I could swear I already wrote this article? Maybe not, maybe it just went into a presentation and never made it to “paper” (does anyone write on paper anymore?).
Either way, I am always posting videos of our athletes lifting. I love Olympic lifts and specifically, I really love the hang clean.
Every time I post a hang clean video the trolls post the same three comments.
1) Why do you athletes stomp their feet?
2) Why do your athletes “donkey kick”?
3) Your athletes don't get triple extension!
I should just write this off as what it is, a bunch of a-hole trolls but, that's not my style.
I want to explain why we do what we do.
So, first off, I'm going to start with my standard response.
In the words of Denis Logan “we want great athletes that are good weightlifters”
I was thinking the other day that if I coached Olympic weightlifters I'd probably be a much better Olympic weightlifting coach. The truth is we have lots to do and, Olympic weightlifting is an important piece of the puzzle but, still just a piece.
This means that we aren't training Olympic weightlifters and, that what we look for are lifts that are safe and fast. If our athletes move the weight from point A (the hang position) to point B (the rack position) and have a good bar path (close to the body) I'm generally pretty happy.
Some athletes stomp their feet but, we never teach it.
Some athletes kick their heels up but, we never teach.
And, all our athletes extend but, because we emphasize speed if often doesn't look that way. (see below)
People will tend to criticize the last statement but, in almost every case I have been able to pull a still picture from a video clearly showing triple extension.
So, next time you see one of our athletes (not an Olympic weightlifter) perform a lift ask yourself a) “Is it safe?" and b)“Is it fast?”
Don't try to show off on the internet and as I like to say “pick the flyshit out of the pepper”.
The reality is that Olympic weightlifting coaches don't agree on Olympic weightlifting.
Some coaches teach a scoop, some don't.
Some coaches teach “stomp” some don't.
Some coaches want you to hit the bar off your thighs, other think it's a terrible idea.
Bottom line, even really good coaches don't agree on how the Olympic lifts should be done so save your breath. We like the way we lift, we've being doing it the way we do it for almost thirty years and, we aren't changing any time soon.