Random Thoughts – Seminars, Deadlifts and Puzzles

Here are some random thoughts from this week and a seminar announcement.

Deadlifts – Pull the Slack out of the Bar

How to deadlift and deadlift technique can be very complicated sometimes.  Some trainers say to just “pick up the weight”, while others give a 20 step rundown.  I’m am somewhere in the middle, especially in the initial stages.  When you teach technique there is a process to follow.  Ask the lifter to show you how they do the lift.  From there, you get a clear path of where to go and what cues will address their specific flaws or needs.  You then show them the right way to do it and give them the cues that “they” need according to your assessment of their uninstructed lift.

One technique flaw that I see about 95% of the time is “pulling the slack out of the bar.”  When progressively bracing, breathing and creating tension to initiate the deadlift, a lifter most times will drop into the first pull without regard.  This is something we teach against.  If our intent is to create the utmost tension, we cannot do this without using the bar.  Pulling on the bar sets the lats and allows us to pull our hips downward much more proficiency and without loss of tension.  Pulling the slack out of the bar doesn’t mean trying to lift the weight off the ground.  It means pull on the bar hard so when the hips are dropping you are immediately moving into the drive.  Otherwise you’re trying to create this needed tension in the hole which is much more difficult and inefficient.

Athletes Are Like Puzzles

Working with athletes is like putting a puzzle together.  You have to look at each piece (mobility issues, strength issues, stability issues, conditioning issues) and determine where it goes (in the program).  And once you put the puzzle together, things come along and smash the table (injuries) and the pieces fly everywhere.  At that point you have to put the puzzle back together again.  It is a constant ebb and flow and Mom’s not going to come by and glue some cardboard to the back of your puzzle so it never scrambles again.  Stay diligent and always assess.  Assess during the warm-up, assess during the workout and even assess when they are playing Angry Birds.

AMPED | POWER! Seminar Series – Next Date: Sept 10-11

We are officially announcing the next AMPED | POWER! seminar.

Check out the sales page.  New video testimonial up top and tons of cool stuff.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE OFFICIAL PAGE