[Michael XYZ]

Any tips on front-squat if I can't really use/want to use a clean-grip? Monk told me of straps method and I've used that but still the main weakness in my FS is the grip.

Really like FS because it's just different and I think has good carry over to deadlift but I can't do much at all on it just because my grip tends to go crappy at heavier weights.

Edit: To clarify, the weakness is keeping the arms up. Plus, difficulty in staying very upright and stopping myself from rounding over a lot.

[Becca]

(Original post by Michael XYZ)
Any tips on front-squat if I can't really use/want to use a clean-grip? Monk told me of straps method and I've used that but still the main weakness in my FS is the grip.

Really like FS because it's just different and I think has good carry over to deadlift but I can't do much at all on it just because my grip tends to go crappy at heavier weights.

Edit: To clarify, the weakness is keeping the arms up. Plus, difficulty in staying very upright and stopping myself from rounding over a lot.

I only squat clean grip now and my number 1 tip would be to switch to clean grip. Keep stretching out your shoulders and practising unracking heavy weights until you can comfortably hold the bar on your delts. If you're really keen on doing FS a lot it's definitely worth it because you can keep so much better form and squat so much heavier!
To practise staying upright whilst keeping the bar in position, get the bar in rack position then hold your arms straight out in front of you (at 90 degrees). If you have a good rack position you should be able to squat down without the bar rolling down at all.
Then you have to really focus on taking big belly breaths, keeping your whole torso massively tight. Keep your gaze and head up (I look slightly higher than when I back squat). You just have to really think about it. Don't do more than triples.

[Michael XYZ]

Although I am trying to improve my shoulder mobility it isn't good at all.

Is using straps really that different? I don't really want to get into Oly lifting or anything and I'm a bit worried about putting unnecessary stress on my wrists too.

[The Blind Monk]

Is worth a shot, (see about the 2:10 mark) as is doing soft tissue work/stretching on your forearm flexors. Though neither are really an insta-cure.

[Becca]

(Original post by Michael XYZ)
Although I am trying to improve my shoulder mobility it isn't good at all.

Is using straps really that different? I don't really want to get into Oly lifting or anything and I'm a bit worried about putting unnecessary stress on my wrists too.

I don't have any experience using straps so I can't comment on that. I can't really give any advice other than just keep working on your flexibility

[redbuthotter]

Need some theory advice.

Tried doing these today but didn't dip as low

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIOkGzM6tvE

I probs dip halfway down the thigh. If I try dipping as low as him so I just push my hips back and keep knees kinda straight. And from there what do I think about? Do I just literally try jumping from there or...?

[redbuthotter]

*If I explode from there how do I stop being off balance forward.

[The Blind Monk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95GEE5KWeVE
Thoughts? I think I hyper-extend a little too much and pull too much with my upper body. The pull is high, but I'm not sure that this is necessarily a good motor pattern to ingrain. Also, I have a feeling my ass starts too high?

[Becca]

(Original post by redbuthotter)
Need some theory advice.

Tried doing these today but didn't dip as low

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIOkGzM6tvE

I probs dip halfway down the thigh. If I try dipping as low as him so I just push my hips back and keep knees kinda straight. And from there what do I think about? Do I just literally try jumping from there or...?

I would say keeping your knees straight is what's causing you to lose balance. You want a little give in your knees before it gets to the "critical point" where you explode, otherwise you'll just send the bar outwards horizontally instead of keeping it in a straight line. When I get in position for standing exercises I follow what they do on the Cal Strength videos - arch back, shoulders back (this makes sure the bar is into your body), bend a little at the knees, then bend at the hips into whatever start position you are going for. If you've not watched the Cal Strength vids then they are really good.
Also remember to extend your shoulders as well. You could try racking the bar the first few times before whacking on some more weight. If you make like you're going to rack it you will probably do better technique (I always attempt to clean the bar when I do clean pulls and end up getting it more into my body and higher as a result) because your shoulders are likely too far over the bar otherwise.

(Original post by The Blind Monk)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95GEE5KWeVE
Thoughts? I think I hyper-extend a little too much and pull too much with my upper body. The pull is high, but I'm not sure that this is necessarily a good motor pattern to ingrain. Also, I have a feeling my ass starts too high?

At my first ever weightlifting session last year the first thing they did was look at my start position and were like "get your bum lower...even lower...more...a little more..." so your bum should always be lower than you think, especially in snatch. You will probs need to mess around with a few different starting positions, but always reset after each pull rep. As I get tired I have a tendency to let my bum come up too fast/start too high and then I have the bar in front of me which translates to either ugly pressed-out power snatches or fails when I'm doing the full lifts.
I think you need to get the bar more into your body throughout the movement. I can see you're pulling the bar into your body at the end of the pull with your arms it looks like. It should already be that close to your body so I'd work on thinking "into body" throughout the movement. That drill I told you about should really help with keeping it close, haven't got round to filming it yet though, sorry . As a tip, after every training I have chalk in a line up my leg from just over my knees (it helps to wear tights because tracky bs can slow the bar down, I ended up getting tights because my coach nagged me a lot).
Also in your start position, make sure you're really tight and your shoulders are locked back before each rep.

Hope those responses were actually helpful

[Becca]

Clean and jerk - spesial (2 cleans, 1 jerk)
Doing a jerk after 2 cleans is significantly harder.
35 x 1
40 x 1
43 x 1
45 x 1
45 x 1
50 x 1 PB for spesial!
50 x 1
50 x fail jerk Tired, bar was waaay in front of me.
45 x 1 clean and jerk to nail a jerk, didn't want to finish a good session with a fail.

Snatch Pulls
35 x 3
37.5 x 3
37.5 x 3
40 x 3
40 x 3
42.5 x 2
42.5 x 2

Really happy with these today. Thought about getting my knees out of the way and getting a bit further back on the heels to get a more "sweeping" action. Bf posted some of my vids on Pendlay forum asking for tips, so going to try and implement those over the next few weeks.

Back Squat
40 x 3
50 x 3
60 x 3
65 x 3
65 x 3
65 x 3

[rlw31]

(Original post by Becca)
Clean and jerk - spesial (2 cleans, 1 jerk)
Doing a jerk after 2 cleans is significantly harder.
35 x 1
40 x 1
43 x 1
45 x 1
45 x 1
50 x 1 PB for spesial!
50 x 1
50 x fail jerk Tired, bar was waaay in front of me.
45 x 1 clean and jerk to nail a jerk, didn't want to finish a good session with a fail.

Snatch Pulls
35 x 3
37.5 x 3
37.5 x 3
40 x 3
40 x 3
42.5 x 2
42.5 x 2

Really happy with these today. Thought about getting my knees out of the way and getting a bit further back on the heels to get a more "sweeping" action. Bf posted some of my vids on Pendlay forum asking for tips, so going to try and implement those over the next few weeks.

Back Squat
40 x 3
50 x 3
60 x 3
65 x 3
65 x 3
65 x 3

Spesial sounds hard.

I posted my squat videos (the same one's I posted on my blog) on the SS forum and Rip said they looked text book Not long after that the website had a little crash and couple of months or so of threads/posts disappeared, but it really happened I swear

If the gym's quiet on Wednesday I'll try to film my powercleans, would you be so kind as to watch them? I need TSR's resident oly lifter

[Becca]

(Original post by rlw31)
Spesial sounds hard.

I posted my squat videos (the same one's I posted on my blog) on the SS forum and Rip said they looked text book Not long after that the website had a little crash and couple of months or so of threads/posts disappeared, but it really happened I swear

If the gym's quiet on Wednesday I'll try to film my powercleans, would you be so kind as to watch them? I need TSR's resident oly lifter

I remember those vids! The ones where the woman told you you were doing it wrong? I believe you

Ofc, I'll watch them. A little uneasy about being the resident oly lifter though

You enjoying powercleans?

[rlw31]

(Original post by Becca)
I remember those vids! The ones where the woman told you you were doing it wrong? I believe you

Ofc, I'll watch them. A little uneasy about being the resident oly lifter though

You enjoying powercleans?

No, more recent ones, my youtube account says 5 months ago.

So much, I wish I had access to bumper plates ages ago. Dunno what I'll do in the summer though, that gym has no bumper plates, no boxes or anything to simulate the height of standard size plates and just about enough space to deadlift (right in front of the rack) let alone safely powerclean, someone would probably walk into me if I tried

If only I had a car and could drive, googlemaps tells me it would only be a 30-40 minute drive to Genesis gym, as it is it takes that long to walk and bus it to the crappy gym, one can dream

[rlw31]

What do you think of these clean and jerks?

[Becca]

(Original post by rlw31)
What do you think of these clean and jerks?

Aha. Ahahaha. AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[aivi]

Another gem from the same dude

[Becca]

OK. Now not sure if serious...

[rlw31]

Lol, I came across it on the SS forum, one of the users there discovered him so to speak and every now and then someone posts a link to one of his new videos. Tragically hilarious if he isn't trolling.

[Michael XYZ]

The "clean" was funny. This is just standard squat depth for most lifters at most gyms.

[aivi]

yeah, saw one guy just today in the gym, "squatting".
But I felt the video was pretty funny, with the "good form" emphasis in the title lol.