Damon Davis:
Just wanted to get some other coaches ideas on teaching progression for athletes, and what some thoughts were on common exercises.
Some things that i teach initially for athletes is proper hang position and hip flexion & extension, ie RDL
I have also been using jump shrug starting at mid thigh from the snatch and clean grip for begginers, while also strengthening the receiving positions (FSQ/OHSQ).
I have had mixed feelings on teaching high pulls and muscle SN/CL. The muscle movements are difficult because athletes often get confused on the differences, using to many different terms. (KISS?)
Also what do other coaches out there do for athletes that have trouble racking the bar in a clean, any suggestions for increasing mobility in that position.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks
Scott Safe:
Hi Damon and Jon!
When Krastev was in Minneapolis working with Brian Derwin and the MPAL program, he did things in a unique way which seems to work fairly well. These are the things I remember Brian telling me, although I'm sure I'll forget something. Movements were kept to a minimum. Overhead squat and front squat are first. athlete needs to be able to master these. Then, to make sure the second pull is correct, a hang power snatch into a overhead squat or hang power clean into a front squat. Obviously proper positions here are key. flat back, shoulders in advance of the bar, finish the pull. When this is accomplished, Next go to the floor. remember to "negotiate" the knees (get aroung them and bring the bar back into the second pull position,) and then do what they did above. Brian said Krastev had them doing full motions very quickly, and remarked how all of the athletes working with him looked like "little weightlifters" in a very short period of time. Nothing really changed much after that as far as movements. Classic lifts, squats, power clean or power snatch. We use a pretty similar style here, with changes for individual weaknesses.
Scott
JOHN BROZ:
scott, the hang snatches and hang cleans were only done with the bar, never any weights. sometimes with a stick or pvc pipe. He wasn't as concerned about the second pull as he was finishing the complete movement of the lift and learning positions. the lifts were ALWAYS done from the floor EXCEPT when learning to master the second pull which wasn't taught to lifters until (unless) they had at least 2 years of experience. then they were only done from boxes.
Damon Davis:
I guess what I wonder is should there be different movement or progresion when training a weightlifter as compared to training an athlete whom is not going to be competing.
My thoughts are that I find the hang or block position easier to teach initially for sports athletes. however I do like progressing them down to doing pulls and eventually lifts from the floor. All this follows them having solid receiving positions.
Scott Safe:
Hi Damon;
I am a big proponent of the beauty of teaching the entire lift. Seems to address so many of the individual issues strength coaches are concerned with. Core stability, joint stability, balance, flexibility, co-ordination, POWER, strength, etc. Athleticism in general. I explain it as athletic power training at the clinics we do. To this end, we teach the entire movements early so as not to develop an athlete that can do a power clean, but not a squat clean, etc. But, I'm not working with division I athletes either. I'm sure your situation is very different. I do love the idea that you want to run a meet, though. I think these athletes will love to do competitive weightlifting and should be great training for their track events. We talked to a few female college athletes two weeks ago at our Minnesota Star of the North State Games and they were interested in coming down. I hope you pursue this. Hope to meet you soon.