Showing posts with label lbh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lbh. Show all posts
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Not too long Ago..
Antonio Krastev trained at Lost Battalion Hall in Queens...where I go every once in a while. He would train twice a day six times a week. His methods are in the Weightlifting Encyclopedia (pages 305-306). You couldn't hear a pin drop when Antonio went into that start position...the long delay...the silence...and the the pull with head tilted off to one side..then he's under it and up on his feet in a flash. What I liked best was the celebrity of it all: the entourage escorting him to and from the platform, the coaches, the water guy, the expediter, the guy holding the smelling salts (that was me!)...everybody involved.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Jeff Scott's Thoughts on the Jerk
I trade e-mails quite frequently with Jeff Scott where we discuss weightlifting technique and training progressions. Below is a recent exchange we had about the jerk and foot placement.
Q (Me): On stepping through in the jerk: Since the initial movement (dip/drive) needs needs to be as close to vertical as possible, how does one best attain a sufficiently forward foot placement when there should be little movement in the horizontal plane?
It often feels like my foot can only go so far in front relative to where my torso is. Do I need to work on pushing myself forward under the bar once it has been thrown off the shoulders?
A (Jeff): Some would say that since the jerk should be thrust upwards and backwards, there is no need to step forward. Dennis Reno offered photographic evidence vis-a-vis Ilya Illin that showed him with no forward displacement of the front foot. His split was strictly down and to the rear...or at least it appeared so in the photos. Wherein lies the truth?
Joe teaches the step through technique which is predicated, in part, on the assumption that when the weight is very heavy, it will slide forward and the throw will be forward too. If you always throw it up and slightly back, then your forward displacement can be less pronounced. The jerk is very technical and few people practice it enough to become very proficient at it. If you are having technical difficulties in your jerk performance, I would suggest more jerking and more exercises to help the jerk. Make it a movement of emphasis for a twelve-week cycle and see what happens. If you aren't doing any concentrated work on the jerk as a movement unto itself, then it is difficult to draw any meaningful conclusions about your technical issues.
The most important thing is this: do you lose most of your jerks to the front or to the rear? If it is to the front, then you need to step through more. If it is to the rear, you may be stepping too far forward and/or throwing it to the rear too far. I think from observing you that you lose most of your jerks to the front which means you are throwing the weight slightly forward and "short stepping" your split. The weight is not aligned in a vertical plane with your hands-shoulders-hips. The only way to correct this is to mark the platform (chalk, for example) and split to the markings, front, rear and sufficiently sideways, every time you jerk...or throw up and back to the same point every time.
Also, consider this -- what exercises, other than the jerk from rack and C&J do you do to improve your jerk? Are you doing jerk drives? Are you doing jerk supports? Are you doing behind-neck jerks? Any partial front squats? If the answer is none of the former, then you are not doing enough to improve your jerk.
Q (Me): On stepping through in the jerk: Since the initial movement (dip/drive) needs needs to be as close to vertical as possible, how does one best attain a sufficiently forward foot placement when there should be little movement in the horizontal plane?
It often feels like my foot can only go so far in front relative to where my torso is. Do I need to work on pushing myself forward under the bar once it has been thrown off the shoulders?
A (Jeff): Some would say that since the jerk should be thrust upwards and backwards, there is no need to step forward. Dennis Reno offered photographic evidence vis-a-vis Ilya Illin that showed him with no forward displacement of the front foot. His split was strictly down and to the rear...or at least it appeared so in the photos. Wherein lies the truth?
Joe teaches the step through technique which is predicated, in part, on the assumption that when the weight is very heavy, it will slide forward and the throw will be forward too. If you always throw it up and slightly back, then your forward displacement can be less pronounced. The jerk is very technical and few people practice it enough to become very proficient at it. If you are having technical difficulties in your jerk performance, I would suggest more jerking and more exercises to help the jerk. Make it a movement of emphasis for a twelve-week cycle and see what happens. If you aren't doing any concentrated work on the jerk as a movement unto itself, then it is difficult to draw any meaningful conclusions about your technical issues.
The most important thing is this: do you lose most of your jerks to the front or to the rear? If it is to the front, then you need to step through more. If it is to the rear, you may be stepping too far forward and/or throwing it to the rear too far. I think from observing you that you lose most of your jerks to the front which means you are throwing the weight slightly forward and "short stepping" your split. The weight is not aligned in a vertical plane with your hands-shoulders-hips. The only way to correct this is to mark the platform (chalk, for example) and split to the markings, front, rear and sufficiently sideways, every time you jerk...or throw up and back to the same point every time.
Also, consider this -- what exercises, other than the jerk from rack and C&J do you do to improve your jerk? Are you doing jerk drives? Are you doing jerk supports? Are you doing behind-neck jerks? Any partial front squats? If the answer is none of the former, then you are not doing enough to improve your jerk.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Larry Mintz Memorial - Feb 7
at the Lost Battalion Hall.
What else are you doing on a Saturday morning?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
LBH Schedule
FYI: There is no weightlifting scheduled for this Friday, November 21st.
Next Wednesday, weightlifting hours are from 3:00PM to 6:30PM. Your boss will understand if you have to leave work early to snatch.
Next Wednesday, weightlifting hours are from 3:00PM to 6:30PM. Your boss will understand if you have to leave work early to snatch.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Fall Meets in NYC
September 20, 2008: NYC Open Weightlifting Championships at Lost Battalion Hall Spectators welcome 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Contact meet director Chris Smith for entry form.
October 25, 2008: Metropolitan Championships Competition at Lost Battalion Hall. Spectators welcome 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Contact meet director Joe Triolo for an entry form.
October 25, 2008: Metropolitan Championships Competition at Lost Battalion Hall. Spectators welcome 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Contact meet director Joe Triolo for an entry form.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Rudy Sablo
NYC area lifter Rudy Sablo was the manager of the United States weightlifting teams in the 1972 and 1976 Olympics and served on the United States Olympic Committee's (U.S.O.C.) board.
He ran the Amateur Athletic Union's (A.A.U.) metropolitan area office for 20 years and helped found the Empire State Games, an annual statewide Olympic-type competition. A Weightlifting Hall of Fame member, Sablo was also honored with an Olympic Shield award by the U.S.O.C.
During WWII, he served as a physical instructor for the Tuskegee Airmen. In the years following, he served as a firefighter for the city of New York. He passed away on February 3rd, 2003.
Every year, a meet is held at Lost Battalion Hall in his memory. This year, the event is scheduled for May 3rd.
He ran the Amateur Athletic Union's (A.A.U.) metropolitan area office for 20 years and helped found the Empire State Games, an annual statewide Olympic-type competition. A Weightlifting Hall of Fame member, Sablo was also honored with an Olympic Shield award by the U.S.O.C.
During WWII, he served as a physical instructor for the Tuskegee Airmen. In the years following, he served as a firefighter for the city of New York. He passed away on February 3rd, 2003.
Every year, a meet is held at Lost Battalion Hall in his memory. This year, the event is scheduled for May 3rd.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Get a Coach!
Partially inspired by this post, and a number of posts on certain other boards, here are my top 3 best tips for learning Olympic Weightlifting:
1. Get a coach.
2. Get a coach.
3. Get a coach.
Seriously. An experienced coach, one who has competed and trained competitive lifters, is the best way to learn the lifts by far. A book is not enough. Web assistance is not enough. A weekend seminar is not enough.
How do you find a coach?
This pdf is a club directory from USAW. GoHeavy.com's Olympic forum is a real gathering place for coaches and lifters. Search there or post a question asking about lifting in your area.
If you can't reasonably get coaching regularly, then books and videos can help, as can uploading your videos and asking for tips from one of the forums on the right of this page. And making efforts to get coaching in when you can is still important.
But these are all inferior to regular work with an experienced coach.
1. Get a coach.
2. Get a coach.
3. Get a coach.
Seriously. An experienced coach, one who has competed and trained competitive lifters, is the best way to learn the lifts by far. A book is not enough. Web assistance is not enough. A weekend seminar is not enough.
How do you find a coach?
This pdf is a club directory from USAW. GoHeavy.com's Olympic forum is a real gathering place for coaches and lifters. Search there or post a question asking about lifting in your area.
If you can't reasonably get coaching regularly, then books and videos can help, as can uploading your videos and asking for tips from one of the forums on the right of this page. And making efforts to get coaching in when you can is still important.
But these are all inferior to regular work with an experienced coach.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Larry Mintz Memorial Weightlifting meet this Saturday
Lost Battalion Hall will host the Larry Mintz Memorial Weightlifting Meet this Saturday, March 15 in Rego Park, Queens, New York. Location information can be found here. Start time for the first session is 10am.
Be there!
Be there!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
LBH and training update
I returned to Lost Battalion Hall last night for my first training there in over a month. It was an easy night for me, snatching up to 50% only (45kg).
Overall the LBH team is coming out of the winter in good form. I'm not the only one making a mini-comeback from illness or injury, and the team looks likely to contend in upcoming local competitions in March and May.
Recently Masters lifter Jeff Scott nailed a 125kg C&J in competition. Look for him to make his presence known beyond local meets as national masters' competitions come up.
My current personal goals are to make a successful comeback with no returns to illness and finally get the 200kg total in March.
An DVD with lots of LBH action from the last year is in production, and expect more videos on the LBH team youtube site all year long!
Overall the LBH team is coming out of the winter in good form. I'm not the only one making a mini-comeback from illness or injury, and the team looks likely to contend in upcoming local competitions in March and May.
Recently Masters lifter Jeff Scott nailed a 125kg C&J in competition. Look for him to make his presence known beyond local meets as national masters' competitions come up.
My current personal goals are to make a successful comeback with no returns to illness and finally get the 200kg total in March.
An DVD with lots of LBH action from the last year is in production, and expect more videos on the LBH team youtube site all year long!
Monday, January 21, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Video Collection
The Lost Battalion Weightlifting youtube account hosts videos from LBH team members, showing competition and training footage.
Monday, January 14, 2008
2008 NYC Meets
Upcoming NYC area lifting meets for your calender:
Mintz Memorial Meet March 15, 2008 @ LBH
Rudy Sablo Memorial May 10th, 2008 @ LBH
Friday, January 4, 2008
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