Apr 7, 2017

Correct Technique

Patrick McHenry

Correct technique is an issue that is being talked about more and more among strength coaches. But what exactly is “correct technique?”

How low should an athlete go on the squat? When performing a clean, should they squat? Should they move their feet from a vertical jump stance to a squat stance or leave them in place? Should the athlete drop the bar on the ground after every rep or hold it until the last rep of the set?

At the high school level, correct technique is important with every repetition. No lift is perfect every time. However, research has shown that even short periods of inappropriate movement patterns can affect the athlete in a negative way.

As veteran strength coach Vern Gambetta says: “Finer motor movements can be very difficult to change. That underscores the necessity of teaching and mastering fundamental skills early.”

Another important component of coaching is “attentional focus” or the “act of directing attention to information sources or the object of the person’s attention.” (Nideffer 1995) When you watch your athletes lift, what are you looking at? Do you look at the bar or are you watching the feet, knees, and back of the lifter.

One very famous example of improper technique is RGIII at the NFL combine. If you look at his knees when he lands they are almost touching.

When I teach the clean, I have the student-athletes go over each phase for about two weeks. If they are progressing correctly then I will move to the next phase. If not, they stay at the phase until they are proficient.

When the student-athlete learns all the phases of the clean, I videotape them. We watch the video in class so they can correct any errors during the next set. At the end of the term, I have the student-athletes perform the clean for six repetitions using a moderate weight that would allow them to perform more if necessary. I video the clean and then the student will come back on their time and perform an analysis using the “Clean performance worksheet” (see below). The students then rate their lift on the “Standard: Performing the clean” chart (see below.)

I often talk about “how to develop” athletes. Thus I focus in on the “process” of development. One of the most important areas of the “process” is technique. More and more research is starting to prove what Verkhoshansky and Bondarchuck said years ago, “… Continuous development of an athlete’s motor potential and of his or her efficiency in exploiting this potential is identified as the main constant in the training process.”

Clean Performance Worksheet:

START

• Back Flat
• Shoulders above bar
• Hands outside of knee
• Feet hip width apart
• Bar across mid foot
• Arms long

1^st PULL

• Back flat
• Arms straight
• Hips and knees raise in unison
• Head up
• Legs are primary mover

2^nd PULL

• Arms long
• Triple joint extension at ankle, knee, hip
• Shrug Shoulders

RECEIVING & SQUAT

• Quickly drop under the bar
• Keep bar close to body
• Rotate at shoulders not elbows
• Move feet low above ground

FINISH

• Elbows up
• feet shoulder width apart
• stable squat

Standard: Performing the clean

Beginning:

• Knows the phases of the lift
• Get into starting position
• Moves from the start to the first pull
• Moves from first pull to second pull
• Moves from second pull to triple joint extension

Progressing:

• Knows the phases of the lift
• Get into starting position
• Moves from the start to the first pull
• Moves from first pull to second pull
• Moves from second pull to triple joint extension
• Catches bar

Proficient

Getting Ready:

• Feet hip width
• Bar across middle of foot
• Hands outside of knees
• Back/ locked and straight

1^st pull:

• Hips and knees raise in unison
• The legs are the primary mover
• Head is up
• Elbows remain straight

2^nd pull:

• Arms long
• Triple joint extension at ankle, knee, hip
• Shrug shoulders

Catch:

• Rotate at shoulders
• Bar close to the torso
• Elbows high
• Parallel squat position

Finish

• bar resting on shoulders, balanced, elbows pointed up

Advanced:

Finishes the clean and performs a military /push press / jerk