Topic: "Dube's Direct Approach"

[Sam McLean]

So now I know people are reading this thread. . . Thanks guys.

How about some pointers, though?

[Dave Almeida]

first pull is OK

second pull things go down the drain

from what it looks like you are throwing your back backwards to get the bar to your hip and then the bar speed slows down and you use your legs and arms to get it moving again. you need to eliminate your arms from the lift and use your legs, not your back in the second pull.

you also extend your knees too far back in transition to the second pull which probably causes you to use your back too much which causes the bar to swing at the top.

Pictures: Notice the constant leg involvement when the bar passes the knees.

It won't look exactly like this for you since your leg proportions are different but you should try to shoot for more leg involvement. The knees only move back as far as they need to in order for the bar to clear the knees. The knees then shift under the bar slightly but constant bar velocity must be kept during this instance or else the lift will fall part. Then finish straight up to slightly back with your LEGS. Don't even think about your back since you use it too much right now.

[Sam McLean]

Dave,

Thanks for the pointer.  Reviewing the video, I realize that my legs seem to be straightening too much prior to the second pull, and that the angle of my back was too severe.  What can I focus on in order to get into the correct position for a 'leggy' second pull?  Any recommendations?  Hips down, maybe?

I should have video of Thursday's power jerks soon.  Here is 'Leisure Day':

5 Sept 08: Day Five

Sots Press (warm-ups: 17.5x5, 25x5, 35x5; work sets: 45x5, 55x5, 60x3).  Love this exercise!

Seated Good Morning to Pins (warm-ups: 45x5, 95x5; work sets: 135x5, 185x5, 225x3).  On the last set of these, I learned something about abdominal pressure: if you bear down hard enough, you can squirt tears out of your eyes.  I don't mean leak, I actually shot fluid out of my left tear duct.  I'm pretty sure this is bad, but it was pretty cool at the time.

Pull Up (BWx5 wide pronated grip, BWx5 wide semisupinated grip, BWx5 narrow semisupinated grip, BWx5 supinated grip).  Haven't done much upper body pulling, figured 'Leisure Day' would be a good time to do some.

[Sam McLean]

So on Saturday I worked on keeping my torso a little more upright for my second pull.  The more vertical explosion seemed to help with both speed and balance, and I felt like there was better leg action between the first and second pull.

6 Sept 08: Day Six

Snatch (warm-ups: 45x5, 65x3, 95x2, 115x2; work sets: 135 [6 singles], 140 [6 singles], 135 [4 singles]).  And I actually had a miss on my second to last lift of the day, feet came way forward in my pull.  I should have just stopped after that, but I tried again and made a really ugly lift.  The video below is from the middle of the day, one of the lifts where I really felt the bar accelerate vertically in the second pull, and had a nicely balanced catch.

http://www.youtube.com/v/Xkzevvy0Z0g&hl=en&fs=1

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

FYI,

You don't need to use the embed codes for your videos. If you do, all the html will show as plain text. Just post the link and it will automatically be embedded by our totally awesome software.

Cheers

[Stephen_Wasylishen]

Hi Sam. I'd try ditching any power-lifting stuff, and stick to the snatch grip deadlifts, until you're satisfied with your back involvement during the pulls.

[Danny Nemani]

Hey Sam, that 2nd vid of you snatching looked a million times better than the first lot.   

Good stuff champ.  Keep up the good work 

[Sam McLean]

Chris,

I believe you had mentioned that to me, but I couldn't believe such a thing was possible.  Truly amazing!

Stephen,

Wasn't aware that I was doing any powerlifting stuff.  What, pray tell, do you mean?

Danny,

Thanks for the positive reinforcement!  Now it's just a matter of making it a consistent habit, then I can move on to the next correction!

8 Sept 08: Day Seven

Didn't take any video today, though I really should have.

CJ (warm-ups: 45x5, 65x3, 95x2, 115x2; work sets: 135 [5 singles], 145 [3 singles], 155 [1 single], 165 [1 single], 175 [2 singles], 185 [1 single], 190 [2 singles]).  My cleans were too varied.  The correction to the pull geometry seemed much more automatic in the snatch than in the clean.  My jerk, on the other hand, has really settled down into a good, consistent technique.  I now understand that the heel is the end of the foot opposite the toe, and that should one load and drive through that end of one's foot, the bars travels vertically, rather than forward.  Eureka!

Concentric Front Squats (warm-ups: 45x3, 135x2; work sets: 185x2, 205x2, 220x2).  For these, I set the bar on the pins in the squat rack just below where I normally bottom out in a front squat.  I get myself under the bar, which creates a little stretch through the hip, then stiffen my abdomen, set the low back, and squat up out of the hole.  After lowering the bar back to the pins, I set up again and push from a dead stop out of the hole.  This could be my new favorite least favorite exercise!

'Til next time!