Fixing your jerk: bar placement and leg position

The jerk can be a tricky situation for some lifters who are having issues placing the bar overhead and then having to fix the body underneath it. Let's take a look at how to fix your body underneath the bar and placing the bar overhead. 

Bar placement and leg position

No matter where the bar remains or travels it should always be on top of the hips or ankles. As you dip and drive and the bar moves upward the center of the bar should always remain on top. The farther away the barbell is from the center of your hips and ankles it creates a distance that is mechanically disadvantageous. Holding the bar in front in a disadvantageous position will cause you to use up more energy that otherwise doesn't need to be spent if held in an efficient advantageous position.

In the above picture you can see Cheri Chan of San Francisco NCAA D1 athlete who I've been working with. Observe the barbell is fixed under her hips for the most part but the load is has forward momentum because the back foot is almost straight. The back foot ideally needs to be bent similar to a lunge position to support the weight overhead and prevent any horizontal momentum. 

Here she demonstrates better more optimized positioning with properly loaded support and with a hind leg in a more bent position. Observe the lunge position. Tibia almost vertically straight. Barbell is above her ears and not in front of her head but not behind her head. You don't have to support the load behind the head. Some lifters do. If you have shoulder mobility that allows you to do so then by all means do it. However, you don't want the barbell to be too far behind your head for it can cause momentum to shift behind you and that can cause you to lose the bar behind. 

This is Marcin Dolega of Poland World Champion and Olympian properly supporting the load overhead. Observe the hind leg in a properly bent position similar to a lung. The load is exactly where it needs to be which is on top of the hips. 

Practice

Practice jerks with lighter loads (50% or 60%) of max and work on the position. Place the bar exactly where it needs to be placed in the most efficient receiving position to minimize horizontal momentum of the bar. 

For coaching and online programming contact me Coach Cano at 805-402-6335 or email me at 

capscave@gmail.com

Coach Cano

The value of light weights and technique

Many lifters rush and add too much weight too soon in training. The weight becomes too heavy when technique breaks down and speed slows down. It's important to take a step back and make adequate time to polish up technique using submaximal weights preferably at low percentages between 50% and or 70%

PASM = Process of Achieving Sports Mastery
This was a term that came out of the Soviet Union that related to their athletes journey throughout their athletic career. The goal was to maximize the athletes potential through a systematic process deliberately aimed at creating the best athletes in the world to promote Communism and to show the west how superior the Soviet's were. And it worked. The Soviets were the first to combine year long training and to combine science, doctors, engineers to developing training methods to achieve the highest athletic potential.

As Weightlifters, we are still encouraged to adopt a similar process. Often I slow down lifters and encourage them to train with light weight to master their technique. Only later will we load the bar to heavier loads once their technique is solid, sound and efficient. This is an ongoing process that never stops frankly speaking.

Light weight and technique development
It's very important to allocate time dedicated to perfecting technique development using light weights. Not everyday you are going to lift weights over 90%. Training with light weights 50% to 70% will give you active recovery while developing timing, speed, and position to the classical lifts such as the snatch and clean n jerk.

Make sure that you emphasize timing, speed with the goal of placing that bar where you want it to go. Have the mentality that you are deliberately putting the bar in the positions you want to achieve the greatest bar path trajectory and efficiency. This can be greatly achieved using light weights and dedicating time to lifting lighter loads.

Coach Cano

The relative value of strength in Olympic Weightlifting PT. 2

Let's talk about the relative value of strength in Weightlifting. How relative is it? It's probably the most valuable asset a Weightlifter can have for the following reasons described below.

Weightlifting is not judged...
If Weightlifting was a sport that was simply judged and based off technique then there would be no need for weight classes. Sports that are judged based off technique execution such as gymnastics and diving don't have weight classes. They have judges who judge the movements of the sport. These are sports that are completely subjective and when it comes to scoring and it's up the judges to declare who is the winner.

In Weightlifting, there are no judges. There are referees who's job is to make sure that the executed lifts are within the rules. In order to win, it is up to the Weightlifter. The winner is determined by the lifter that lifts the most weight. The judges don't determine the winners in this sport.

Records in Weightlifting
The reason there are records in Weightlifting is because these records are based off which lifter lifted the most weight in the snatch and clean and jerk for their respective weight class. The records aren't set on who has the best technique. The records are based off who lifted the most weight...PERIOD!

Weight Classes
If technique were truly so important in Weightlifting then why are there weight classes? Don't get me wrong, technique is important but it's not the determining factor in winning. No one wins gold medals because they have better technique. If this sport was purely about technique let's have no weight classes and see who lifts the most. It's so obvious that this approach would favor the heavier more muscular lifters. Why? Because higher weight classes have more cross sectional muscle fibers which produce more force. But because this isn't the approach to winning in Weightlifting there are weight classes and rightfully so.

In order to win in the sport of Weightlifting you have to be strong. You have to be the strongest in your weight class. Because no matter how good your technique is you are not going to be awarded a medal for based off your technique. But you will earn a medal for lifting the most kilos no matter how your technique is as long as the lifts are within the rules.

Coach Cano

Training mindset: celebration vs. punishment

I saw a quote the other day that read like this:

Exercise is not a punishment for the food you ate.
It's a celebration of what your body can do.

This quote really resonated with me on several levels that I want to expand on.

Punishment
People lust for food and have this sexualized relationship with food. The marketing of food has created feelings of pleasure. I enjoy good tasting food like anyone else. However, unchecked can lead us into a deep hole of regret for indulging in far too much pleasure. What happens next are feelings of regret and self loathing. We use exercise as a punishment for the food we ate in hopes that we don't gain weight. The whole process isn't that fun. To be honest, my training no longer focuses on this mindset. This is the mentality of the fitness world which I no longer participate in or have no interest in.

Celebration
At my gym The Training Hall in Newbury Park California our Olympic lifting squad we celebrate our bodies for what it can do. We train day in and day out to see how much stronger we can get. It's not punishment for us because we want to be at the gym. We want to be there. Matter of fact, we can't wait to train. It's this mentality that sets apart someone who 'worksout' vs. someone who 'trains'. There is a difference.

Go against the fitness industry standards because they are setting you up for disappointment. Just take a look at any fitness magazine and on the cover is fake digital image of a model making you think that this is what you should strive for. It's exterior motivation pining you down against your own ideals.

Create your own standards that are centered around you. I am a minority when I say this but a big F.U. to the fitness industry!!!! Be someone different and celebrate your own personal success. Challenge your body's performance and you'll be surprised what it can do. Lasting training success that is fulfilling can only come from within. Celebrate your performance.

Coach Cano

SAVE MONEY with this approach to cutting weight!!!

Diets, meal plans, cutting weight for meets

If you are using a meal plan, macros, or diet program...you probably aren't really that determined to win or medal at your next competition. Why? Because if you really are that determined to win no amount of food or socializing will take away from you your opportunity to succeed.

Cutting weight usually comes with a extra work of cardio and skimpy eating. To many, it's no fun!!!! In the Powerlifting community many federations allow up to 24 hour weigh ins so it's common to hear stories of lifters making weight and then gaining anywhere from 10 to 20lbs the next day. Hardly seems fair at all considering that you're suppose to be competing with someone your same weight in the same class. Make sense right? 

In Weightlifting, we weigh in 2 hrs before lifting. So cutting more than 5lbs the day or day before is not very smart at all. There are different approaches to cutting weight and I'll share with you my approach. You don't need to spend money on those online diet programs which I'm sure work. However, I want to offer you my approach towards cutting weight and save you money. 

My approach = Coach Cano's approach
The best rule of thumb is to not train more than 5 to 6 kilos above your weight class for heavy weight classes and no more than 4 to 5 kilos above your weight class for the middle classes and light weights. Light weight classes, no more than 4...please. You don't have much to lose. You're already skinny. 

Off Season
This is the most important time of the training cycle to add volume and to build strength. I compete at 77kilos so my training weight off season is 82 to 81 kilos. At this heavier weight I can train for volume and strength. The extra volume will increase calorie burning and effort. Therefore, the extra calories to eat is for recovery and for energy. You need extra energy or else you will burn out and not have enough substrates for energy during training. 

3 to 4 months out
At this time I'm cutting back the volume and increasing the intensity. I drop to 80kilos body weight and stay in the range but no more than 4 kilos over competition weight. This phase of training I'm increasing my percentages and the strength goes up.

4 weeks out
This time I'm training at 79kgs and stay there. Volume drops but intensity is up there. Increasing speed in the lifts is important in this phase. It's important to drop calorie consumption since your volume is less. Less volume gives you the opportunity to increase your intensity and your strength should peak at this time. 

1 week out
This time of training I'm only about 1 to 2 kilos above body weight. This weight range is easy to manage. The last 2 or 1 kilos over body weight can easily be cut 2 days before or even the night before. This last week I'm focusing on speed in the lifts and maxing out on the lifts. All accessory work is eliminated from training. 

Competition Day
If you time it correctly which isn't hard to do you should be at peak strength at the competition. If you're not...you messed up. Seriously. It's not a science. It's timing and programming. You don't need meal plans or diet programs. If you are extremely motivated to win and do your best no amount of food will distract you from achieving maximum performance on competition day.  If you're using a meal plan, diet program, or macros...why? Question your determination. Question if your drive is there. Question if you are hungry to succeed...and not just hungry for pork chops.

Coach Cano

REVIEW: Olympic Lifting Strength Manual by Louie Simmons

So far I've read the first 100 pages and Louie has my attention. Please keep in mind that this is a strength training manual for Olympic lifters. It's not a book about technique for the snatch and clean n jerk. I have a few burning questions:


- How can you apply strength training principles for Olympic lifters? 
- How can an Olympic lifter improve strength WHERE IT MATTERS and have their clean and jerk and snatch go up? 

These are questions I'm asking myself as I read the manual.

Accommodation
So far the grand enemy of limiting strength gains for snatch and clean n jerk is accommodation. After a training cycle using similar percentage loads the body will accommodate. It's a biological law. The manual says that after 3 weeks of training at 90% or more of the same stimulus you will halt progress. To avoid accommodation Louie recommends using 3 week wave intervals. You train for 3 weeks using the same stimulus, same percent range, or same bar and go for a P.R. but after 3 weeks you introduce a new stimulus. For example, your first 3 weeks you can hang snatch. After 3 weeks you hang snatch from below the knees. After those 3 weeks you snatch from the floor. We haven't even talked about snatching from boxes but that's another option. There are many to choose from including complexes.

50% of training volume
Louie got his recommendations from Soviet Union research books that he got from Bud Charniga. The Soviet Union was producing the greatest Weightlifters at that time and their science was available but it was written in Russian. Bud Charniga provided translated versions in English. The Soviets kept records and planned details of programming for their Olympic lifters. Louie adopted those training methods to his powerlifting team to develop the Westside method of strength. In those soviet manuals:

50% of your training volume should be at 75% to 85% or 1 RM (Repetition Maximum)

This is important once again to avoid accommodation.

There is so much more to talk about but these 2 concepts can be implemented now into your training to continue the progress and make those important strength gains. Olympic lifting is still, has always been and will continue to be a strength sport. Those that think it's all about technique I have something to say:

- If Olympic lifting was all about technique, why do they have weight classes?
- If Olympic lifting was all about technique (and not so much strength) then it would be judged similar to Gymnastics and diving. 

In gymnastics and diving, there are no weight classes. Why? Because it's a sport that whoever executes the best technique wins. Therefore, judges are required. Olympic lifting has no judges. They have referee's and officials. I believe this manual is valuable for improved strength for Olympic Weightlifting. More to talk about from this manual later.

Coach Cano

The 2 most important lifts in competition

So you are entering a Weightlifting competition. GREAT!!! Whether it's your first one or you are an experienced lifter there are 2 attempts that are the most important ones in competition. Far too many lifters make attempts and miss too often. In the sport of Weightlifting you have to make lifts. PERIOD!!! This cannot be underestimated. Last years nationals score card looked like a bloodbath with so many missed attempts. Without at least one successful snatch lift and one successful clean n jerk you cannot total. It's called bombing out!!! Let's look at those 2 attempts that are the most important.

Snatch:
Your first snatch attempt should be the most important one because it should be the easiest one!!! The rule of thumb is that your opening snatch should be something you can double in training. You don't want to miss your first attempt because now you're in trouble. You start to enter doubt into your mindset and you don't want that to happen. Make your first attempt count.

Clean n jerk:
Your opening clean n jerk should be something you can do in training any day of the week. The more attempts you make the more confidence you gain while progressing in the competition. A clean + front squat + jerk is a great combo lift to practice as an opener in training. Whatever weight that is for you consider that an opening attempt weight. You don't want to start too heavy because then you might not have enough strength for the 3rd attempt. Depending on the competition you can open slightly heavier.

Final thoughts:
Your first attempts should be the most important ones because then you can total. You have trained hard for months and you don't want to show up on competition day bombing out or going something like 2 for 6. Your training should be your preparation and selecting weights you can make as openers improves your odds at success. I recommend at local smaller meets to aim for 6 for 6 and open with lighter weights to build confidence. These smaller meets are great to get in those kilos. Make your lifts, make your openers and make it count.

Coach Cano

NO New Years Resolutions

I don't deal with that crap when it comes to my lifting goals. It's all about lifetime progress. The new year is all about a continuation of progress established towards lifetime goals.

That's all I got. Take it and run with it.

Coach Cap

The younger you start the better off!!!

It's never too late to start but the younger you are the better chances you have. Kids in Europe, China, Colombia, Russia start as early as 10 years old.

Performance Interview with Edinson Angulo of the Colombian National Weightlifting team!

Weightlifting in Colombia: PT.1 with National Coach Luis Arrieta

So Cap's Cave Strength made a trip to Colombia where in recent years Colombia has produced Weightlifters who have won medals in the Olympics with Diego Salazar and Oscar Figueroa and in last years World Championships where Luis Javier Mosquera won the Bronze medal in the snatch. Prviously, Mosquera won the Junior World championships. So something special is going on in Colombia where both men and women are competing at the highest levels whereas in the USA our program is developing but we're still behind in terms of success what the Colombian's have achieved.

Luis Arrieta Weightlifting School in Barranquilla

250kg squat 20 years old 77kg body weight

I first met Luis on Facebook and he invited me to come down to his Weightlifting school in Barranquilla Colombia. I've never been to South America and have always wanted to so here's a perfect opportunity to visit the exotic continent of South America. First stop, Barranquilla. I met Luis outside the gates of the Metropolitano stadium in Barranquilla where his weightlifting school is at.

His Weightlifting school is centered around developing youth lifters from 10 years old till 20 and under. From there on, lifters who are good enough and need more development after 20 years old will be relocated to one of several training bases in Colombia such as Cartagena, Cali or Bogota. His Weightlifting school is one of many in the country.

Colombian Weightlifting schools
The sport of Weightlifting in Colombia is free for anyone that wants to participate. The funding is provided for by the state. The state covers uniforms, shoes and travel expenses when competing nationally or internationally. There are lifting leagues within each lifting department and all competitions develop lifters to rise in the ranks or qualify to bigger competitions such as Pan American's, World Youth Championships, or youth nationals.

At the Luis Arrieta lifting school there are both boys and girls training. The boys there were squatting close to 200kgs or over. A 20 year old lifter was squatting 250kgs at 77kg body weight. This is common in Colombia. After years of technique training they put a lot of focus on developing strength for the lifts.

In PT. 2 I want to share with you a deeper look into the Colombian training system and how they develop that system to develop their lifters and their lifting program.

Performance Based interview video

Check out our latest performance based interview series with Strength and Conditioning coach Bruce Mendoza on how strength focused training has improved athletic performance for one of his clients.

Why STRENGTH matters for sports performance

I say this again and again to all my lifters and that is no one gets a gold medal for having the prettiest looking clean and jerk or snatch. The fact is that Olympic lifting or Powerlifting is still a strength sport and strength is what matters to get on the podium. Technique is obviously important and no one is underestimating that fact. With that said, you take two lifters who are identical in skill execution, the one lifter with the greatest strength is the one who will lift more and win the gold medal.

Sports Performance
Strength is not limited to only the strength sports. Strength matters on the field. It matters in track and field, jumping sports, volleyball, throwing, and many more sports. Take for example a 300lb lineman who can bench 300lbs for a 1 repetition maximum. Let's just say that the average time for a football play lasts 4 to 6 seconds. That 300lbs lineman will have to defend his ground against another lineman who weighs just the same as he does for that amount of time. What's important here is to develop the strength endurance to able to support the time of play to defend against the other lineman. Being able to bench that 300lbs for for 6 to 8 reps and now his work capacity has increased. He can now handle the same load for a longer amount of time and we have increased his sports performance on the field.

Another example is taking a high jumper or volleyball player where jumping is essential for their sports. We'll assume their jumping technique skills are solid and efficient. A long term squat training program along with some snatches and clean and jerks that is progressive will help them in their sports. The squat strength from squatting will improve hip, quad and glute strength in addition to strengthening the connective tissue to minimize injury. The snatches, clean and jerks will give them necessary speed/strength to help them jump higher. Assuming that the squat training and Olympic lifts are executed with optimum and efficient skill execution.

Strength training and applying the correct strength approach is important in developing athletic strength in order for your athlete to excel to their highest potential. Olympic lifts will help an athlete develop the speed/strength needed to move fast with strength. The strength training such as squats, deadlifts will help the athlete develop the force production needed from the muscles to enable the action needed to execute a given play. In addition, increased strength to the connective tissues will be improved preventing injury. Learning to apply both strength methods to your athletes is a blend of science and art to get the most out of your athletes.

Coach Cano

The undying spirit to be the best: part 2

In the part 2 I want to share with you about determination and how being determined fosters an undying spirit to be the best. As I was sitting in my car looking at the MRI for a brief moment thoughts raced through my mind about whether I would compete again, whether I would be able to lift again. I even thought about quitting as an option.

Deciding to change my outcome

Yes, I had a herniated disc inside me. Yes I had sciatica. Yes I had stenosis. I knew my present condition was serious and had two choices to make: 1. remain in this state and be forever labeled as someone with a bad back. 2: overcome my injuries and move forward. I chose option 2. I didn't know how I was going to do it but I refused to live the rest of my life with a label of a 'bad back.'

Recovery/rehab

It took me about 2 months of recovery which meant no heavy lifting compressing my back that could jeopardize my herniated disc from healing. I got creative with certain lifts to maintain some leg strength such as using belts with chains to squat. In addition, I discovered using the reverse hyper.
I was doing my research that the reverse hyper opens and closes the discs to accelerate healing of the discs. Louie Simmons used the reverse hyper to heal his back. I can tell you that the reverse hyper saved my back. As I write this article my back is all healed up and living pain free. No more sciatica, no more stenosis, no more pain. Best of all, I'm lifting heavy again. Back to squats, front squats and I even competed again on the platform and have qualified for the 2015 Olympic lifting season for nationals and the world championship. Obviously, I have had to change my technique and improve it so that I don't relapse into back pain again. This was a daily task that involved repetitive movements using light weights to carve out an efficient movement pattern to maximize results. 

Supplements
Lastly, the supplements I have been using during the recovery phase are glucosamine condriotin and sulfate. Using about 2,000mgs of each has shown in a research study to regenerate spinal discs and cartilage. Click Here for research paper. In addition, supplementing with Vitamin C helps to restore damaged tissue and supports tissue regeneration.

Final thoughts
What is all boils down to to be the best is choice. Deciding to persevere when it looks like the odds are against you is the hardest part but everything can be overcome. Deciding to quit is a choice. NOTHING IS EVER ABSOLUTE!!!!! Let that sink in. Everybody, and I mean everybody heals.

Coach Cano

3 types of muscle contractions and their application

There are 3 types of muscular contractions. The muscle contractions are Concentric, Eccentric, and Isometric. This article will in brief discuss those contractions and their application to sports performance. Applying practical use of these contractions will help the athlete achieve optimum performance.

Eccentric Muscle Contraction
This type of muscle contraction is also known as the negative contraction. The forces go with the force of gravity in a downward momentum. By moving with the force of gravity potential energy is stored within the movement and then released in the final phase assuming a short amortization phase. Think of the downward movement of a depth jump or the downward movement of a bicep curl. Eccentric contractions are associated with a lengthening of the muscle fibers which causes them to stretch or become longer in length.

Concentric Muscle Contraction
This type of muscle contraction is also known as the positive contraction. The forces produced by the muscles for the most part move against the force of gravity usually in an upward movement. Think about a vertical jump or the upward movement of the bicep curl. Concentric muscle contractions usually cause a shortening of the muscles. The muscle cross bridging come together which causes the muscle to shorten in length.

Isometric Muscle Contraction
This type of muscle contraction is unique in that there is no movement associated with the contraction. There is no velocity associated with this movement thus in physics terms it's a scalar because it still has magnitude. There is still force production within the contraction. An example is a wall squat where you contract using your muscles and push against a wall.

Sports Performance and muscle contractions
Concentric and eccentric muscle contractions are usually employed during sports performance since most sports require movement. Take for example plyometric training. In order to fully utilize the stored elastic energy coming from the eccentric downward movement of the jump the amortization phase of the movement must be as short as possible. If not, dynamic energy will be lost as heat. Another example is the stretch reflex of a squat. The eccentric movement has potential energy that when coming off the bottom of the squat with an extremely short amortization phase will transfer to kinetic energy getting a dynamic boost from the bottom of the squat.

All the best and see you on the platform.

Coach Cap

Increase Strength: mindset

Having the right mindset can improve your strength in ways you never imagined. Let's take a look at some examples of how having the right mindset can elevate your performance. 

Powerlifter Mindset

Powerlifters have one thing in mind when it comes to performance: lift more weight! Powerlifters are thinking about lifting more weight and not so concerned with technique, improved biomechanics etc. Of course those things help but strength is what matters in the bench, squat, and deadlift. 

Weightlifter (Olympic lifter) mindset

Olympic lifters can learn a lot from Powerlifters. Too often I hear from other Olympic lifters about improving speed, technique, even biomechanics. Technique is important, speed is too. Let's not forget Olympic lifting is a STRENGTH SPORT!!!! It's the only strength sport in the Olympics! Dmitry Klokov in an interview mentioned that Weightlifting is 10% technique and 90% strength. IT MATTERS TO BE STRONG!!!! 

Newtons Second Law

F=MA. F = force M = mass A = acceleration. It's simple. You increase the force applied to the mass given the same velocity then acceleration goes up as well as the bar! Increased rate of force development matters not just in Powerlifting but for Olympic lifters as well. Focus on getting stronger: 

- stronger legs

- stronger back

- stronger shoulders

Don't focus on the little things like keeping the bar closer. YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT! Doing more snatches to get stronger isn't the way. You have to use accessory lifts to improve strength in the classical lifts: pulls, deadlifts, squats, front squats, presses. Less snatches and clean and jerks and more strengthening exercises to improve the classical lifts. 

POWERLIFTER MINDSET = STRONGER!!!!

Coach Cap

You HAVE to gain muscle mass for more strength right? Not really!

You're going to hear this from people who aren't well informed but they will tell you that in order to get stronger you'll need to gain muscle mass. This is true but it's not the only way to gain strength. You can get stronger without having to gain strength you just have to know some knowledge about muscle activation, fiber types and potentials.

Making strength gains without weight gains
Competitive Olympic lifters and Powerlifters can spend a career in the same weight class all their life and still get stronger as the years go by. How does this happen? It's caused with an improvement in muscle neuron signal transmission.

Muscle excitation

Before a muscle contracts a message is sent from your brain to the muscle traveling from the spinal cord to the diverging nerves. The message is called an Action Potential. The action potential innervates a motor neuron to contract a muscle. The stronger the signal the greater the muscle contracts. At the same time, more muscle fibers will be activated to create the muscle contraction. Greater recruitment usually means more force produced. This can takes years and is not dependent on muscle size gains.

Muscle fiber types
When talking about strength we are interested in Type 2x muscle fibers. There are Type 1, Type 2 a and we Type 2x. There are more than that but to keep it brief let's keep it simple and talk about Type 2x muscle fiber recruitment to maximize strength gains. These fibers produce the highest outputs of force production. They fatigue fast and don't last very long. Usually, no longer than 10 seconds of high max forces do to ATP store reduction. Therefore, you want your training and intensity to stimulate these Type 2x muscle fibers. Usually, it requires max efforts of 95% to 100% of max lifts for 1 to 3 reps of any strength lift.

The picture shows an untrained muscle fiber and how strength training

increases the muscle cell in size do to SR increases.

It doesn't make sense if you're going to be doing 8 to 12 reps of any strength lift and expect great increases in strength. This rep range stops recruiting the Type 2x fibers and switches to Type 2a fibers. These type of rep ranges increase the size of the sarcoplasmic reticulum causing increases in mass and weight allowing for improved signal and binding of actin and myosin cross bridging BUT at the price of potential lower power to weight ratios. You can increase the size of the SR (sarcoplasmic reticulum) but not necessarily gain the strength needed to display higher power to weight ratios.

Coach Cap

Good coach...GREAT coaching!!!!

Great coaches do things differently than good coaches. For one, great coaches produce results!!! PERIOD!!! Success lies in the numbers. NUMBERS....DON'T LIE. Sales companies base their success on the number of sales targets the company is aiming for. Training, sports, competition is no different. In order for your team to win, they must score. Let's take a close look at how we can become great coaches.

Quantifying production (it's about numbers)

How do you really know how good your athletes are doing if you don't quantify their progress? As the saying says, if you can't quantify it you can't measure it. Great coaches track and log their athletes progression. For example, take Olympic Weightlifting. The Soviets have quantified the results of over 700 highly qualified lifters and gathered data that supports their progress. You have to track progress!!!! KEEP A TRAINING LOG!!!!

Are you tracking the following:

- reps?

- sets?

- number of lifts?

- total tons lifted?

- phase of training in the training plan? (GPP, SPP, etc)

- how fast are they running?

- how long are they jumping?

- how high are they jumping?

In our training we keep a log that after every training session we can tell you how many lifts we did, how many tons lifted, per session, per month, and what kind of phase we are in during the training cycle. The image is 3 days of our training to include exercises, reps, sets, number of lifts, total tons lifted:

Training Blindly

Simply training and getting your athletes doing general movements that seem appropriate for sports preparation isn't enough and it's training while wearing blinds over your eyes. As coaches, we should demand better performance by implementing quantifiable progress. That comes from us taking the time to truly measure progress. You can't measure progress without numbers!!!!

Again, NUMBERS...DON'T LIE. Can you quantify your progress? How do you really know how your athletes are doing? 

Coach Cap

How Communism transformed sports

Reduce Moment Arms: keeping the bar close

One of the challenges in Weightlifting is keeping the bar close to the body. When the bar gets farther away from your center of mass you will have to try harder to keep the bar closer to you. The distance a weight is from the muscular force perpendicular to the center of mass is known as a moment arm.

If we look at the picture you will see the moment arm is the red horizontal arm lining up with the hip muscles and center of mass. The smaller the moment arms the greater force potential can be applied to the muscular forces needed to overcome the weight of the bar. That said, we are more efficient when we apply maximum velocity, impulse, and strength when the moment arms are the smallest.

The above picture shows Andrei Rybakov (Bel) who is an 85kg Weightlifter from Belarus snatching a world record snatch lift of 187kgs (411lbs) at 187lbs body weight. Rybakov is the current snatch record holder in his weight class and is the 2008 Beijing Olympics silver medalist barely losing the gold to China's Lu Yong on body weight. Notice how close the bar is and how the moment arm between the bar and the center of mass is minimized to allow the greatest force produced from the primary movers. For more information contact Coach Cap for training.