Month: October 2012

The need to slow down while you are learning has lead to some confusion. And it is exasperated by the instructions given to achieve a proper “rhythm” in the lift. For a good lifter, good rhythm is fast, faster, fastest. Fast to the knees, even faster up the thigh, then fastest during the second pull and the pull under. Your aim should be to have the bar and your body start the lift fast, and just get faster as the lift proceeds.

But that’s not how it goes with a beginner. If a beginner pulls too fast off the floor, they will miss their positions. Or, they will hit the right position at the knee, but have to slow down while pulling the bar up the thigh in order to “find” the correct position at the hip. Neither is helpful to developing good technique.

So, I tell those just learning…