Technique - with Personality

Technique - with Personality
     Technique is kind of a big deal when dealing with any multi-joint lift, especially with a barbell. Squat technique, deadlift technique, jerk technique, clean technique, snatch technique... Without good technique, you'll miss lifts and stall out at lighter weights then you are otherwise capable of lifting.
     With that being said, there is a lot of variation in what good technique - or ideal technique - is. To complicate things even more, the biomechanics of each lift for every individual is going to be slightly different. Different coaches recommend different techniques for lifts, and some sports prefer certain variations of certain lifts (e.g. high bar v. low bar squat in olympic and power lifting).
     Recently, I was reading an article about perfecting your jerk technique by Chad Vaughn. Currently (according to the internet) he is ranked number one in the US in the 77kg (170lb) weight class. Now, among the world, the most recent ranking I was able to find was from 2007, where he was ranked 24th. Now exactly gold medal quality, but he still knows a metric ton more then me when it comes to lifting.
      Anyways, his article focused on three jerk technique aspects - widening your grip, whipping your head back, and jerking from a front-squat-rack position instead of a pressing position. Now, I learned to jerk with a narrower grip and to transition from the front-squat-rack position after the clean to a pressing position before (or during) your dip-and-drive. But I figured I'd give it a try. And this is what I found.
     Jerking with my hands wider works OK (I used a thumbs length distance outside the knurling), but I'm much stronger with my hands narrower. Or maybe I just need to get used to it. I got the first two 155lbs jerks no problem, but 3 and 4 were clearly not happening. Now, on the 5th, I had to clean it from the ground (didn't go into a front squat to catch it, just dipped a little), and then I jerked it. Since I had cleaned it, my hands were automatically right at the knurling of my bar, a good two or two and a half inches in on each side. The jerk was smooth and easy, so I decided to stick with a narrower grip for the next two sets, and I hit each one (with a pressout on the last one - a no go in competition, but I'll count it in training for now).
     So here's the question: was the narrower grip better then the wider grip? I don't know. I'll have to experiment with it some more and play with it.
     Whipping the head back was a good cue, and I think it helped me from pressing out in front of me. And its a good cue I get, and keeps me from hitting my chin/nose on the bar.
     Jerking from a front-squat-rack position virtually eliminates my premature press, and focuses me on the hip drive to power the lift. I think that this is a phenomenal jerking position. Here's why I say this: I haven't seriously trained my jerk in a while, but I was able to match a previous personal best (155lbs).
     So: technique with personality. Some of Chad's technique worked great for me, but some of it might not be ideal (for me). Lifting is an individual activity, and there are few hard and fast rules. For instance, a lot of American coaches say "push your knees out" on the squat; the Chinese coaches say "push your knees forward past your toes." Is one a better squatting method? I don't know. I do know the Chinese kill us in weightlifting, so maybe there's something to it. Or maybe its biomechanics and leverages of particular body types that prefers one over the other.
     Experiment. Take what is useful for you, discard what is not. If you stall or have difficulties later, maybe come back and reexamine if what you discarded could help you now. It might not've been good for you where you were initially, but maybe its good for you where you will be in the future.

9.12.13 Training
Jerk - 45lbs x10, 65lbs x10, 95lbs x5, 115lbs x3, 135lbs x1, x1, x1, 155lbs x1, x1, x0, x0, x1 x1, x1
     The goal was 5 near max jerks. I did 3 with 135lbs, but it was stupid easy, so I moved up to 155lbs (my previous best from about 6 months ago). I hit that for two singles, barely missed the third, badly missed the fourth. The fifth attempt with 155lbs I power cleaned it and then jerked it. Jerked the sixth easily, jerked the seventh with a slight pressout at the top.
Snatch 45lbs 5x5 - 60s rest between sets. This was brutal from a cardio standpoint. I really need to start jogging...
Snatch Pull 65lbs x10 ...
     This ended up looking like a barbell swing, and it hurt, so I stopped.
Floor press 65lbs x10, 95lbs x10, x10, x10, x10
     60s rest. Super happy with this, considering I got 10/10/10/5 on Monday.
Reverse Barbell Curl 45lbs x35, x30
     The pump is brutal.