Iron Man February 1971
For those of us in the US, great to see Hampton Morris come away with an Olympic bronze medal. The kid even took a poke at silver and his own world record. Love to see it!
How many of you weightlifters are sure you can press and
jerk much more than your best lift if only you could clean more? Well, read on
this could be the answer to your problems.
Several years ago, the advent of the power rack helped
tremendously in overcoming sticking points in the press, squat, deadlift and
bench press. All of these competitive lifts soared in poundage as a result. But
how can you improve your clean? It is such a classic example of power or
dynamic action that it is impossible to isolate the lift through the use of
static contractions or isometrics. The Segmental Approach is one of the best
methods of providing this isolation.
Basically, when using the Segmental Approach, the trainee
breaks down each component of the particular exercise and using this as a
basis, selects particular exercises which will strengthen the muscle utilized.
Relative to the clean, the Segmental Approach can be utilized as follows. First
analyze the muscles used from toe to head while cleaning. They would be the
following: calves, frontal thighs, lower back, brachioradialis, forearm
muscles, shoulders and trapezius.
Now select the best exercises for strengthening these
muscles:
Calves – Barbell toe raise
Frontal Thighs – Front squat (this is chosen because it
approximates the recovery from the clean and helps utilize existing motor
pathways)
Lower Back – Stiff leg deadlift
Brachioradialis & Forearm Muscles – Reverse curls
(again, this movement approximates a movement used in the clean, thus aiding
isolation.)
Shoulders & Trapezius – Shoulder shrug (approximate
cleaning movement.)
By now another tenet of the Segmental Approach should be
apparent. Namely, try to incorporate exercises which closely approximate
movements used in cleaning. The purpose is threefold:
1.
It helps strengthen exactly the cleaning muscles
2.
It provides isolation of particular cleaning
muscles, thereby helping to overcome sticking points.
3.
It helps utilize motor-pathways.
In explanation, tests have shown that the more a movement is
repeated correctly, the easier it becomes to perform the movement in the
future. Conversely, it requires five correct movements to counteract the
effects of one mistake.
Now the remaining step is to consolidate these exercises
into a logical sequence and shape them into a routine.
Model SA Routine
Warm-up: Form Cleans 1x10 (using 1/3 of best weight)
Exercises:
Stiff Leg Deadlift 3x4
Barbell Toe Raise 2x20
Shoulder Shrug 3x4
Reverse Curl 2x6
Front Squat 3x5
Technique Practice: Form Cleans 1x10 (using 1/3 of best
weight)
So, that’s the routine. Be sure to lift as heavily as
possible while maintaining proper form. Ideally, the routine should be
performed once a week and integrated into your present training schedule.
If you’re having trouble with your clean, this type of
routine will provide the jolt your muscles need to respond with heavier
efforts. And you fellows who think your clean is in good shape – how much more
could you press or jerk if your clean improved by 10 to 20 pounds? Try it and
find out.
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