Originally posted by CoolColJ
If you can’t front squat then how can you powerclean properly?
With the powerclean the bar will only be resting on my shoulders for a few seconds before I put the weight back down. With front squats it’s going to be there for the whole set and that does my shoulders in and kills my wrists. My biceps aren’t that big yet seem to get in the way from bringing my wrists down low. My fingers start slipping off the bar when the bar is there for a long time. I cannot twist my forearms of to the side aswell as most people and as for high elbows…
[quote]Originally posted by CoolColJ
If you can’t front squat then how can you powerclean properly?
With the powerclean the bar will only be resting on my shoulders for a few seconds before I put the weight back down. With front squats it’s going to be there for the whole set and that does my shoulders in and kills my wrists. My biceps aren’t that big yet seem to get in the way from bringing my wrists down low. My fingers start slipping off the bar when the bar is there for a long time. I cannot twist my forearms of to the side aswell as most people and as for high elbows… [/quote]
try a wider grip - my thumbs are 3 inches from the smooth area. Most people hold the bar way to close. if I move my grip any closer my wrists would be injured.
I just mark of my thumbs from the smooth area.
CAT = attempt to acclerate the weight to compensate for changing leverages. ie as the weight starts to feel lighter past the sticking point you keep pushing the bar faster. Full Jump squats would be an example of this.
In fact squats and jump squats is not a bad combo.
I love jump squats becuase I like any explosive exercise. Still, I don’t feel it in the hams just before take off, like I would in all phases of an oly lift. In squats and jump squats I have only felt the hamstring stimulation at the lower positions of a squat/squat jumps. Also, squat jumps feel a little strange to me in that they are not smooth. With me, the first portion of the movement is slow and then a sudden jolt of movement once I get past the first several inches of movement.
BTW traditional high bar Olympic squats will not hit the posterior chain as hard as pulls or Westside style squats. As I’ve said previously, beyond the first 20 metres the quads have only a relatively minor function in sprinting
I was able to improve my power clean from 110 to 120 by performing snatch grip deads. During that time my front squat actually went down from 135 to 125k.
Also there is a need to optimise tendon stiffness. More on this later…
Jim: I am certainly a DL convert. However I believe they are only effective ifyou tightly control the variables.
I recomend deadlifts at >80% should only be done once every 4 weeks. Typically loads should be 100 - 110% max clean. Focus should be on form and speed.
If you deadlift for reps you actually benefit from an SSC on all but the first rep (unless you pause for 5 seconds) therefore specificity for increasing your pull is decreased.
The erectus spinae will fatigue before the glutes and hamstrings therefore reps >5 increase risk of injury.
Snatch deads are my preference - this has been discussed on other threads. Most importantly standard deads have a relatively small range of motion.
So the low intensity is mainly for protection of the back? And you would rule out clean/snatch pulls for a sprinter/track and field athlete?
Would you recommend doing Snatch deadlifts as you have tried them and Back squats (full depth fast olympic stylee) in the same session? Which way round would they go?
How about these combinations as plans for a weights session then (on a speed day immediately after sprints). Heavy volume, max strength phase. What do you think?
Exercise-setsxreps-intensity
Power Snatch-6x2-90%2RM
Snatch Deads-6x3-75to80%3RM
Back Squats-4x3-90%3RM
Power Snatch-6x2-90%2RM
Back Squats-6x3-90%3RM
Back extensions-4or5x4-80%4RM
Well it depends how you do your Oly squats - but for me my glutes and hamstrings have blown up from them. I actively prestretch my hams on the way down. They sure get sore.
Also I read somewhere that hamstrings are better recruited when the squats are done lighter and very fast - which is what I do
otherwise how do you explain my oly lifts climbing up so rapidly? Cause I mostly oly squat 2 times a week. I rarely deadlift at all.
Regarding the jump squats or power cleans, I feel the cleans may be better due to more favourable mechanics at the hip, allowing increased activation of the glutes; this being more similar to acceleration mechanics, especially the initial stages. Any comments?
Originally posted by Richard Hand
I hardly feel my hams when I squat or oly lift, and they have certainly never felt DOMS. I do squat deep, but only power oly.
push your butt back as your squat down will change that. Start the eccentric by moving the butt back and downward first.
Really stretch out those hams
Originally posted by Richard Hand
Regarding the jump squats or power cleans, I feel the cleans may be better due to more favourable mechanics at the hip, allowing increased activation of the glutes; this being more similar to acceleration mechanics, especially the initial stages. Any comments?
David W when you refer to OLY style squats are you talking about front squats with the bar racked as in a clean? I believe Col and others are referring to high bar back squats to full depth.
CoolColJ, if I moved my butt any further back I would have to increase the flexion of my back to counterbalance, and this would put great strain on my back and probably limit quad and glute development. I feel my squat technique is very good. How many others feel their hams activated strongly in the squat?
