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Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 3:42 PM
One of the constants in my lifting since 1993 has been focusing on driving through the midline of my foot; I remember lifting in the Bob at the University of Delaware and putting my foot on the line in the platform and trying to always push through that line. In 2010, I heard Mark Cameron describe that line as "where the heel meets your instep", and that's exactly, in my opinion, the line through which all force must be directed on the pull. Now, I understand that as the bar changes position, the lifters weight shifts forward. |
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Posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 5:09 PM
A quick update today, and a short story. The lift I put in this week's workout called 'German Cleans" is a lift with 3-5 pauses in it; if I just say do a "German" Snatch/clean/jerk I want all five pauses. Here's what the lifts looks like : |
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Posted on Tuesday, July 03, 2012 9:43 PM
A friend of mine was asked during one of her weightlifting classes at her local gym:
"What do I need to do to do really well in this meet in four weeks?"
"You're not going to like my answer."
"I have to stop conditioning, right?"
"Yep"
Why, though? Why can't we do well at a weightlifting meet and still do crazy conditioning workouts? Well, you can, provided you're satisfied with going to a meet, having a good time, and competing to see where you stand against your everyday goals and training. |
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Posted on Sunday, November 27, 2011 8:13 PM
One of the long term topics I've wanted to write on is squats. I love squatting, and I have many thoughts on the subject. I've squatted often, a lot of weight, high reps, low reps, etc. Here are a few of the basics in which I believe:
- Squatting is necessary in a program
- deeper is better
- light is just as import as heavy
- minimal assistance gear
Any good program has squats in it. Any personal trainer, coach, whomever who doesn't have people squat is a joke of a trainer. This doesn't mean that people have to high bar back squat for 5x5; but the squatting movement is the foundation for everything else in a training program (in my opinion). |
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Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2011 12:47 PM
While we're only exercising and not facing the threats that the USMC, the other lesser branches of the military (Chuck and Gabe, that's for you), and First Responders face daily, we still battle with ourselves to get into the gym in the first place, to eat right, to stretch, and to the workout; put your personal battle into perspective and just train. This battle, however, often causes anxiety. I'll define this anxiety as the distance between achieving goals we've set and doubting our ability to achieve those goals. |
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Posted on Thursday, September 29, 2011 2:57 PM
I've wanted to address the psychological aspect of weightlifting for some time now, and today I'll begin. I have many athletes who want to be weightlifters. I have others who like the discipline of lifting and want to improve their technique. I have still others who just do what they need to as a part of their program. Some, however, are discontented. They want to be a weightlifter, but they don't approach the sport as such. I'm writing this column to address some of the ways to make that transformation from someone who lifts weights to someone who is a weightlifter. |
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Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2011 10:53 AM
I've been behind with my blogs lately, and I apologize for the absence. I have, however, built a backlog of topics I'd like to discuss, including squatting, volume and how it builds lifters, safety and etiquette in the gym, psychological approaches to training, and todays topic: Coaching.
My first coaching experience was in 1992 with the Immaculate Heart of Mary CYO Wrestling team. I had about six wrestlers, all of whom were rote beginners; I learned more from that experience than I ever thought I would. |
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