Powerlift technique

7/21/2019 Powerlift technique

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Weightlifting in training for athletics -- Part 1By Martin Zawieja-Koch

AUTHOR Martin Zawieja-Koch is a German National coach in weightlifting responsible for the national women's team and the national junior team and thenational coach education program. He has collaborated with the coach education program of the German athletics federation (!"# in the area ofstrength training b$ gi%ing numerous seminars for athletics coaches. & two-time l$mpian in weightlifting he won a bron)e medal in the *uperHea%$weight class at the +, games in *eoul.

ABTRA!T op performance in most disciplines in athletics re/uires the athlete to optimise his0her strength capacit$. he same of course is true inweightlifting. here the relati%el$ mo%ements and controllable en%ironment that characterise the sport facilitate the stud$ both biomechanics and

training principles and thus the science of the sport is /uite ad%anced. &s one result successful weightlifters recognise the importance of correcttechnical e1ecution of all mo%ements and focus on this aspect in their training. 2n this article the author an l$mpic medalist in weightlifting whonow coaches see3s to ma3e the connection between the contemporar$ form of training in weightlifting and athletics particularl$ in the area ofgeneral strength de%elopment. Ma3ing use of his 3nowledge and e1perience he identifies the application of specific e1ercises and their %ariationsas used b$ weightlifters to the general strength re/uirements of the e%ent groups and e%en specific e%ents in athletics. He pro%ides detailede1planations of the e1ercises athletes should use in their strength training including descriptions of the mo%ement objecti%es didactics faultidentification and suggestions for correction. 4ecause of its length and the number of illustrations this article will be presented in two parts with part5 appearing in the ne1t issue of N*&.

"iel#s of a$$lication 6eightlifting including its training e1ercises forms a c$clic closed mo%ement and is hence affected b$ few negati%e influential factors. he sportcan be well planned and anal$sed. Not onl$ is this true for the field of biomechanics referring to the mo%ement but also for the field of trainingprinciples and training planning. &part from special strength e1ercises and %arious implements for strength training the barbell is the dominant implement for the de%elopment ofstrength abilities in athletics. 2n serious sport it is of special importance to use barbell e1ercises. hese e1ercises do not differ in their e1ecution of

mo%ement and methodical approach between sports.

Table 1: Fields of application of barbell exercises in athletics

THROW JUMPS SPRINTS

snatch snatch pull to chest (broad grip)

clean pull to chest (broad grip) squat front hold

pull to chest (broad grip) squat front hold squat back hold

pull to navel (narrow grip) squat back hold

squat front hold

squat back hold

he selection of training e1ercises in weightlifting has been defined in a catalogue of training means (!ippmann +,,+#. 2n this catalogue alltraining e1ercises are presented in a graded comple1it$. &pplication to the %arious e%ent groups in athletics is also considered in a differentiatedwa$. he throws ta3e up the greatest part followed b$ the jumps and sprints. &ll e%ents ma3e use of training e1ercises with the barbell that arefocused on the lower e1tremities. 2n the throws and jumps comple1 training e1ercises for the complete chain of e1tension (hip and 3nee angle# areapplied. 2n able + we can see an o%er%iew of the fields of application. he lower number of training e1ercises in the jumps and sprints reflects the profile of the e%ents. raining e1ercises li3e the clean and the pull tothe na%el (narrow grip# re/uire a high degree of stabilit$ due to the %er$ demanding le%el of intensit$. his re/uirement can onl$ be realised withdifficult$ b$ athletes with a limited mass of muscles0bod$ weight (jumpers and sprinters# and could lead to strain s$mptoms which can influence theeffort0use effect negati%el$. he %er$ limited range of e1ercises in the sprints is due to the re/uirement to merel$ condition the lower e1tremities inthe field of ma1imum strength de%elopment.

%ifferences in the s$ecial a$$lication

6eightlifters often ac3nowledge %ariations in the e1ecution of mo%ements in the special application of the weightlifting e1ercises described inable +. hese e1ercises ha%e de%eloped in such a wa$ due to %arious re/uirements the following being one e1ample. he special application of half s/uats referring to the e%ent-specific re/uirements7 here are %arious opinions that can surel$ be discussed and debated howe%er the facts of weightlifting are unmista3able.Positi&e as$ects of f'll s('at). he lower the s/uat (important8 Not ma3ing use of the final range of joint mo%ement# the longer the stimulus for the muscles.. he more unfa%orable the angles in the 3nee and hip joints (more concentric strength has to be applied# the lower the load (less strain s$mptoms#.. he pressure of the 3neecap on the bones is lower than with half s/uat.

Positi&e as$ects of half s('at). Higher e%ent-specific effect (s/uats onl$ as deep as 2 need them in m$ e%ent#.. Much higher loads can be mo%ed due to the fa%ourable angles in the 3nee and hip joints which has a positi%e effect on the recruitment of musclefibres.. *imple e1ecution of mo%ement which means that the demands are lower in respect to fle1ibilit$ and coordination.

9ltimatel$ arguments for both mo%ements ha%e to be assessed indi%iduall$. Ne%ertheless the author is aware of a sensible %ariation in terms of

training methods which has alread$ been put into practice successfull$ in other sports. 2n the build-up phase (prior to the competition season# onema3es use of the full s/uat and then changes the mo%ement in the competition season to the half s/uat. ther special applications are not 3nown but often result from an insufficient technical de%elopment of the athlete.

Here is another concrete e*a+$le in this conte*t)In the snatch, the athlete does not touch the thigh with the barbell in the acceleration phase. After detection, this cardinal error is put into perspective and justified by saying "we don't need it" or "after all, we are not weight lifters". But this is exactly the point. If training exercises are not



carried out according to the technique odel, then the desired effect in respect to developing speed strength in the extensor chain !hip and neeangle# is distinctly reduced.

he suggested solution would be to wor3 with weightlifting coaches throughout basic training in order to learn lifting techni/ues with the barbell.

Mo#els of techni('e 2n its stereot$pe e1ecution of mo%ement weightlifting can be described and anal$sed biomechanicall$ li3e no other sport. :or this reason there issecured 3nowledge of all the motions which are summarised in a model of techni/ue (4ottcher0eutscher 5;;<#.

Figure 1: Models of technique for weightlifting (B,ttcher%e'tscher .//0

Metho#s an# #i#actics he methodological approach for learning sport techni/ue is based on ta3ing the whole mo%ement apart into phases of mo%ement (cf. model oftechni/ue#. he phases are then put together again forming complete mo%ements which are recognisable as the competition e1ercises. 2n thefollowing we can see methodological descriptions of training e1ercises including cardinal errors and the reasons for them. he se/uence describedis a pro%en didactic approach for these basic techni/ues.

The co+$le* of the natch an# !lean !ifting e1ercises with broad and narrow grips are offered in this important training comple1. 2n a preliminar$ stage the barbell is pulled up to thechest with a broad grip (pull to chest (broad grip##. 2n a perfected demanding %ersion one pull is used to bring the barbell abo%e the head into the

stretched-up-into-the-air position. 6ith a narrow grip the barbell is pulled up to the na%el and as in a standard clean mo%ed to and rested upon theshoulders. his %ariation can be carried out more easil$ than training e1ercises with a broad grip because the path the barbell has to tra%el is shorter.Hence the e1ercise is less demanding for the athlete in terms of balance and mo%ement co-ordination. &ll e1ercises in this comple1 ha%e a decisi%eimportance due to their high le%el of speed strength respecti%e to the concentric demand. his is based on in%ol%ement of the large muscles(e1tension chain change in hip and 3nee angle# and coordinati%e demands in d$namic and static muscle contraction.

PU TO !H2T 3BROA% 4R5P62*ec'tion of the e*ercise) his e1ercise is the most elementar$ e1ercise for the de%elopment of specific speed strength abilities for the acceleration phase in the snatch.he high structural pro1imit$ is important in the e1ecution of this e1ercise because of the correspondence to the snatch (comparable 3nee and hip

joints angles#. 2n this e1ercise onl$ the pulling mo%ement is carried out according to the mo%ement of the snatch into standing position without the followingrepositioning of the bar. he target of this e1ercise is to pull the barbell up to chest-height with ma1imum acceleration. he speed strengthcomponent in the second pulling phase is of special importance so that all muscle fibres of the e1tension muscles in the 3nee and hip joints are

acti%ated. Mo%ing the barbell close to the bod$ is e/uall$ important.



Metho#s an# #i#actics) he /ualit$ of the mo%ement is measured b$ the speed in the second pull---not b$ the height the barbell is lifted to. he transitions between thefirst and second pulling phases ha%e to be increasingl$ fluent with a rising accurac$ of the mo%ement and in the end should not be %isible. hecloser the barbell is pulled along the bod$ the more efficient and faster the pulling mo%ement.

Area of a$$lication in athletics) &s a preliminar$ stage of the snatch this training e1ercise has lower coordinati%e demands than the competition e1ercise. Hence the pull tochest (broad grip# belongs to the most important e1ercises for speed strength de%elopment of the complete e1tensor chain (3nee and hip# and istherefore applied in all e%ents. Note7 his training e1ercise can be practiced both as a preliminar$ e1ercise for snatch into standing position and as an indi%idual traininge1ercise.



Re+ar7s for correction)

:ault7 4arbell is lifted awa$ from the bod$=orrection7 =orrect the position of feet> shoulder too far in front of the barbell

:ault7 4ac3 is not straight at high intensities=orrection7 =hoose low loads to ensure a correct e1ecution of the e1ercise

:ault7 ?remature bending of the arms=orrection7 4end arms onl$ after complete e1tension of the bod$

:ault7 4od$ is not full$ e1tended in the position of highest barbell speed ("ma1#=orrection7 &cceleration is finished when

a# feet are on the toes b# hip is slightl$ o%erstretched c# the trape)ius muscle is full$ contracted

8AT!H

2*ec'tion of e*ercise) he snatch corresponds with the original competition lift of the two-lift l$mpic competition. 2n the phases of lift-off (first pull# the accelerationphase (second pull# repositioning of the bar and fi1ing it and standing up the barbell is being pulled into the stretched-up-into-the-air position(without pauses# in a one-phase e1ercise 6ith a broad grip the barbell is pulled from the ground into the stretched-up-into-the-air position in one single pull. he pulling mo%ement is thesame as the mo%ement for the pull up to the chest. &fter ma1imum acceleration the athlete starts with an acti%e turning bac3 mo%ement(repositioning of the bar# b$ losing ground contact. !owering the bod$ below the barbell is achie%ed b$ an acti%e arm pull and a /uic3 bending ofthe legs. his is supported b$ a /uic3 mo%ement of the elbows towards the front. he barbell is now being acti%el$ slowed down and the athlete is now getting up from a deep s/uatting position into standing position.



Metho#s an# #i#actics)

2n the first pulling phase onl$ the 3nee and hip angles are opened parallel to each other. *houlders remain in front of barbell until the end of thefirst pulling phase. *light touching of the thighs (brushing# at the beginning of the second pull (in the beginner's stage transitions between first andsecond pulling phase show a slight pause for a better idea of the mo%ement#. 4ending of the arms is onl$ carried out after the acceleration of thebarbell. @uic3 transition from the start of bending the arms to full e1tension in the end position.

Areas of a$$lication in athletics) he snatch is b$ for the most co-coordinati%el$ demanding weightlifting e1ercise and hence re/uires a time-consuming learning process. :or thisreason this e1ercise is onl$ applied in the e%ents that show a high correspondence to the e1ecution of the mo%ement. he preferred e%ents arehammer throw discus throw pole %ault high jump ja%elin throw shot put.

The $hases of +o&e+ent) 5nitial Position:ault7 oo broad or too narrow foot position=orrection7 Aoughl$ hip-width toes pointing outwards at roughl$ BC

:ault7 oo close or too far awa$ from barbell=orrection7 ip of big toe in front of barbell :ault7 6idth of grip too narrow too broad open grip=orrection7 General rule to determine width of grip7 left shoulder to right e1tended arm end of fist tight grip (thumb wedged under fingers# :ault7 Aolling of the barbell=orrection7 4arbell is not mo%ed an$more until lift-off



:ault7 9pper bod$ forward or leaning bac3- ward with respect to the barbell=orrection7 ptimal7 shoulders roughl$ B-cm in front of barbell

:ault7 4uttoc3s too high too low=orrection7 Knee angle roughl$ BDC (4otcher *? 4erlin#

Possi9le +eans of correction)E Aepeatedl$ mo%ing into initial position and fle1ing the musclesE 2mpro%ing fle1ibilit$ in hip an3le chest and shoulder areas

ift-off: first $'ll 3incl'#ing $assing the 7nees6:ault7 *udden jer3$ start of pulling the barbell

=orrection7 *mooth lift-off of the barbell with d$namic starting mo%ement

:ault7 4ent arms=orrection7 F1tended arms elbows slightl$ towards the outside

:ault7 ?ronounced lifting of the buttoc3s=orrection7 *tead$ and parallel upward mo%ement of shoulder and buttoc3s

:ault7 !ifting of the heels=orrection7 !ift from the whole of the foot barbell mo%es towards the bod$

:ault7 4ac3 loses tension (hunchbac3#=orrection7 4ac3 remains straight

:ault7 4arbell mo%es towards the front=orrection7 ?ressure on the heels enough distance to the barbell pull towards the bod$ shoulder in front of barbell parallel upward mo%ement ofbac3

Possi9le +eans of correction)E *trengthening e1ercises for the bac3 muscles (general strength e1ercises#

E ?ulling e1ercise up to first pull and returning eccentricall$ into initial position e1ercises are carried out with slow speed centre of s$stem abo%ethe middle of the foot

Acceleration $hase: secon# $'ll:ault7 ?remature bending of the arms=orrection7 &rms remain straight until the end of the e1tension

:aull7 :ree pull=orrection7 =ontact between thighs and barbell

:ault7 ?remature e1tension of hip or legs toes =orrection7 *imultaneous e1tension of legs and hips subse/uentl$ of toes:ault7 No final e1tension of hips legs toes and shoulders=orrection7 ptimal final e1tension head remains in %ertical position

:ault7 :linging of the barbell=orrection7 ?ulling close to the bod$ not too strong thigh contact barbell remains behind the shoulder

:aull7 %erstretching (hip head flinging#=orrection7 Head remains in %ertical position no bac3ward lean barbell remains behind %ertical shoulders in front of barbell and pulling close tobod$

:ault7 No lifting of the feet from the ground=orrection7 2n the final e1tension immediate and acti%e lifting of feet from the ground

Possi9le +eans of correction)

E *lower e1ecution. he stress lies on the simultaneous e1tension of legs and hip.

Re$ositioning of the 9ar :aull7 Aemaining up on the toes for too long after final e1tension and no lifting from the ground=orrection7 2mmediate lifting from the ground after final e1tension flat spreading of feet :ault7 lac3 of final wor3=orrection7 &cti%e continuation of pulling with the arms after lift-off of feet until loc3ing of arms in s/uatting position

:ault7 oo narrow too broad a jump toes too far towards the outside=orrection7 *lightl$ broader than in initial position toe tips c. -Dcm towards outside

:ault7 ump to the front=orrection7 Mo%ing barbell behind the %ertical acti%e pull of barbell towards the rear (c.l;cm#

:ault7 9ne%en too high a jump=orrection7 ?arallel complete lift-off from the ground

:ault7 oo high a catch of the barbell (standing position then s/uatting#=orrection7 @uic3er repositioning (higher load possible# into lower s/uatting position

"i*ing an# stan#ing '$:ault7 oo late or too wea3 brea3ing mo%ement=orrection7 :inishing repositioning prior to hunchbac3 in s/uatting position (slumping down# brea3ing mo%ement muscular brea3ing (not ma3ing



use of the final range of joint mo%ement#

:aull7 wisting of bod$=orrection7 ?arallel to foot position

:aull7 ?ronounced forward lean of upper bod$=orrection7 9pright onl$ slightl$ to the front

:ault7 6al3ing while standing up=orrection7 "ertical controlled standing up

Possi9le +eans of correction)E umps onto a bo1 or o%er hurdles from standing positionE *trengthening of imparted muscles (training e1ercises s/uat front and bac3#E Nec3 pressing in snatch grip in s/uatting positionE 2mpro%ement of fle1ibilit$ in an3le hip and shoulder areas

PU TO 8A;2 38ARROW 4R5P62*ec'tion of e*ercise)

his e1ercise should be practiced with sensiti%e load arrangement. 4e cautious it is possible to o%ertrain here. 2n this e1ercise analogous to the mo%ement of the clean there is the pulling mo%ement carried out e1clusi%el$ without the subse/uent

repositioning of the barbell. he target of this e1ercise is to pull the barbell until it is slightl$ abo%e the na%el at ma1imum acceleration. he speedstrength component in the second pulling phase is of special importance so that all muscle fibres of the e1tension muscles in the 3nee and hip joints

are acti%ated. Mo%ing the barbell close to the bod$ is e/uall$ important.

Metho#s an# #i#actics) he /ualit$ of the mo%ement is measured b$ the speed of the second pull---not b$ the height the barbell is lifted up to. he upper bod$ and legs

must be e1tended in the final position he transitions between. first and second pulling phases ha%e to be increasingl$ fluent with increasing

accurac$ of the mo%ement and in the end the$ should not be %isible. he closer the barbell is being pulled along the bod$ the more efficient andfaster is the pulling mo%ement.

Areas of a$$lication in athletics) &s a preliminar$ stage of the clean this training e1ercise has lower co-ordination demands than the competition lift clean. he pull to the na%el

(narrow grip# belongs just li3e the pull to chest (broad grip# to the e1ercises for the de%elopment of speed strength in the complete e1tension chain(3nee and hip#. ue to the narrow grip the low pulling height and the application of high intensities (c.5; - <; 3g hea%ier than the pull to chest

(broad grip## the speed strength component is less pronounced but the ma1imum strength component has to be rated e%en higher. Hence theapplication is e1clusi%el$ to throwing e%ents li3e the hammer throw shot put and discus throw.



Re+ar7s for correction):aull7 he bod$ cannot be full$ e1tended in the final phase=orrection7 2ntensities are too high

:ault7 4arbell lea%es the ground with bent arms=orrection7 &rms e1tended precise lift-off li3e in the e1ercise clean

:ault7 %er-pronounced thigh action (to gain height#=orrection7 High structural closeness to clean

!2A8



2*ec'tion of e*ercise) he clean is li3e the snatch part of thetwo-lift l$mpic competition. Generall$ the pulling phase in the clean can be regarded as analogous to the techni/ue of the snatch. =onse/uentl$the faults and corrections appl$ here as well. 6ith a narrow grip the barbell is brought from the ground onto the shoulders in one single pull. he pulling mo%ement is di%ided into the firstpulling phase a guided lift up to the middle of the thighs and a subse/uent second pull. & ma1imum acceleration of the barbell in the second pullingphase after the thighs is of special importance. ue to the lift of the barbell it is rested on the shoulders0collarbones. 2n the final phase the elbowsare pointing to the front and upwards and the athlete brea3s the load of the barbell in a deep s/uatting position.

Metho#s an# #i#actics) 2n the first pulling phase onl$ the 3nee and hip angles are opened in parallel. !et the shoulders remain in front of the barbell until end of the firstpull. *light touching (brushing# of thighs and barbell at the beginning of second pull. &fterwards there is an e1plosi%e e1tension of the legs andupper bod$ in the second pulling phase (with beginners there is a slight pause between first and second pulling phase for a better idea of themo%ement#. 4ending of the arms is onl$ carried out after the acceleration of the barbell. @uic3 transition from the start of bending the arms to theacti%e turning of wrists with the aim of resting the bar on the shoulders0collarbones /uic3l$.

Areas of a$$lication in athletics) 9nfortunatel$ the clean as a comple1 barbell e1ercise finds onl$ rare applications in athletics. ue to the narrow grip the low pulling height andthe application of high intensities (c.5; - <; 3g hea%ier than in the snatch# the speed strength component is less pronounced but the ma1imumstrength component has to be rated e%en higher. Hence the application onl$ includes the throwing e%ents li3e hammer throw shot put and discusthrow. 2n athletics there should be increased application of this training e1ercise o%er time. 2n some sports (ball sports martial arts# this traininge1ercise is increasingl$ applied due to its low demands in abilities and s3ills.

The $hases of +o&e+ent)5nitial Position:ault7 oo wide or too narrow foot position



=orrection7 Aoughl$ hip width toes are pointing outwards at roughl$ BI

:ault7 oo close or too far awa$ from barbell=orrection7 4arbell abo%e first joint of big toe

:ault7 6idth of grip too narrow too broad open grip=orrection7 General rule7 grip slightl$ wider than shoulder-width tight grip

:ault7 Aolling of the barbell=orrection7 4arbell is not mo%ed until lift-off

:ault7 9pper bod$ forward or bac3ward lean in respect to the barbell=orrection7 *houlders roughl$ -D cm in front of barbell

:ault7 4uttoc3s too high too low=orrection7 Knee angle roughl$ DC

:ault7 Aounded bac3=orrection7 ension in upper bod$ push chest forward

Possi9le +eans of correction)E Aepeatedl$ mo%ing into initial position and fle1ing of musclesE 2mpro%ing fle1ibilit$ within hip an3le chest and shoulder areas

ift-off: first $'ll 3incl'#ing $assing the 7nees6:ault7 *udden jer3$ start of pulling the barbell=orrection7 *mooth lift-off of the barbell with d$namic starting mo%ement

:ault7 4ent arms=orrection7 F1tended arms elbows slightl$ towards the outside

:ault7 ?ronounced lifting of the buttoc3s=orrection7 *tead$ and parallel upward mo%ement of shoulder and buttoc3s

:ault7 !ifting of the heels=orrection7 !ift from the whole of the foot barbell mo%es towards the bod$

:ault7 4ac3 loses tension (hunchbac3#=orrection7 4ac3 remains straight

:ault7 4arbell mo%es towards the front=orrection7 ?ressure on the heels enough distance to the barbell pull towards the bod$

Possi9le +eans of correction)

E *trengthening e1ercises for the bac3 muscles (general strength e1ercises#E ?ulling e1ercise up to the first pull and returning eccentricall$ to the initial position these e1ercises are carried out at slow speed with the centre of s$stem abo%e the middle of the foot.

econ# $'ll an# Re$ositioning of the 9ar hese faults and descriptions of corrections are the same as in the snatch.

itting in s('atting $osition:ault7 oo late or too wea3 brea3ing mo%ement=orrection7 :inishing repositioning prior to hunchbac3 in s/uatting position (slumping down# brea3ing mo%ement muscular brea3ing (not ma3inguse of the final range of joint mo%ement#

:ault7 wisting of bod$=orrection7 ?arallel to foot position

:ault7 Flbows are pointing downwards=orrection7 Keep elbows hori)ontal

:ault7 ?ronounced forward lean of upper bod$=orrection7 9pright onl$ slightl$ to the front

:ault7 6al3ing while standing up=orrection7 "ertical controlled standing up

:ault7 Knees too high (angle of 3nee too great#=orrection7 :eet sufficientl$ far apart deep s/uatting position with 3nees to the front slightl$ towards the outside

Possi9le +eans of correction)E umps onto a bo1 or o%er hurdles from standing positionE *trengthening of imparted muscles (training e1ercises s/uat front and bac3#E 2mpro%ement of fle1ibilit$ in the an3le hip shoulder areas and the elbows#

5n a##ition: a few $ec'liarities of the clean at resting the 9ar9ell '$on the sho'l#ers shall 9e #ealt with< he initial position of the feet should be slightl$ closer to the barbell than in the snatch.

Reason) ue to the high load of the barbell in the jer3 the centre of mass of the barbell has a higher importance in respect to the centre of massof the bod$. his de%iation from the snatch is necessar$ as the centre of the s$stem (barbell J bod$# has to be abo%e the metatarsus (middle of thefoot# for an optimal pulling position.



Important: Due to the criteria of the initial position, it is of special importance to keep the body position firm while pulling.Compensatory movements are hardly possible because of the higher load of the barbell and the shorter pulling phase.

The co+$le* of the s('ats he field of s/uatting is an additional training comple1 which is being learned and trained in its entiret$ in the %ariations of front s/uats and bac3s/uats. his comple1 is not %er$ demanding from a co-ordination perspecti%e and is therefore positioned at the end of a training unit.

BA!K =UAT2*ec'tion of e*ercise) his e1ercise e1clusi%el$ ser%es the de%elopment of ma1imum strength in the muscles of the legs and buttoc3s. 2t is not structurall$ close to theclean nor does its efficienc$ correspond to the front s/uat. he result is that this e1ercise is not used %er$ fre/uentl$ in the de%elopment ofperformance. he ad%antage of this e1ercise is the application of %er$ high loads to de%elop ma1imum strength. 9nfortunatel$ effecti%e intensities

cannot be realised due to e%asi%e mo%ements in the e1ecution of the e1ercise. :rom the rac3 the barbell is rested on the nec3. 6ith tension in the bac3 and an upright upper bod$ the athlete mo%es slowl$ %erticall$ and onthe whole of the foot into the deep s/uatting position. He0she constantl$ maintains tension in the whole bod$. 2n the deep s/uatting position thebarbell is slowed down b$ muscle wor3 and not b$ ma3ing use of the full range of the joint. 6ithout a pause and e$es fi1ed straight ahead theathlete mo%es d$namicall$ from the s/uatting position into e1tended standing position.



Metho#s an# #i#actics) *tead$ fluent mo%ement under constant muscle tension of the torso stabili)ers (abdominals bac3 muscles#. Knees remain pointing outwards (donot press together# throughout the whole mo%ement. $namic rising mo%ement from the s/uatting position. he depth of the s/uatting positiondepends on the fle1ibilit$ of the an3le. a3e up onl$ those s/uatting positions that allow for a load distribution on the whole foot.

Areas of a$$lication in athletics) his classic form of s/uatting is applied in all e%ents of athletics and it belongs une/ui%ocall$ to the most important e1ercises for the de%elopmentof ma1imum strength in the muscles of the legs and the buttoc3s.

Re+ar7s for correction):ault7 &thlete does not mo%e down deep enough

=orrection7 eep firm s/uatting position

:ault7 &thlete ma3es use of the re%ersing mo%ement (slumping down#=orrection7 Maintain tension from the start till final position

:ault7 *peed of mo%ement too d$namic=orrection7 his e1ercise is alwa$s carried out %er$ slowl$

:ault7 &thlete e%ades to the bac3 with his buttoc3s=orrection7 his e1ercise is alwa$s carried out parallel close to the %ertical

Possi9ilities of a$$lication)E Main e1ercise for the de%elopment of ma1imum strength in the legs should be applied more in the preparation phase.E ue to regeneration purposes sets should not fall short of repetitions.

"RO8T =UAT

2*ec'tion of e*ercise) his is the main e1ercise for the de%elopment of leg strength. he training phase is dominated b$ this e1ercise. his means that the e1ercise iscarried out at slow speed in the base and build-up phases. 2n the de%elopment of performance the s/uatting mo%ement can be practiced slightl$ /uic3er. :urthermore one should pa$ attention to the factthat the hands grip the barbell firml$. :rom the rac3 the barbell is rested on the shoulders in the front. 6ith tension in the bac3 and an upright upper bod$ elbows pointing upwardsand to the front the athlete mo%es slowl$ %erticall$ and on the whole of the foot into the deep s/uatting position. He0she constantl$ maintainstension in the whole bod$. 2n the deep s/uatting position the barbell is slowed down b$ muscle wor3 and not b$ ma3ing use of the full range of the

joint. 6ithout a pause and with e$es fi1ed ahead the athlete d$namicall$ mo%es from the s/uatting position into an e1tended standing position.

Re+ar7s for correction:ault7 !owering mo%ement too /uic3=orrection7 *low downwards mo%ement

:aull7 Flbows are pointing downwards in the deep s/uatting position=orrection7 =onsciousl$ push elbows upwards

Possi9ilities of a$$lication)E his training e1ercise must be carried out at least twice a wee3. &n e1change (shift of emphasis# with bac3 s/uat is possible in the base and build-up phases.



Methods nd didctics: The elbows remain in the initial position throughout the whole movement.

!res of ""liction in thletics: This classic form of squatting is applied in all events of athletics and it belongs unequivocall to the most important exercises for the development of maximum

strength in the muscles of the legs and the buttocks.

!n contrast to the bock squat" squatting with the bar in the front (reduced intensities" c. #$ % &$ kg lighter at the some effect) is especiall suitable for women or

'uniors" as the stress on the supporting and connective tissue is lower due to lower loads. nother positive effect of front squats ! .the demand for a correct

execution of the movement to accomplish the load. This means that if this training exercise is carried out with poor technique (hunchback) the barbell usuall

slides off the shoulders in the movement and falls down to the ground.

END PART 1

Weightlifting in training for athletics--Part 55

By Martin Zawieja-Koch

AUTHOR

Martin Zawieja-Koch is a German National coach in weightlifting responsible for the national women's team and the national junior team and thenational coach education program. He has collaborated with the coach education program of the German athletics federation (!"# in the area ofstrength training b$ gi%ing numerous seminars for athletics coaches. & two-time l$mpian in weightlifting he won a bron)e medal in the *uperHea%$weight class at the +, games in *eoul.

ABTRA!T

op performance in most disciplines in athletics re/uires the athlete to optimise his0her strength capacit$. he same of course is true inweightlifting. here the relati%el$ mo%ements and controllable en%ironment that characterise the sport facilitate the stud$ both biomechanics andtraining principles and thus the science of the sport is /uite ad%anced. &s one result successful weightlifters recognise the importance of correcttechnical e1ecution of all mo%ements and focus on this aspect in their training. 2n this article the author an l$mpic medalist in weightlifting whonow coaches see3s to ma3e the connection between the contemporar$ form of training in weightlifting and athletics particularl$ in the area of

general strength de%elopment. 2n part 2 of this article published in N*& +05;;D he identified the application of specific e1ercises and their %ariationsas used b$ weightlifters to the general strength re/uirements of the e%ent groups and e%en specific e%ents in athletics. 2n part 22 he discusses theapplication of 3e$ training principles and the planning of the training programme.

A$$lication of training $rinci$les



raining principles are generall$ called a guideline and are onl$ meant as an orientation basis for training (*=HN&4F!0M!!FA +,#. 2n thefollowing 2 will highlight some of the more specific principles from the sport of weightlifting that should be considered in the application to athletics. 2n weightlifting special emphasis is put on the principle of c$clic arrangement of the training load (M&A2N et al. +,,+#. & decisi%e pre-re/uisitefor the purposeful and progressi%e de%elopment of performance is the di%ision of the $ear into stages or periods of training. & multiple periodisationarrangement o%er the course of the $ear has been shown to be successful in achie%ing a high rate of de%elopment (Z&62F& +,,<#. his principleis of course also well 3nown in athletics. Flite and serious weightlifters and athletes both male and female are normall$ prepared using a double periodisation (two c$cles per calendar$ear# plan. he two main c$cles are 3nown as macroc$cles. & macroc$cle is I... a period of time consisting of se%eral mesoc$cles. his periodbegins and ends within a long-term training process and is continuousl$ recurring...I (H2F*0*=HN&4F! +,D#. Mesoc$cles are closed preparator$c$cles for main competitions and are normall$ between three and si1 wee3s in duration. :or $ounger athletes the c$cles ha%e to be accomplished in shorter time periods so that7

• Main competitions can identified and planned

• =ompetitions can be classified and hence carried out well-prepared

• *timuli can be altered at shorter inter%als

• &thletes can set new personal best performances in a planned wa$

• :urther training means can be arranged more effecti%el$ (G&MF!2N *?2Z Z&62F& +,,,#

& second fundamental principle is that of continuous load demand (H&AAF +,B,#. :or weightlifters in the $outh age group who ha%e completed a planned main competition the transitions between the completed macroc$cle andthe beginning of basic training part of the ne1t macroc$cle are used to blunt or reduce the competition readiness or shape that the athlete has

achie%ed in order to let the new training ta3e effect. his means an athlete mo%es awa$ from the competition phase b$ means of high %olume andgeneral conditioning training (Z&62F& +,,<#. :or junior age group and senior weightlifters inserting a general basic training phase has also pro%en to be %er$ effecti%e prior to the start ofbarbell training. 2n this case a load bloc3 with weight-training machines (high repetitions for about < wee3s# is carried out before barbell training. ther principles deri%ed from training theor$ that are important components of the training methods in weightlifting and of %alue for the effecti%eorganisation of a long-term performance build-up in athletics are7

1. Continuous application of training exercises

2*$lanation) he selected training e1ercises should be applied continuousl$ throughout a macroc$cle.

*. Progressive loading !"##$ %&'()

2*$lanation) 2n a long-term performance build-up the continuous increase of the load components I%olumeI and Iintensit$I forms thefoundation of progressi%e de%elopment. 6ithin the scope of performance de%elopment a continuous increase of training units must also beorganised.

#. #hythmic load distribution

2*$lanation) he distribution of the load placed on the indi%idual needs to contain periods of higher stress and periods of relief or lowerstress. =onfirmed findings from the training of elite weightlifters show that a rh$thm of 57+ has gained acceptance. his means that after twowee3s of high load there has to be a wee3 of relief. he arrangement of training acti%ities in the wee3 of relief can %ar$. 2n the beginning ofthe macroc$cle onl$ the %olume is reduced while the intensit$ continues to rise. owards the end of a macroc$cle in the specific preparationfor performance and competition both components %olume (c.;L# and intensit$ (=. +;L# are reduced in the wee3 of relief.

&. Change in stimulus within a macrocycle dependency between the load components *volume* and *intensity*)

2*$lanation) he change in stimulus between %olume and intensit$ pla$s an important role in the formation of sport performance in strengthtraining. he dependenc$ of these two load components to each other is illustrated in the following diagram. &fter the se%enth training wee3a further increase in the component %olume would ine%itabl$ mean an o%erload and hence o%er-training.

!onstr'ction of a +acrocycle

he construction of a macroc$cle can be called fundamental as it is a first step in setting up a training plan. Ha%ing anal$sed the training data athand together with the athlete the design of the macroc$cle in terms of contents becomes one of the coach's most important tas3s. he structure of a macroc$cle is of decisi%e importance if one is %er$ demanding in terms of the /ualit$ of a focussed performance de%elopment.he macroc$cle structure comprises all features of load arrangement and load components plans for all training wee3s and plans for theapplication of training e1ercises.

!oad bloc3s can be classified as high (h# medium (m# and low (2#. 2n a macroc$cle plan the training methodolog$ course for the e/ui%alenttraining section is clearl$ mar3ed. &ll applied training e1ercises should be listed and described in terms of intensit$ and %olume. f course due tounforeseeable reasons (injuries# it is possible to de%iate from this course. Howe%er this re/uires a modification of the plan. &s an effecti%e and

simplified %ersion this macroc$cle can for e1ample be set up on club le%el within the scope of a group training plan. he pre-re/uisite for this is thatthe whole group is preparing for the same competitions. he elaboration of a macroc$cle is carried out in the following se/uence7

:i1ing of all main and minor competitions including target performance

2dentification of all training e1ercises to be used



istribution of load bloc3s (high medium low#

=onsideration of training camps

=alculation of target %alues (personal bests per wee3# in the %arious training e1ercises

?lanning of intensities starting from the target %alue bac3wards to the beginning of the macroc$cle for a stead$ and s$stematic performance

de%elopment

:i1ing of the total %olume per training wee3

etermining the e/ui%alent %olumes of the training e1ercises per training wee3

"'t're #e&elo$+ents in training $ractice

:rom a certain le%el of performance the preparation of weightlifters is focussed on impro%ing techni/ue in the competition e1ercises andimpro%ing the ma1imum strength in the decisi%e muscle groups. 2n athletics the latter should be a %ital component in the further de%elopment ofstrength training. &part from the confirmed findings and principles of training for ma1imum strength alread$ described the following aspects andfocuses are currentl$ being e1amined and dealt with in the scientific anal$sis and e%aluation of strength training7

+oading and relief within the training process

he /uestion of loading and relief has been dealt with as a central topic in the research of weightlifting in recent $ears. 2n training managementthis factor is gi%en growing importance. he more indi%iduall$ planned the training planning the more realistic it is for achie%ing set goals(*&A2*=HK& +,#. 4ut this is not supposed to mean that alread$ de%eloped training standards based on longstanding e1perience from serioussport are not applied. 2n other words it is of decisi%e importance that the athlete attempts new load demands in the ne1t training unit in a state of

good ps$chic and ph$sical regeneration. hese load demands ha%e to be arranged %er$ indi%iduall$ and re/uire a close co-ordination between thecoach and athlete. his has the following conse/uences on the rh$thmic distribution of intensit$7

• he athlete has to be prepared for a high load demand. Aeferring to the design of a microc$cle (wee3l$ plan#7 in the case of a high load in the

pull-to-chest e1ercise on Monda$ i.e. a high speed strength effect on the buttoc3s and leg e1tension muscles as well as highl$ stressedbac3 muscles reduced pulling training has to be carried out in the ne1t training unit where the load focuses could be set on the de%elopmentof leg strength (s/uats#.

• 2n each training unit the focus should be on one or at the most two training e1ercises.

• 2f a training e1ercise is carried out onl$ once per microc$cle it should be carried out with a continuous slight increase of intensities.

•

6ithin the wee3l$ plan and within each training unit the training e1ercises ha%e to be well-ascribed and well-classified and the$ ha%e to befi1ed according to a microc$cle and mesoc$cle.

oa# Tolera9ility

2n the e1perience of weightlifters the topic of load tolerabilit$ in ma1imum strength training shows a relati%el$ wide range. 6e 3now from

e1perience that in the anthropometric %iew fa%ourable conditions are usuall$ found in those athletes who %isuall$ show a wide joint diameter and asmall stoc3$ stature. %er the last +; $ears howe%er one can see an increase in the bod$ height of athletes. hese athletes are no less /ualifiedfor a sport which sees ma1imum strength as main load factor. his means that e%en taller athletes with a %isuall$ slim muscle and joint structureand high muscle /ualities show good aptitude for ma1imum strength training. Aecent findings show that with this group of athletes load tolerabilit$ has to be built up from an earl$ age (+-+< $ears#. he adaptation of thisprocess has to be de%eloped o%er a period of at least $ears. his earl$ adaptation partl$ contradicts the idea of a long-termed performance build-up and seems to indicate an earl$ speciali)ation. 2t is howe%er necessar$ not onl$ so that the muscles can adapt but so the still de%elopingsupporting and connecti%e tissue can as well. o meet medical objections the use of ma1imum strength training at this age has to be seen in a differentiated wa$. his means that in the agegroup up to + $ears of age there is a performance-oriented training applied without final Iintensit$I loads merel$ with high %olume loads. henecessar$ load tolerabilit$ and increase in strength are achie%ed step b$ step b$7

o 2ncreased applications (more training units in strength training#

o High %olumes (no less than repetitions per set#

2ntensit$ is onl$ slightl$ adapted to the impro%ed le%el.



'++ary

2n the two parts of this article 2 ha%e presented an update of the current thin3ing on strength training with the barbell in athletics. M$ aim was togi%e a %er$ practical oriented reference. &part from personal practical e1perience with serious athletes and obser%ations in training the ideas

e1pressed are based on con%ersations with colleagues from athletics coaching and 2 purposel$ did not focus on scientific research or stri%e topresent the latest research results. &s e1perts in the field of strength training m$ colleagues and 2 still ta3e the %iew that there is acceptance and willingness within the sport ofathletics to use the barbell as a main training mean to increase strength. Howe%er we find that in addition to application problems basic principlesare not alwa$s followed consistentl$ and therefore the success of such training is not alwa$s full$ guaranteed. wo stri3ing aspects are7

1< 2*ec'tion of training e*ercises 3cf< Part 56

&s 2 see it the e1ecution of training e1ercises is paid too little attention. he acceleration phase has to be emphasised especiall$ the secondpulling phase in the pull and snatch mo%ement. &part from a biomechanicall$ correct path of the barbell ma1imum acceleration (not below +; cm0sin the snatch# pla$s the dominant role. he shortcomings and mista3es described in ?art 2 of this article as well as the ad%ice and corrections for the e1ecution of the training e1ercisesha%e been tested o%er a long period and are applied continuousl$ in weightlifting and other sports. 2n m$ wor3 we ma3e use of biomechanicalparameters and a special measuring s$stem (which can be purchased as soft and hardware through the German 6eight !ifting &ssociation# is used

in techni/ue training to anal$se those mo%ement errors that cannot be detected with the na3ed e$e. hose unable to ma3e use of such a s$stemshould at least include %ideo anal$sis with slow motion in their programme as a method to impro%e mo%ements. 2n this conte1t it is important to mention that children (+;-+5 $ears of age# learn and understand of the mo%ement these lifting techni/ues %er$/uic3l$. herefore we sa$ that the basics of strength training (learning the snatch and the clean# ha%e to be integrated into the training processearl$. 2t goes without sa$ing that this approach to barbell training has to be carried out with %er$ low loads (wooden stic3 l;3g bar bell#. he load andassessment criteria here are techni/ue (coach allocates assessment points from +-+;# and the %olume (high repetition numbers D-+;#.

.< Planning of training 3cf< Part 556

2n weightlifting training planning (including periodisation# is described clearl$ and unambiguousl$. &s the sport is largel$ a matter of predicablenumbers and stereot$pic mo%ements outside influences are minimal. he planning of ma1imum strength training has the impro%ement of thestrength %alues in the training e1ercises (c.+; 3g per e1ercise and c$cle# as its ob%ious main target. *port specific demands should not be allowedto water down this target at an$ point in the athlete's preparation. he progressi%e and continuous course of strength training has to be documented and anal$sed wee3l$. 6ithout such an anal$sis proper

organisation of the ne1t wee3's training is hardl$ possible. ne issue to be addressed is the discrepanc$ the plans for a mesoc$cle and a possiblenon-fulfillment of those plans in the elapsed training wee3. 2n these cases the e1perience and the feel of the coach are in demand and thechallenge is to appl$ the components of a mesoc$cle planning and training condition in a performance supporting wa$. &fter completion of the mesoc$cle and the fulfillment of the targets strength training with the barbell should be continued. he training in thecourse of the season and the compensation of the strength abilities connected to it pla$a dominant role in this conte1t. 6e see that trust insuccessfull$ applied strength training is often lac3ing but we stressthat the positi%e effects should be considered e%en while sport specific demands are increasing. 2n m$ %iew ma1imum strength training should be



continued throughout competition programme in a reduced suitable form. nce again the alread$ described need for great care in planning is of importance. he pattern of load change finds the same application hereas in the preparation phase. he /uestion of de-training and tapering and the compensation of ma1imum strength and speed strength connectedwith it ha%e specific implications in terms of time. Howe%er the effects cannot be compared with the scientific findings from the field of research(*=H!9M4FAG-FA2*=HM204!F2=HFA +,,#. he selection of the training e1ercises is the reason for the low correlation. 6hile sciencemerel$ focuses on ma1imum strength tests in e1ercises such as bench press and leg press (%er$ simple mo%ements# the e1perience ofweightlifters is based on comple1 mo%ements li3e the pull to chest snatch or s/uats. 2n our e1perience the desired effects of ma1imum strengthtraining (impro%ement of strength abilities in the main muscle groups and impro%ement of speed strength# can be detected in their optimalde%elopment indi%iduall$ c.B to +< da$s after the last ma1imal stimulus. F1perience has also shown that the strength le%el can afterwards becompensated for c.+; to +< da$s on a high le%el. &fter that a pause in training as well as a new c$cle ha%e to be planned.

Powerlift technique

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