The Movement of the Bar During The Pull and the Jerk

The Trajectory of the Bar During The Pull

Perception of the pattern of bar movement during a snatch or clean is affected by your position in relation to the bar and lifter. If you are watching a lift from the front, the bar will be perceived as moving vertically and evenly, i.e., the bar will be parallel to the ground during the pull. However, if the lifter is viewed from the side, the observer can see that the bar travels backward and forward during the lift, as well as upward.

At first glance, this pattern of bar movement may seem odd. After all, science tells us that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line and that a strictly vertical trajectory will give a projectile its greatest height. It also tells us that once horizontal motion is imparted to an object, the object will continue to travel horizontally until it meets a force that interrupts that motion. These principles clearly suggest that the straighter the pull, the better. However, considerations other than the three mentioned above influence the most effective pattern of bar movement. For example, the lifter's line of gravity travels forward from the heels to the toes during the third and fourth phases of the pull. This generates a tendency to apply a forward force to the bar during the amortization and final explosion phases of the pull. More important, the lifter typically makes contact with the bar at the middle to top of the thighs during the pull. The combination of these factors (which are more pronounced in the snatch) drives the bar forward.

Much work has been done in Eastern Europe and the United States to analyze the pattern of the bar's travel during the pull. (In the United States most of this work has been done by Dr. John Garhammer, who has been active as an athlete. coach and sports science advisor in the USAW for many years.) The evidence provided by this research is quite conclusive in certain respects. It is clear that for most accomplished lifters the pattern of bar movement very roughly approximates the shape of a somewhat flattened S. The bar first moves in a backward curve toward the lifter in the second and third stages of the pull; then and in the final explosion phase, it moves in a curve away from the lifter. Finally, during the unsupported phase, the bar loops backward and down toward the lifter again. The curves traveled by the bar tend to be flatter in the clean than in the snatch. The shape of the trajectory in the pull tends to be much more consistent among lifters during the third through fifth stages of the pull than during the second stage of the pull. During the third stage of the pull, virtually all lifters pull the bar toward the body, during the fourth stage there is almost always some movement of the bar away from the body, and at the end of the pull for a successful lift, the bar nearly always travels in a downward loop backward toward the lifter. In contrast, during the second phase of the pull, many lifters pull the bar toward the body while some pull the bar in an almost perfectly vertical pattern; some actually cause the bar to move away from the body during the first phase of the pull (although this pattern can hardly be considered good technique).

Although the pattern of the bar's movement generally describes the shape of a flattened S, the S can be slanted from the vertical, and its shape can deviate rather dramatically from the curves of the letter S (see Figs. 5 a-c). Figure 5(a) represents the fairly conventional kind of bar pattern, with the overall S-curve being positioned vertically and the curves within the S being rather significant. Figure 5(b) depicts an S-curve in the same general shape, but it is essentially tilted somewhat backward. This type of pattern indicates that the lifter is pulling with his or her bodyweight, and/ or the bar itself, too far back toward the heels at the start of the pull, or soon after the start, and that the lifter is exploding upward and rearward instead of primarily upward during the final explosion phase of the pull. Figure 5(c) shows the bar pattern of a lifter who has the hips very high during the early phases of the pull and who begins with the bar forward of the juncture of the toes and the foot. Such a lifter may produce a curve that tilts somewhat forward and may actually finish with the bar forward of its initial position on the floor.

While studying the pattern of bar movement during a lift can be very useful to both lifter and the coach, it should be remembered that bar movement is more appropriately viewed as an effect rather than a cause. It is true that if the bar moves significantly forward or back of its initial point during the course of the pull, it can cause the lifter to lose control of the bar while trying to fix it in the low position of the squat or split. Therefore, in a sense, it is this pattern that causes the lifter to miss. However, the faulty movement pattern of the bar is only a symptom of improper positioning of the joints of the body and/or the bar and body in relation to one another during one or more preceding phases of the pull. It can also result from improper timing of force application during the pull. These faults must be corrected if the pattern of the bar's movement is to be corrected. This is not to say that it is not possible for the athlete and coach to use the bar trajectory as a means for correction in the pulling style. For example, the lifter could be given feedback on the curve at the top of his or her pull, learn to associate certain feelings with the desired curve and thereby correct the pull. Nevertheless, it is the correction of the positions and force patterns of the body that correct the curve, not the reverse.

It is important to understand that each of the three styles depicted in the illustrations of bar trajectory have been used with success by some very accomplished athletes. The real problems develop when the lifter does one of two things. The first happens when the bar does not travel backward towards the lifter during the initial stages of the pull. Such a bar pattern is indicative of the lifter who begins with the bar too far behind the juncture of the foot and toes, with the combined weight of the bar and body toward the rear of the foot, and who keeps the back too upright or attempts to straighten it too early in the pull. Occasionally, forward movement of the bar during the second stage of the pull is seen in the lifter who begins with the correct balance but shifts the body weight toward the toes and/or uses the arms to direct the bar forward during that stage of the pull.

The lifter who holds his or her torso too upright or tries to straighten it prematurely will tend to have shins that are abraded (although abrasion can occur with lifters who are pulling more of less correctly as well) and will tend to exhibit a lack of both consistency and smooth movement during the second stage of the pull. There will also be a tendency for the bar either to move away from the lifter or to have too little horizontal movement toward the lifter during the second half of the S. This is because the bar is too far forward of the lifter's point of balance during the final explosion for the lifter to direct it back over his or her body by the end of that explosion. Typically the bar will end up over its original position on the platform, the lifter will either jump back or remain in place, and the bar will be left forward of the lifter.

A second major fault occurs when the combined weight of the lifter and bar is shifted toward the rear of the foot to a greater degree or for a longer period than is appropriate during the pull. The result is that the lifter's balance is in the middle or even toward the rear of the foot as the final explosion of the pull commences. In addition, the athlete's shoulders will travel to a position behind the bar earlier than is appropriate. This will cause the athlete to apply a rearward as well as an upward force to the bar during much of the pull. This kind of bar pattern results in a rearward displacement of the bar from the starting point and hence a need to jump back during the squat under in order to be in a position to control and ultimately fix the bar. If this fault is pronounced, it can lead to less consistency in lifting performance and greater stress on the joints and muscles as the lifter attempts to bring the bar under control.

The Fifth Phase of the Jerk: The Unsupported Squat Under

After the thrust is executed, the athlete's feet begin to leave the ground. (The back foot is slightly ahead of the front foot when the lifter uses the split style in the jerk, as does the vast majority of lifters.) The athlete pushes against the bar with the arms and shoulders to push the body down. During this time the lifter's balance is moving slightly forward and down while the bar is moving up for 70% to 80% of its upward path and then upward and backward slightly for the rest. The unsupported squat under phase ends when both feet have made contact with the platform again.

The Sixth Phase of the Jerk: The Supported Squat Under

As noted, the back leg lands before the front in the split. That leg is nearly straight (typically at an angle of 160', and the foot is balanced on all of the toes. Therefore, the heel of the back foot is turned out slightly. The front leg in the split has a knee angle of 90% or more, the thigh is angled from 10° to 20' from the platform, and the shin is vertical or inclined slightly in the direction of the lifter. The front foot is flat on the platform. The bar is typically in a position slightly behind the athlete's head, at about the same vertical plane as the shoulder blades of the athlete. The hips, shoulders, elbows and wrists are all in the same vertical plane, the head is vertical and pushed forward somewhat and the back is arched. The front foot is typically a little more than one foot-length in front of the hip, and the back leg is a little less than two foot-lengths to the rear of the hip. Altogether, the torso has been lowered a total of 15% to 20% of the height of the athlete. During the amortization of the bar in the jerk, it typically drops between 3 cm and 8 cm.

The Third Phase of the Jerk: The Braking Phase

The braking phase normally takes about .12 of a second and encompasses a little more than one-third of the overall depth of the first and second phases of the dip. At its conclusion the downward progress of the center of the bar has stopped. The knees are typically at an angle of between 99' and 111'. Overall, between the first and second portions of the dip, the bar has typically been lowered between 8% and 12% of the height of the lifter. At the lowest point of the dip, the athlete normally pauses for between .01 and .04 of a second (i.e., there is virtually no detectable pause, but, rather, an immediate rebound).

The Fourth Phase of the Jerk: The Thrust or Explosion

The recovery from the lowest point in the dip for the jerk to the starting position of the dip takes approximately .02 of the second, or about half time it took to get from the starting position to the lowest point in the dip. The lifter is actively influencing the bar for about 85% of the time that it takes to perform the upward thrust, and acceleration is only taking place for 75% of the thrust. Maximum velocity of the bar is achieved at a point a little less than 1% higher than the initial position of the bar before the dip. At this point the athlete has shifted his or her area of support to the toes (and has risen somewhat on the toes), and the knees are nearly straight (and they appear to be straight). The velocity of the bar is between 1.45 and 1.8 meters per second (the lower figure is more common for shorter athletes, the higher for taller athletes). This velocity only accounts for about half of the height the bar reaches at its highest point in the jerk. It is hypothesized that the balance of the force that causes the bar to reach its ultimate height is generated by the force of the lifter's feet being replaced on the platform in the split-force delivered to the bar by the lifter's arms pushing up on the bar as the feet make contact with the platform-and the force generated by the arms and shoulders once the feet have been replaced on the platform. The thrust ends when the legs of the lifter have reached their maximum point of extension in the drive.

The Second Phase of the Jerk: The Dip

When the lifter executes the initial dip, assuming that dip is perfectly vertical, the lifter's balance (technically, the lifter's "center of gravity"-a term explained in Appendix 2) shifts slightly forward because the knees move forward of their starting position and all other parts of the bar and body remain essentially in the same vertical line. It is considered preferable to have the combined center of gravity of the bar and lifter remain in the same position, or even to travel slightly backward during the dip, therefore, some lifters let their pelvises travel slightly back during the dip to counteract the small shift in the lifter's center of gravity that takes place when the knees move forward during the dip. This does not necessarily mean that the shoulders of the athlete and the bar move forward more than is normal (although there is a school of thought that advocates dipping slightly forward, though not beyond the front of the foot, and then tilting the torso backward as the athlete drives up out of the split). During the initial dip the bar normally shifts forward by 1 to 2 cm (such forward movement should be avoided).

The average time for the initial dip is just over .25 of a second, and this time does not vary with the height of the athlete (taller athletes tend to execute the initial dip more quickly than shorter athletes). The distance covered by the initial dip is typically just under two-thirds of the distance that will ultimately be covered by the lifter during both the initial and second parts of the dip. At that point the knee angle of the lifter is typically between 114 and 132". The initial dip ends when the lifter begins to resist the downward progress of the bar in order to stop it.

During the preparatory dip for the jerk, the speed of the bar can vary from one that is faster than a pure free fall of the bar (because the lifter is pulling down on the bar to accelerate its downward speed) or to a speed that is much slower than a free fall (because the lifter is resisting the downward movement of the bar). Most analysts suggest a speed close to the free-fall speed or slightly slower (i.e., the lifter should neither rush into the dip nor substantially resist the bar's downward motion). This "natural" kind of dip speed not only enables the lifter to maintain control over the bar but also permits the optimization of the lifter's use of the elastic qualities of the leg muscles and the bar. (This issue will be discussed further later in this chapter.)

The First Phase of the Jerk: The Start

At the start of the jerk, the shoulder and hip joints of the lifter and the bar all form a vertical line with, or slightly behind, the middle of the foot. The feet are placed approximately at the width of the hips, either straight or with the toes turned out slightly.. The arms are relaxed. The elbows are in front of the bar (if the bar were viewed from the lifter's left side as the center of a clock, the elbows would be anywhere between the seven o'clock and nine o'clock positions). Lifters who keep the elbows relatively low (i.e., at the seven o'clock position) because they find a higher elbow position is uncomfortable or impedes their breathing at the start, sometimes raise the elbows just before the second part of the jerk begins. The head is normally tilted slightly back, and the line of sight is generally looking slightly up. The combined line of gravity of the bar and athlete, viewed from the side, is in the middle of the foot. The balance of the lifter can be anywhere in the middle third of the foot with a weight that is 150% of the athlete's weight, though it is generally recommended that the weight of the lifter and the bar should be felt toward the rear portion of the middle of the foot, rather than toward the front. However, as the bar gets heavier, the point of balance through which the lifter can control the bar grows smaller. For a weight that is 275% of the lifter's bodyweight, the range of balance is cut roughly in half, and most of the range lost is from the front half of the range that exists with 150% of bodyweight. The first phase of the jerk ends when the lifter begins to bend the knees for the initial dip.

An Analysis of the Six Phases of the Jerk

The technique of the jerk, like that of snatch and the clean, can be broken up into six phases: the start (the motions the lifter makes and the position the lifter assumes prior to bending or "dipping the legs to thrust the bar overhead); the initial dip: the braking portion of the dips the thrust; the unsupported part of the squat or split under, and the supported phase of the squat or split under. M was the case in the analysis of the snatch and clean, these six phases exclude the recovery from the receiving position of the bar in the jerk (e. the split position). Although there are important differences between the phases of the pull and the jerk, in some respects the six phases of both movements have much in common. Both the similarities and differences will be explained below.

The same caveats that applied to the description of the snatch and clean also apply to the description of the jerk. In brief, they are: a) the analysis, in the main, ignores the recovery of the body to a standing position once the bar has been fixed; b) the segments analyzed are somewhat arbitrary, but they are the segments upon which the greatest amount of data has been gathered; c) the analysis describes what the lifter is doing but not necessarily what he or she is thinking or feeling, and d) the descriptions are of what is being done by high level athletes today, not necessarily what athletes should be doing.

In both the pull and the jerk, the alignment of the body at the start has an important influence on the performance of the subsequent parts of the movement. The pull and the jerk share a preliminary phase of motion in the snatch and clean the bar moves up during that phase, in the jerk it moves down) followed by an amortization phase that brings the body and the bar into proper position for the important final explosion that imparts the majority of the force needed to lift the bar to the proper height. Finally, two phases of the squat under in the snatch, the clean and the jerk have characteristics that cause the bar to be lifted higher than the bar velocity at the end of the explosion would suggest, characteristics that enable the athlete to fix the bar in preparation for a recovery to the final position of the lift.

The Sixth Phase of The Pull: The Supported Squat Under

Once the lifter's feet have landed on the platform in a flat footed position after being thrust from it during the unsupported squat under the lifter quickly assumes a squat position if the lifter this style (and moat do). In this position the heels are under the hip joints, the toes are turned out to the sides, the back is arched and the torso is tilted slightly forward (more so in the snatch than in the clean). The combined center of gravity is in the middle of the foot. In the snatch the arms are straight, with the shoulder blades pulled together In the clean the bar rests on the shoulder muscles and the elbows are up, preferably at or near the level of the bar.

During the lowering of the body, the bar moves backward and then down. The downward motion is typically 5% to 9% of the athlete's height in the snatch and 14% to 18% in the clean. The bar is actually fixed (ie., its downward progress is stopped) at 625 to 70% of the athlete's height in the snatch and 40% to 48% in the clean.

Roman and many other analysts believe that if the pull is performed correctly overall, the combined center of gravity of the bar and athlete will shift forward slightly during the pull. As a result the athlete must jump slightly forward in the squat under. Next best, according to Roman, is when the bar shifts only very slightly backwards during the pull, in which case the feet are jumped straight out to the side as the athlete squats under the bar. In the least desirable instance the lifter pulls the bar significantly back, causing the lifter to jump back. Roman suggests that this makes it more difficult for the athlete's movement to be precise and for the bar to be brought under control. A number of the Bulgarian coaches, however, are very persuasive defenders of the latter style. It should be noted that many world records have been established by lifters using all of these styles.

The Fourth Phase of the Pull: Final Acceleration

The fourth phase of the pull is the one in which the athlete applies the maximum and most critical force to the bar. This is accomplished by explosively straightening the legs and torso, lifting of the shoulder girdle upward and backward and rising on the balls of the feet and toes. It should be noted that not all lifters straighten the legs fully during the explosion phase of the pull or jerk and that some high level lifters do not rise on the toes to any significant extent at all. Some coaches believe that this lesser amplitude of body straightening is an advantage.

During this fourth phase of the pull, the bar describes a forward are as the combined center of gravity of the bar and athlete shifts toward the toes of the athlete (upon which the athlete is typically balanced at this stage) until, ultimately, the bar finds a nearly vertical direction. This stage takes approximately 1 to 25 seconds to complete the clean requiring less time than the snatch). At the end of this phase, the athlete's center of gravity has moved up and back as the bar has moved forward, and the body assumes a straightened position with the entire body generally having a slight backward lean. A straight but slightly backward leaning line passes through the bar, the lifter's shoulders and the balls of the feet. The combined center of gravity of the bar and lifter is at approximately the same vertical line as the feet of the lifter, which are now supported on the balls of the feet on average the bar is actually of 2 to 4 cm forward of the base of the toes). The bar reaches speeds of 1.65 to 2.05 meters per second in the snatch and 12 to 16 in the clean (taller athletes tending to achieve greater speeds than shorter athletes).

The Fifth Phase of the Pull: The Unsupported Squat Under

The unsupported squat under begins with the lower limbs of the athlete at their most extended position and continues while the athlete is moving into position for the squat under. It ends when the feet make forceful contact with the platform once again. Once the final acceleration has been completed, the bar continues to rise, primarily as a result of the momentum gained during the final acceleration phase. However, the speed gained during that phase is not sufficient to account for the total height that the bar ultimately reaches (68% to 78% of the athlete's height in the snatch and 55% to 65% in the clean). Several explanations have been offered for the extra height that the bar achieves. One is the interaction of the arms and the bar while the athlete begins to descend into the squat or split position (i.e., while the athlete's feet still are in contact with the floor, a period of .05 to 1 second in the snatch and .1 to .15 of a second in the clean).

A second factor cited is the thrusting of the feet from the platform during the descent under the bar (because the bar's velocity is higher after this thrust). In a way, the body collides with the bar after the maximum effort has been exerted in the explosion (the body goes up and then bounces down away from the bar), adding some impetus to the bar.

A third factor is the interaction of the arms and bar as the athlete descends in the unsupported and supported phases of the squat under. The action of the arm flexors and the muscles of the shoulder girdle (in the latter part of the snatch descent and during the jerk, the arm extensors come into play) after the feet have left and then returned to the ground can generate an upward reactive force on the bar, resulting in additional acceleration. This acceleration occurs when the force of the body returning to the platform is transmitted back to the bar thorough the arms.

During the unsupported phase the center of gravity of the lifter typically shifts forward somewhat as the athlete descends under the bar while it moves upward and then downward and backward. After the feet are thrust from the platform, they typically remain out of contact with the platform for between 15 and 33 of a second in the snatch and 1 and 2 of a second in the clean.

The Third Phase of the Pull: Adjustment

The third phase of the pull is called the amortization or adjustment phase. This phase is used to position the bar and body appropriately in order to properly execute the fourth or "final explosion phase of the pull. During the adjustment phase, less force is applied to the bar than during either the preceding or succeeding phase. In effect. the lifter is relying on the acceleration developed during the second phase of the pull to keep the bar moving upward while the body assumes a favorable position for the final acceleration (though the lifter is normally not consciously doing this). This movement is often referred to as a rebending of the legs or a "double knee bend" (since the knees have been bent once to lift the bar from the floor and then rebent after the bar has passed the knees).

During the third phase, the lifter continues to straighten the torso (a process that was begun at the end of the previous phase). However, this straightening is carried out more forcefully and extensively in the third phase of the pull. If the head is not held in a vertical position at the start of the pull or during the second phase, it will often assume that position during this phase of the pull. Partially as a consequence of the torso moving in an upward and backward direction, an opposite reaction occurs in the knee and hip joints (i.e., they move forward and down). The combined actions of the legs hips and torso place the body in a position favorable for expressing the all important force of the final explosion. In addition, this process keeps the center of gravity of the body close to the bar (as compared to a position that would have been well behind the bar had the hips and knees remained in the same position while the torso straightened).

The forward and downward movement of the knees take about 1 to 2 seconds (toward the lower part of this range in the snatch and the higher in the clean) and ceases when the knees reach an angle in the range of 125 to 135 (the lower half of the range in the snatch and the upper half in the clean). The average torso inclination at this point is 58" in the snatch and 60 in the clean.

During this phase the feet normally remain flat on the platform, though some exceptional lifters do begin to rise on the balls of the feet. The bar reaches approximately the lower third of the thigh in the clean and the middle of the thigh in the snatch. The bar is typically just over the middle of the foot (a little closer to the ankle in the snatch). The center of the shoulder joints is typically equal to 3% to 4% of the athlete's height in front of the bar. The speed of the bar has dropped by an average of .08 to 1 meters per second during this phase (toward the higher end of this range in the clean and the lower in the snatch).

The Second Phase of the Pull: Preliminary Acceleration

Most athletes separate the bar from the platform in a relatively smooth fashion and then begin to accelerate the upward motion of the bar. During this phase of the pull, the bar travels toward the lifter, and the center of gravity of the lifter shifts toward the heels. Throughout most of the preliminary acceleration phase, the angle of the back in relation to the platform remains essentially the same as at the moment of bar separation, an average of 30 in relation to the platform in the snatch and 32' in the clean; toward the end of this phase, the angle of the torso begins to increase (1.e., the torso begins to straighten). The hips rise, while the torso of the lifter travels upward and forward so that the shoulders move well in front of the bar. If the head did not begin in a vertical position it often begins to assume such a position during this phase of the pull. The acceleration phase typically begins with the knees at an angle of between 80 and 110 and ends when the knees have reached an angle of 145 to 155. The angle in the snatch tends to be at the higher part of this range, and the angle in the clean at the lower part of this range; athletes with a longer torso and shorter legs tend to have the lower knee angles in these ranges and athletes with the opposite conformation have larger knee angles. Because the legs straighten more in the clean than in the snatch, the torso shifts forward more in the clean. The shins achieve an essentially vertical position at the end of this phase. The bar is usually at about 31% of the athlete's height in the clean and at 35% in the snatch (just above the knees in the clean and approximately at the lower third of the thigh in the snatch).

As the preliminary acceleration is executed, the centers of gravity of the bar and athlete move closer together than they were at the start of the pull. The bar moves toward the athlete less in the clean than in the snatch, but the athlete moves toward the bar to a greater extent. (The further apart the centers of gravity of the body and the bar are at the start, the more the bar will shift at this stage in the pull.) This phase of the pull generally takes about half a second (the time involved in the snatch is usually very slightly less than for the clean). The velocity achieved by the bar at this point is approximately 1.5 meters per second in the snatch and 1.2 meters per second in the clean (taller lifters tend to generate somewhat greater bar speeds and shorter lifters somewhat lower). By the end of this phase, the bar has shifted as much toward the athlete as it will at any point in the pull (4 to 12 cm in the snatch and 3 to 10 em in the clean, the bar shifting a greater distance for taller lifters).

The First Phase of the Pull: "Pre-Lift-Off

In both the snatch and the clean, today's lifters typically begin to exert force on the bar with their feet placed approximately at the width of the hips and turned out slightly. The bar is positioned roughly over the juncture of the metatarsal/phalangeal joints (the juncture of the toes and the foot). The torso is typically inclined at an angle of 25-50 degrees in relation to the ground or "platform"; the angle tends to be larger in the clean than the snatch, i.e., the torso is more upright. The shoulders are positioned directly over or slightly forward of the bar (a few lifters start with the shoulders slightly behind the bar, but this is generally considered to be a mistake). The shins are inclined forward and slightly outward and are close to or touching the bar.

There is typically an arch in the lumbar region of the spine (the lower back), with the rest of the spine held relatively straight (i.e., the curve that normally exists in the thoracic region of the spine is reduced in most athletes at the start of the pull).

The shoulders are slightly back but are not shrugged upward toward the neck and the arms are straight. The hips are at approximately the same horizontal level as the knees but are often somewhat above or below the knees. (The hips tend to be higher in the clean than the snatch.)

The differences in hip position and torso angle in the clean and the snatch are due in part to the wider grip that is used in the snatch (causing the lifter to have the torso closer to the bar and hence often to lower the hips further at the start) and in part to the difference in the weights used in the snatch and the clean. It is harder to start the bar from a lower hip position, so when heavier weights are lifted, as they are in the clean, the hips tend to be placed in a higher position. The angle of the knees in the starting position is between 90 degree and 45 (the smaller the angle the more fully the athlete's knees are bent).

At the start of the pull, the position of the head typically ranges from being in line with the torso to being held in a vertical position. Having assumed this position the lifter begins to exert force against the bar. When the force exerted on the bar reaches a level that exceeds the combination of the bar's weight and inertia (the resistance of a body to change in what it is doing, in this case not moving), separation of the bar from the platform takes place. At this point the center of gravity of the athlete is typically at the middle of the foot or somewhat behind that point.

An Analysis of the Six Phases of the Snatch and Clean Pull

A detailed analysis of the snatch and clean is presented in this section. This analysis includes a number of technique metrics. The figures provided for those metrics are representative of an athlete with an average, mesomorphic physique who is 170 cm tall (approximately 5' 7"). Athletes who are significantly taller or shorter will generate different numbers. For example, athletes who are taller will tend to move the body and bar greater distances and will tend to move the bar at higher speeds.

It should also be noted that in many areas of the analysis differences are noted in the patterns of movement that occur in the snatch and the clean. These differences are believed to exist primarily because of the differences in the grip widths and weights that are used in the snatch and the clean. A narrower grip (as is used in the clean) places the shoulders at a greater distance from the bar than does a wider grip, generally resulting in the torso being held more upright during the pull for the clean than in the pull for the snatch. This grip also produces in a greater deformation (bending) of the bar during the pull for the clean because the force applied during the pull is applied more toward the center of the bar. The heavier weights used in the clean also contribute to the greater deformation of the bar.

Some interesting trade-offs occur in the clean as opposed to the snatch. For example, the amortization phase is longer in the clean than in the snatch because of the heavier weights lifted in the clean. However, the final acceleration phase in the clean is shorter than in the snatch because the torso is straighter at the beginning of that phase.

Before we begin our analysis, the reader should have at least a basic understanding of the concepts of the line of gravity (LOG) and center of gravity (COG). It is important to understand these basic concepts of mechanics because they are used in the analysis of technique that follows. In the simplest terms, an object's line of gravity (when it is viewed from a given perspective) is the point at which the object would balance if a straight edge were placed under the object. For example, if we were trying to balance a ball on the edge of a steel ruler, we would have to place the ball in such a way that the ruler was under the exact center of the ball (i.e., under an imaginary vertical line that divided the ball into two halves). Alternatively, if we were trying to balance a flat wooden map of the United States that was 1" thick in a upright position, we would place the ruler near the center (east/west), but the point of balance would be unlikely to fall in the exact center measured from side to side, because the map is not perfectly symmetrical. Since the eastern and western parts of the country do not have the same shape, the left and right halves of the map would not weigh the same and would not balance along a line in the exact center. The line would be somewhat off to one side. In contrast, if we viewed such a map from the side, the line of gravity would be 1/2" from the front of the map or 1/2" from the back because the map is flat and made of wood that is 1" thick. Finally, if we laid the map down flat and then found the balance point between the western and eastern sides, a line drawn through the map at that point would represent its third line of gravity. The point at which all three lines of gravity intersect is the map's center of gravity.

Finding the center of gravity of the human body is much more difficult than finding the center of gravity of a ball or a map of the United States, because the human body can change its shape at any time by simply moving a part of the body, such a movement will change its balance points. For example, when a body is viewed from the side (the perspective that is used for much of the analysis of lifting technique that follows), the center of gravity runs approximately along a line that divides the body in half from front to back. However, if the body bends forward from the waist, the center of gravity will shift forward. If one leg is then lifted to the rear, the center of gravity will shift back toward the middle of the body. In contrast, the center of gravity of the bar is always at its exact center (as measured from all directions) since the bar is symmetrical. When two objects are connected to one another, a combined center of gravity is created. For instance, if a lifter who weighs 100 kg. holds a 100 kg, bar at waist height, the combined center of gravity of the two objects will be toward the front of the lifter's body and the rear of the bar.

The concept of the center of gravity has a number of implications for the weightlifter, and it is discussed in greater detail in Appendix 2. It should be noted that while from the technical standpoint the line of gravity concept is appropriate only for discussions of a single dimension, and the center of gravity is appropriate for discussions of three dimensions, the term center of gravity is used for single and multiple dimensions throughout this chapter, both for simplicity and because in the contexts in which it is used the difference in the terms is not material.

Its primary importance in the discussion that follows is in describing the general motion of the athlete and the bar during the performance of the snatch and C&J. For instance, during the second phase of the pull, the lifter's center of gravity shifts toward the rear, but during the fourth phase of the pull, it moves forward.

The lifter's center of gravity can be thought of as his or her balance point. When the center of gravity shifts back, so does the lifter's balance and vice versa. An important principle of mechanics is that at no time may the center of gravity go outside the base of support of an object in the case of the weightlifter the base of support is the athlete's feet). If the center of gravity of the lifter does go forward or to the rear of the furthest edge of the foot (the toes or heels, respectively), the lifter will topple over. Since the athlete's feet represent the base of support of both athlete and bar once the bar leaves the platform, the combined center of gravity of bar and lifter may not exceed the limits of the lifter's feet or the entire system will fall over (with the lifter going one way and the bar the other). In the analysis that follows, the centers of gravity of the lifter and bar and their combined center of gravity are often referred to in order to convey a sense of how these objects are moving and interacting and where the lifter's balance is at various points during the lift.

Now let's look at the six stages of the snatch and clean.

A Proper Context for the Study of Weightlifting Technique

On the basis of the preceding discussion, we can identify several key concepts regarding weightlifting technique. First, in order to reach his or her potential in the sport of weightlifting, an athlete must master technique, but technique alone is not sufficient to become a high level performer. Second, there are definite principles of good lifting technique, but there is also more than one narrow way to perform the two Olympic lifts effectively. Third, weightlifting is a learned activity performed by athletes who have individual differences, and no amount of pure introspection or a priori reasoning will lead to the best technique for all athletes in all respects. Proper principles must be applied within the context of the characteristics of a given athlete in order to optimize technique. Fourth, weightlifting technique is neither absurdly simple nor so complex as to defy the understanding of those who do not have a graduate degree in biomechanics. Finally, perfecting technique is an absolute necessity. It makes weightlifting safer, more pleasurable to participate in and more aesthetically pleasing to behold. The purpose of the balance of this chapter is to provide you with an understanding of proper technique, a crucial first step on the road to becoming a weightlifter's weightlifter.

The Basics of the Technique of the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk

We will begin our analysis of weightlifting technique with an explanation of what the athlete is doing when he or she performs two Olympic lifts, the snatch and the clean and jerk (C&J). These are the lifts performed in weightlifting competitions (the winner being the athlete who lifts the most weight in both lifts combined). The snatch is a one stage lift and the C&J a two stage lift in which greater amounts can be added.

This overview will be more easily understood if you examine the sequence photographs that appear in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 before reading further and the refer to them freely as you read descriptions of the lifts. (Fig. 4 omits the starting position from the floor and the "recovery" from the split position in which the athlete takes one step back with the front foot and then a step forward with the rear foot to bring the feet in line with one another and complete the lift).

As can be seen in the first photo of the snatch sequence, the lifter begins by gripping the bar with the hands significantly wider than the shoulders From this position the lifter uses the muscles of the legs to lift the bar from the floor and then uses the muscles of the legs, hips and back in an extremely powerful (i.e., explosive) fashion to accelerate the upward motion of the bar. When the bar has been lifted to a level approximately at the height of the lifter's hips (at which point the lifter has generally extended his or her legs and risen somewhat on the balls of his or her feet.) the lifter begins to descend under the bar while the bar continues to rise, primarily as a result of the explosive force that the lifter has applied to the bar before the descent commenced. The lifter then "catches" the bar at arm's length and allows the legs to continue to bend after the catch to absorb the downward force exerted by the bar in much the same way a fielder in baseball “gives" with his or her glove as a ball is received. Finally the lifter stands up from the low squat position that was assumed in order to catch the bar. (Catching the bar in a low position means that it does not have to be lifted as high and that more weight can therefore be lifted.)

Methods similar to those used in the snatch are used to lift the bar in the clean and jerk. The lifter initially raises the bar through the use of the leg muscles; then, as the bar rises to the level of the knees, the lifters uses the muscles of the legs, hips and back to straighten the body in an explosive fashion, accelerating the upward motion of the bar.

Once the bar is approximately at hip level, the lifter begins to descend under the bar in order to catch it when it reaches its highest point. (The bar continues to rise because of the explosive effort the lifter made with the legs, hips and back.) The lifter permits the legs to bend further after catching the bar in order to absorb the force of the downward descent of the bar. The lifter then stands up and prepares for the jerk.

In order to propel the bar overhead during the jerk portion of the lift, the athlete bends his or her legs into a position similar to one that would be used to jump vertically. The legs are then very forcefully extended in order to thrust the bar upward.

Just after the bar leaves the lifter's shoulders as a result of the leg drive the lifter has generated, the lifter typically moves one foot forward and the other foot backward in order to lower the body as the bar is rising and to prepare to catch the bar at arm's length. The front foot is placed flat on the floor and the back foot is balanced on the ball of the foot and the toes. This "split" position gives the lifter both stability and the ability to move forward or backward slightly to maintain balance. After the bar has been brought to a stop, the lifter returns to a standing position, first bringing the front foot back a step and then bringing the back foot forward until the feet are in line with one another.

Two important principles can be learned from the preceding discussion together with careful study of the photos. First, contrary to what most people think when they see Olympic-style lifting for the first time, the process is not merely one of lifting the bar. It involves a combination of raising the bar and lowering the body quickly enough to catch the bar at nearly the maximum height to which the lifter has been able to raise it. In order for the lifter to catch the bar successfully, the bar must have acquired enough upward speed to continue to travel upward for that very brief period while the lifter is moving under the bar (otherwise, as soon as the lifter tried to descend under the bar, the bar would fall and the lifter could never catch up to it). It is important to understand that the lifter does not lift the bar to its maximum height and then, when the bar stops, jump under it. Rather, the movements of raising the bar and lowering the body are taking place simultaneously. Consequently, the lifter must possess sufficient power to throw the bar, not just lift it. In addition, the lifter must possess considerable finesse in order to catch a heavy moving object at its maximum vertical height.

Second, the role of the arms in lifting is much smaller than you might initially assume. The arms do not lift the bar to its maximum height. Instead, the muscles of the legs, hips and back are primarily responsible for this action, generating an explosive force that creates upward velocity of the bar sufficient to cause it to continue to rise for at least a portion of the time the lifter is descending under the bar, permitting the lifter to catch the bar successfully. This is not to minimize the role of the muscles of the arms and shoulders. These muscles do interact with the bar, applying force to it as the lifter descends under and catches the bar. Moreover, strong arms and shoulders are needed to support the bar overhead. However, the role of the arms is not primary. The strength and explosive power of the lifter's leg, hip and back muscles, the strongest muscles in the body, form the foundation for championship lifting.

An Explanation of the Six Phases of the Snatch and Clean "Pull"

The six phases of the snatch and clean set forth by Lukashev and Podlivayev are explained in this section. Each phase will be analyzed in some detail in the next section. During the discussion we will often refer to the "pull". In the context of this discussion, pull means the lifting of the bar from the floor to the point at which the lifter brings to the bar to a stop on his or her shoulders (in the clean), or overhead (in the snatch). Pull always refers to both lifts unless otherwise specified.

The first phase of the snatch and dean starts from the point where the lifter begins to interact with the bar. This includes such actions as the placement of the lifter's feet and body in relation to the bar, the setting of the lifter's grip and any rocking or other motions the lifter may make in preparation for lifting or separating the bar from the platform. The first phase ends at the moment when the bar "separates" (is lifted) from the platform by the athlete.

The second phase of the snatch and clean, also called the preliminary acceleration" phase, begins where the prior phase ends (ie., when the bar leaves the platform) and ends when the legs have straightened to their maximum extent for the first time during the pull tie, approximately at the point when the bar has reached knee level in the clean and the bar is at the level of the lower third of the thigh in the snatch). This also marks the end of the first period" in the pull.

The third phase of the snatch and clean, also called the "adjustment phase, begins when the athlete starts to flex the knees again and to move them under the bar. It ends when the knees have reached their maximum point of flexion.

he fourth phase of the snatch and clean, also known as the "final acceleration" or "explosion phase, begins when the knees have reached maximum flexion and ends when the knees are fully straightened, or nearly so, and the athlete is at the highest point that he or she will reach on his or her toes (i.e., the point where the lower extremities of the body reached their maximum amplitude in the pull before they begin to relax so that the body can be lowered to catch the bar). This point also marks the end of the second period of the pull.

The fifth phase of the snatch and clean, also known as the "unsupported squat under," starts once the athlete's lower limbs have reach their maximum amplitude of extension and ends once the bar has reached its maximum height.

The sixth and final phase of the snatch and clean begins when the bar has reached its maximum height and ends when the bar has been "fixed" (i.e., the downward progress of the bar has been halted and the lifter has some degree of control over it).

Analyzing The Snatch And Clean & Jerk Via The "Six Phases" And The Trajectory Of The Bar

The technique of modern weightlifting has been studied quite extensively, particularly in Eastern Europe, and most particularly by researchers within the former Soviet Union. As a result of the methods used to perform the analysis, some aspects of technique are quite well understood, while others remain only incompletely explained. Let us review what has been learned about the technique of today's high level athletes.

We will analyze the snatch and clean first. We will use a method similar to that advocated by A. Lukashev of the Soviet Union in 1972 (for the snatch) and further developed by B. Podlivayev in 1975 (for the clean). This method consists of breaking down these lifts into six phases or stages (Lukashev and Podlivayev also group the six phases into three pairs of phases which they refer to as "periods'; we will refer primarily to the six phases or stages.) Breaking the lifts down into phases makes it easier to understand what is occurring when each lift is being performed. I have taken the liberty of framing the explanation of the jerk into six phases as well, because such a procedure fits well with what has been done by the aforementioned Soviet writers. The translations of the Soviet literature that I have reviewed refer to only five phases in the jerk. Much of the information that is presented in the next several sections about what lifters are doing in the various phases of the snatch, clean and jerk draws on work done by Robert Roman, a world renowned Soviet weightlifting analyst who specialized in the area of technique. (See the Bibliography for a listing of some of his fine works.)

There are at least four important limitations to using the six-stage kind of analysis. The first limitation is that this kind of analysis focuses on the snatch, clean and jerk up to the point where the bar is caught or fixed. There is little or no coverage of how the lifter stands up or recovers from the position in which the bar is fixed. The second point to remember is that the six phases used in the Lukashev/Podlivayev analytic method, while useful for purposes of analysis, are somewhat arbitrary. Their segments are easily visible to the external observer and are very useful for the purposes of film analysis. However, further refinements in the method of analysis will probably occur with the application of better technology. While the six phases described are easy to see and discuss, they are not really crucial in analyzing the effectiveness of a particular style. For example, the point at the which the maximum application of force to the bar occurs is neither the beginning nor the end of the explosion phase of the snatch or clean. Rather, the maximum force is applied between these two points. Similarly, the position and balance of the lifter at the point of exerting maximum force have an important influence on the outcome of the lift, perhaps more so than what goes on at the beginning or end of the phase (the major focus of the Lukashow/Podlivayev analytical approach). Yet, little research has been done, and even less has been widely published in these and other vital areas of analysis of the dynamic aspects of technique (such as the rate of bar acceleration throughout each of the phases of the lift).

The third limitation of this analytical method is that it is simply an analysis of what the lifter is doing, not what he or she is thinking or feeling. You do not normally teach a lifter how to lift by saying "place your back at an angle of between 25 and 50 degrees in relation to the floor or move into the squat under when the bar reaches the height of the hips." Athletes do not think in terms of angular measurements and reaction time is a factor in movement control. There is a necessary delay between the moment when lifter directs his or her body to do something and when the body actually executes the desired motion.) Therefore, if proper technique calls for the lifter to begin squatting under when the bar has reached the level of the hips, the lifter must think of moving when the bar is in an even lower position if the actual motion is to begin at the appropriate point. In addition, many of the motions that a lifter makes are a natural reaction to the actions that have preceded it. Consequently, it is those precursor actions that are crucial to teaching and learning certain aspects of proper technique, not necessarily the patterns of motion that follow. By merely attempting to assume certain positions during the lift, the lifter may be imitating the appearance of good technique without actually using the mechanics necessary to achieve an efficient lift.

The final caveat to the analysis that follows is that what is being presented is not necessarily an endorsement of the techniques described. It is simply an explanation or what is being done by the average, highly qualified lifter. Some champions perform in a manner very close to the one described while others do things quite differently. The important thing at this point in our analysis of technique is to gain an overall understanding of what most high level lifters are doing when they perform the snatch or C&J. A subsequent discussion in this chapter will address the issue of individual variations within the model presented.

While much of importance can be learned from the basic analysis presented, it should not be viewed as "the" method to be used. The proper evaluative approach to the "average" lifting technique used by high level athletes and to what a particular champion lifter is doing is to say: "There may be a very good reasons for the majority of lifters (or the champion) to be doing things that way, but I need to understand and to experiment with their methods before I can accept their approach, even conditionally. It must be remembered that most lifters, even the champions, are often victims of me too approaches to training and lifting (whether developed by their coaches or themselves).

lifters (or the champion) to be doing things that way, but I need to understand and to experiment with their methods before I can accept their approach, even conditionally. It must be remembered that most lifters, even the champions, are often victims of me too approaches to training and lifting (whether developed by their coaches or themselves).

Oversimplification Versus Unnecessary Complexity

A third major controversy with respect to technique stems from the tendency of those who analyze and teach it either to oversimplify, or to add artificially to the complexity of the sport of weightlifting.

The oversimplifiers revel in offering some simple fact as justification for a given technique while appearing to be shocked that no one else sees how simple it all is. An example would be the person who says that you should always lift a bar straight up because the shortest distance between two points is a straight line." While no one can argue with the accuracy of this statement, its application to the sport of weightlifting is not as straightforward as the advocate of such a point would have you believe.

For instance, in order to perform the snatch, the first lift in weightlifting competitions, the bar needs to be raised from the floor past the shins and knees (which are in the way of the vertical path of the bar when the lifter bends down to in the bar from the floor). The bar's motion must be accelerated so that it picks up enough speed to carry it to a sufficient height for the lifter to "catch" the bar overhead, and this must take place while the lifter's center of gravity is shifting first in a rearward and then in a forward direction as the bar is being lifted. In addition, although the bar begins the lift at a point in front of the lifter, it must reach a point above and to the rear the lifter's head. This kind of relative motion on the part of the bar and the athlete suggests that a straight line, while undoubtedly the shortest distance for the bar to travel, will not necessarily be the best path to meet all of the requirements of performing an efficient lift.

While it is clear that oversimplification is a mistake, so is making lifting unnecessarily complex. Teaching and analysis only need to be complex enough to impart understanding. Unfortunately some coaches seem to think that pointing out each of the manifold elements that po into the lifting process demonstrates their level of expertise. This may be true, but it also can hinder the learning process if the complexity is introduced before it is appropriate.

For example, one popular book on weightlifting devotes an entire section to the concept of the combined center of gravity of the lifter and bar. The first problem with the way the writer handles the issue is that the concept of the center of gravity is not well explained before the concept of the combined center of gravity of the lifter and bar is introduced. As a result, the subject becomes quite confusing. Nevertheless, the concept of combined center of is presented, and an example of its application to the lifting process is given (an example which does not offer any illumination regarding the importance of the concept). After the reader has struggled to grasp the concept (probably with only limited success), the writer goes on to explain weightlifting technique at length across several short chapters. During that explanation, the concept of the combined center of gravity is mentioned only twice, and both of those times the author only repeats the initial example, No further use of the concept is ever made. Why did the writ bother to explain the concept if no important application of it is ever used thereafter? This is unnecessary complexity at its worst. (In this chapter we will explain the concept of a center of gravity, but then we will use it as well.)

Is There Only One "Best" Weightlifting Technique?

A second major controversy with respect to weightlifting involves two groups that I will call the absolutists and the relativists. In their purest version, the absolutists maintain that: 1) there is only one proper technique for lifting weights; and 2) they know what it is. Absolutists are easy to spot at a competition; they are the ones who contort their faces and snort in disgust whenever someone fails to perform a lift in accord with their own model. They simply "know that their method is best and that everyone not using it is wasting their potential. How they have come to know this is not always clear, often not even to them.

In contrast, the relativists, in their most extreme version, maintain that proper technique merely involves "doing what comes naturally They maintain that the body has its own most efficient and "natural" way to perform the lifts and that each person has merely to search his or her soul for guidance and then do whatever the subconscious seems to say. There is a second school of relativists who accept the notion of proper technique but who maintain that a lifter can only do what is natural, even if another technique is preferable. You can spot relativists because they exhibit a perpetual grin of resignation while observing virtually any lift, a grin that grows even wider when an obvious fault occurs, as if they are affirming the irony that the harder you try, the more likely it is that nature and whatever it holds in store will emerge.

As is normally the case in such controversies both sides have some valid basis for their claims, but both sides are also dead wrong in a number of important ways. The absolutists fail to recognize that each human body is unique. Bodies are different with respect to the size and shape of the bones that are the levers and the joints that are the fulcrums in the mechanics of human movement The muscle-tendon units that move the skeleton vary in their structure and capacity as well.

Moreover, even if the infinite variety in humankind were not present, even if everyone were built in the same way, there would be a variety of ways in which the human body could develop a given force, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. This is not to say that there are not a significant number of absolutes with respect to technique that we can states there surely are, and we will identify them in this chapter. But absolutes are far harder to come by, and the variety that is possible while still achieving good technique is far richer than the absolutists would have us believe.

Perhaps an even greater weakness in the argument of the absolutists is that they know what the optimal technique is. (How they come to know is often not clear, even to them, but when it is, the reasons) given rarely stand up to serious analysis.) While we know a great deal about human movement in general and the scientific principles of weightlifting technique in particular, there is also a great deal that we have been unable to measure, analyze or understand. It is very likely that at least some, and perhaps a great deal, of what we believe to good technique today may be abandoned and replaced with something better in the future. The fact that the champions of today do something deserves our attention. However, their utilization of a particular technique is not proof that it is "the" optimal one, any more than the technique of the great champions of yesteryear has always withstood the test of time (although much can be learned from the old champions).

The relativists are not safe from criticism either. They are often unwilling to work with their lifters to develop proper technique or to confess their own lack of understanding of what is known today. They recognize the importance of biological individuality. Instead of using it as a basis for further study and learning, however, they use it as an excuse for whatever their athletes do. Clearly humankind was not born with proper weightlifting technique etched deeply within the recesses of the brain. The mechanics of weightlifting technique are not intuitive in nature. When you are doing a snatch or a clean and jerk, you are not moving in the way that most people think. Many lifters cannot explain the mechanics involved in weightlifting, even after observing and practicing it for many years. Therefore, the intuitive approach has great shortcomings. Correct technique needs to be taught by the coach and learned by the athlete.

As you might conclude from the preceding discussion, the development of technique is a process based on firm principles applied within the context of the individual characteristics of the athlete being trained. It is a difficult process at best, yet virtually everyone can develop a technique that is suitable for them with a well planned, consistent and flexible effort.

The Technique Of The Snatch And The Clean And Jerk

Why begin a book about weightlifting with a chapter on weightlifting technique? After all, weightlifting is first and foremost a sport designed to test strength and power. Why not begin, then, with a discussion of those subjects? The reason is that you cannot participate in an activity until you understand how it is performed, and you cannot properly measure your strength or train to increase it until you know how to execute the basic movements of weightlifting. Only when you understand what good technique is (i.e., the correct means of executing the two competitive lifts) can you begin to fully appreciate the sport of weightlifting.

In this chapter we will focus on understanding weightlifting technique, first on a very basic and then on a more advanced level. In the next chapter we will focus on how to learn and teach weightlifting technique. We will begin our discussion of technique by examining three major controversies that surround the subject. In the process of that examination, we will develop a framework within which it will be easier to understand various principles of sound weightlifting technique.

Some Controversies And Concepts Of Modern Weightlifting Technique

The Technique Versus Strength Controversy

Whenever weightlifters and their coaches get together, there is bound to be a discussion about the importance of technique. Some coaches see technique as virtually all important. Members of this school judge a weightlifter almost completely on his or her technical ability. They view technique as not only very necessary to be a good weightlifter but also as sufficient. To these coaches and athletes, the amount lifted is secondary to how beautifully and efficiently a lift is performed. These extremists show little respect for the champion who has serious technical flaws in his or her lifting performance. Top athletes who make errors in technique are seen by the technique purists as reprehensible "freaks" who were blessed with strength but never took the time to learn how to lift properly and therefore are wasting their gift. These purists overlook several obvious facts.

First, the sport of weightlifting was devised as a test of strength. Techniques for performing the snatch and C&J have evolved over the years as part of the constant effort to improve performance It is certainly true that the lifter who fails to master technique will perform at a lower level, in a less consistent way and at greater risk of injury than the athlete who has excellent technique. Nevertheless, the athlete who exhibits great strength is to be admired for that single capacity that weightlifting is fundamentally about.

Second, the athlete who fails to develop good technique should not be any loss well regarded than an athlete who fails to put in the hard and consistent training that is necessary in order to develop his or her enormous strength potential Developing strength is at least as hard as developing technique, and even harder in certain ways. The strong lifter should be given his or her due for all of the hard work that was required to develop that strength. I have met many people who have told me that it's easy to get strong, but none of these individuals has actually achieved the strength of a top international weightlifter. Anyone who has acquired truly great strength understands the enormous effort required too well to take his or her strength for granted.

Third, the athlete with poor technique may have lacked the proper coaching at the outset. He or she may have worked very diligently on technique during his or her formative years. However, for a variety of reasons, the requisite skills may not have been developed. One should not immediately assume that the poor technician is guilty of sheer sloth or stupidity. Rather, one should at least consider the possibility (unless it is proven otherwise) that the athlete in question is trying just as hard as any technique specialist to fulfill his or her potential.

Unfortunately, the technique fanatics sometimes use their technical skills to protect their delicate egos. They have mastered technique. Of their mastery there can be no doubt. It is easy enough to claim a genetic deficiency with respect to the ability to develop strength and then to say: "If I had Jack's strength, I'd lift twice as much as him." Such lifters ignore the fact that the challenge of developing strength is as least as great as that of developing technique and is more fundamentally linked to the reason behind the sport of weightlifting. For such people the frustration caused by failing to develop strength is like that felt by the strong lifter who is unsuccessful in developing technique. It is no more or less painful.

At the other extreme are the advocates of pure strength. They seem to hate technique, almost to wish it had never been invented. They view good technique as an intrusion into the purity of a sport that was devised to test strength. They long for the "old days" when technique was a secondary consideration in lifting big weights. There is nothing that pleases these lifters more than to be told: "You are so strong, you are not using even half of your great strength. If you would just develop proper technique, you would lift twice as much." What could be more gratifying? In reality, if that lifter were to develop perfect technique, he or she would not lift twice as much, probably not fifty percent more, and perhaps not even twenty-five percent more. Why then would a person with unrealistically "optimistic" appraisals of his or her strength develop proper technique, only to discover that the accolades that were once received are no longer as grand?

Today many strength purists gravitate toward powerlifting, a wonderful sport. I think, however, that many of the powerlifters of today would prefer the sport of weightlifting if they could just see how to do it. I have yet to meet one powerlifter who has mastered Olympic-style lifting, and whose body can withstand the rigors of training on the Olympic lifts, who does not prefer it. A great deal of satisfaction comes from being amazingly strong and at the same time capable of producing extremely powerful and efficient motion. There is a unique thrill that comes from controlling the motion of a very heavy object and in the end holding it aloft in celebration of a "victory over gravity.

In conclusion, strength may be more fundamental to the sport of weightlifting than technique, but in order for an athlete to fulfill his or her maximum potential, it is absolutely

essential to develop both qualities to their high potential. Obviously, maximum efficiency is needed to maximize performance. But there are two me subtle and perhaps more important reasons for perfecting technique. One reason is that correct technique is generally safer. An athlete who lifts correctly greatly reduces the risk of injury. A second reason to master technique (perhaps the most important of all) is to minimize frustration All weightlifters miss lifts from time to time, and beginners will miss fairly often, but unskilled lifters and those who have serious flaws in technique will miss again and again unnecessarily They will miss in training and in competition far more than is necessary, and their joy in lifting will suffer greatly as a result. More careers in weightlifting have ended due to frustration than any other cause. Don't let technique flaws frustrate you; learn to lift properly from the outset, no matter how long it takes.