WL Notes

wl.md

Technique

I don't know too much about technique. This only describes the basics, fixing errors requires a good eye and attention to detail.

The key to good, consistent technique is:

1. Learn what good technique feels like
   • A coach is very useful here. You can also record yourself, or ask friends to look for certain things.
2. Learn how to replicate that feeling
   • This is mostly you. A coach can only help so much here.
3. Hundreds of repetitions at moderate weights, focusing on replicating the feeling.
   • This is against mostly you. A coach can keep you awake and remind you what you're looking for, but you have to focus.

For the competition lifts, drills with no bar are very useful (especially for split jerk). For snatch and cleans, focus on hitting 3 positions; start position, full extension + elbow drive, catch. For the jerk, the three positions are dip, drive and split. Pause on each position and aim to move smoothly (not fast) between them, reducing the pause durations until the whole movement is smooth.

Only think about speeding anything up once you can do it very consistently smooth and slowly.

Useful videos

• Snatch
  • Pendlay tutorial
  • Coach Liao tuturial (中文)
  • Slow Snatch
  • Example Lifts
    • Kuo Hsing Chun warmup
    • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Clean
  • Pendlay tutorial
  • Coach Liao tutorial (中文)
  • Example Lifts
    • Kuo Hsing Chun warmup
    • 1, 2, 3
• Jerk
  • No Bar Drill
    • Similar drills can (should) be done with snatch / clean too, focusing on
      1. Start position
      2. Extension + pull to chest
      3. Catch position
  • Coaching
  • Example Lifts
    • Kuo Hsing Chun warmup
    • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Snatch

First, it's important to understand the basic key positions.

• Stance
  • Feet roughly hip width or slightly wider
• Grip
  • Hookgrip. Width such that bar is at hip when standing with an open chest
• Start Position
  • Shoulders over bar or slightly in front
  • Bar touching shins
  • Hip slightly above knees
  • Open chest, tight back
  • Arms relaxed and straight
• Bar at knee
  • Shoulders over bar or slightly in front
  • Vertical shins (knees above ankles)
  • Bar very close or touching knees
  • Open chest, tight back
  • Arms relaxed
• Bar at hip
  • Torso nearly vertical
  • Knees and hips slightly bent
  • Foot flat on floor
  • Open chest, tight back
  • Arms relaxed
• Extension
  • Hips and knees straight
  • Shoulders shrug and elbow go up to keep bar close
• Catch
  • Bar overhead and above top of spine / rear of shoulders
  • Hips and knees both flexed (torso not vertical)
• Squat
  • As deep as possible whilst maintaining back tightness

Next, getting between these positions.

• Floor to Knee
  • Shoulders and hips rise roughly together
  • Knees move back, out of way of bar
• Knee to hip
  • Bar slides up thigh
  • Arms stay relaxed; back muscles keep bar close
• Hip to catch
  • Extend with knees and hips, forcing bar upwards (not forward)
  • Arms bend to keep bar close
  • Pull bar up with a shrug and by lifting the elbows (elbows up, not back)
• Catch to squat
  • Secure bar in catch position where bar runs out of momentum
  • Smoothly squat down after bar secured

Clean

Key positions are mostly the same as snatch. Notes where they differ:

• Stance
  • Similar
• Grip
  • Width comfortable for rack position
• Start Position
  • Hips higher due to narrower grip
• Bar at knee
  • Hips higher due to narrower grip
• Bar at power position
  • Due to narrower grip bar won't reach right in to the hip for most, instead being around upper thigh level
  • Similar to snatch otherwise
• Extension
  • Similar
• Catch
  • Front rack position, open chest tight back
• Squat
  • Similar but don't pause at bottom

Getting between these positions is again similar. Fast elbows are important for the catch, and avoid pausing in the bottom of the squat (try and catch a bounce).

Jerk

Start	Dip	Drive	Split

Key positions:

• Dip
  • Torso verticle
  • Weight over midfoot
  • Hands and arms relaxed
  • Open chest, tight back
  • Balanced
• Drive
  • Fully extend knees and hips, rise on to toes
  • Hands and arms relaxed
• Split
  • Weight evenly distrubted between front and rear foot
  • Front knee directly above front foot ankle (vertical shin)
  • Rear foot on toes and pressed against ground
  • Soft knee on rear leg
  • Heels on each foot either pointing straight backwards or slightly outwards
  • Bar above top of spine / back of shoulders, head slightly forwards

After the drive, you should not go any higher. The split is done in the distance given by rising on to your toes. Feet should move roughly straight forward and back; lateral stance width should stay roughly the same, or increase a little. Feet should not come inwards. Recover from split by stepping front foot back, followed by rear foot forward.

Balance in all three positions is very important.

Learning the Lifts

• Here are some basic sequences to try to practise to learn the lifts (taken from a Chinese textbook on how to train youth). Move on to the next step only once the previous has been mastered (hit correct positions consistently and smooth transitions between positions)
• Snatch is taught first as it is easier than Clean and Jerk
• Snatch:
  1. Snatch grip shrug + high elbow pull
     • High pull but no use of legs/hips
  2. Snatch grip, arms only fast pull
     • Fast pull (rebend) with no legs/hips
  3. Fast Pull
  4. Power Snatch from above knee
  5. Squat Snatch from above knee
  6. Squat Snatch
• Clean and Jerk:
  1. Power Clean from above knee
  2. Squat Clean from above knee
  3. Squat Clean
  4. Jerk Dip and Drive
  5. Power Jerk
  6. Split Jerk
  7. Squat Clean and Split Jerk

Programming

Weightlifting programming does not need to be complicated. Just pick some basic template you like, select exercises appropriate for the goals of the current training phase, and roughly modulate volume and intensity such that you don't overtrain (this is far easier to do than undertraining for anyone with much motivation).

There isn't really much need for all the complex systems to 'trick' the body into making progress (eg microloading, exactly planned out percentages etc). Just make sure you give adequate time for recovery and listen to your body.

Following is just an example of how to plan out training. It's intentionally vague; even programs with exact percentages aren't intended to be stuck to religiously, so why pretend we're planning stuff out so exactly?

Annual Plan

• Year divided into 2 blocks (Summer and Winter block)
  • Winter typically more strength focused, Summer focused on transfering strength to competition movements
    • Done this way as in China competition at end of Summer block is more important
• Block ends in a major competition
• Block divided into phases
  • Preparatory Phase
    • 1-1.5 months
    • Low volume and intensity
    • Mostly GPP
  • Basic Phase
    • 2-2.5 months
    • Volume and intensity rise
    • Divided in two periods
      • First, volume and intensity rise together
      • Second, volume reduces slowly as intensity rises
  • Competition Phase
    • 1-1.5 months
    • Intensity increases then maintains, volume reduces
  • Recovery Phase
    • ~1 month
    • Active recovery
    • Maintain suitable small amount of training

Block Plan

• 1 block is typically 3 weeks (possibly 4 for females)
• 2 harder weeks followed by a deload week (~80% volume and intensity of previous weeks)
• First week can be harder than second
• Typical structures
  • Base Phase 1: Volume, Volume, Deload
  • Base Phase 2: Volume, Intensity, Deload
  • Competition Phase: Intensity, Intensity, Deload

Week Plan

• Different week structures can be used, but they should generally follow some rhythm to allow for recovery
  • eg 5 day week: Big Medium Big Rest Big Medium Rest

5 Day Volume Week

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Snatch	Squat	Jerk	GPP	Snatch	Squat

Alternate Snatch / Jerk focused days

5 Day Intensity Week

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Snatch	Squat	Jerk	GPP	Mixed	Squat

3 Day Week

Mon	Wed	Fri
Snatch	Squat	Jerk

Mon	Wed	Fri
Mixed	Squat	Mixed

Session Plan

Typical Session

• 15min Warmup
  • Foam roll / massage, dynamic warmup
• 45min Primary Lift
• 30min Secondary Lift
• 20min Auxillary Work
  • Bodybuilding, core...
• 10min Cooldown
  • Stretching, massage, gentle cardio

Session Types

• Snatch Focus:
  • Primary Lift: Snatch (or variation)
  • Secondary Lift: Pull variation
• Clean and Jerk Focus:
  • Primary Lift: Clean and Jerk (or variation)
  • Secondary Lift: Pull variation
• Mixed Focus:
  • Primary Lift: Snatch or Clean and Jerk
  • Secondary Lift: Clean and Jerk or Snatch (or variations)
• Squat Focus:
  • Primary Lift: Front or Back Squat (or variation)
  • Secondary Lift: Squat auxillary work or Strength work
    • Rack Hold, Jerk Dips, Half Squats...
    • Jerk Supports, Push Press, Snatch Balance...

Movement Selection

• You (or your coach) should know why any movement in the program is being done.
• Competition lifts, squats and pulls are the basics. Variations can be substituted then to work on specific weaknesses, and auxillary movements can be performed to help with other strength and/or technical issues.

Sn/CJ Variation	Description	Purpose
Muscle	Catch with no knee or hip rebend. Snatch variation more common.	Improve extension, bar height, pull strength and catch (lockout or turnover).
Power Sn/Cl	Catch with knee angle > 90 degrees, and no squat.	Improve technique, develop timing and solid catch, develop pulling power.
Below Knee	Start with bar just off floor.	Focus on tightness and position just off the floor.
Above Knee	Start with bar at knee.	Focus on positioning at the knee. Less fatiguing than full lift.
High Hang	Start with bar at mid/upper thigh.	Focus on positioning just before extension. Work on powerful extension and fast pull under.
Deficit	Stand on blocks.	Work on pulling strength and tightness.
Narrow Sn	Snatch with clean grip.	Improve pulling strength and flexibility.
Support Lifts	Description	Purpose	Maximal Loading
Overhead Squat	Snatch or Jerk grip. From bottom or from top.	Improve support strength, balance and flexibility.	Similar weight to full snatch.
Snatch Balance	Wide grip, behind the neck squat jerk. Dip and drive and squat under to catch. Controlled descent.	Same as OHS, also improve coordination in snatch catch.	Similar weight to full snatch.
Snatch Push Press	Wide grip behind the neck press.	Improve snatch lockout strength.	Up to full snatch weight.
Jerk Support	Barbell in rack at roughly height of top of head. Get under (head in front of bar), then split and recover, lifting bar up.	Develop split jerk support strength, balance and recovery.	130-150% of jerk.
Jerk Dip	Mimic dip portion of jerk.	Improve jerk dip technique and support strength.	130+% of jerk.
Rack Hold	Hold bar in front rack, either standing upright or in bottom of jerk dip.	Improve support strength.	150+% of jerk.
Push Press	Dip and drive like jerk, but no knee/hip rebend.	Improve drive extension, bar height, fast and strong arm engagement after drive, and jerk support strength.	65-85% of jerk.
Pull Variation	Description	Purpose	Typical Loading
High	Full extension and pull bar high. No rebend.	Improve extension technique and power and straight pull.	Slightly heavier than competition lift.
Fast	High pull with rebend (pull self down after extension). Maintain vertical torso; don't pull torso forwards.	Improve extension and change of direction, correct arm usage, and full lift technique.	Slightly heavier than competition lift.
Hard	Pull to hip / upper thigh with no extension.	Improve pulling strength and positions.	Much heavier than competition lift; 120+%.
Pause	Pause in various positions. Common is to perform 3 hard pulls, and on descent pause just above floor on first before going back up, at knee on second and mid-thigh on third for 10 seconds each.	Improve pulling strength and endurance, and focus on maintaining correct positions.	Max competition lift or slightly heavier.
Tempo	Slow descent (3-10sec).	Similar to pause pulls.	Max competition lift or slightly heavier.
Hang	From low, knee, or high hang position.	Focus on positioning, and less fatiguing than pulls from floor.	Similar to high/fast pulls.
Deficit	Standing on block.	Improve pulling strength and flexibility.	Slightly lighter than corresponding pull.
Round Back		Improve back strength	Around snatch weight
Squat Variation	Description	Purpose	Typical Loading
Full	Sit as deep as possible whilst staying on full foot and maintaining open chest and tight back. Controlled descent and near constant back angle.	Develop leg, hip, back and core strength.
Half / Quarter	Squat to less depth than normal.	Allow for heavier loading to develop more core strength. Focus on weak points in squat.	Heavier than full squat.
Tempo	Slow descent.	Improve control and technique in squat.	Lighter than full squat, dependant on speed.
Pause	Pause in bottom of squat. Possible also pause on way up (less common).	Develop strength from bottom of squat.	~80-90% full squat
Split	Squat in split jerk stance.	Develop support strength in this position. Help fix inbalances from split jerks.	50-80% full squat.

Auxillary Work
Upper Body Presses	Handstand Press, Dips, Barbell Press, Bench Press, Incline Press, Half Press, Push ups
Upper Body Pulls	Pullups, DB Row, BB Row, Bench Row
Upper Body Small Muscles	Reverse Flyes, Upright Rows, Front Raise, Lateral Raise, Bicep Curl, Tricep Extension, Wrist Curl/Extension
Lower Body	Side Lunge, Lunge, Pistol Squat, Leg Press, Leg Curl/Extension, Calf Raise
Core	Leg Raise, Sit up, Back Extension, Side Bend, Side Twist
Explosive Power	Box Jump, Broad Jump, Sprint

Movement Loading

Volume / Technique Focus

• Snatch / Jerk: ~6 working sets of 2-3 reps, 70-90%
• Pull / Squat: ~6 working sets of 4-6 reps, maybe back off sets, 70-90%

Intensity Focus

• Snatch / Jerk: Heavy singles or doubles, 85+%
• Pull / Squat: Heavy singles or doubles + back off sets, or 6 sets of 2-3 reps, 80+%

Auxillary Work

• Typically 1-3 movements, ~6 sets each. Think bodybuilding and core, with conditioning work too (further from competition).
  • DB Rows 6x15, Reverse Flyes 6x10
  • Back Extensions 6x20, Leg Raises 6x10