO IT AGAIN.
By Donny Shankle
Use degrees of repetition in the Jerk to correct inefficiency. With each Jerk you do at weights lighter than your ME, aim for perfection. All of the little details it takes to pull off a big Jerk need to be picture-perfect every single repetition. Things like dipping and driving straight, resting the bar along the five points, getting your head through the LOB, and changing direction quickly are all details which will help you pull off the PR. All of these details are visible on camera. Record some of your sets on the Jerk and go back and look at them. If you see something which could be better then don’t go up in weight until you correct it. This may take one set in the same session or many sets over a period of months.
Things you can see visually are only on the surface of a Jerk. Maybe the correction at lighter weights can be made audibly. Every repetition you do, listen to the sound of your lead foot. If you are doing a set of three reps, make sure every rep sounds the same. Grab one of your weightlifting shoes. Now get down on the floor and slap your shoe down hard but make sure it comes down flat. Listen to the crack it makes. This is how each and every Jerk you do should sound. Now take your shoe and come down at a gentle angle. Slide the toe of your shoe across the floor. Not the same sound right? A Jerk that sounds like a slide does not carry with it the same aggression. It will not have the proper balance to support the weight over your head. Whether it’s triples, doubles, or singles followed with more singles, make sure every rep sounds the same.
You know the Jerks that will hold. Don’t go up in weight until each rep looks and sounds the same. If the lead foot was soft on the third rep of a triple, then do it again. If you dropped your chest on the second rep of a double, do that weight again. Thread the needle on your Jerks each and every time. Get used to making your Jerks so crisp that it feels awkward to do it any other way. This tip doesn’t only apply for the Split Jerk. It also applies for the Power Jerk and Squat Jerk. There is no slap on the lead foot to listen for on these Jerks but you still know the ones which will hold and the ones which will not hold. If anything feels out of position or not aligned, DO IT AGAIN.
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Waypoint
Stand Tall
By Donny Shankle
In between the OHS and the From the Hip Progression of a Snatch is the important Stand Tall phase. The Stand Tall is also in between the Front SQ and the From the Hip Progression during a Clean. Instead of thinking of the Stand Tall as a progression, think of it as a waypoint as you begin to progress down the legs.
At the Stand Tall, the weightlifter picks the bar up with a hook grip using either a SN or C grip. He looks forward or slightly up, contracts the lats, pushes the hips slightly in front of the shoulders, and locks out his legs. The arms are relaxed and the bar rests against the body. The arms do not bend in the Stand Tall. The Stand Tall is an important phase because as the weightlifter moves into it, he learns the importance of bringing the bar into him and hips through the bar. The hips are the center of your power. Concentrate on keeping the back straight as you pull off the floor and bringing the bar into this central point.
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The Stand Tall also gets you thinking about relaxing and letting go. Let go of trying to fight the bar up into position. Watch a mature weightlifter lift and notice how the bar is moving to his commands. It’s like the bar already knows where to go. This level of development can only come with a lot of repetition and letting go of everything except completing the lift. Once you are in the Stand Tall, clear your mind. Then practice moving through the following progressions.
By Donny Shankle
In between the OHS and the From the Hip Progression of a Snatch is the important Stand Tall phase. The Stand Tall is also in between the Front SQ and the From the Hip Progression during a Clean. Instead of thinking of the Stand Tall as a progression, think of it as a waypoint as you begin to progress down the legs.
At the Stand Tall, the weightlifter picks the bar up with a hook grip using either a SN or C grip. He looks forward or slightly up, contracts the lats, pushes the hips slightly in front of the shoulders, and locks out his legs. The arms are relaxed and the bar rests against the body. The arms do not bend in the Stand Tall. The Stand Tall is an important phase because as the weightlifter moves into it, he learns the importance of bringing the bar into him and hips through the bar. The hips are the center of your power. Concentrate on keeping the back straight as you pull off the floor and bringing the bar into this central point.
The Stand Tall also gets you thinking about relaxing and letting go. Let go of trying to fight the bar up into position. Watch a mature weightlifter lift and notice how the bar is moving to his commands. It’s like the bar already knows where to go. This level of development can only come with a lot of repetition and letting go of everything except completing the lift. Once you are in the Stand Tall, clear your mind. Then practice moving through the following progressions.
For training consultation and/or video analysis of lifts, you can email Donny at donny.shankle@gmail.com. Fee is donation-based.
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Masters
Addition to Maximum Effort
By Donny Shankle
I love traveling the world and teaching weightlifting to whoever wants to learn. One of my travels to Japan allowed me the privilege of training at the Tokyo Stadium where the ’64 Olympics were held. The platform I trained on was the same platform all the great weightlifters of those games competed on. Never contain yourself. It’s a long process of learning how to be a weightlifter without limitation. By going in search of places to lift, you get immersed in the culture and see new horizons. This will encourage you to keep competing, training, and going.
While training in Tokyo I was working through an injury. A lot of work went into just moving through a snatch and clean and jerk again. I had all the motivation I needed. My training buddies were a bunch of men probably in their fifties and sixties. Some were probably in their seventies. It was great being able to watch them lift together. Here I was wondering if I would ever be a champion again or even be able to lift again. While right in front of me were champion master weightlifters still hoisting barbells over there head which most twenty and thirty year olds I have met couldn’t. The whole experience was an enlightening lesson I will never forget. I spoke little and watched everything. When I did speak it was always with a bow. Over time they watched my strength return.
These men did not come into the gym with a program. There was no strength cycle. These men were master weightlifters. Some of these men even competed at the ’64 games. Two barbells were loaded with weight which was used by ten lifters. One man got up and lifted while his friends watched and cheered him on. After he was finished, another lifter got up and lifted either the same weight or put more weight on. The rotation didn’t stop until everyone had worked up to maximum effort. There was no time for anyone to do five, ten, or fifteen repetitions. Weightlifters have a term for those rep schemes. It’s called warming up and you do it off the platform. There was only enough time to do one rep and do it perfectly. If you didn’t do it right, you had to patiently wait to go again. As these gentlemen trained, they all smiled together and continued to take it to the maximum. Each one of them remained a champion and it was an honor to lift amongst them. Under these conditions is where going to maximum came from. In these conditions is where champions are made.
By Donny Shankle
I love traveling the world and teaching weightlifting to whoever wants to learn. One of my travels to Japan allowed me the privilege of training at the Tokyo Stadium where the ’64 Olympics were held. The platform I trained on was the same platform all the great weightlifters of those games competed on. Never contain yourself. It’s a long process of learning how to be a weightlifter without limitation. By going in search of places to lift, you get immersed in the culture and see new horizons. This will encourage you to keep competing, training, and going.
While training in Tokyo I was working through an injury. A lot of work went into just moving through a snatch and clean and jerk again. I had all the motivation I needed. My training buddies were a bunch of men probably in their fifties and sixties. Some were probably in their seventies. It was great being able to watch them lift together. Here I was wondering if I would ever be a champion again or even be able to lift again. While right in front of me were champion master weightlifters still hoisting barbells over there head which most twenty and thirty year olds I have met couldn’t. The whole experience was an enlightening lesson I will never forget. I spoke little and watched everything. When I did speak it was always with a bow. Over time they watched my strength return.
These men did not come into the gym with a program. There was no strength cycle. These men were master weightlifters. Some of these men even competed at the ’64 games. Two barbells were loaded with weight which was used by ten lifters. One man got up and lifted while his friends watched and cheered him on. After he was finished, another lifter got up and lifted either the same weight or put more weight on. The rotation didn’t stop until everyone had worked up to maximum effort. There was no time for anyone to do five, ten, or fifteen repetitions. Weightlifters have a term for those rep schemes. It’s called warming up and you do it off the platform. There was only enough time to do one rep and do it perfectly. If you didn’t do it right, you had to patiently wait to go again. As these gentlemen trained, they all smiled together and continued to take it to the maximum. Each one of them remained a champion and it was an honor to lift amongst them. Under these conditions is where going to maximum came from. In these conditions is where champions are made.
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Sub Ex # 81
Crawling
By Donny Shankle
Crawling is a great strength and conditioning exercise. It’s also a great shoulder stability exercise which will do wonders for your overhead strength. No added resistance is needed while crawling which makes it a great exercise to include as a warm-up, when recovering from an injury, or used on an active rest day. It’s a quadrupedal movement and you never hear about animals having shoulder problems like humans. This is because they spend all of their time crawling instead of walking. Their bodyweight is evenly distributed across all fours. All of the muscles learn to work together. All of the little stabilizer muscles in the shoulders, back, and abdominals work hard to move you forward or backward. The head must be kept up so your eyes can see what’s in front of you. This will help strengthen your upper back while lifting. There are so many variations to crawling. You can bear crawl (hips high), spider crawl (hips low), crab walk (crawling facing up), and even do a forward moving peak & valley called inchworms. Every variation is great to put the shoulders in positions they're not used to and make them strong. To increase the difficulty of the exercise and really feel the little muscles in your shoulders working hard, try crawling on an uneven terrain or in the sand at the beach.
REPS: N/A
SETS: 5-10
ADVANCED WAY: Try crawling at the beach to really feel the little muscles burn.
DURATION: 10-20 minutes
PLACEMENT IN TRAINING: As a general or therapeutic warm-up. The exercise goes great with some bar work to get the body moving on an active rest day.
By Donny Shankle
Crawling is a great strength and conditioning exercise. It’s also a great shoulder stability exercise which will do wonders for your overhead strength. No added resistance is needed while crawling which makes it a great exercise to include as a warm-up, when recovering from an injury, or used on an active rest day. It’s a quadrupedal movement and you never hear about animals having shoulder problems like humans. This is because they spend all of their time crawling instead of walking. Their bodyweight is evenly distributed across all fours. All of the muscles learn to work together. All of the little stabilizer muscles in the shoulders, back, and abdominals work hard to move you forward or backward. The head must be kept up so your eyes can see what’s in front of you. This will help strengthen your upper back while lifting. There are so many variations to crawling. You can bear crawl (hips high), spider crawl (hips low), crab walk (crawling facing up), and even do a forward moving peak & valley called inchworms. Every variation is great to put the shoulders in positions they're not used to and make them strong. To increase the difficulty of the exercise and really feel the little muscles in your shoulders working hard, try crawling on an uneven terrain or in the sand at the beach.
REPS: N/A
SETS: 5-10
ADVANCED WAY: Try crawling at the beach to really feel the little muscles burn.
DURATION: 10-20 minutes
PLACEMENT IN TRAINING: As a general or therapeutic warm-up. The exercise goes great with some bar work to get the body moving on an active rest day.
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Article 18
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Connection
Stop Doing That
By Donny Shankle
“A man is the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” - Ghandi
When I’m working with a weightlifter and I see something they are not doing correctly, the first thing I say is “stop doing that”. It may be funny at first and frustrating to the lifter but it’s an essential step in teaching. Usually the next response after I say “stop doing that” is a glowering “is that all you got for me?”. My immediate response is “yes”. Think about what you can do better and fix it. Visualize yourself making the correction. The little things like jumping forward, getting behind too soon on the pull, being lazy in the bottom of a Clean are all little inefficiencies typically not related to lack of strength. These can be fixed right away if you first bring your brain to training. If I tell you to get to point B by using tools X,Y, and Z but all you need is tool X then why carry the other tools with you? Once you have applied the connection between your mind, and what you could potentially be doing better, this starts the process of improving efficiency. Constantly evaluate yourself in training. The repetition and analysis will eventually lead to an upshot of getting it right. The first step though is to be an athlete and stop doing what it is you are doing wrong.
By Donny Shankle
“A man is the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” - Ghandi
When I’m working with a weightlifter and I see something they are not doing correctly, the first thing I say is “stop doing that”. It may be funny at first and frustrating to the lifter but it’s an essential step in teaching. Usually the next response after I say “stop doing that” is a glowering “is that all you got for me?”. My immediate response is “yes”. Think about what you can do better and fix it. Visualize yourself making the correction. The little things like jumping forward, getting behind too soon on the pull, being lazy in the bottom of a Clean are all little inefficiencies typically not related to lack of strength. These can be fixed right away if you first bring your brain to training. If I tell you to get to point B by using tools X,Y, and Z but all you need is tool X then why carry the other tools with you? Once you have applied the connection between your mind, and what you could potentially be doing better, this starts the process of improving efficiency. Constantly evaluate yourself in training. The repetition and analysis will eventually lead to an upshot of getting it right. The first step though is to be an athlete and stop doing what it is you are doing wrong.
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Training Video 13
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Sub Ex # 26
Press In Split
By Donny Shankle
Keeping the back knee down during a jerk is key to dropping straight under the bar on locked arms. One of the major errors to look for during the jerk is whether or not the rear leg is completely straight. Jerking this way will nine times out of ten leave a heavy jerk out in front causing you to miss. The Press in Split reinforces a proper “split” command. The exercise is a great warm-up prior to Jerking to get you concentrating on keeping the back knee down. Presses in the Split can be performed from both the front and behind the neck.
First you must find a proper placement of your feet. Stand at the back of a platform with your feet together and draw a line right in front of your toes. Take three steps forward (heel to toe) and then mark with another line where your lead foot will be in the “Split.” Stand behind the back line with a bar on your shoulders and take a step forward placing your lead toe on the front line. Turn your back heel out and drop your knee. Hold this position and then proceed to press the bar over your ears. With each repetition, push your head through at the top and think about your rear knee staying down. Before pressing each repetition, feel your weight 50% on your lead foot and 50% on your rear foot. Balance must be found for each rep before proceeding to the next rep in both the eccentric and concentric phases.
REPS: 3
SETS: 5
ADVANCED WAY: N/A
DURATION: 5 min.
PLACEMENT IN TRAINING: Use this exercise as a warm-up to the Clean & Jerk, Rack/Block Jerk, or any other Jerk variation.
By Donny Shankle
Keeping the back knee down during a jerk is key to dropping straight under the bar on locked arms. One of the major errors to look for during the jerk is whether or not the rear leg is completely straight. Jerking this way will nine times out of ten leave a heavy jerk out in front causing you to miss. The Press in Split reinforces a proper “split” command. The exercise is a great warm-up prior to Jerking to get you concentrating on keeping the back knee down. Presses in the Split can be performed from both the front and behind the neck.
First you must find a proper placement of your feet. Stand at the back of a platform with your feet together and draw a line right in front of your toes. Take three steps forward (heel to toe) and then mark with another line where your lead foot will be in the “Split.” Stand behind the back line with a bar on your shoulders and take a step forward placing your lead toe on the front line. Turn your back heel out and drop your knee. Hold this position and then proceed to press the bar over your ears. With each repetition, push your head through at the top and think about your rear knee staying down. Before pressing each repetition, feel your weight 50% on your lead foot and 50% on your rear foot. Balance must be found for each rep before proceeding to the next rep in both the eccentric and concentric phases.
REPS: 3
SETS: 5
ADVANCED WAY: N/A
DURATION: 5 min.
PLACEMENT IN TRAINING: Use this exercise as a warm-up to the Clean & Jerk, Rack/Block Jerk, or any other Jerk variation.
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Contact
Let It Go Where It Wants To Go
By Donny Shankle
As you pick the bar up from the floor and stand up tall with relaxed arms notice where it comes to a stop. The bar will be somewhere on the thighs with a clean grip and usually in the hips with a snatch grip. There are plenty of different body types just as there are plenty of different styles of attack. The universal trait within each body type is the bar will at some point be against your body. From this point (or as close to this point as possible) is where you begin to “Finish” your pull and move under the bar. Why fight the bar and keep this from happening?
Yes, there are muscles to strengthen to help bring the bar to this point every time and practice will get you there. This includes staying over the bar to create leverage. As a basic fundamental though, look at what happens when you pick the bar up creating leverage or not. As you extend at the hip the bar will come to rest against you. Since this naturally wants to occur then why go under the bar before it takes place? Let what naturally wants to happen take place and then bring your hips through. Weightlifters who do not allow this to happen end up arm pulling through the middle and lose the power.
It’s a good teaching tool at first to show the weightlifter what is taking place between them and the bar. It lets them feel where the bar will end up on the pull before going under it. Not bringing the bar into you and close to the center of gravity (or power) is such a common mistake. Let the bar go where it wants to go on the pull and use the strength you will develop in training to bring it there consistently each and every time.
By Donny Shankle
As you pick the bar up from the floor and stand up tall with relaxed arms notice where it comes to a stop. The bar will be somewhere on the thighs with a clean grip and usually in the hips with a snatch grip. There are plenty of different body types just as there are plenty of different styles of attack. The universal trait within each body type is the bar will at some point be against your body. From this point (or as close to this point as possible) is where you begin to “Finish” your pull and move under the bar. Why fight the bar and keep this from happening?
Yes, there are muscles to strengthen to help bring the bar to this point every time and practice will get you there. This includes staying over the bar to create leverage. As a basic fundamental though, look at what happens when you pick the bar up creating leverage or not. As you extend at the hip the bar will come to rest against you. Since this naturally wants to occur then why go under the bar before it takes place? Let what naturally wants to happen take place and then bring your hips through. Weightlifters who do not allow this to happen end up arm pulling through the middle and lose the power.
It’s a good teaching tool at first to show the weightlifter what is taking place between them and the bar. It lets them feel where the bar will end up on the pull before going under it. Not bringing the bar into you and close to the center of gravity (or power) is such a common mistake. Let the bar go where it wants to go on the pull and use the strength you will develop in training to bring it there consistently each and every time.
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Shoulders and Back
Towel Swings
By Donny Shankle
Some added attention rotating your shoulders and stretching your back before training will keep you healthy and strong. Towel swings are an easy way to stretch the shoulders. I picked up the idea after training with a friend in Wales. He introduced me to Indian Clubs which look like small baseball bats. They vary in weight and there are plenty of exercises you can do with them. I really liked using them for shoulder rotations or arm swings. If you happen to not have Indian Clubs, the same exercise can be performed by threading a gym/hand towel through a 2.5k or 5k plate. Once you thread the towel through plate, hold both ends of the towel with one hand and let the weight lightly pull on the shoulder muscles. Then slowly start to swing forward and backward as you warm up the shoulder. Eventually move into complete 360 degree rotations. The exercise is an easy way to prepare for misses in the SN which fall behind you. Another thing I really like about Towel Swings is my wrists are not locked and can move freely. Thus giving them a light stretch too. The more traditional shoulder rotation warm up exercise the SN grip broomstick rotation does not allow for this and does not stretch the shoulders as gently.
Cat Stretches
Cat Stretches are an easy exercise to warm up and stretch the back before training. Peaks and Valley’s or Reverse Back Raises are two great warming exercises for the back. They open up the vertebrae and allow blood to flow in the back while gently pulling the stiff muscles. Peaks and Valleys however can sometimes be hard on the wrists and shoulders. The older weightlifter with injuries may have trouble doing them. Reverse Back Raises usually require a special machine to do them but there are variations you can do without the machine that will give you the same deep stretch. Cat Stretches are a similiar variation to Peaks and Valleys and Reverse Back Raises which are convenient and easy. The exercise is essentially the same thing but less intense. To perform the stretch get on your hands and knees, take in a deep breath, and arch your back as you pull your head up. Then breathe out and draw in your stomach while at the same time rounding your back up and bringing your head down. The stretch is a great variation to be used in training as a warm-up. It’s not only a gentle back stretch but it also gets you concentrating on your breathing. Your lungs in training work hard so it’s a good idea to give them a little extra attention too.
By Donny Shankle
Some added attention rotating your shoulders and stretching your back before training will keep you healthy and strong. Towel swings are an easy way to stretch the shoulders. I picked up the idea after training with a friend in Wales. He introduced me to Indian Clubs which look like small baseball bats. They vary in weight and there are plenty of exercises you can do with them. I really liked using them for shoulder rotations or arm swings. If you happen to not have Indian Clubs, the same exercise can be performed by threading a gym/hand towel through a 2.5k or 5k plate. Once you thread the towel through plate, hold both ends of the towel with one hand and let the weight lightly pull on the shoulder muscles. Then slowly start to swing forward and backward as you warm up the shoulder. Eventually move into complete 360 degree rotations. The exercise is an easy way to prepare for misses in the SN which fall behind you. Another thing I really like about Towel Swings is my wrists are not locked and can move freely. Thus giving them a light stretch too. The more traditional shoulder rotation warm up exercise the SN grip broomstick rotation does not allow for this and does not stretch the shoulders as gently.
Cat Stretches
Cat Stretches are an easy exercise to warm up and stretch the back before training. Peaks and Valley’s or Reverse Back Raises are two great warming exercises for the back. They open up the vertebrae and allow blood to flow in the back while gently pulling the stiff muscles. Peaks and Valleys however can sometimes be hard on the wrists and shoulders. The older weightlifter with injuries may have trouble doing them. Reverse Back Raises usually require a special machine to do them but there are variations you can do without the machine that will give you the same deep stretch. Cat Stretches are a similiar variation to Peaks and Valleys and Reverse Back Raises which are convenient and easy. The exercise is essentially the same thing but less intense. To perform the stretch get on your hands and knees, take in a deep breath, and arch your back as you pull your head up. Then breathe out and draw in your stomach while at the same time rounding your back up and bringing your head down. The stretch is a great variation to be used in training as a warm-up. It’s not only a gentle back stretch but it also gets you concentrating on your breathing. Your lungs in training work hard so it’s a good idea to give them a little extra attention too.
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Plan Well (Pt. 1)
Responsiveness To Training
By Donny Shankle
If you are not responding to the training then figure out why. Nine times out of ten it has something to do with your diet. You could also be training in an improper order of exercises, not getting enough rest, doing too much, lifting with a poor attitude, not training in a group, or lifting too light. Your responsiveness to training includes your ability to strengthen muscle and adapt to stress. Once you figure out what is keeping you from responding to the training, you can make adjustments and continue improvement.
Diet is the first area I look at when someone is not responding to the training. The body is great at taking care of itself but you have to eat. If your bodyweight is staying the same and you are too light for your class, or your bodyweight is dropping then you are not eating enough. If you lack energy you are either missing some essential vitamins and minerals or not getting enough rest. If you have two weightlifters and one of them is training less but eating well, and another weightlifter is training more but not eating enough, I would bet the one eating well will continue to make steady improvements in strength over a long period of time. The other weightlifter may get sudden increases in strength (called spikes) but he will also have sudden drop-offs in strength. Each weightlifter is responding but only one of them continues responding and improving. There is simplicity in the methods of champions and one of the simplest things you have to do is eat.
The order of your exercises may also be neutralizing your response to training. The easiest example to give would be doing Pulls or Back Raises before Cleans. You wouldn’t want to fatigue the muscles in your back before needing to use them powerfully. Physique exercises should also never be done before the competitive lifts (if at all). You only have so much energy. Increasing strength requires all of your energy concentrated in a fairly short period of time. As your strength increases so too does your potential ME conditioning or strength endurance. Let’s look at a few examples of ordered training and chaotic training.
Ex. 1
Snatch
Clean & Jerk
Front Squat
Example one is the most traditional form of training. Both competitive lifts are trained in one session and the Front SQ is used to continue pushing the legs and make them stronger. The order is competition order. Each exercise uses more and more weight. The intensity is steady and when repeated multiple times a day within the Split of Intensity you are using coordination and strength improve.
Ex. 2
Rack Jerk
Hang Clean Above Knee
Deficit Pulls (clean grip)
Chest Supported Rows
Example two is another example of ordered training. This weightlifter has prioritized his weaknesses putting the Jerk first. All exercises chosen are to improve the Clean & Jerk and strengthen the back. His Split of Intensity has prioritized the C&J for an entire days training. Other days in-between he trains the SN. As he gets closer to competition he implements controlled training and practices both lifts at the same time. All concentration can be put into what this lifter needs work on. If his conditioning is good and level of development high, he can apply ME for each exercise. The Jerks will not affect the Cleans and the above the knee Cleans will not limit his ability to pull heavy off the floor. The Rows can be done after a period of rest to ensure ME is applied throughout all of training. Now let’s look at chaotic order.
Ex. 3
Clean
Power Clean
Snatch
The order of exercises is backward but the Snatch being performed last is not what bothers me. Example three shows a lifter doing heavy Cleans prior to Power Cleans. The power SN and power C variation requires a great amount of energy. If it follows another exercise, this exercise should certainly not be its full version. Moving into a power Clean directly after Cleaning is also too confusing on the nervous system. Right after you have concentrated on oscillation and stretch reflex during Cleans, you then drop those fundamentals for the Power Cleans. Power Variations are best done on separate days. There is an order to training which will continue to give you response. Improper or chaotic order will confuse your body or burn up your energy slowing or ceasing your response to training.
By Donny Shankle
If you are not responding to the training then figure out why. Nine times out of ten it has something to do with your diet. You could also be training in an improper order of exercises, not getting enough rest, doing too much, lifting with a poor attitude, not training in a group, or lifting too light. Your responsiveness to training includes your ability to strengthen muscle and adapt to stress. Once you figure out what is keeping you from responding to the training, you can make adjustments and continue improvement.
Diet is the first area I look at when someone is not responding to the training. The body is great at taking care of itself but you have to eat. If your bodyweight is staying the same and you are too light for your class, or your bodyweight is dropping then you are not eating enough. If you lack energy you are either missing some essential vitamins and minerals or not getting enough rest. If you have two weightlifters and one of them is training less but eating well, and another weightlifter is training more but not eating enough, I would bet the one eating well will continue to make steady improvements in strength over a long period of time. The other weightlifter may get sudden increases in strength (called spikes) but he will also have sudden drop-offs in strength. Each weightlifter is responding but only one of them continues responding and improving. There is simplicity in the methods of champions and one of the simplest things you have to do is eat.
The order of your exercises may also be neutralizing your response to training. The easiest example to give would be doing Pulls or Back Raises before Cleans. You wouldn’t want to fatigue the muscles in your back before needing to use them powerfully. Physique exercises should also never be done before the competitive lifts (if at all). You only have so much energy. Increasing strength requires all of your energy concentrated in a fairly short period of time. As your strength increases so too does your potential ME conditioning or strength endurance. Let’s look at a few examples of ordered training and chaotic training.
Ex. 1
Snatch
Clean & Jerk
Front Squat
Example one is the most traditional form of training. Both competitive lifts are trained in one session and the Front SQ is used to continue pushing the legs and make them stronger. The order is competition order. Each exercise uses more and more weight. The intensity is steady and when repeated multiple times a day within the Split of Intensity you are using coordination and strength improve.
Ex. 2
Rack Jerk
Hang Clean Above Knee
Deficit Pulls (clean grip)
Chest Supported Rows
Example two is another example of ordered training. This weightlifter has prioritized his weaknesses putting the Jerk first. All exercises chosen are to improve the Clean & Jerk and strengthen the back. His Split of Intensity has prioritized the C&J for an entire days training. Other days in-between he trains the SN. As he gets closer to competition he implements controlled training and practices both lifts at the same time. All concentration can be put into what this lifter needs work on. If his conditioning is good and level of development high, he can apply ME for each exercise. The Jerks will not affect the Cleans and the above the knee Cleans will not limit his ability to pull heavy off the floor. The Rows can be done after a period of rest to ensure ME is applied throughout all of training. Now let’s look at chaotic order.
Ex. 3
Clean
Power Clean
Snatch
The order of exercises is backward but the Snatch being performed last is not what bothers me. Example three shows a lifter doing heavy Cleans prior to Power Cleans. The power SN and power C variation requires a great amount of energy. If it follows another exercise, this exercise should certainly not be its full version. Moving into a power Clean directly after Cleaning is also too confusing on the nervous system. Right after you have concentrated on oscillation and stretch reflex during Cleans, you then drop those fundamentals for the Power Cleans. Power Variations are best done on separate days. There is an order to training which will continue to give you response. Improper or chaotic order will confuse your body or burn up your energy slowing or ceasing your response to training.
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Plan Well (Pt. 2)
Responsiveness To Training
By Donny Shankle
Sleep is obviously very important. You will spend nearly a third of your life asleep for good reason. Without proper rest, your muscles will not grow and your coordination will be poor. These are just a couple examples of the negative side effects. Whenever my sleep schedule is interrupted, I feel it immediately in the gym and my response to training ceases. On the other hand when I am sleeping great especially between the hours of 2200 and 0400, my strength in the gym surges. It’s in periods of rest that the muscle and nerve cells recover. Adaptation and response to stress cannot take place unless you have the self discipline to meet an early bed time. It is for this reason a repetitive night life should be avoided by the weightlifter.
Keep the room you sleep in cool and clean. There should be no bright colors and no television in the room. Especially when in training, it should be thought of as a quiet place. Reading is fine but if you read in your bed do not do so on your back with your head propped up on a pillow. This will cause strain on the neck and you will feel it the next day you lift. I enjoy reading in bed but have learned to do so on it on my belly propped up on my elbows putting myself in a chest up position which is beneficial to lifting. If you are a side sleeper, do not sleep on your shoulder without any support underneath it because this too will cause strain on the shoulder too. The best way for the weightlifter to sleep would be on his back with something under the knees to remove strain in the lower back. Since we spend so much of our lives sleeping, pay attention to the positions you sleep in. You may be feeling a chronic ache or pain not because of improper lifting form but because of weird sleeping positions. Warm milk, a melatonin supplement, and magnesium baths are aids I have used in the past to help me sleep. The best way I have found however is to be self disciplined and adhere to a schedule.
Continuous response to training requires stricter specificity as your level of development increases. If you are in the gym doing numerous physique shaping exercises because you are trying to look great in front of the mirror then this is energy you are wasting. Don’t worry about doing extra exercises to look good. Snatches, Cleans, Jerks, Squats, Pulls, and Presses are enough exercises to give you a great looking ass and masculine shoulders. Focus on performance and lifting more weight. As Bill Starr says, “They don’t award style points in weightlifting”, and you will not get three white lights just because you have washboard abs. The muscles will take aesthetic shape as you place heavy stress on them with these weightlifting exercises alone. Any energy expended towards any other exercises is energy you could be putting towards the competitive lifts. Move away from the idea of lifting to look great and start lifting to be great. The former is a happy byproduct.
The muscle does not need to grow in huge dimensions and be shredded in order to be strong. Hypertrophy (muscle growth) and muscle strength are two different animals. Each requires the muscles to be put under stress but strengthening a muscle involves greater nervous system conditioning to activate more muscle fibers. A strong muscle is a coordinated muscle. The greater your coordination the more muscle fibers you can call on. It is for this reason so many hours are devoted to the same exercises. Limit your training to Snatching, Cleaning, and Jerking especially the closer you approach competition. Since training should never stop, certain Subordinate Exercises can be implemented to maintain conditioning and mental sharpness when injuries may happen to occur. Notice, however, all lower class SUB EX’s are done for no more than five to ten minutes to improve performance and keep you engaged by breaking monotony.
ME conditioning (strength endurance) could be down or the climate may be taking its toll on you. When you are not responding to the training in these cases, it may be because you need to take more rest in-between your exercises. This does not mean you have to rest a complete hour or two. Taking extra rest in one given training session can mean twenty to thirty minutes between your Snatches and Cleans and Jerks and Squats. A little reminder from a Weightlifting Legend and Strongman is worth paying attention to here.
“Remember the fable of the tortoise and the hare and be content to go slowly”. - Arthur Saxon
Don’t train weary. Why would you? As you rest more, the training session will last longer but be of greater quality. Too often people refer to over training when the weightlifter just needed to eat and rest for longer intervals in-between exercises. If you are a professional weightlifter and have the luxury of training all day then divide your training with longer rest periods. Change your training too if your climate changes. Here is an example of a Daily Split I have used in High Humidity.
EXAMPLE
AM (0900)
2 exercises
PM (1400)
2 exercises
PM 2 (1800)
1 exercise
The training here is divided up into sessions I can complete quickly. The humidity after that time significantly depletes my strength. There is no point in training if you are feeling very weak. It’s better to rest, eat, and try and get some place cool. Come back later when your strength returns. These longer rest periods like I said are great if you have the luxury but you can also have shorter rest periods and still train optimally. Here is another example of training with a little over two hours in the gym.
EXAMPLE
Exercise 1 (25 minutes)
(rest 20 minutes)
Exercise 2 (30 minutes)
(rest 15 minutes)
Exercise 3 (20 minutes)
(rest 10 minutes)
Exercise 4 (10 minutes)
Split up your effort in the gym. Do less exercises and take advantage of longer rest times. If you are not responding to the training it may be because you are doing too many other exercises not relevant to improving strength and coordination at the SN and CJ. Your choice in the number of exercises you are doing at one time could also be depleting your energies. Divide your effort with more rest. This way you will have the same energy at the end of training as you did in the beginning. Weightlifters who do not do this tend to have lower Clean and Jerks compared to their Snatches. Like the hare you could be moving at an all out sprint but this doesn’t matter if your energy leaves you before the race is over. Pay attention to other factors like age. An older lifter can still respond in training. He may only be able to do one exercise a day but this is OK. Adaptation will be slower but he will still respond to the training and improve. Adjusting your training to your conditions is often times necessary and unavoidable.
By Donny Shankle
Sleep is obviously very important. You will spend nearly a third of your life asleep for good reason. Without proper rest, your muscles will not grow and your coordination will be poor. These are just a couple examples of the negative side effects. Whenever my sleep schedule is interrupted, I feel it immediately in the gym and my response to training ceases. On the other hand when I am sleeping great especially between the hours of 2200 and 0400, my strength in the gym surges. It’s in periods of rest that the muscle and nerve cells recover. Adaptation and response to stress cannot take place unless you have the self discipline to meet an early bed time. It is for this reason a repetitive night life should be avoided by the weightlifter.
Keep the room you sleep in cool and clean. There should be no bright colors and no television in the room. Especially when in training, it should be thought of as a quiet place. Reading is fine but if you read in your bed do not do so on your back with your head propped up on a pillow. This will cause strain on the neck and you will feel it the next day you lift. I enjoy reading in bed but have learned to do so on it on my belly propped up on my elbows putting myself in a chest up position which is beneficial to lifting. If you are a side sleeper, do not sleep on your shoulder without any support underneath it because this too will cause strain on the shoulder too. The best way for the weightlifter to sleep would be on his back with something under the knees to remove strain in the lower back. Since we spend so much of our lives sleeping, pay attention to the positions you sleep in. You may be feeling a chronic ache or pain not because of improper lifting form but because of weird sleeping positions. Warm milk, a melatonin supplement, and magnesium baths are aids I have used in the past to help me sleep. The best way I have found however is to be self disciplined and adhere to a schedule.
Continuous response to training requires stricter specificity as your level of development increases. If you are in the gym doing numerous physique shaping exercises because you are trying to look great in front of the mirror then this is energy you are wasting. Don’t worry about doing extra exercises to look good. Snatches, Cleans, Jerks, Squats, Pulls, and Presses are enough exercises to give you a great looking ass and masculine shoulders. Focus on performance and lifting more weight. As Bill Starr says, “They don’t award style points in weightlifting”, and you will not get three white lights just because you have washboard abs. The muscles will take aesthetic shape as you place heavy stress on them with these weightlifting exercises alone. Any energy expended towards any other exercises is energy you could be putting towards the competitive lifts. Move away from the idea of lifting to look great and start lifting to be great. The former is a happy byproduct.
The muscle does not need to grow in huge dimensions and be shredded in order to be strong. Hypertrophy (muscle growth) and muscle strength are two different animals. Each requires the muscles to be put under stress but strengthening a muscle involves greater nervous system conditioning to activate more muscle fibers. A strong muscle is a coordinated muscle. The greater your coordination the more muscle fibers you can call on. It is for this reason so many hours are devoted to the same exercises. Limit your training to Snatching, Cleaning, and Jerking especially the closer you approach competition. Since training should never stop, certain Subordinate Exercises can be implemented to maintain conditioning and mental sharpness when injuries may happen to occur. Notice, however, all lower class SUB EX’s are done for no more than five to ten minutes to improve performance and keep you engaged by breaking monotony.
ME conditioning (strength endurance) could be down or the climate may be taking its toll on you. When you are not responding to the training in these cases, it may be because you need to take more rest in-between your exercises. This does not mean you have to rest a complete hour or two. Taking extra rest in one given training session can mean twenty to thirty minutes between your Snatches and Cleans and Jerks and Squats. A little reminder from a Weightlifting Legend and Strongman is worth paying attention to here.
“Remember the fable of the tortoise and the hare and be content to go slowly”. - Arthur Saxon
Don’t train weary. Why would you? As you rest more, the training session will last longer but be of greater quality. Too often people refer to over training when the weightlifter just needed to eat and rest for longer intervals in-between exercises. If you are a professional weightlifter and have the luxury of training all day then divide your training with longer rest periods. Change your training too if your climate changes. Here is an example of a Daily Split I have used in High Humidity.
EXAMPLE
AM (0900)
2 exercises
PM (1400)
2 exercises
PM 2 (1800)
1 exercise
The training here is divided up into sessions I can complete quickly. The humidity after that time significantly depletes my strength. There is no point in training if you are feeling very weak. It’s better to rest, eat, and try and get some place cool. Come back later when your strength returns. These longer rest periods like I said are great if you have the luxury but you can also have shorter rest periods and still train optimally. Here is another example of training with a little over two hours in the gym.
EXAMPLE
Exercise 1 (25 minutes)
(rest 20 minutes)
Exercise 2 (30 minutes)
(rest 15 minutes)
Exercise 3 (20 minutes)
(rest 10 minutes)
Exercise 4 (10 minutes)
Split up your effort in the gym. Do less exercises and take advantage of longer rest times. If you are not responding to the training it may be because you are doing too many other exercises not relevant to improving strength and coordination at the SN and CJ. Your choice in the number of exercises you are doing at one time could also be depleting your energies. Divide your effort with more rest. This way you will have the same energy at the end of training as you did in the beginning. Weightlifters who do not do this tend to have lower Clean and Jerks compared to their Snatches. Like the hare you could be moving at an all out sprint but this doesn’t matter if your energy leaves you before the race is over. Pay attention to other factors like age. An older lifter can still respond in training. He may only be able to do one exercise a day but this is OK. Adaptation will be slower but he will still respond to the training and improve. Adjusting your training to your conditions is often times necessary and unavoidable.
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Plan Well (Pt. 3)
Responsiveness to Training
By Donny Shankle
The locus behind constant positive response in training is your attitude. Structure is held together with discipline, passion and foresight but, without a positive attitude you lose the fearless virility found first in youth. If you really want to be a champion you have to think like one. A positive and courageous attitude will show you training is never mundane. There are always personal records to be found and other champions to compete with. Every training session becomes a competition and every platform you lift on becomes a platform to put on a show. There is no room for the craven in weightlifting. It takes courage and confidence to go underneath a heavy bar multiple times a day.
Sure there will be lows. Do not be surprised or ashamed when your positive attitude looks like it has left you. It hasn’t. You will always possess it. Just as you must fight for every PR, you must fight to maintain a positive attitude. This is simply another part of training. I’ve covered myself with tears a few times but I always wiped them off and grabbed the bar again. It amazes me how some weightlifters never get out of their lows. You are human and humans have displayed quite thoroughly throughout history they are fallible. Who gives a shit? Stay positive. The lowest you may ever feel will soon turn into a lofty high but you have to keep attacking the bar. To think like this you have to be an individual and steer clear from hidebound fools. Also, do not care what your competition is doing. You can’t control them. All you have control over is how mentally tough you will be when you wake up in the morning.
I remember a training session where a 167k SN came crashing down on the back of my head and upper back. For a second, I was out cold. The bar knocked my ass out. If it wasn’t for my positive attitude, I would probably have never attempted that weight again. Sometimes a positive attitude can look like defiant stubbornness. That’s OK. Does it keep you in the gym? Does it keep you competing? Does it get you back up when the bar has knocked you down? Be afraid of no man, bar, or horizon. If any one of these ever causes you to doubt your ability there is only one thing left to do. Attack it! ATTACK THE BAR!
By Donny Shankle
The locus behind constant positive response in training is your attitude. Structure is held together with discipline, passion and foresight but, without a positive attitude you lose the fearless virility found first in youth. If you really want to be a champion you have to think like one. A positive and courageous attitude will show you training is never mundane. There are always personal records to be found and other champions to compete with. Every training session becomes a competition and every platform you lift on becomes a platform to put on a show. There is no room for the craven in weightlifting. It takes courage and confidence to go underneath a heavy bar multiple times a day.
Sure there will be lows. Do not be surprised or ashamed when your positive attitude looks like it has left you. It hasn’t. You will always possess it. Just as you must fight for every PR, you must fight to maintain a positive attitude. This is simply another part of training. I’ve covered myself with tears a few times but I always wiped them off and grabbed the bar again. It amazes me how some weightlifters never get out of their lows. You are human and humans have displayed quite thoroughly throughout history they are fallible. Who gives a shit? Stay positive. The lowest you may ever feel will soon turn into a lofty high but you have to keep attacking the bar. To think like this you have to be an individual and steer clear from hidebound fools. Also, do not care what your competition is doing. You can’t control them. All you have control over is how mentally tough you will be when you wake up in the morning.
I remember a training session where a 167k SN came crashing down on the back of my head and upper back. For a second, I was out cold. The bar knocked my ass out. If it wasn’t for my positive attitude, I would probably have never attempted that weight again. Sometimes a positive attitude can look like defiant stubbornness. That’s OK. Does it keep you in the gym? Does it keep you competing? Does it get you back up when the bar has knocked you down? Be afraid of no man, bar, or horizon. If any one of these ever causes you to doubt your ability there is only one thing left to do. Attack it! ATTACK THE BAR!
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Plan Well (Pt. 4)
Responsiveness To Training
By Donny Shankle
New horizons contain new contests and competitors. Go in search of groups to train with. Go in search of groups to train with. Go in search of groups to train with. Training in a group is essential in order to become a champion and something happens when athletes get together in a group. All of them vie for attention or try and prove amongst each other who is the strongest. It is a natural occurrence among champions. Training in a group makes you dig in deep and try harder. It makes you put two kilos more on the bar when your training partner put on one. Response to the training may sometimes stop if you are always training alone. It isn’t safe to always train alone anyway. Sometimes you have to go in search of the group to train with and sometimes that group is far away. Those who show up and lift however are committed to excellence and will continue to favorably respond to the training.
There is no fancy weightlifting. Weightlifting is picking up heavy bars plain and simple. There are ways to go about doing that efficiently and I encourage you to study the science, but never lose the grit it takes to stand on top of the podium. A friend of mine likes to say, “There are many roads to get to the top”. Bullshit! Your definition of what is the top is determined by how aggressive your vision is. Some men see the top as the highest peak. Other men see much higher. While there may be a handful of ways to traverse a mountain, there is only one way to get to the moon. This takes being a little crazy, sitting on a rocket, and blasting your ass into space. There is only one road to get to the top in weightlifting. You have to be willing to confront the hard and lift the heavy. Too often weightlifters spend more time in their training lifting light weights practicing technique rather than going after personal records. Days like this are fine but should never exceed developing your confidence and coordination with weights near, at, or above your best. Weightlifting is a sport for the strongest men and women. Put the weight on the bar.
These are just a few examples of things which can slow or stop your responsiveness in training. Things like poor diet, lifting in an improper order, not getting enough rest, doing too much, lifting with a poor attitude, not training in a group, or lifting too light can all be avoided when you plan well. What’s that saying? Failure to plan is planning to fail. I am not against a certain amount of liberty in training, but I am also not a fan of training without constant improvement. Setting new personal records daily is at the front line of my training and it always has been. To keep your responsiveness in training moving forward plan it that way.
By Donny Shankle
New horizons contain new contests and competitors. Go in search of groups to train with. Go in search of groups to train with. Go in search of groups to train with. Training in a group is essential in order to become a champion and something happens when athletes get together in a group. All of them vie for attention or try and prove amongst each other who is the strongest. It is a natural occurrence among champions. Training in a group makes you dig in deep and try harder. It makes you put two kilos more on the bar when your training partner put on one. Response to the training may sometimes stop if you are always training alone. It isn’t safe to always train alone anyway. Sometimes you have to go in search of the group to train with and sometimes that group is far away. Those who show up and lift however are committed to excellence and will continue to favorably respond to the training.
There is no fancy weightlifting. Weightlifting is picking up heavy bars plain and simple. There are ways to go about doing that efficiently and I encourage you to study the science, but never lose the grit it takes to stand on top of the podium. A friend of mine likes to say, “There are many roads to get to the top”. Bullshit! Your definition of what is the top is determined by how aggressive your vision is. Some men see the top as the highest peak. Other men see much higher. While there may be a handful of ways to traverse a mountain, there is only one way to get to the moon. This takes being a little crazy, sitting on a rocket, and blasting your ass into space. There is only one road to get to the top in weightlifting. You have to be willing to confront the hard and lift the heavy. Too often weightlifters spend more time in their training lifting light weights practicing technique rather than going after personal records. Days like this are fine but should never exceed developing your confidence and coordination with weights near, at, or above your best. Weightlifting is a sport for the strongest men and women. Put the weight on the bar.
These are just a few examples of things which can slow or stop your responsiveness in training. Things like poor diet, lifting in an improper order, not getting enough rest, doing too much, lifting with a poor attitude, not training in a group, or lifting too light can all be avoided when you plan well. What’s that saying? Failure to plan is planning to fail. I am not against a certain amount of liberty in training, but I am also not a fan of training without constant improvement. Setting new personal records daily is at the front line of my training and it always has been. To keep your responsiveness in training moving forward plan it that way.
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Video Tutorial 3
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Ya Gotta Eat!
My Favorite Foods For Getting Stronger
By Donny Shankle
Spinach
I eat a handful of dark leafy green vegetables at least everyday if possible. Spinach, kale, and collards are my favorites but spinach is the green vegetable I probably eat the most. I like it raw in a salad and even eat it straight out of the can like Popeye. It is a great source of iron which keeps your muscles oxygenated giving you energy. Even though it is already a great source of iron, I always eat it with meat because the iron in red meat is much more easily absorbed. The two foods complement each other well as a meal. Spinach also contains multiple other important minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins. The primary reason I eat leafy greens however is for the fiber. You have to keep your digestive system healthy to keep from getting sick and train well. Since weightlifters require a lot of protein in their diet, it’s a good idea to eat plenty of fiber throughout the week.
By Donny Shankle
Spinach
I eat a handful of dark leafy green vegetables at least everyday if possible. Spinach, kale, and collards are my favorites but spinach is the green vegetable I probably eat the most. I like it raw in a salad and even eat it straight out of the can like Popeye. It is a great source of iron which keeps your muscles oxygenated giving you energy. Even though it is already a great source of iron, I always eat it with meat because the iron in red meat is much more easily absorbed. The two foods complement each other well as a meal. Spinach also contains multiple other important minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins. The primary reason I eat leafy greens however is for the fiber. You have to keep your digestive system healthy to keep from getting sick and train well. Since weightlifters require a lot of protein in their diet, it’s a good idea to eat plenty of fiber throughout the week.
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Article 6
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(Available in sizes S, M, L, XL, and XXL)
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Q&A
Q: My elbows are not coming up during my Clean. Do you have any drills I could do to help me with that?
A: I would check the rotation of the bar you are using first. Your elbows may be down because the spin on your bar is no good. After that I would spend some time stretching with the bar working on getting the elbows up. Using two bars, place one bar in a squat rack at shoulder height and the other bar should be racked across your five points. Bring your elbows up and put the back of your arms on top of the other bar in the squat rack. Squat down half way and let the elbows come up. This is a great stretch you can do on your own before Cleans to prepare your “Receive” command.
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When your elbows are down on a Clean, it means the “Finish” lacks power. This means your hips are coming through slow and the shoulders are still in front of the bar. Concentrate on bringing the hips all the way through the bar at the “Finish” violently. Extend your body all the way until your shoulders move slightly behind the bar. Make some noise with your feet to help you “Finish” more aggressively.
Powers are the best exercise to get you thinking about completing your “Finish”. Start Power Cleaning once or twice a week. Use the combination Power Clean + Hang Clean above the knee. This is a great combination to really get you thinking about turning your elbows over fast on the Power Clean and keeping that speed on the Hang Clean. The Hang will set your back vertical so all your concentration can be put into violent hips and elbows up.
A: I would check the rotation of the bar you are using first. Your elbows may be down because the spin on your bar is no good. After that I would spend some time stretching with the bar working on getting the elbows up. Using two bars, place one bar in a squat rack at shoulder height and the other bar should be racked across your five points. Bring your elbows up and put the back of your arms on top of the other bar in the squat rack. Squat down half way and let the elbows come up. This is a great stretch you can do on your own before Cleans to prepare your “Receive” command.
Powers are the best exercise to get you thinking about completing your “Finish”. Start Power Cleaning once or twice a week. Use the combination Power Clean + Hang Clean above the knee. This is a great combination to really get you thinking about turning your elbows over fast on the Power Clean and keeping that speed on the Hang Clean. The Hang will set your back vertical so all your concentration can be put into violent hips and elbows up.
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