Acquiring Lifting Technique (1933) Author Unknown

 

                                                                 

                                                               From this issue. Vol. III, No. 1, 1933.

                                                                 James Grogan, Charles Treadwell

                                                                  Click the pic to ENLARGE, bozo. 

I'd like to start this one off with the best original poem/joke I've ever worked on to date. THE most important and pleasing thing I've ever written. Okay then: 

I knew a woman nicknamed The Bus. When she wanted to move to doggystyle, she'd smile, wink, and say, "Please move to the back of The Bus. 

A couple minutes later it was, "Please hold on while The Bus is in motion." 

Non-transit types won't understand. 

Fuck Ya. 

Okay now . . . 

Improvement of the lifting technique is something for which the ambitious lifter must ever strive. I should say that no lifter has as yet achieved the acme in this respect, and what is more, it will probably be a long time before anyone shall reach such point of perfection. 

In view of the standard so are attainted on some records it might be surmised that further progress is almost, if, indeed, not quite impossible, but to venture any such opinion would be tantamount to acknowledgement of your lack of understanding of this fascinating pastime and its true possibilities of advancement. 

Remarkable as many of the great men of the past have seemed, it is no more than a matter of fact to call to mind the startling manner in which the records have been erased and rewritten time and again on those feats in which modern lifters take any degree of pride. 

True, there are certain lifters who have become sidetracked and have been but little practiced by the later generations, so we have no fair means of judging the respective abilities of the older and younger men who have figured so prominently in our sport. 

 

Speaking of technique, reference should be made to the accompanying illustrations, where a high degree of this quality is depicted. Especially so in regards to the two hands snatch, and particularly should be note the two poses of Nathan McCann. 

Note: So many men from the past, fine lifters, are now unknown to us. During this earlier, pre-social media era, the PR/Sales machine was somewhat smaller. There was no soap-opera, near-pro wrestling hooey about a cold sore on Lasha's lip or some Olympian's woes over a house-pet with the sniffles. So, they were forgotten for the most part. A strangely different time, filled with more naivete, less money, and for me, much more interesting people than today's lot of puppy-puppets with the attention span of hummingbirds. King Vitriol, mild version!   

Undeniably, technique of a superior sort is required if one is to squat on the toes in the manner shown by the rear pose, and you may recall that we have already shown you Vogt, famous German champion [who? see what I mean], in  a similar position. 

However, as nifty as this style of lifting may appear to the uninitiated and as much as the ambitious lifter may consider this to be the ultimate in the realization of snatching perfection, it possesses certain outstanding faults which must be understood and carefully weighed before making this your choice of lifting styles. 

On the other hand, the chief disadvantage lies in the precariousness of the position, the balance being most difficult on the toes; even outstanding objection to the low squat method of lifting. 

The next disadvantage pertains to the difficulty in getting up to an erect position with the weight and many otherwise good lifts are spoiled because the athlete finds it an impossibility to stand up once the arms have been straightened. 

From the viewpoint of novelty, there may be nothing to compare with the flashing before the audience of such a style as this . . . 

. . . but when the lifter has a limited number of trials to register his success on the lifts, it may prove wiser to choose and master a style which assurance of a low percentage of failures. 

As concerns the matter of getting the maximum of drop in the snatch, I should say that too little is gained in this respect through use of the squat to compensate for the disadvantages of precariousness and difficulty in getting up with the weight. 

When an efficient split style is employed, the arms as well as the legs are in a position which makes for greater power in completion of the lift, for in comparison with the squat one is enabled to immediately arise on the rebound and the arms and legs may be taught to work in unison as the body is lowered and then again brought to the erect position and while in the squat it becomes necessary to either stop momentarily in order to steady yourself or to limit the poundage in order that a rebound may be possible, no such cessation of the continuity is necessary when the split is properly mastered. 

Though there should be not the slightest doubt in the mind of the reader as to the type of lifting I advise by way of preference, nevertheless, I wish to be frank in saying that one does see rare individuals who make out better on the squat and who must therefore be encouraged to improve themselves in their choice of this style.

 What I wish particularly to discourage is any sort of wholesale adoption of this squatting idea by the general run of young bar bell enthusiasts. 

Improvement in technique in the split style would consist for the most part in mastering a good and efficient rebound so that you might snappily drop under the weight and bounce right back up again to the erect position; which would likewise be true in the squatting style of snatching. And, at the same time we must not lose track of the prime essential of the power you put into the effort of pulling the weight from the floor to the maximum of height which might be necessitated by the style you use. Which causes us to pause long enough to remark that the first essential in your training is, after all, the acquisition of strength which will enable you to handle the limit in poundage. 

Having pulled the weight to the greatest possible height, you must learn to get down as low as possible, by sitting to the lowest possible extent in the squat and by splitting sufficiently wide in the alternate style. 

The speed with which you can pull the bell from the floor and drop into the split determines largely the success you will register, and as well you must cultivate and master the ability to rise immediately. Not only is there an attempt to thus formulate the rules but the utmost in both technique and efficiency demands that this be accomplished.

Among the illustrations above you will note three of young Philippine Islanders, or Filipinos, whom I have found to be the most progressive in the adoption of the latest wrinkles in lifting technique, just as quite apparently they are in the adoption of a progress policy politically [say what?]. 

Mr. Messina is shown snatching in a low squat, but I should think he has failed to pull the weight back sufficiently far and so is most likely to lose the balance of the bell. He certainly has a low position though.

I desire particularly to call the attention of my readers to the two other poses, of B. Lintag starting the two hands military press, and of P. Nieto at the completion of a lift. There is something about the positions of both these young men which commends  them. 

First -- Lintag has his thumbs under the bar in the proper manner for the pressing of your limit and his entire bodily stance could well be copied by a lot of lifters who are primarily interested in acquiring form which would pass officials anywhere.

P. Nieto has been caught in a finishing style which I especially like to see and which is extra good for the military press. In properly centering the body it is necessary for some men to move the body forward in this manner as the arms are extended above the head. Of course, it is possible to keep the bell in front of the body at the finishing position, but this amounts to an unnatural restriction and limits the efficiency of the press. 

Recently I witnessed some official lifting in another part of the country and was amused to see some of the athletes ruled out for finishing a press in this manner. To move the bar back of the head is in no sense an infraction of the rules and in no way can it be said that the rules are violated if if the body moves forward to to center itself under the weight [little did the author know what abominations past were soon to be passed]. 

It would be the most natural thing in the world for the lifter to press in the manner depicted by these two poses, that is, while holding the body as shown by Lintag [who? see what I mean] as the bell passes the face and shifting to the position shown by Pinedo as the lift is completed; it is understood that this shifting of the body does not take place until the very last stage of the press or until just the point where the elbows are locked. 

In performing a correct snatch it is likewise not only desirable but efficient that this finishing position of the body should be assumed, as nothing better assures the safe locking of the weight overhead. There is no need of fear that the weight will fall backwards as the shoulders and arms lock in natural manner to secure the weight in this position.

The ambitious lifter should extend every effort towards throwing the body forward under the bell as he snatches, and especially at the finishing stage. Not only do the arms straighten out more securely but the lift will be more certain to pass the officials. 

What has been said of the snatch applies equally well to cleaning and jerking. Among hundreds of lifters you will run across a wide variety of styles in cleaning and I should say that at least half of the lifters whom you will see in any large representative group will display form that is far from commendable; this does not apply to the athletes whom you might see in the Olympic games or large National or International events, but will be seen to be true among larger numbers of those whom you might rightfully regard as better than average in the game. 

Too many fellows fail to dip sufficiently as the bell is pulled to the chest, relying on the least amount of bend in the knees to aid them in pulling the bell to the chest, relying on the least amount of bend in the knees to aid them in pulling the bell to the chest, a goodly percent of them employing neither a split or squat. 

Even though it should entail exercising at deep knee bends and other leg work calling for complete contractions, over a period of months in order to change the habits respecting use of the legs in raising your weights any bar bell fellow who wants to accomplish anything will do well to lay off actual lifting until he acquires the habit of always lowering the body to the extreme in lifting. 

The rule that applies here, without exception, is that the cleaning, snatching and jerking movements must be performed in an exaggerated manner at all times and the lifter must not spoil himself through the use of light weights which necessitate but slight use of the knees. 

Success on these lifting movements, in other words depends upon getting down under the bell and upon this one objective ALL efforts must be concentrated. 

Very few lifters are so constructed naturally as to be suitably adapted to the full squatting style in cleaning, but regardless of your choice of style be certain to drop to the full extent in cleaning. 

Likewise in jerking the bell to arms' length overhead, the complete drop must be employed if you are to be truly efficient in your efforts and practically all that has been said of the snatch is equally applicable to the jerk.

Let the ambitious fellow first develop the muscle and strength which are so essential and then master his lifts in the most thorough manner and lifting technique of a superior sort will be a reality. 

Enjoy Your Lifting!  

 

             

Strength is a Greedy and Seductive Mistress - Kevin Iskierski (1987)

 Powerlifting USA October 1987

Thanks to Howard Menkes for providing the article!  My eyes and fingers appreciate the break from typing up this stuff

It began for me about twelve years ago. I still remember it as a scene of triumph and a place of wounded pride. Strangely enough it was a place where, despite being an avid fitness buff, I had not been in the past. Thus, I found myself studying and surveying, as if struck by mild surprise, its countryside setting. I felt the appeal of its inviting layout amidst small rolling hills and stands of trees. 

I also felt a gripping determination grow inside me. I would, I believe, run one mile, with no problem. So what if it happened to be a muggy mid-summer afternoon in early August. So what if the air hung heavy and motionless, as if suspended in time. I decided I wouldn’t let these factors discourage me. As I stretched and loosened, I remember how my father and I used to watch track and field on Saturday afternoon television. I recalled remarking on how the milers ran with obvious speed, but only for a mile, which I didn’t consider a long distance. 

So, I had a goodly amount of confidence and youthful exuberance, you might say, but, to my astonishment, when I failed to even complete a mile on that sunny day some dozen years ago, a great deal of disappointment and frustration as well. 

It was, since high school, my first serious attempt at running.  I was young, just 22 at the time, and in generally good shape at a bodyweight of slightly under 150 pounds. I had stayed trim and fit through weight training and neither smoked or drank. Drugs had no place in my life; in fact, despite their growing popularity at the time, I was turned off by them. 

I favored the pursuit of my own passions and enthusiasms. Twice in high school, I set some sort of endurance record by doing first one thousand and then thirteen hundred consecutive sit-ups. The second time, as a 16 year old sophomore, the only reason I stopped was literally because the kid holding my ankles got tired of counting and wanted to go to lunch. Six years later, I certainly was in no hurry to admit to being out of shape. 

The passing of that summer, and the beginning of fall and winter, did not diminish the hurt to my self-esteem. I carried with me the weight of that August day’s failure like a wounded animal burdened by a hunter’s bullet. The pain prodded me, a dull but persistent ache, which felt like emptiness growing inside. 

The following spring I set about addressing that empty feeling. I started slowly, of course, working on basic conditioning and the establishment of a set schedule. My aim was to develop running power sufficient enough to assist my strength training with weights. My heart leaned towards running; my head still loved the sensations of power and strength that accompany lifting heavy weights. 

I settled on running three times a week. This, I reasoned, would build stamina without detracting too much from strength. I determined it best that I attempt two miles and seek to reduce my time. 

My first complete two mile jaunt clocked out at a hardly respectable 14 minutes. But, as Spring wore on, and it’s wonderful and welcome warmth brought forth the usual hopeful surge of enthusiasm. I found myself actually looking forward to heading out to that high school track. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, and also on Saturday morning, I’d be there, rain or shine. 

For three months, I maintained this routine. Eventually I established a groove and I was subtracting a full ten seconds from the preceding week’s best time. This went on for twelve consecutive weeks and culminated one sweltering July morning, appropriately enough, in a best ever time of 11 minutes and 57 seconds. 

I wonder how much better I might have become, had I pursued running. However, as I indicated, running was not so much a substitute as a supplement, a sideline. It gave me stamina, to be sure, but unlike my father, who was once a runner-up in the state cross country high school championships, I found myself pursuing feats of strength rather than fleet feet. 

I did nothing fancy – just basic power movements. My goal was not to be big like a bodybuilder, or swift and graceful as an Olympic weightlifter. All I wanted was to get myself stronger. Thus, I naturally turned to the power lifts, the lifts that directly tax most of the body’s major muscle groups: the hips and thighs in the squat; the shoulders, chest and arms in the bench press; the back and legs in the deadlift (my favorite). They are generally regarded by strength coaches and trainers as being the best overall barometer and builder of size and strength. 

For me, they became something more. The lifts I practiced and over time assumed added significance beyond the mere weights and movements involved. Going to the gym was no longer simply an act of repetition; it became an exercise in physical and mental self-control. I found myself taking the ancient mind over matter aspect of lifting and turning it into a quest for physical and mental sharpness. I also found, in the process of handling heavy weights, new meanings and definitions in the terms physical commitment and emotional involvement. 

Eventually, my commitment and involvement took me into competition itself. The sport of powerlifting back then, in 1978, was starting to expand, and getting in on the ground floor was easy enough. It was time to challenge my private exertions and efforts. 

At first, I just wanted to lift a total of seven times my own weight, which never exceeded 149 pounds in competition, but, as one often notes in the sport’s ranks, strength is a greedy and seductive mistress; she frequently finds ways of grabbing hold and urging you on. 

Gradually, I pushed and pulled myself a little higher. First I achieved a total of 1050, then, 1100, 1150, and finally, 1200 pounds. This last result, done in May, 1981, represents personal record lifts of 418 squat, 270 bench press, and 512 deadlift.

The latter lifts, as well as all those done before and since, were done through my natural strength, nothing else. The sickening scourge of some professional and amateur sports, steroids and other tissue building drugs, never got to me. They never seriously tempted me, in fact. 

One reason, I suppose, relates to my apparent inability to quell personal and private fears. I could never comfortably juxtapose my health concerns with the fears that steroid use inspired. The thought of dripping needles and glistening vials of “juice” always seemed to leave me with a bitter taste. I’d inevitably find myself recalling the wise words of an anonymous trainer: “Health is a stage through which the serious athlete passes on the way to excellence.”

Another reason I spurned steroids is because I recognized early the teeming conflicts and contradictions inherent in sports competition. I saw too many competitors caught up in a web of ego and worry about meeting or exceeding future demands. This tendency to seek achievement at all costs – the exaltation of excellence – I found too costly. To me, winning at all costs tends to reduce a moment’s immediacy; it too often exchanges basic enjoyment for efficiency and the attainment of efforts. It’s a process by which people become prone to ignore or overlook the simple and sheer joys and satisfactions of physical movement and athletic activity. 

I personally resolved not to be overtaken by this process. I imagined myself holding steady, like an acrobat on a tightrope. Above I sensed wholeness and equilibrium. Below rested the powerful twin divisive forces of ego drives and competition’s demands. 

The trick was, and is, to balance this precarious perch successfully. And success, for me, comes by simply maintaining a feeling of command and control over the weights I lift. 

Olympic Lifting for Powerlifters, Bodybuilders, Throwers and Other Serious Strength Athletes - Jim Schmitz (2001)

 MILO March 2001

If you are healthy and willing, you can learn to do snatches and clean and jerks – or at least some form of them and receive the great benefits from these lifts. You might say so what, who cares? Well, I do and you should; I believe doing the Olympic lifts is the absolute greatest way to train for all athletes. It’s good for you, and it’s a myth that it is difficult. Of all the progressive resistance type training programs and methods, Olympic-style weightlifting has the absolutely greatest physical and psychological carryover to other sports and physical activities, bar none!

So, why should a powerlifter or bodybuilder do the Olympic lifts? Well, it will enhance you speed, balance, coordination, flexibility, conditioning, concentration, and of course, your strength and power. Bodybuilders will thicken their backs, shoulders, and traps, and develop the bubble butt and full sweeping thighs. Also, it will give you a great variety in your training and make you a more complete, strong, powerful, muscular athlete. There have been many powerlifters who have switched over to Olympic lifting. Two of the most well-known are the super heavyweights Shane Hamman and Mark Henry. Both have been national powerlifting champions, 1000 pound squatters, and national weightlifting champions, record holders, and Olympians, 1992 and 1996 for Mark and 2000 for Shane. Another super heavyweight who was a national champion and record holder in both sports and an Olympian (1968) was Ernie Picket in the 1960’s. 

The most famous bodybuilder who also did Olympic lifting was John Grimek, eighth place in the 1936 Olympics, and of course, Mr. America and Mr. Universe, and considered by many the greatest bodybuilder of all time. Steve Stanko, who was also a Mr. America and Mr. Universe, was the first man to total 1000 pounds in the then three Olympic lifts: press, snatch, and clean and jerk. Sergio Oliva totaled 1000 pounds in the 90-kilo class before he devoted his full energy to bodybuilding and became Mr. Olympia. Dr. John Gourgott won the 1966 Jr. National Weightlifting Championships and placed third in the Jr. Mr. America contest that same day, behind two former weightlifters, Bob Gajda, and Sergio Oliva. One of the greatest weightlifters of all time, two-time Olympic champion (1952 and 1956,) Tommy Kono, was also a Mr. Universe winner (1955, 1957, and 1961.) A very famous movie star who had some success in bodybuilding and also did some Olympic lifting as a youth was Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Five national and international shot putters who had great success in weightlifting as well are Gary Gubner, national shot put champion and fourth at the 1964 Olympics in Weightlifting; Al Feuerbach, 1974 national weightlifting champion and bronze medalist in the shot put at the 1976 Olympics, and world record holder (71’-7”); and Ken Patera, Bruce Wilhelm, and Tom Stock, who were all top U.S. shot putters and U.S. national weightlifting champions, record holders and Olympians, 1972, 1976, and 1980 respectively. 

The purpose of this article is not to recruit competitive Olympic lifters, but to have more strength athletes do the snatch and clean and jerk as part of their training. I won’t be going into detailed explanations of how to do the lifts; you can get that information from my previous MILO articles or my training manual and video. 

Now, remember, I said everyone can do the snatch and clean and jerk if they are healthy and willing. I don’t necessarily mean full squat snatches and full squat cleans and split jerks, which would be nice, but rather the basic pulling and pushing, explosively. So, here we go. 

First, if you aren’t doing a fair amount of stretching, you really need to now, regardless of whether you decide to follow this type of training. So, warm up with at least 10 to 15 minutes of stretching, plus stomach work. 

The following are my programs for the strength athlete who wants the power and muscle density of an Olympic lifter, but doesn’t care to compete or even do the complete lifts. 

 I would like you to do these workouts three times a week; two would be okay, but three is better. Do this program before you do any other training or on alternate days. Also, don’t be in too big a hurry to get to the big weights. It’s actually a really good idea to train quite light at first to learn the movements, gain confidence, and give the ligaments, tendon and muscles a chance to adapt. You can and should vary your weights and reps from workout to workout, depending on how you feel. 

This type of training requires a little different mind set. That means if you can deadlift 600 pounds, don’t be surprised if you have trouble power cleaning, let alone power snatching, 200 pounds. It takes time, practice, persistence, patience, and perseverance. Train on each program 6 to 12 workouts before going on to the next one. You will be surprised with the stamina and condition you will need and develop from these programs. 

Now, as important as good technique is, I don’t want  you to get hung up on it. I don’t want you to get paralysis due to analysis, where you are thinking so much about how you are going to lift that you can’t do the movement. You can’t think through a fast movement while trying to move fast; just do it. Think about only a couple of things before you lift and then just go for it as fast as you can.  You have a better chance of success if you move fast with poor technique than if you move slowly with good technique! That is why these lifts develop speed and explosiveness. So, only think of things like “pull hard, move fast,” “pull close, pull straight,” “big shrug, fast elbow,” “back flat, chest out,” “drive and push.” 

*One of my personal favorite training hall photos of all time.  Just some Polish guy doing a 100kg power snatch, but every single person in the room (Polish team, Tom Stock, and the Author Jim Schmitz) are all watching intently.  You can see Jim's got his belt and knee wraps on - even when coaching the US team he was getting after it in training.  We should all aspire to have a 1977 Jim Schmitz neck.

The exception to focusing on just two things is when doing high pulls. I want you to think of three things, “squeeze, accelerate, and explode.” You may have or develop your own key words and phrases, which is good, but keep them simple and to the point. Only think of two things when pulling and two when pushing. Of course, above all you much concentrate on completing the lift. That’s the bottom line: Make the lift. There are lifts I call “-ly” lifts, that is, “ugly, wobbly, and barely,” but successful. When developing power, we don’t score technique points, only how much weight was lifted. 

Now, don’t just kiss off technique. Develop the best technique you can, as good technique will mean lifting more weight and having fewer injuries. Some of the best weightlifters in the world don’t have the best technique, but they do their technique the same way every time; they have incredible consistency. So, that’s the next thing you want to develop, consistency. Learn to lift as correctly as possible and then do it the same way every time!

Let’s say you are unable to do snatches, cleans, or jerks. What can you do as substitutes to still develop the speed and power? In both the snatch and the clean, you substitute high pulls. That is, instead of doing the snatch, you just pull the bar as fast and as hard as you can to about your shoulders, and in the clean, you pull the bar as hard and as fast as you can to about your rib cage. For push presses and push jerks, if you can’t hold a barbell securely on your shoulders in front of your neck, ten do them on your shoulders behind the neck and with a little wider grip. 

A little note here: Many, many strength athletes are not very strong or stable with barbell’s overhead. This is a shame for there is so much benefit from driving and holding heavy weights overhead. So, I recommend that on your last rep of any overhead lift, you hold it steady for about three to five seconds. Also, to help you develop overhead stability, you should do jerk supports in a power rack and hold the last rep three to five seconds. This exercise is done in a power rack with the bar place one to two inches above your head; you squat underneath, arms locked out, stand, and hold. This is a great exercise and will surprise you at first. 

Another tip on doing this explosive type of training, as important as speed is, if you don’t have your technique somewhat together, you don’t want to move as fast as you can until you know where you are going. The thing that is a little tricky about these lifts is that your body changes directions while lifting the weights up. Your upper and lower body go in different directions, especially in the snatch, where you squat with your legs, but at the same time you extend and reach up with your arms as you go under the bar. So, as you are learning and developing your technique or lifting light weights, move with controlled speed – not slowly, but not as fast as you possibly can. 

Also, you should always warm up with an empty bar, after you’ve done your 10 to 15 minutes of stretching plus stomach work. Practice all the lifts, including squats. Now for many, the empty bar is just too light to develop technique; don’t worry about it, just do it for a warm-up. Technique is best developed with about 70-80% of your best weights. Doubles and triples are the best reps for technique work because those weights you are able to do for one rep, no problem, but on the second and third rep, you really have to do it right or you won’t make it. That is why I recommend doubles and triples, but you never take your hands off the barbell so that the second and third reps are more challenging. You can’t think or rest, you just do it. 

I don’t have front squats in these three programs because I don’t want to overwork your wrists, but you can substitute them if you don’t like or can’t do back squats. I recommend fewer reps in the front squats to save wear and tear on your wrists, no more than five reps. 

Some more examples of incredibly muscular and explosive weightlifters are: Norbert Schemansky, Olympic champion as a middle heavyweight, silver medalist, and two-time bronze medalist as a super heavyweight, who also won several bodybuilding titles. Turkey’s two-time Olympic champion, Halil Mutlu, packs the most ripped muscle I’ve ever seen on a4’-10”, 56-kg (123-pound) man. Greece’s three-time Olympic champion, Pirros Dimas, looks like the Superman from the comic  books, at 5’-7” to 5’-8” and 85kg (187 pounds.) However, the most impressive physique, in my opinion, of the entire Sydney Olympics was Iran’s Hossein Tavakoli: his body is Mr. Olympia quality, especially his arms and shoulders, which reminded me of Phil Grippaldi (USA), 90-kg great during the seventies.

Aforementioned Hossein Tavakoli. Indeed, jacked.

 Once you feel confident with this program, start lifting as heavy as you can. Lifting big weights explosively develops big, powerful muscles and bodies. The bottom line, the big point I want to make with this article, is that everyone can and should do some Olympic-style movements in their training. Even if you only did power clean and push presses, the benefits to you will be well worth it.