Quote I keep my elbows out, until I get to the second pull. For some reason, I lose my good elbow/lat flex as soon as the bar gets over my knees. This is something I need to work on to further my the development of speed. I think?Arden, the hang clean will be of great assistance perfecting your pull above the knees and momentum generation plus squatting under. Keep the back arched (if possible) think of the arms as cables. Lock the lats under the arm pits. Some slow pulling up the thighs to reinforce the motor pattern could help. Make good use of the lever, your back, by keeping it and the cables as tight as possible. A lax back, lever, will upset things right away. Let's see good body extension with arms as straight as possible, head ending up behind the hips, try not hesitate in squatting. Initiate the movement in the hang lifts from the hips, moving them back and letting the knees bend some. You're on the right track.sjaak
I keep my elbows out, until I get to the second pull. For some reason, I lose my good elbow/lat flex as soon as the bar gets over my knees. This is something I need to work on to further my the development of speed. I think?
You are moving some serious weight on some of those exercises.The snatches looked good until 185. Stick with 165-175 for triples. Maybe try a couple sets of 5 with 155 at the end.
I think I need to grip the bar harder when I've got it over head (something I figured out OHS later in the workout). Does that make sense at all?
I've thought it through and I don't think I'm pulling as hard as I can - I just started doing full squat movements about 6 weeks ago. I've really tried to down play pulling hard because I wanted to learn how to get in the hole.
After that did snatch pulls. 135x6, 205x6, 235x6, 255x6. 265x6. I tried to work on keeping my arms straight, lats forward, and shoulders over the bar on the second pull.
After Matt's excellent advice, my compliments also on your snatches Arden. Your attention to form really pays off. Very good pull with good extension and good recieving position. The videos show that you make the lift if you keep a rigid back and arm during your pull. Quote I think I need to grip the bar harder when I've got it over head (something I figured out OHS later in the workout). Does that make sense at all?Try to keep the upper body set, when the bar is overhead, chest out, low back arched in, think: "reach up, up!" (Jim Schmitz) You'll have to be alert up to the last moment of the lift.QuoteI've thought it through and I don't think I'm pulling as hard as I can - I just started doing full squat movements about 6 weeks ago. I've really tried to down play pulling hard because I wanted to learn how to get in the hole.It's a balance, in time it will become a pull that blends into a squat. your top pull (in the full snatches) where your head and shoulders end up behind the hips, and you are on the feetballs, will really make it easier to squat. You can check progress from the side if you watch the head movement starting from the pull above the knees; it should go up and back and down again in a circular motion, and to the front again when the head goes under and in front of the bar. At first, the head movement will go right to the front and down in a straight line from the top of the pull after the movement to the rear is completed. Ideally, it will become a more circular motion with more vertical descend making a an oval. If you watch elite snatches from the side in slo-mo check this head movement. All it takes is time. Hang lifts from just above the knees also help.Maybe you could try the snatches without the belt for better freedom of movement? Or do you need it?Your approach of the bar, pre-squat with flat feet, concentration, gets much better. QuoteAfter that did snatch pulls. 135x6, 205x6, 235x6, 255x6. 265x6. I tried to work on keeping my arms straight, lats forward, and shoulders over the bar on the second pull.In the pulls, try to get the hips under the bar at the top, extending the body, ending up in an arc-like position. About the arms, your strength there, can be a hindrance, because of the temptation to use them where they work against you. But you do a great job.Be careful not to overdo the pressing in comparison to jerks.In the back squat, a good mental picture is to "squat your belly between your thighs". Over time you could try to work towards a narrower grip (perpendicular) on the bar. This helps keeping a good stable "chest out, scapulae backwards" position, and reduce the chance of pulling down on the bar.Sjaak
I've come a long way and I think the next step is going to take me a longer to achieve. Just being realistic and I'm in no way losing any enthusiasm.On Schmidtz concept of "reach up, up" - does that mean actively and stoutly pressing the bar upwards with the lats and arms? I'm trying to understand the cue. The gripping the bar tight really helped me with my pulls and my recieving position. It seems to engage my forearms more into the movement.
I understand the concept of not pulling so hard - or the balance it requires. One point that was made to me recently is that I really need to work more on keeping the bar path more straight as I'm bouncing it a bit out of line when I get to the crease of my hips. I've looked at a lot of the videos and I think that completely explains why I'm catching a lot of lifts forward?
I don't wear a belt for any movement. I do wear a TK waist band to keep my lower back warm every time I train - even event work. I only wear a belt when I'm pulling really heavy weights. And even then, I wear it over top of my TK waist band. Would the TK band be causing me to get the bar too far forward? I would like to say my big "android" is the most likely contributor, but I'm going to really work on this bar path progress. It makes a lot of sense.
