We are over half way through our first of four hell weeks, and so far everyone is handling the increased volume really well. I would say that the team attitude is the key because we are all having fun, being competitive, and supporting one another. Below are a few keys to success for a top Olympic Weightlifting Program:
• Positive atmosphere
• Competitive atmosphere
• Fun atmosphere
• Therapy availability
• Sources of recovery
I see a lot of mistakes from Rookie Olympic Weightlifters. A lot of the mistakes are very common, so I want to give a list of things to help improve the beginning phases of becoming a top weightlifter:
• Bring the bar to the point of contact during bar/body contact. Don’t leave the bar out in front forcing the hips to reach for the bar. This causes the bar to land way out in front.
• Finishing in a proper position 1 is a huge key with back vertical, knees bent, and hips under bar. This creates a “Tyson Upper Cut” as Jon North calls it, and this causes an up and back bar path.
• On the jerk one must maintain a completely vertical back with the hip directly under during the dip phase. Most people miss jerks during this phase because as they dip, they either flex in the thoracic spine, or their hips go forwards or backwards. During the dip, keep the elbows high, shoulders out and up, big chest, and everything else directly under the bar, and this will cause a massive launch of the bar up and back.
• Also on the jerk remember that weightlifting is all about pushing one’s self under the bar. Too many people want to continue pushing the bar up when all they really need to do is push down.
• Whether it is catching a clean or snatch, maintaining a completely vertical back is crucial. I see a lot of diagonal backs mainly due to bad bar paths. An up and back bar path is crucial to the bar landing in a position optimal for a vertical back.
Below is Mash Mafia OG Rebecca Gerdon killing it at the Lift 4 Lisa Competition this past weekend:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GttronEy-o
Here is a video of some highlights from yesterday’s hell session, and some exercises that I have been getting questions about:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itAANwU3Fz4
To find out more about our online coaching go to http://www.mashelite.com/online-programming/
Next weekend I’m at CrossFit Lando with Jon and Jess for the Attitude Nation Level II Camp in the Boston Area, so check us out. I will be in Orlando at CrossFit Broken Chains at the end of the month, and then Minneapolis, New Mexico, Wilmington, Rhode Island, Long Island, and Canada during the rest of the year, so go to http://www.mashelite.com/seminars/ to find out more.