The discussion on weightlifting pulling styles that I have been enjoying with
Istvan Javorek on IWF list continues:
Istvan Javorek:
In addition, I would like to share some of my ideas from my upcoming book:
The Step-by-step phases of the classical Snatch and Clean & Jerk exercise are:
- Start
- Pull to squat or split:
- First phase of pull with leg extension
- First phase of pull with trunk extension
- Second phase of pull: spontaneous knees bent
- Second phase of pull: straight-arms, elbows turned out
- Second phase of pull: final leg-trunk extension
- Second phase of pull: central of gravity on straight vertical line, body
weight between balls of the feet and heels, slightly more toward the heels
- Second phase of pull: hit the barbell on flat foot
- Second phase of pull: due to the inertia the barbell and the athlete’s body
is in weightless ” in suspension” stage
- Second phase of pull: trapezius action
- Second phase of pull: arms action (flexion- extension for snatch:
flexion-elbows’ rotation forward under the barbell) and preparation of
pressing under the barbell
- Squat or Split:
- Legs’ displacement
- Legs’ action (flexion or split) under the bar
- Pressing the body under the barbell
- Recovery:
- Legs’ extension
- Legs’ replacement: from split the front leg first; from squat one leg at a
time
The first and very important thing to figure out for every individual athlete
is the optimal grip as well as the body balance in the different phases of an
exercise. It is easy to measure the athlete’s body segment and to find out
the most efficient body alignment.
In the starting position the arm’s musculature should be relaxed, just holding
the barbell with a firm hook grip. The elbow-shoulders-head position is the
most favorable position to let the trapezius musculature act during the
shrugging movement. Usually the big technical error is a chain reaction from
this phase of the pull.
The common center of gravity in the start should be balanced in the mid
section of the feet, between the balls of the feet and the heels. During the
first phase of the pull the center of gravity should be shifted back more
toward the heels, but the balls of the feet should never lose contact with
the platform.
The first phase of the Pull: – The athlete contracts his/her extensor muscles
and starts the first phase of the pull. The body weight has already been
shifted toward the heels, and simultaneously is opening the ankles’, knees’,
and hip’s (coxo-femoral) joints. In this way the hip and the shoulders are
doing an upward and simultaneous movement, lifting the weight up from the
platform and up to the knees’ level. From this point the knees are extended
slightly. (In weightlifting never extend the knees to a complete extension
during a pull or a jerk. A little flexion must be in the knees’ joint,
permitting to the athlete to distribute the barbell’s weight equally on the
whole osteo-muscular system, finding the perfect balance on the middle of the
feet, holding the center of gravity between the balls’ of the feet and
gradually more toward the heels.) The athlete’s torso still should be over
the barbell, with a straight, tight back. The elbows turned out, and the
shoulders turned in.
In the beginning of this first phase of the pull it is very important to
extend the barbell and just after that to start the lift, because of the
barbell’s elasticity and the spaces between the holes in the plates and the
barbell’s sleeves. This is the first time when we can apply in weightlifting
Newton’s First law of physics: “Every action has an equal and opposite
reaction”.
The start of the pull has to begin slowly (in any case slower than the next
phase of the pull), similar to the action of a rocket propelling from the
surface. The motion is initiated gradually, and then increased in velocity.
With a fast start, the rocket would fall down because it could not increase
the velocity anymore. This same situation also occurs in weightlifting. In
this phase the common center of gravity is balanced between the balls of the
feet and heels with a tendency more toward the heels. The first phase of the
pull should be executed in this body balance, gradually extending the knees
and holding the trunk with an extended (concave) back straight and over the
bar.
The head position is still in continuation of the back, looking forward down
on the platform. The shoulders are still turned in, elbows turned out and
straight. Further into this phase the athlete straightens his/her knees and
lifts the barbell up to his/her knee level, making a very opened knees angle
and a 90 – 94 degree hip-trunk angle. The most important part of the pull is
the following: the athlete starts to straighten his/her trunk upward, pushing
his/her knees involuntarily forward, shifting the center of gravity back in
the middle of the feet. The athlete is doing an inherent, automatic
movement, bending his/her knees slightly and straightening the back
completely. His/her bodyweight is still flatfooted but shifted more toward
the balls of the feet, with the toes free to move, without any body weight on
them. This is the phase which we refer to incorrectly as the
second knee bend phase.
During the complete motion of the first phase which is actually two different
sub phases (“Up” to the knees, and then “Up” to the upper part of the
“thighs”), it is very important to find the optimal counter-balance position.
When the athlete finishes the so-called “double knee bend” motion he/she is
in the strongest osteo- muscular correlation. This phase is the so-called
“hit” position. In this position the athlete “hits” the barbell with his/her
legs’ and scapular muscles at the same time, and gives to the barbell the
biggest possible upward action . The athlete, with this perfect movement
gives the barbell a projection so that it conforms to the physical laws of
matter in suspension.
On this point is the biggest technical misconception. Several coaches are
teaching the athletes intentionally shifting the body weight all the way
forward onto the toes and to rise up onto the toes. This movement onto the
toes will cause the athlete to swing the bar forward, shifting from its
position of up and behind the vertical line. The barbell’s distance of
travel will be lengthened and will give a false forward trajectory, which is
harmful to the athlete’s knees’, hip’s and shoulders’ joints.
Mel Siff:
*** Neither video analysis or free body diagram analysis shows that
plantarflexed pulling necessarily results in a marked horizontal force
component away from the body. If that happens it is due to deficient
technique or imperfect use of the “hitting” of the bar (often against the
body), as described below in your next comments.
Istvan Javorek:
For maximum efficiency it is best to perform this phase of the pull
flatfooted with the center of gravity in the middle of the foot with a slight
inclination toward and gradually more on the balls of the feet, but not in
any case on the toes. During this phase, the athlete is imitating a
standing and backward acting, double leg bounce, with the knees very slightly
flexed. Actually, when utilizing the combined forces of the legs and
trapezius sufficient power and speed are developed for a maximum and
efficient lift.
To be more understandable I would like to go into more depth in explanation
of this part of the pulling phase. When the athlete “hits” the bar with an
optimal strength in an optimal position, sufficient inertia and velocity can
be developed to be capable of executing the pressing motion under the barbell
with maximum efficiency. (Due to the inertia of the weight, the whole
barbell with the plates becomes suspended and its weight 0.00 kg). On this
weightless in suspension phase of the barbell the athlete body is in
suspension also, because when an athlete “hits” the barbell on a perfect
vertical line, with straight, turned out elbows, and turned in shoulders,
his/her body forms a compact object with the barbell. This is why when the
barbell becomes suspended due to the inertia; the athlete’s body becomes
weightless also.
The athlete, being a human who has learned from an early age to walk on two
feet in a vertical position, the first conditioned reflex, which acts on an
athlete in this weightless stage, is trying to find the platform, (the
supporting surface) for balance. This is the phase when the majority of the
pictures of world champions show the athletes in the “toward the toes”
position. If someone looks more closely at these pictures, they will see
that the athlete actually is not on his toes, and that the balls of his feet
are closer to the platform than his toes.
Mel Siff:
*** No matter what description is offered of what one sees on slow motion or
freeze frame video, the fact is that ANY degree of plantarflexion is revealed
by the heels being raised. Let’s forget whether the lifter is actually
rising to the toes or the balls of the feet – the fact is that some degree of
plantarflexion is taking place, with the extent being determined by the
magnitude of the load and individual characteristics of the lifter. Analysis
certainly shows that premature plantarflexion before the bar reaches a level
nearer the hips tends to be a less efficient way of pulling, but, so far, I
have seen no similar scientific analysis which categorically shows that
well-timed or simply reflexive plantarflexion is inferior to flatfooted
pulling.
Istvan Javorek:
During the “hitting” phase, if the athlete intentionally is getting on
his/her toes, the athlete will project the barbell forward losing the
verticality of the barbell and wasting its benefit. Secondly for this reason
and as an effect of it, the athlete will lose the benefit of being a compact
object with the barbell, which is not possible when the bar is mowing
forward.
Mel Siff:
*** As I have noted before, this is not necessarily true. It is usually a
result of poor technique. If it is, let’s see even a very basic free body
diagram analysis which corroborates this point of view. By the way, some of
the world’s top lifters also jump backwards with the bar, an action which a
lso lengthens the trajectory followed by the bar – is this method also
inadvisable, even though some coaches actually teach it?
Finally, if an athlete gets on his/her toes intentionally, he/she will ruin
this weightless, “in suspension” momentum (phase). Consequently, it becomes
difficult and potentially dangerous to accomplish the next phase of the
exercise, because the law of gravity, which attracts all objects toward the
center of the earth, will influence the motion further. This phase in our
situation is the squatting or splitting and pressing under the barbell
(squat, split and power snatch, squat, split or power clean).
Mel Siff:
*** Aha! Since you are now adding the word “intentionally” to the discussion,
you seem to be heading more in the direction of my Alternative #3 stated in
my original letter on pulling, namely: “Alternative # 3. Most lifters don’t
really concern themselves with what happens to their heels during the pull
and that they simply focus on pulling as powerfully as possible, no matter
whether this involves plantarflexion or not.” Would this be correct?
Istvan Javorek:
I do not contest that results can be achieved in this phase by an athlete,
when he/she finishes the movement with the center of gravity more toward the
balls of the feet, with a slight heel raise, (due to the before-mentioned
weightless stage, but not intentionally). But I do believe and state, that
rising intentionally on toes is not correct. Actually I consider, balancing
on the side edges and flat foot with a slight heel raise better, with an easy
shifting of the center of gravity toward the balls of the feet. See Nicu Vlad
1984 Olympic champion’s 220 kg clean and jerk and Pavel Kuznetsov’s world
record clean and jerk photo sequences. (Photos by Bruce Klemens). This style
of displacing the feet is much more, efficient, beneficial and advantageous
in my opinion for placing the body in the proper position for the next phase
(replacing the feet). Also if you look at Vardanian sequences you see what I
mean the adaptation of perfect technique to a particular athlete.
The first phase of the pull should be slower in comparison with the vertical
“hitting” phase, which requires the most explosive motion of a snatch or
clean exercise. The barbell must be continuously in the closest possible
position to the athlete’s body. In this phase the athlete is pushing his
feet into the platform, like driving a nail into the platform with his/her
heel. As a confirmation of the previously mentioned Newtonian law of
physics, the barbell will action upward due to the plates’ opposite reaction
and at the same time due to the tremendous, continuation action of the
trapezius musculature. This is the “momentum” when the athlete must press
his/her body under the bar for a perfect clean or snatch. On this phase it is
so important to “meet” the bar on its maximal position during that
weightless situation. This is the so-called “momentum” of a lift.
My good friend Bud Charniga, told me a year ago, that he was analyzing since
I had a clinics at USAWL Federation in 1984 or 1985 my statements about flat
footed technique, and year by year became more convinced the correctness of
my technique and Bud took hundreds of photos at the major international
events).
Mel Siff:
*** Interestingly, Bud also tends to go along more with the suggestion
offered in my Alternative #3. Does this mean that we are heading towards
some sort of consensus or is there still some merit in my other alternatives?
Dr Mel Siff
Denver, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/
Here is some discussion that I have been having on the IWF list with the
well-known Denis Reno, long-time producer of Denis Reno’s Weightlifting
Newsletter regarding my weightlifting pull letter.
Denis Reno writes:
<< Dr. Mel — Here is my 10 second answer. I have been coaching over 30
years, writing about it for almost as long, and am a usaw International
coach. Top lifters work very hard to get the bar to their crotch while
keeping their shoulders above or in front of the bar. Then they work hard
and fast to get their hips under the bar on the pull/screw under. They don’t
worry during that max lift about the details. However, solid foot
contact makes a lot of sense from very many perspectives! And I hope that
their coaches drill them in proper technique (which I guess is very similar
for most competant coaches). I’ve never heard a coach tell a lifter to get
to their toes early in the pull (before it gets to their crotch) but I’ve
seen those heels raise off of the platform in a
number of record lifts by world caliber lifters before the bar was above the
hips. >>
*** I am very familiar with your well-known Newsletter and am very pleased
that you responded to this question, something that very few top coaches and
lifters have done.
My original letter was not referring to the obviously unwise premature rising
to the toes, but the fact that many lifters do rise to the toes during the
last stages of the pull before the drop and thrust under the bar. Solid foot
contact is indeed sensible for most of the lift right until the final stage
directly preceding the thrust under the bar — I certainly was not suggesting
some sort of “calf raising” during the earlier stages of pulling. I have
raised this topic again because many new lifters and coaches are becoming
thoroughly confused about the apparently contradictory views about the pull.
And all the responses that I have received so far have been based entirely
upon opinion and empirical observation, not on actual biomechanical studies.
Some have even expressed annoyance and frustration that I cannot grasp the
“obvious”, because “all top lifters today use the flatfooted style” (which a
videographic analysis shows to be patently untrue). Well, as a scientist who
enjoys Weightlifting, I cannot simply accept the obvious or the opinions
without something a little more substantial to answer all the questions that
arise. So far, I lean more towards the view that one needs to simply produce
a well timed very powerful pull following a suitable trajectory, without
stressing either flat feet or heel raising — so that the body will
reflexively and naturally produce the appropriate ankle action as part of the
whole linked kinematic system.
So, in short, has ANYONE out there seen any studies on the different styles
of ankle action pulling? There have been many studies of weightlifting
technique up to the stage when some coaches started proclaiming that one
should not allow the heels to rise during any stage of the pull. Some
coaches have remarked that the foot tends to supinate and rise to the toes
only to allow the lifter to shift the feet a little outwards for the squat
under, but not to actually raise the body or bar any higher. Any comments
on that point of view?
Denis, if you or anyone else would care to join this discussion on my
Supertraining forum, where many lifters and coaches have already offered
their opinions, it would be a pleasure to have you there. Your views are
most important to us. Our home page is at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/
Dr Mel Siff
Denver, USA
Member 1:
<<Even if you do not consider technique or differences in lifting styles
(flat-footed vs. plantarflexed), you have to agree that the extra 2-3 inches
of bar height you will gain just by extending onto the balls of the feet
could be paramount to a successful max lift.>>
Member 2:
<This is only true if the peak velocity occurs following the plantarflexion
(and before the squat under). If peak velocity occurs prior to
plantarflexion, and the lifter continues to rise onto the toes, they lose
valuable time that could be used to get under the bar because the bar has
begun to decelerate.>
Dr Mel Siff: True, but no experienced lifter who uses some degree of plantarflexion
times the plantarflexion action in that inefficient manner.
Member 1:
<<Also, from a biomechanical perspective, it does not make sense that one can
get a more powerful pull by NOT extending the ankles. Considering that the
force applied to the bar during the lift is proportionately related to the
sum of all joint torques, if you have more joints generating extension
torques, you will obviously have higher totals (assuming technique is not a
factor).>>
Member 2:
<But if plantarflexion occurs subsequent to full hip and knee extension, the
hip and knee extensor musculature can no longer apply force to raise the
barbell (or the barbell/lifter system). Therefore, can plantarflexion apply
force greater than that already applied by the hip and knee extensors to
continue to (postively) accelerate the barbell? It is not simply a matter of
applying greater force, or having greater power, the timing of these
variables is equally important (Enoka, MSSE, 1979).>
Dr Mel Siff:
*** Of course, you will have noticed in Enoka’s 1979 paper that two velocity
peaks were identified: one before the bar reached knee level and the next, of
slightly greater magnitude, after the “double knee-bend” action. Moreover,
the lifters in his study were using the “old” plantarflexed style, so we
cannot judge which kinesiological differences occur when a flatfooted pull is
used. Anyway, it is extremely difficult to produce any degree of forceful
plantarflexion after full hip and knee extension, because the body
reflexively integrates plantarflexion into a linked chain of joint extending
actions involving an optimal sequence of knee, hip and ankle extending
actions. A simple experiment – lock your knee and hips, and do not extend
your trunk and see how high you can jump off the ground using ankle
plantarflexion alone.
Member 2:
<This is not to suggest that lifters should not ALLOW plantarflexion to
occur. However, it should be considered that plantarflexion may be a
function or artifact of the vertical momentum of the lifter/barbell system
created by the hip and knee extensors (from Newton, an object in motion …),
rather than consequence of a conscious effort to rise onto the toes.>
Dr Mel Siff:
*** In other words, this comment supports alternative #3 in my original
letter on this topic. Yet, there are some coaches who vehemently militate
against allowing the heels to leave the platform. Just to remind those who
may not have read my original letter, here is its closing statement:
<What I saw was that most lifters still pull with a significant degree of
plantarflexion, so it would be interesting to know why this is so, assuming
that this method should be regarded as archaic and inefficient.
This suggests one of several things:
1. The majority of modern lifters are lifting in an inefficient manner and
would improve their totals if they changed to the more flatfooted pulling
style.
2. Those lifters have found that the plantarflexed pulling style produces
better results for them. In other words, different pulling styles suit
different individuals, but that the plantarflexed style suits most lifters.
3. Most lifters don’t really concern themselves with what happens to their
heels during the pull and that they simply focus on pulling as powerfully as
possible, no matter whether this involves plantarflexion or not.
Which of the above possibilities is correct? Or are there other alternatives?
>
Dr Mel Siff
Denver, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/
All too often the deadlift and clean pull are regarded as much the same
exercise, with the consequence that those who teach one or the other often
offer inappropriate advice. Thus clean pull is regarded as some sort of
deadlift with a shrug, while the deadlift is regarded as a clean pull without
a shrug and done with an alternate hand grip. This constitutes a serious
oversimplification of the mechanics of the two lifts.
Our recent discussion of the mechanics of the weightlifting pull is directly
relevant in this regard, because the flatfooted pulling style would appear to
be much more similar to the deadlift pull. In deadlifting it is always
inappropriate to allow the load to shift towards the balls of the feet or for
the lifter ever to rise onto the balls of the feet. This will rapidly result
in the load tilting you forwards, rounding the lower back and losing the
lift. It is also important to point out that any use of a “double knee-bend”
manoeuvre as in weightlifting would result in instant failure of the lift by
the referees, because it is against the rules to flex and extend the knees
again once the bar has left the platform.
In weightlifting the shoulders usually stay ahead of the bar until the
shoulder shrug can be optimally used after the bar has passed the knees
during the first stage of the pull; in powerlifting, the shoulders need to be
kept far more back, because this ensures that the line of action of the
center of mass of the lifter-bar system passes over the heels.
Besides the use of the alternate hand grip (one palm away from the body or
supinated, the other towards the body or pronated) in the powerlifting
deadlift, there are several other differences between the powerlifting
deadlift and the weightlifting pull in addition to the few that I have
identified above — would anyone else like to add to the list of differences?
Dr Mel Siff
Denver, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/