Weightlifting 101

27/05/2025

You should never mistake a heavy lift for a technically bad lift.

Unfortunately, most people are not able to tell the difference.

The following lift by is definitely heavy, but it is not a bad lift at all. In fact, there is very little that he could have done differently to make that lift better.

26/05/2025

Note that is in great balance, not stepping either forward or backwards.

That is because he is using his toes as intended - thereby avoiding being too far back on the heels or too far forward on the toes.

If you are not conscious about using your toes during the sn**ch, your balance will suffer greatly.

23/05/2025

Instead of relying on a big and sudden explosion at the end of the second pull, you want to accelerate the barbell through the first and second pull.

If done correctly, it allows you to pull the barbell higher and with less risk of swinging.

Can you imagine doing a vertical jump from the bottom of the squat and restricting yourself to exploding at the very end of the movement instead of accelerating from the start?

Try it just to see how awkward and restricted it feels - and then draw your own conclusions for the barbell game.

22/05/2025

Keeping the head position static throughout the sn**ch is a mistake - the head position should be active.

(A) The function of the head in the first and second pull is to improve the posture of the upper body in order to improve your ability to generate power - and for that reason the chin has to be a bit up while you look straight ahead or slightly up.

(B) The function of the head in the lockout, on the other hand, is no longer to improve the posture, but instead to improve the lockout. In order to do that you need the head through the window and for the chin to be slightly tucked.

It is in the third pull, i.e. when you pull yourself under the barbell - that you have to move your head from A to B.

21/05/2025

The footwork in the power clean is not supposed to be identical to the footwork in the squat clean.
After all, the purpose of the stance in the squat phase of the squat clean is to provide the strongest possible position for you to stand up without the elbows colliding with the knees.

In contrast, the purpose of the stance in the catch position of the power clean is to prevent you from being pushed into the squat and that is better achieved from a wider stance.

That is why gets into a wider position than he would in a squat clean or a front squat. This is especially evident on the second rep where he is more tired and therefore particularly concerned with being able to prevent getting pressed into the squat.

01/05/2019