The debate in the world of olympic weightlifting has always been over which is most important: strength, mobility, or technique? I have heard many arguments for each side, but what I have come to discover is that to truly be great, you need all three. You will not find a single world class lifter who does not posses a great deal of each. Let's take a look at each, and why it is important
Klokov, the supplest of Leopards demonstrating his ankle mobility
Mobility:
Before you can do a good snatch, you have to be able to do an overhead squat. Before you can do an overhead squat, you have to be able to do a squat. You will never be great at snatching unless you have a requisite amount of mobility allowing you to receive the bar in an overhead squat. The same could be said for the clean. If you do not have the mobility to get your elbows under the bar and create a good front rack, then you cannot do a good front squat, and if you cannot do a good front squat, you cannot do a good clean. Even the jerk requires good mobility, especially if you want to be a squat jerker. The primary areas olympic weightlifters must focus on are ankles, hips, and thoracic spine.
Ilya Ilin, perfect upright torso and rack position
Lu Xiaojun, squat jerking 453lbs at 169lb bodyweight. Hip and T-Spine mobility? Yup
Technique:
Being able to get into good positions (mobility) is crucial, but being able to get into those positions in a proper sequence and rhythm is just as important. Olympic weightlifting is one of the most technical things in the world- it is gymnastics with 400lbs. Being off by 1 inch at any point in the lift is the difference between a missed lift and a make.
James Tatum snatching 145kg at the American Open
Donny Shankle clean & jerking
Strength:
Being able to get into positions (mobility) is key, and getting there with precision is critical (technique), but if you are not strong in those positions, you will just look really good snatching 75lbs, which nobody is impressed with (sorry if you snatch 75...). In the world of crossfit, when you snatch 225 and clean and jerk 275 people start considering you "strong". This makes me chuckle, since there are 14 year old Chinese girls who snatch 275. Anywho, the point is you gotta be strong as an ox... maybe stronger
The point in all of this is that in the triad of mobility/technique/strength, one is not superior to the others. They all play a vital role in an athletes pursuit of greatness, and they all interplay and intermingle with one another. I think this provides a simple (though incomplete and far from comprehensive) portrait of the Trinity. So often I find myself thinking of God the Father as the main character (Batman), God the Son as His sidekick (Robin), and the God the Spirit as the third member who sometimes shows up (Catwoman). What the Bible lays out for us is a far different picture though- one of mutual submission, glorification, and honor, and one where no one person of the trinity is of greater or lesser value than any other member. I am not going to even begin to try to explain the trinity, because the whole idea of it blows my mind. All I am pointing out is that each is distinct, yet each is important.
And yes, I just used a Batman analogy to describe the God of the universe... so sue me.
For the past few weeks, I've been thinking about what my favorite part of being a coach is. There are a lot of things that bring me joy in coaching people, but the best thing is writing a program, having an athlete complete that program, then seeing them make massive gains or reach goals.
Most of the times, the scenario plays out like this: an athlete has been trying to hit a certain number, whether that is a double body weight squat, a 225 clean and jerk, or their first strict pull up without a band. They have been aimlessly trying to accomplish that goal, but feel like they are beating their head against a wall and have not seen much progress in a while. They have an end goal in mind, but no real direction or idea of how to get there. That's where having a good coach comes in. A good coach knows how to get an athlete from point A to point B in an efficient manner. One of the biggest problems I see with folks is that they lack commitment to a program. If an athlete has a good coach that will write a good program, and if that athlete will commit to following the program, they will almost always see gains made and goals achieved. The athlete may think they know what is best for themselves, but when it obviously hasn't been working they must place their trust in a coach to ultimately bring them success and joy.
The last two cycles I have written have gone fantastically, and it has been the most rewarding thing to watch my athletes make 30, 40, and even 50 pound PRs on their squat, front squat, snatches, and clean and jerks. The moment when they hit their old PR with ease and their eyes get really big is my second favorite moment. The moment after they hit their last max (which is way heavier) is my favorite. The point is, the cycles I write are not to punish my athletes (though I'm sure sometimes it feels like it). Lets be real- nobody wants to squat that much. But if an athlete will trust that I have their best interest at heart, they will reap the rewards of listening to me. All they have to do is just listen. As a coach, it makes me proud and brings me joy when they do.
I imagine that God must feel very proud and joyful when we listen to Him. So often, it is easy to take His word and His commandments as oppressive, a shot to our freedoms and desires. Our flesh foolishly believes that we know what is best for us (despite the perpetual evidence against that opinion) and that we know what will really make us happy. Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, physicist, and theologian describes this phenomenon:
"All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even those who hang themselves."
As believers, we place our hope and our trust in the goodness of God, believing that when He tells us to do something, that it is for our good and His glory. By living according to His word, we reap the rewards of a life lived under the banner of His goodness. All we have to do is just listen.
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
One of the most controversial topics in the world of Olympic style weightlifting today is the triple extension (as popularized by Mike Burgener, Greg Everett, and Spencer Arnold) vs. the catapult method (as preferred by Don McCauley, Glen Pendlay, and Jon North). For those of you who are unfamiliar with these two methods, it essentially comes down to the bang vs. brush.
In coaching, I get questions all the time about which is right and which is wrong. When my athletes watch me snatch, they always are quick to observe that "the bar smacks off your hips and seems to swing out in front of you..." It's no secret that I am a fan and believer of the catapult method, but I also believe that an athlete can be successful with the triple extension. World records have been set using both styles, so for me to say one is right and one is wrong would be foolish. Obviously there is merit to both, so now the question becomes which one an athlete should use. Therein lies the challenge.
What I have discovered is that each style is a double edged sword. The triple extension is the safer route of the two. There is less that can go wrong, and generally speaking I think athletes who triple extend are a little more consistent and have to chase the bar less. The problem is that the safer route is also the lower payout. The pull under is a bit slower, and I believe (though I'm sure some would disagree) that the second pull is also a little less violent. The catapult is, in my opinion, the riskier of the two for several reasons. Primarily, more can go wrong, and I think initially it is harder to learn. Until an athlete learns to smack in the same spot every time, the inconsistency with the pull can become problematic. Additionally, left unbridled, the smack can cause too much horizontal movement in the bar path and get away from the lifter. Though it is riskier, if done correctly, I believe it is also more rewarding because it is the more powerful method, and produces the more speed under the bar, which can lead to higher numbers. I believe that eventually, each athlete will- if they practice enough- naturally gravitate towards whichever style suits them best.
As with many avenues of life, we are often faced with decisions concerning risk and reward. Maybe it's a weekend trip to vegas, maybe it's playing the stock market, maybe it's fourth and short on your side of the fifty, or maybe it's entering in to a relationship, but in one way or another this dilemma comes upon us all. So often I have felt myself take the safe route, telling myself that I was making the "wise choice", when really I was just scared to risk it. I think of all the great men who came before me, and wonder what history would look like if they chose the safe route- what if William Wallace wouldn't have played it safe and stayed at home rather than risking it all to lead his people in the fight against the oppression and tyranny? What if Martin Luther would have played it safe and let the state run church continue to mislead people instead of risking his reputation and life by posting his 95 theses to the door of the Church? What if Peter would have played it safe and stayed in the boat, or if Paul would have played it safe and never returned to Jerusalem? What if Jesus would have played it safe and just kept his mouth shut?
With greater risk comes greater reward, and with it comes greater pain. But sometimes the pain is worth it. Sheldon Vanauken in his book A Severe Mercy describes the health tension between risk and reward, and the ensuing heights and depths that come along with them:
"How does one find joy? In books it seemed to be found in love- a great love. So, if he wanted the heights of joy, he must have, if he could find it, a great love. But in the books again, great joy through love seemed always to go hand in hand with frightful pain. Still, he though, looking out across the meadow, still, the joy would be worth the pain- if indeed they went together. If there were a choice- and he was suspected there was- a choice between, on the one hand, the heights and the depths and, on the other hand, some sort of safe, cautious middle way, he, for one, here and now, chose the heights and the depths."
In our pursuit of Christ-likeness, it would serve us well to remember that our God is not a God of fear or timidity, but of boldness and courage. As His image bearers, we are to reflect His nature and character as best we can. I doubt very much that Jesus took the safe route very often. Just a thought.
Today's post comes from second time contributor Morgan, one of my closest friends and most gifted athletes. I am continually blown away by not only her aptitude for learning new movements, relentless work ethic, and natural combination of strength and grace, but by the way "she opens her mouth with wisdom, and the the teaching of kindness is on her tongue."
“But if we hope for what we do not have, we wait for it patiently.” Romans 8:25
An athlete’s willingness to wait is a defining factor in their success. In Crossfit, you are introduced to complex movements. The desire is to perform the movement successfully on the first attempt though unlikely. Movements take committed practice, which is sure to expose weakness. Despite frustration, you must commit to practice, and trust that in the mind and body’s perfect timing, the movement will be successfully performed. Would true appreciation of the movement be felt or experienced if there was no trial, sweat, struggle or reoccurring failure? No. Our Father knows this about our nature and that is why the discipline of waiting is a fruitful and necessary journey. Take the athlete who has made countless attempts to PR their snatch at 200lbs. When he finally does so, is it the snatch alone that he values? No. It is the progress he has witnessed, the overcoming, the reaching of a goal. He is not only marked by a 200lbs snatch but more so through his waiting, he has acquired stronger muscles, developed a more confident mind and has strung together a more coordinated movement pattern. He appreciates the true gain: the strength, the confidence, and the coordination, which faithfully produces the desired movement. Defined as a verb or defined as a noun, recast as a synonym or placed in a different tense, waiting makes me uncomfortable. The world tells us to go, to move forward, quickly.The Lord says, “Wait on me. Blessed it the man who waits.” Daniel 12:12 Waiting has recently become a more present thought throughout my day - the joy and refinement of waiting, the difficulty, and the discouraging nature. Waiting requires a steadfast hope and exercises a rooted faith. As a Christian, we are required to wait in two areas of our life. First, we are to wait on what is promised to us eternally as adopted children who have placed their faith in God. The second area of waiting I find more difficult: waiting for the Lord’s goodness to be revealed in the land of the living. “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14
Our nature as humans is to have freely. To have a significant other, a beautiful home, to PR our squat everyday, to hold an esteemed position in a successful career, to complete a workout with unbroken double-unders or to do a muscle up before mastering a push-up. We are motivated by an entitlement. To receive without first waiting delivers a joy that is fleeting. To receive after a season of waiting comes with it not only the desired thing, but a rich joy and appreciation for what we have received. Through struggle we understand the worth of what we have received, because for it we have waited, we have persevered, we have sacrificed.
As we focus on the object of our affections, God focuses on the journey – He knows this is where life is truly experienced - in the waiting. In the waiting joy, thankfulness, patience, character, hope and faith are matured. The paradox is that when God asks us to wait in prayer and faith, quietly, and with a joyful anticipation the enemy muffles His requests with lies. Lies that our God is unfaithful, lacking in goodness, that He does not hear our cries. The enemy cares to speak these lies because he knows the value of the disciple’s waiting. In waiting, God’s goodness is glorified through the building of our faith.
Take heart when failure strikes. Failure is temporary. It is merely an invitation to be strong and take heart - to wait. We can be confident through faith that we will receive the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Because of our faithful waiting, the gift will be received by a marked joy only possible through the journey, the wait, the struggle in which we endured to receive it.
For the longest time, I was obsessed with my maxes in the olympic lifts. They fueled my desire to get better, and every rep of every set I had the next number I was chasing in the back of my head. After months of preparation and training, I would set a 5# PR, celebrate for an hour or so, then get back on my grind in pursuit of the next PR. While I think part of this is healthy and even necessary to become a better weightlifter (or CrossFitter, if that's your thing), I also think that a constant focus and obsession on PR's leads one to incorrectly evaluate their progress and performance on a day to day basis.
All to often, I see athletes get frustrated when they cannot hit their PR in a normal training day halfway through a cycle. "I could only snatch 135 today and my PR is 145..." they often utter in dismay. What is going on in my head is "Congratulations!!! You just hit 97%! That's great!" The thing is, they weren't supposed to PR that day- the cycle was not designed for them to be strongest midway through, it was designed to have them beat to crap midway through. The fact that they could hit 97% when their body is under fatigue is not only impressive, but encouraging. What we should be chasing after is minimums, not maximums.
This concept was brought to my attention by the great Donny Shankle, one of America's greatest weightlifters. What Donny so thoughtfully observed is that it is far more indicative of a weightlifter's status to observe their minimums (the number that they can hit on any given day) than their maximums (the number they got lucky and hit one time on a perfect day after 3 cups of coffee and 11 attempts). I have taken this to heart, and find that if I am constantly raising my minimums, then I am improving as a lifter. Being able to walk into the gym every single day and snatch at least 225, even on the days where we are sore and slept terrible the night before, is better and more telling than being able to hit 235 once every six weeks. This better prepares you for competitions as well, as you cannot always count on hitting your maximums, but can bank upon minimums.
As with many things, this got me thinking about my pursuit of Christ. So often, we evaluate our walks based on spiritual maximums- those Sabbath days where the stars just seem to align. We wake up early, get a cup of coffee and dig into the word for an hour and a half, then spend some time journaling, then listen to worship music or a podcast on the way to work, then hum hymns between conversations with our co-workers about Christ, then come home and serve our roommates well before going on a walk where we pray the whole time. I'm being a bit facetious, I know, but let's be honest- it's easy to romanticize that day as if all days were like that. Life, though, is not always a mountaintop experience, but rather a series of peaks and valleys. Thus, what usually follows a day like that (at least for me) is several days in a row of not spending time in the word, feeling as if my prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, and hardly any joy in my pursuit and proclamation of the goodness of God.
What I propose is a new approach; determining that through grace driven effort we will strive to be more like Christ not just in a mountain-top-every-so-often way, but on a daily basis by saturating our lives in His word, His community, and in prayer with Him. This becomes particularly important on days where we just aren't feeling it- making a concerted effort to draw near to Him. The concept is the same as in weightlifting- raising my minimums, only now in regards to my Gospel saturation. By raising the minimum amount of saturation, I am in time creating a deeper communion with my King, a more steadfast pursuit of being His image bearer, and a more ferocious defense against what is dark in my heart and in the world. It should be noted that love begets discipline, not the other way around- in other words our love should fuel our discipline. The end goal is not discipline for discipline's sake; the end goal is to know Christ more deeply and fully, and in doing so be transformed into His image. Discipline is simply the vehicle by which this occurs.
I love this short film. The blood, sweat, and tears are something that all weightlifters must come to embrace. I fully identify with Donny Shankle in this film. I can't tell you how much time I have spent sitting on my butt after a missed lift, yelling in frustration, and wanting to give up. I love the part where he is about to give up, has his singlet off, and is unwrapping his thumb. He takes one last look at the bar, and decides that this is a battle worth fighting for, and today he will win, no matter what it takes. Life can be like that.
"Spiritual bravery is cultivated when we take risks of faith. This is the greatest bravery, as far as I'm concerned. Think of the many martyrs, like Polycarp going to his execution. He had been warned in a vision that he would be burned at the stake, but he would not let fear seize him. Refusing to confess Caesar as Lord, the old saint went to his death willingly, even to the point of telling his tormentors it would not be necessary to nail him to the stake, that he would remain there by the grace of God. For he heard a voice from heaven say, 'Play the man', and play the man he did. The heart of a Warrior says, 'I will not let evil have its way. There are some things that cannot be endured. I've got to do something. There is freedom to be had.' The Warrior nature is fierce, and brave, ready to confront evil, ready to go into battle. This is the time for a man to stop saying 'Why is life so hard?' He takes the hardness as the call to fight, to rise up, take it on. he learns to 'set his face like a flint' as Jesus had to do to fulfill his life's great mission (Isaiah 50:7). It may take time, and require repeated provocation, but eventually a man must come to realize that there are certain things in life worth fighting for. Take anything good, true, or beautiful upon this earth and ask yourself, 'Can this be protected without a fight?'"
One of the biggest things that has been missing from my training lately is a solid training partner. There is nothing that motivates, pushes you, keeps you accountable, and makes you better more than a training partner. The best and most consistent partners I have had all shared a few things in common.
1) They showed up- nothing stunts progress more than having a partner who only lifts with you once or twice a week. You may be all beat up from the weeks work and they come in fresher than a spring day, which can be frustrating. Your bodies are not going through the same thing, and it makes you borderline resent them on the days that you show up and they don't.
2) They push you and allow you to push them back- back at U of H, Steve and I would share a bar. One day in particular stands out in my mind. We were doing rack jerks, and I think we had about 90 kilos on the bar (my, how far we've both come since then). We were doing something like 5 sets of 3. Steve finished his fifth set, and it was my turn. I stepped up to the bar and jerked it 3 times, then added in a 4th as if to remind him who had the upper hand. Though he had finished his work requirements for the day, he was not to be outdone and immediately stepped to the bar and jerked it 5 times. This is the kind of stuff that happened every day- one of us adding an extra 5 pounds to outdo the other. This competitive environment fueled both of our successes as athletes.
3) They play off of your strengths and weaknesses- when I moved to Dallas, one of the things that I really appreciated in training with Kyle is that our areas of expertise were different. During a WOD, I usually knew where I would catch and lose him. If it was an olympic lift I felt like I could keep up and maybe even gain some ground, but for everything else he would whip my tail. This meant that if we were going against one another I knew I had to push harder in the areas where I wasn't as strong (burpees, rowing, thrusters... yuck). I remember one day the WOD was rowing and snatches. The first round, he got off the rower about 10 seconds before I did, but I finished the snatches a little before him. The second round was the same, but in the last three rounds his snatches were twice as fast because he knew that's where I was catching him. Though you may not like it during the midst of it, you need to be pushed in your weak areas if you ever desire to get better at them.
I was reminded of the importance of having a group of people to push you this weekend. The guys I lived with in college decided to get together for a weekend and just spend time hanging out. Though we are spread out all over Texas, each time we get together it's as if no time has passed. It's a smorgasbord of guys; we have a CPA, a contractor, a salesman, a fundraiser, three guys on YoungLife staff, a musician, and a coach. What I love is that each of these men is using their giftings to push back what is dark in the world for the sake of the gospel. In each of their contexts, the love of Christ is being manifest and proclaimed. Just being in their presence made me want to be more like Christ, because in each of them I see Him so clearly. It has not always been that easy though.
One night stands out in my mind that I will never forget. I came home to find all my brothers around the kitchen table. They asked me to have a seat, then in love proceeded to voice their concerns for me about a particular area of life that I had let sin creep in. I remember in the moment feeling really uncomfortable, but they were right. Looking back, it was a defining movement for me- a moment that I crossed a threshold of holding on to my own desires and giving them up to Christ. This is just one of the hundreds of instances where these men have sharpened me.
In a world where most men are lucky to have one or two solid brothers, I have 8. It continues to be one of God's greatest graces upon my life to learn from these men, be encouraged by them, and share life with them. So to Chase, Brett, Mark, Zak, Stephen, Bryant, Carson, and Luis, thank you for showing me on a daily basis what it means to lay down my life and take up my cross. Each of you has pushed me closer to Christ more than you will ever know this side of glory.
I remember when I first started learning to play the guitar, how excited I was, but at the same time how frustrated I was. Try as I might, I just couldn't seem to make the instrument sound like the guys on the youtube video I was watching. This was probably because the first song I tried to learn was Stairway to Heaven. Had I spent the time practicing the fundamentals, such as how to properly make the chord shapes and my transitions, I would have been much more fruitful and saved myself a lot of headache in the long run. In neglecting the most basic aspects of guitar, I stunted my progress. What I lacked at the time was virtuosity.
Virtuosity is the ability to "do the common uncommonly well." It is, in my opinion, one of the most overlooked aspects of Crossfit, as well as in life. This idea was brought to my attention by my buddy Steve yesterday as we were talking about the biggest problems we see in the world of Crossfit today. My first thought was that most people just need to get stronger. What he so eloquently noted was that "yes, people need to be strong, but I see people layer strength on top of crappy movement all the time..." As I thought about it, I realized he couldn't be more right. I see so many people who have plenty of strength, but move so poorly that that strength cannot properly manifest itself. A perfect example is the athlete who squats 300 lbs but only snatches 135. For their strength level, this athlete should be snatching around 185. Even for far less technical movements this holds true. If you cannot do a basic air squat properly, you have no business performing an overhead squat. And if you can't perform an overhead squat, then why are you trying to snatch? If you cannot do a pull up, and if you cannot do a ring dip then why on earth are you trying to learn a muscle up? It just makes no sense to me, yet if I am honest I find that I too tend to get ahead of myself from time to time. It's hard not to. By focusing on what is most simple in movement patterns, we open ourselves up to future experiences of more complex and difficult movements.
Nowhere have I found the concept of virtuosity to be more important than in my pursuit of Christ. Far too often, I gravitate to the more grandiose parts of the Christian walk- theology, sharing my faith with large groups of people, going on mission trips, ect. None of these pursuits are bad, but without a proper foundation they are fruitless. What I want to continue to come back to is the simplicity and beauty of the gospel- that I am sinful and guilty beyond measure, but that on the cross of Christ my debt was paid in full. In meditating on this simple truth, I cannot help but live a life that manifests itself as loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled (Gal 5:22-23). I have no business going oversees and being a missionary if I cannot live out and share my faith with my friends and those I interact with here stateside. I have no business starting some big nonprofit organization if I cannot simply "love my neighbor as myself" (Mark 12:31). I have no business shepherding a congregation if I cannot shepherd my own family. Virtuosity- do the common uncommonly well. For me, this means gravitating my life around the gospel message of Christ setting me free from the bondage of sin that I may live my life in a way that displays His glory and worth.
Mother Theresa said it best: "spread love everywhere you go. Don't look for big things, just do small things with great love... the smaller the thing, the greater must be our love."
Today's post is written by one of my best friends Steve. I am particularly excited to post his article, because I owe so much of who I am today to his influence. He taught me how to squat, how to snatch and clean & jerk, how to program, how to survive Smolov, how to eat way too much food and not feel bad about it afterwards, how to get lost in the world of Youtube videos, and so much more.
One of my biggest pitfalls as a coach is I can become over competitive. Maybe it's just how I was raised, but I want to win, and not the friendly kind of win, but the kind where I crush my enemies, have them driven before me, and watch the lamentation of their women type of win. This goes for everything, whether it be a not-so-friendly game of monopoly or a throw down session in the gym.
The bad part is I sincerely enjoy seeing people succeed, especially those who I have shared sweat, blood and tears with. So now I have and interesting dichotomy; I have training partners and even family who I want to see succeed more than anything, but when they do all they see is the bitter, resentful, competitive moment that I reflexively portray.
Part of me realizes I'm just being a jerk and I need to grow out of this bit of immaturity. But another part of me reveals a more interesting conviction; a realization that my resentment is not fueled by others success, but by my own belief that I can do better. I see other's success and it reflects on my own shortcomings. Watching others move forward makes me analyze my own failings and realize that I can try harder, I can put in more work, and my potential has yet to be tapped.
Lifting and life tend to parallel each other. I'm always looking for growth, not necessarily in the big goal achieving sense but in the day-to-day kind of way. Whether it's making the effort to put in that extra work set at the gym, pick up my bible and actually read it, or just do the dishes for my wife, I realize these little things that when constantly practiced, contribute to the whole and make change. They help me grow and become a better version of myself. The best part is by striving to become that better person, I may one day turn the tables on those who inspired me, and help them grow as well.
The sport of olympic lifting consists of two lifts, both of which measure how much weight you can take from the ground to overhead: the snatch and the clean & jerk. Apart from these two classic lifts, there are many auxiliary lifts that can be performed to make your classic lifts higher. The problem is that with so many exercises, what is often the most confusing is the terminology involved. Because of this, I thought it would be useful to show and talk about each of these variations. This list is not exhaustive, but should cover the vast majority of what you will see (apart from work from the blocks).
Snatch vs. Clean & Jerk
The snatch is taking the bar from the ground to overhead in one movement. The clean & jerk is taking the bar from the ground to overhead in two movements: from the ground to the shoulder (clean) and then the shoulder to overhead (jerk).
Snatch vs. Power Snatch and Clean vs. Power Clean
The snatch and the clean are the classic lifts. In both lifts, the bar starts on the ground and is received in a squat position before standing. Many people, especially in the crossfit world, refer to these movements as "squat snatches" and "squat cleans," however this is unnecessary. When asked "is the clean a squat clean?" It would be like asking if the water is wet or the sushi is raw.... yes, yes it is. In a power snatch or power clean, the bar starts on the ground and is received in a quarter squat. Since the athlete receives the bar in a higher position, it requires more power, thus the power snatch/clean.
Hang Snatch/Clean
Hang snatches are great at developing posterior chain strength. Since the bar does not return to the floor, the muscles experience longer time under tension and are therefore strengthened. There are four main positions I will talk about: the hip, the high hang, the hang, and the low hang. In both the snatch and the clean versions of these lifts, the bar is picked up to a resting, hanging position, thus the "hang". It is then lowered to one of the four positions.
1) Hip Hang Snatch/Clean- the bar is raised to the hang, then with a slight dip and drive the bar is projected upwards as the athlete lowers into the squat to receive the bar. In the dip, the bar should not travel down the leg at all, and the shoulders should stay behind the bar.
2) High Hang Snatch/Clean- the bar is raised to the hang, then lowered several inches down the leg before being projected upwards and received in the squat. Since the bar is traveling down the leg, the shoulders and torso should bow over the bar slightly.
3) Hang Snatch/Clean- the bar is raised to the hang, then lowered to the top of the knee before being projected upwards and received in the squat. The shoulders and torso should bow over the bar a considerable amount.
4) Low Hang Snatch/Clean- the bar is raised to the hang, then lowered below the knee before being projected upwards and received in the squat. The shoulders and torso should bow over the bar until the bar crosses the knee, at which point the shoulders and hip should lower at the same time.
Hang Power Snatch/Clean
These should be performed in exactly the same manner as above, but instead of receiving the bar in a squat, the bar is received much higher in a quarter squat.
Pause Snatch/Clean
Pause snatches and cleans are great at developing proper positions as well as back strength. If you pause in a poor position, the chances of you receiving the bar are greatly diminished. In the pause snatch/clean, the bar starts on the ground, then is raised to a designated position at which the bar stops its upward momentum and is held for a count. The upward momentum is the re-initiated and the bar is received in a squat. Pauses can happen 2" off the ground, below the knee, at the knee, above the knee, or at the mid thigh. Multiple pauses can also occur, such a pause at 2" then a pause above the knee.
Snatch Balances
These are great at developing speed under the bar, as well as overhead strength and confidence in the receiving position. There are 3 main types I will talk about: snatch balance, heaving snatch balance, and pressing snatch balance.
1) Snatch Balance- the athlete starts with the bar on their back and their feet in their pulling stance, then dips, drives and receives the bar in the overhead squat position. The feet should move from the pulling stance to the squatting stance.
2) Heaving Snatch Balance- the athlete starts in their squat stance, then dips, drives, and receives the bar in the overhead squat.
3) Pressing Snatch Balance- the athlete starts in their squat stance, then without dipping, presses themselves under the bar and receives the it in the overhead squat.
Presses
The press is taking the bar from the shoulder to overhead. There are four main types I will discuss, and a fifth that you are welcome to youtube: the strict press, push press, push jerk, and split jerk (youtube the squat jerk).
1) Strict Press- without using the legs at all, the athlete presses the bar from the shoulders to overhead
2) Push Press- the athlete initiates this movement with a dip, then drives the bar off their chest and presses to finish with the bar overhead.
3) Push Jerk- the athlete initiates this movement with a dip, then drives until the bar is lifted off their chest. As soon as the bar leaves the rack position, the athlete presses themselves back under the bar and receives the bar in a quarter squat. There should be no "press out" and the bar should snap (or "jerk") into the overhead position.
4) Split Jerk- this movement is the exact same as the push jerk, but instead of the feet landing in the squat stance, they land in a split position. It does not matter which foot goes forward- for each athlete this will be different. What is important is that the athlete jerks with the same foot forward each time- DO NOT CHANGE EVERY TIME.
I hope this was helpful! The video should clarify any questions you may have.
This video cracks me up. As a CrossFit coach, I can attest to the fact that it is 100% accurate- this is the stuff I deal with on a daily basis. While part of me thinks it is hilarious (I love my female athletes), the other part of me recognizes that there is something ironic about the general persona of some people who consider themselves "crossfitters". What I have discovered is that some people really want to appear to be a die hard crossfitter, but really have no desire to actually beone. Let me explain.
Crossfit has several stereotypes that surround it that I'm sure many of you are familiar with- things like tall socks, Lulu Lemon clothing, vibrant colors, tons of accessories (ya can't crossfit without nanos, knee wraps, wrist wraps, belt, head band, ect...), excessive chalk use, eating paleo, and so on and so forth. Now don't get me wrong, none of those things are bad at all. In fact, I would support (if not advocate) many of those things. What I find ironic is that there are some people who do all of these things, but when it comes time to actually do the WOD, they don't really push themselves. They like the appearance of being a crossfitter, but don't exactly enjoy the act of being a crossfitter. They like the cool gear, but not the blood, sweat, and tears that it takes to earn the badge of being a crossfit athlete.
Now in the end, I guess it really doesn't matter if people like pushing themselves to their limit or just dressing up in neat work out clothes. I think what is more troublesome is that this idea is not just restricted to the world of CrossFit- it works its way into every part of our life.
It is so much easier to appear to be something than it is to actually be that thing. Where I find myself doing this is in regards to my walk with Christ. I often find myself doing things that make me appear to be a man after the Lords heart, but not always having a heart that matches my exterior actions. I am ashamed and even embarrassed to admit this, but I am also not so naive as to think that it is something nobody else struggles with, so let's call it like it is. It's easy to put on the facade of someone who follows Christ, especially in our bible belt culture. We know how to talk like people that love the Lord (Christianese), we know how to put verses up on Facebook to make us look like we have it all together, we know how tell people "God does everything for a reason", but behind closed doors are we really living in a way that honors the Lord? Will you still follow Christ when you lose your job or get cancer? Will you still display His love to someone who wrongs you or lies to you or stabs you in the back? Will you still keep your heart, mind, speech, and actions pure when nobody else is around?Sometimes yes, but my point is that its much easier to appear like we are following Him than it is to actually follow Him.
In the bible, there were a group of people who were appear-ers rather than be-ers. In Matthew 23, Jesus speaks to these people:
"The scribes and the Pharrisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their outward status symbols bold, and they love the place of honor at feast and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others... Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
There is nothing wrong with appearing as long as you are willing to be also. Thanks be to God that when we fall short, we have a merciful and loving High Priest who has interceded on our behalf. Christ is committed to our sanctification, and in His cross alone we have hope. Blessings.
The other day I was listening to the Weightlifting Talk podcast titled "Greg Everett". The topic at hand was the "cool factor" and how it influences peoples decisions. They started off by talking about how a big factor in Oregon's football recruiting is how cool their jerseys are. To be honest, I would play for Oregon even if they were terrible just because of how sick some of their uni's are. As they linked it back to the sport of weightlifting, some connections and distinctions were made.
Part of what is now drawing people to weightlifting is the cool factor. There is something just inherently awesome about taking large amounts of weight and throwing them overhead. A great example is Hassle Free Barbell Club up in San Fransisco, which specializes in teaching weightlifting to high school kids. The cool thing is that what started as a club of 10 kids has now grown into over 300 members. They didn't have to do anything crazy or magical to attract kids- weightlifting is fun, and it attracted kids to itself. What led to Hassle Free's popularity was kids growing to love the sport, then sharing that love of the sport with their friends, who then grew to love the sport and share it with their friends, and so on and so forth. If they would have tried to reinvent the wheel by trying to make weightlifting something that it is not, they would have cheapened the experience for those who truly love weightlifting in its pure form. Not everyone will like it, and that's okay. But those who do grow to love it will do so for the right reasons and will be sustained in the sport with the right motivations.
I think sometimes it's tempting for us to try to make Jesus something He's not in trying to make Him seem cool to others. In doing so, we don't always portray Him as he really is. It's easy for us to talk about His love, but much harder to share the truth of His justice. It's easy for us to view Him as the Lamb, but not always as easy to remind others that He is also the Lion of Judah. We want to see Him as the man who loved on prostitutes and tax collectors, but it's harder to think of Him as the man who flipped over tables and called out Pharisees. When we portray Christ as only loving, or as only meek, or as only gentle, we cheapen the experience and the power of who He really is. Oftentimes we do this in hopes that others will be drawn to His more mellow characteristics, and repelled by His more fearsome qualities. What we must remember is that not everyone will love Him for who He is, but those who do will love Him for the right reasons and will be sustained by Him with the right motivations. Christ calls us to Himself in an irresistible way- we don't have to make Him cool or hip.
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." -Hebrews 11:1
Recently, I have begun a new cycle aimed at preparing me for a Bulgarian cycle. It involves quite a bit of squatting, and a lot of triples in the olympic lifts. Because of this, my legs and low back are dead, and it has made my olympic lifts rather difficult. I have found that as the weeks progress, the same weight is feeling heavier and heavier with each successive day. There have been a few days were nothing would land, and I had to drop weight (and my pride) in order to finish the work requirements.
To be honest, it has made me a bit frustrated. I often find myself thinking "the harder I work, the harder this seems to get." I feel like I am doing all the right things- I am stretching and foam rolling, I am doing all the exercises to the best of my ability, I am sleeping enough, I am eating well. But for some reason, nothing seems to be clicking. It is tempting sometimes to quit. "Why put in all this time and effort to something that is not giving me a return?" What keeps me coming back day after day is faith- faith that my coach programmed this because it was supposed to be hard, and faith that if I persevere it will make me better in the end. The hope is that in undergoing this temporary trial, I will become a more refined weightlifter, and my coach will receive more glory because of his hand in my training. I must keep this end goal in mind as I train, for if I lose sight of it then I lose hope.
Too often I think we, as entitled, upper middle class Americans, feel that if we follow Christ, then everything will be good and we won't have to undergo trials. On the contrary, if we follow Christ we are promised that we will suffer. "In this life you will have trouble..." If this is all we were left with, despair would surely be soon to follow. In this we have hope though- "Take heart! I have overcome the world!" (Jesus- John 16:33)
The reality of this truth set in this morning as I received news from the man who discipled me all through college that his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer yesterday. He is a man who loves the Lord more ferociously than anyone I have ever met. His desire to honor, serve, and exalt Christ is contagious, and his boldness is encouraging. He has four children, all under the age of ten. My initial thoughts upon receiving this news was "how could this happen? He is such a good man, and he and his wife love the Lord so much? How could this be a part of God's plan?"
Ironically, what brought me peace was this man's status on Facebook:
"Please pray for my precious bride who was diagnosed with breast cancer yesterday. God is always good, His plan is always perfect, and He is always worthy of praise. In the healing Name of Christ, we will rebuke fear and move on in victory no matter the outcome. Please, Holy Spirit, give us strength, wisdom, and guidance. Much love to all and thanks for your prayers- they are so desired."
What gives us strength in the midst of the storm is faith- faith that the pains of this world are temporary, faith that God's plan is for our good and His glory, faith that perseverance is sanctifying, and faith that one day Christ will make all things new again. We can take courage knowing that those who have come before us have also undergone trials. I think of the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11. It begins by recounting the ways that men of God remained faithful which lead them to triumph. But then in verse 35, the tone shifts.
"Others were tortured, and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith..." (Heb. 11: 35-39)
Our greatest sense of encouragement comes from the King Himself. Let us "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our Faith. For the joy set before him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him, who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Heb 12:2-3)
The hope is that as we undergo temporary trials, we become a more refined, and our King will receive more glory because of his hand in our refinement. No matter the outcome, good our bad, the call is to give Him the glory that is due to His Name. How foolish it would be for us to think that we, as finite beings, know what is best for us and that He, as creator and Lord of the Universe, does not.
In my time as a coach, I have had athletes of all different shapes, sizes, and abilities. One thing that has always struck me is that some athletes are just naturally good squatters/olympic lifters, while others really struggle. While some of this is due to natural ability, spatial awareness, base strength levels, and coordination (all of which can be improved upon with training and practice), some of it can also be attributed to biomechanics (something the athlete has no control over). I have drawn a few diagrams to help explain what I mean.
This first diagram depicts two athletes with identical torsos, but differing femur lengths. The athlete with the shorter femur is able to maintain a nearly vertical shin angle while keeping the shoulder (where the bar or external loading sits) over the midfoot. In order for the athlete with the longer femur to keep the shoulder over the midfoot, their knee must push further over their toe, which requires a sharper angle between their shin and their foot, a.k.a. more ankle mobility.
Now lets say that the athlete with the longer femur does not have the ankle mobility required in picture 1. Now, in order to keep the shoulder over the midfoot, they must decrease the angle between their torso and their femur to account for the longer femur. Though the athletes have the same ankle mobility and thus the same shin angle, athlete 1 will be able to maintain a much more erect torso throughout a squat. Athletes who find themselves in this boat should seek to maximize ankle mobility as well as hip mobility, for a restriction of either one of these with ultimately limit their success as a squatter/olympic lifter.
To further complicate things, there are some athletes who have a relatively shorter torso. In this diagram, both athletes have the same ankle mobility and same femur length, but athlete 2 has a shorter torso than athlete 1. Because of this, they must have a sharper angle between the femur and the torso to account for the shorter lever. Again, athletes who find themselves in this category should regularly do ankle/hip mobility drills.
Sometimes, an athlete comes through that has short femurs, great ankle mobility, and a long torso. After 5 minutes, I can have them squatting butt-to-ankles with a vertical torso no problem. Other times, someone comes through with the trifecta of problems: short torso, long femurs, limited ankle mobility. To an extent, I find myself in this category. These athletes have to work much harder to do what comes naturally to athletes with different biomechanics. I would probably make a great runner- long legs and a short torso. But for Olympic Weightlifting, I do not have the ideal body type. Different athletes have been molded differently for different purposes, all of which have equal value. In many ways, it reminds me of the body of Christ.
In Romans 12, Paul reminds that "in one body, we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function." Later, in 1 Corinthians 12, he tells us that "to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit forthe common good." The Lord, in His infinite wisdom and grace, has granted to each of us a specific set of skills and giftings. These giftings are not meant for us to build ourselves up, but rather to build up others and in doing so glorify God.
It is easy to look at others and see their giftings, but often times much harder to see what the Lord has made us good at. I have a brother who is the most gifted person I have ever met at making people feel loved. He is a great listener, and his charisma makes you feel like you have known him for a lifetime after knowing him for only 5 minutes. Because of this, he has been able to connect with a wide array of folks, and has led many of them to the feet of Jesus. What comes very naturally for him comes much harder for me. I have to actively think and work to do what flows for him. I think of Matt Chandler who so obviously has a gift of teaching. I have given several sermons/bible studies, and have always felt slightly out of place in doing so. No matter how much I prepare, no matter how much I practice, the Lord just has not gifted me with an innate ability to captivate peoples attention with public speaking (this is probably to keep me humble, for if I was good at it I would likely attribute the success to myself.)
In any case, the point is that we all have things that we just naturally are good at in regards to our service to the Lord. It does me no good to sit around and be jealous of others gifts. "For the body does not consist of one member, but of may. If the foot should say, 'because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body.... If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as He chose.... As it is, there are many parts, but one body." (1 Cor 12:14-20). In the same way that the Lord built people of all shapes and sizes, He molded and crafted each one of us with a specific set of giftings meant to be used for our joy and His glorification. Now, just because I am not biomechanically the best squatter ever does not mean I don't squat, and in the same way just because you are not the greatest teacher/listener/server/preacher/counselor/whatever does not mean you should not do those things. But you also should seek to cultivate that which God has gifted you most naturally at.
It's funny how strength gains seem to sneak up on us. The top video was almost a year ago, and what it doesn't show is the 12 misses that occurred before I finally was able to hit 185. Nowadays, 185 is a warm up weight, as evidenced by the fact that I hit it for a 3 position power snatch. I remember having to get psyched out for weights that I now do without much thought. It didn't happen overnight, but as I got stronger, my body adjusted to the increasing demands I was putting on it. What was once the upper limit of my capacity is now the new normal.
"The new normal" is an interesting concept to me, and I started thinking about it the other day as I was talking to my mom today about stuff that has been going on with my sister. Long story short, she has had some medical issues that led to a partial paralysis of her left side of her body. Things that are simple and a part of every day life for most kids (tying their shoes, playing on the playground with friends, social interactions) can be challenging for my sweet sister. My mom explained to me that her and my dad are learning how love her and raise her best, and are doing so through a different set of lenses than how they viewed things with my brother and I. They are adjusting to "the new normal"- a normal that is defined differently than that of the world; a normal that is slower paced; a normal that comes with its own set of struggles. It was a beautiful picture of how the Lord loves us despite our struggles. He does so not because we deserve it, but because He is good. What was once our shame is now Christ's glory- those of the world are marked by insecurity, despair, and aimlessness, but for those in Christ, the new normal is one of security, joy, hope, and purpose.
