Hands On: Squatting and Overhead Lifts
Squatting Techniques:
-Fact and myths surrounding squatting for athletes:
-Myths: squats are exercise soley for quadriceps, gluteus and hamstring M.
-Facts: Soleus and other plantar flexors, left out in half squats; are heavily involved in knee and hip extension during full squats due to inertia coupling;
-Safe is Unsafe: Squatting to parallel is considered safe; yet inflicts more strain on knee and spine than a complete flexion of lower extremities; parallel, bench or powerlifting squats, are inappropriate for athletes in dynamic sports, i.e., Safe in the gym translates into Unsafe on the field or court.
-Unsafe is Safe: Compression forces on the knee fall with the depth of squatting past a knee angle of 90? due to the ‘wrapping effect’; and more importantly the phenomena of inertia coupling action of soleus and other single joint plantar flexors. Full squats falsely considered unsafe, are safe, because of wrapping effect, inertia coupling of ankle muscles and typically a more vertical disposition of trunk places significantly places less strain on lumbar spine; are more suited to the dynamic conditions on the court or athletic field.
Technique essentials: counterbalancing and disposition of the body’s links: trunk, shins, feet, hips, shoulder joints.
Technique and theory of teaching overhead lifts: Jerk from chest; push jerk; jerk from behind head; push press
The weightlifting technique of the snatch the clean and jerk consist essentially of three phases: ‘Throw’, ‘Catch’, ‘Balance’. Traditional methods of instruction and learning weightlifting technique begin at the beginning phases and proceed to the final phases. For instance, the lift up to the knee, the lift above the knee, the full extension, i.e., throw, catch, balance.
A method proven in practical application is to begin at the end and proceed to the beginning: ‘Balance’, ‘Catch’, ‘Throw’
Andrew 'Bud' Charniga, Weightlifting Sport Scientist
- BS Eastern Michigan University; M.Ed. University of Toledo
- 50 + Years in weightlifting as athlete; coach
- Translated 15 weightlifting and strength training books from Russian for Sportivnypress.com Russian weightlifting library
Author of:
1. A Demasculinization of Strength
2. Sportivnypress.com: Website with over 100 articles about weightlifting; strength training; injury susceptibility and sport science
3. Some articles published in the European Weightlifting Federation Science Journal
4. EWF Symposium Speaker in 2017 in Slovakia Symposium Speaker
