One Hand Swing

by Atomic Athletic on Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 4:49pm ·

Quick lifts seem to be all the rage right now, for good reason.

The One Hand Dumbbell Swing is one explosive lift you do not see a lot of, but you are really missing out if you aren't doing it.  It was one of the contest lifts in Ambridge, PA last weekend, at the Ambridge Barbell Club USAWA (All-Round) weightlifting meet.  

First of all, the guys in that organization are a treasure trove of information.  I had been casually training the lift for about a month.  The deeper I looked at it and experimented with it, the more interesting it became.  As with many All-Round Association events, I came out of the meet with a far greater understanding of the lift than when I went in.  You may have noticed, that I tend to repeat lifts from one meet to the next.  The idea is that in a 6 month period of time, you can then have two contests where you can show some improvement from the first to the second.

EQUIPMENTTo start with, you want to lift on the most appropriate equipment.  It doesn't have to be the most expensive, but there are certain key factors to consider.  Now, my favorite dumbbell at the meet was the one I used for my final attempt, which was a good one.  However, if I were trying to set a record, or push my absolute limit, I would NOT have used that dumbbell.  I like that dumbbell because it was an antique Jackson solid, globe head, dumbbell.  It was down right cool.  Yet, the grip area was much too long and unknurled.

Ideally, you want a rotating Olympic sized plate loading dumbbell with a handle that is similar diameter to an Olympic barbell.  I have one in my collection that measures 1 1/4 inches in diameter and it is simply too big.  The goal of a swing is not just to work your grip.  A swing should be a test of your back, hips and traps.  You also need to have very solid collars.  There is no way I would trust little spring collars or something made of plastic.  I use leather lined Spin-Lock Collars that you can crank down on.

TECHNIQUE1. Make sure you get a good grip.  I also like to have the thumb side of my hand cranked in tight to the inside collar.2. Don't do too many swings, three should be enough.  More than that and you are wasting energy and explosiveness.  With your final swing you want to go up more than out with a genuine triple extension.  3. Don't forget you can also drop under it and catch it in a split.  There will be more looping of the dumbbell than in a snatch, so you will want to practice the split.  You could could catch it in a quarter squat type movement, but you will probably have to jump backward to receive the dumbbell.  That is possibly stronger, but chancy.  I started off using that method, because of my Olympic lifting background. While that swing split is certainly different from a barbell jerk split, I am gradually switching and adapting to it.  4. Finally, lock your shoulder right into the side of your head.  There is a really cool screw type motion that makes it stunningly solid.

Finally, if you are not already doing full barbell Olympic weightlifting, then start.  The application of that type of training to the One Hand Dumbbell Swing is so obvious as to not even warrant discussion.

Have fun.  Today is a good day to lift.

Live strong,

Roger LaPointe

Links/Photoshttp://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=BK12 

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=HIB20ZR 

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=Y36043 

photo of John McKeanhttp://www.usawa.com/ 

New Lifts

by Atomic Athletic on Friday, March 9, 2012 at 4:36pm ·

I love new lifts.  I love changing up my lifts.  In fact, some of you will notice that I seem to focus on some new lift just about every month.  

Guess what?

You are correct.  I look at a new “competition” lift every month.

 I also have some foundation lifts.  The basic ground work of my routines is solidly in the world of Olympic lifting, but I love to change up a few things now and then.  This is where the USAWA (All-Round Weightlifting Association) comes in.  Their rule book has more lifts than anyone could really concentrate on in a lifetime.

New lifts are great because they force you to think in new ways.  For example, 15 years ago I did a series of interviews of Norbert Schemansky.  One question asked about some of the lifts he did outside of strict Olympic weightlifting.  One of the lifts he casually worked on was the crucifix lift.  

I thought the crucifix was a very strange lift for him to train.  After all, no competitive organization like the USAWA existed at that time, the 1950s, and no one kept real records for that sort of thing, so why do them?  First of all, they were fun and Norb did some pretty big weights with it.  So it became a cool local gym challenge.  Secondly, it helped his pressing.  Norb could Clean & Press over 400 pounds on a regular basis.  He claimed that it helped, so who am I to second guess the IWF's “Lifter of the Century”?

The key to new lifts is to keep a solid foundation.  I talk to lifters every day and the ones who seem to succeed have one thing in common.  They all have a solid foundation of strength, but they also do everything they can to keep from going stale.  In that regard, I try to pick “new lifts” that don't stray too far from my foundations.  For example, for this coming meet (tomorrow in Ambridge, PA), I have been working on the one hand dumbbell swing, and the the hack squat, but I still do snatch based moves as well as working my Olympic Clean & Press and the crucifix.  I have played around with, but not spent much time or energy on the Pullover & Press, which is one of the competition lifts this weekend.  I am not a bench press guy and I have realized that my technique with the competition style pullover really needs the help of a coach who has a clue.  I have always loved the pullover, but that competition style is very different.  I am going to use this meet as an opportunity to get some technique training from experts in this lift.

Enjoy those new lifts.

Live strong,

Roger LaPointe

Crank Out the Pullovers

by Atomic Athletic on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 4:28pm ·

I love pullovers. Next to doing squats, there is no other single exercise I LIKE to do more than pullovers.

Now, I know you are going to ask the obvious question. You want to know what type of pullover I'm talking about. That's the funny part. I don't care. I seem to like them all.

Just last night I did a “new” pullover and I loved it! Maybe you have done this, but maybe you haven't. I have a great bent knee adjustable sit-up bench. I cranked it almost all the way to it's most extreme angle. Then I had my training partner hand me one of our extreme angle pro-style curl bars. It was only 65 pounds, but turned into a great finishing exercise for a quick Olympic style weightlifting workout. It was really, really different – a nice contrast to the Oly stuff that worked some strange angles.

I bring this up because, like the old lifters of the past, I believe that even a one lift specialist needs to have a high level of full body fitness. Even the great Tommy Kono would take off several months from serious Olympic lifting and do some bodybuilding. It just makes sense. Everyone developments muscle imbalances and some sort of active rest is always a good idea, simply for recovery. You will find that it helps you mentally as well as physically. It's like taking a vacation that helps your overall lifting.

Olympic Curl Bar

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=IGEZ

Pro-style Curl Bars (These can be customized with the standard bend curl bar or the extreme bend curl bar, as well as black or chrome plates. Call for a quote.)

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=Y3068EZC

Curl Your Own Bodyweight with Yasser

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=VID301

Live Strong,

Roger LaPointe

Masters Pressing: Back Recovery

by Atomic Athletic on Friday, February 24, 2012 at 4:54pm ·

The single most important factor in successful weightlifting is recovery.  That being said, it is an amazingly complex topic.  Getting older does not help that factor.  For me, it seems like I was really getting a handle on it and all of a sudden the rules have changed.  I catch myself saying, “I used to be a able to do...  Oh yeah, that was ten years ago.”

The ultimate Masters lifter was Norbert Schemansky, even though it did not exist while he still competed.  Trust me, getting tips out of Norb is like reading tea leaves.  When he gives a tip, you have to really, really think about it.

One thing Norb did believe in was working around an injury.  The injury he is most famous for is that persistent back issue.  For those of you who don't know, Norb went on to get two more Olympic medals and even compete in the 1968 Olympic Trials, after 1950s era back surgery... no robotic arms and computer screens to do the sewing and cutting back then...

Both before and after the surgery, Norb turned to the bench in order to increase his overhead work.  He did mostly flat benching, but certainly did inclines as well.  He did his benching in the “touch & go” style, for reps.  He always wanted to be as explosive as possible.

Try this, after your heavy cleans, clean pulls and back squats, do some bench pressing.  A lot of athletes want to do jerks, power jerks, presses or push presses right after their cleans.  Intuitively, this makes sense, since the lift is called the Clean & Jerk.  After experimentation, I have found that my pulling and squatting will suffer if I do that.  However, I hardly lose anything in my bench strength, if I am doing it at the end.  That bench weight is naturally going to be more than I could have pressed, or even jerked.  In fact, I can usually do 5 rep sets with what I would have jerked for a single, at the end of a workout.  Please realize, I am NOT a bench press specialist. I am doing it to help my overhead work.

I also make sure to really stretch out my shoulders with a broom stick after a workout like that.  I don't want to be stiff for a follow-up snatch workout.  You get the idea.

While I hope you are not dealing with the back issues Norb had, we can all benefit from his experience in workout design.  If you have any lay-back in your standing presses, you spine will thank you as well.  

Enjoy this little back recovery tip.

Live strong,

Roger LaPointe

Links:http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=BK081 

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=IGIWF 

2012 USAWA Heavy Lifts Championships

by Atomic Athletic on Friday, February 10, 2012 at 4:45pm ·

Atomic Athletic is proud to host this years 2012 USAWA Heavy Lifts Championships. The Heavy Lifts Event will take place the day of the Atomic Athletic Great Black Swamp Olde Time Strongman Picnic, in the morning, before the picnic festivities begin.

The Heavy Lifts Championships will consist of 3 Heavy Lifts: The Hand & Thigh Lift, the Neck Lift, and the Hip Lift.

Registration for the Event is open, but you must be a member of the USAWA to compete. You can download the membership form below.

Weigh in begins at 9am. Lifting begins at 11am. 

Description of Lifts

(USAWA Rules)

Hand & Thigh Lift

A Heavy Lift Bar is used in this lift. A hand bar is also used, which must not exceed 28 inches in length and 1 inch in diameter. The hand bar will have an adjustable chain and hook attached to it in the center so it may be attached to the Heavy Lift Bar. No knurling is allowed on the hand bar. The lifter assumes a position with the Heavy Lift Bar in front of the lifter, or the lifter may straddle it. The feet must be parallel and in line with the torso. Width of feet placement is optional. The feet must not move during the lift, but the heels and toes may rise. The lifter may adjust the chain length to his/her preference prior to the lift. The hand bar must be in the lifter’s grasp and will lie across the thighs. The hands must remain on the hand bar and must not change position during the lift. The lift begins at the lifter’s discretion. The lifter is allowed one test lift to check the balance of the weight and to make adjustments to the chain length. The lifter will stand or lean back to lift the weights from the platform. The shoulders and torso do not have to be upright upon the finish of the lift. The legs must straighten, but the knees do not need to be locked. Once the weight is motionless, and the plates on both ends of the bar are off the platform at the same time, an official will give a command to end the lift.

Neck Lift

A Heavy Lift Bar is used in this lift. A neck harness is also used, which fits over the head. Any style of neck harness is acceptable, provided that it is held in place entirely by the head during the lift. The neck harness must not contact the neck or trapezius muscles. A pad, such as a towel, may be placed between the head and the neck harness. An adjustable chain and hook is attached to the neck harness so it may be attached to the Heavy Lift Bar. The lifter assumes a position with the Heavy Lift Bar in front of the lifter or the lifter may straddle it. The feet must parallel and in line with the torso. Width of feet placement is optional. The feet must not move during the lift, but the heels and toes may rise. The lifter may adjust the chain length to his/her preference prior to the lift. The lifter must not touch the chain or straps of the neck harness with the hands during the lift, but the chain or straps may touch the lifter’s body. Hands may touch the body during the lift, but must be free of contact upon completion of the lift. The lift begins at the lifter’s discretion. The lifter is allowed one test lift to check the balance of the weight and to make adjustments to the chain length. The lifter will stand and lift the weights from the platform. The shoulders and torso do not have to be upright upon the finish of the lift. The legs must straighten, but the knees do not need to be locked. Once the weight is motionless, the hands free from the body, and the plates on both ends of the bar are off the platform at the same time, an official will give a command to end the lift.

Hip Lift

A Heavy Lift Bar is used in this lift. A hip belt is also used, which fits over the hips and around the waist. An adjustable chain and hook is attached to the hip belt so it may be attached to the Heavy Lift Bar. The width of the hip belt must not exceed 4 inches. Hands may be used as support on the legs during the lift, but must be free of contact at the completion of the lift. The lifter assumes a position in which the lifter is straddling the Heavy Lift Bar. Width of feet placement is optional, but the feet must be parallel and in line with the torso. The feet must not move during the lift, but the heels and toes may rise. The lifter may adjust the chain length to his/her preference prior to the lift. The lift begins at the lifter’s discretion. The lifter is allowed one test lift to check the balance of the weight and to make adjustments to the chain length. The lifter will stand and lift the weights from the platform. The shoulders and torso do not have to be upright upon the finish of the lift. The legs must straighten, but the knees do not need to be locked. Once the weight is motionless, the hands free from the body, and the plates on both ends of the bar are off the platform at the same time, an official will give a command to end the lift.

For more information, registration, and application forms please visit:

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=PICNIC6B

2012 USAWA "Heavy Event" 

Add Some Bounce

by Atomic Athletic on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 2:47pm

Good pain and bad pain are something that most lifters understand. One type you want and another you don't. If you are a Masters age lifter, then you really know understand this concept. If you are into doing explosive lifting and fit want to decrease bad pain and increase your recovery rate, and who doesn't, then this is an Atomic Tip for you.

Atomic TIP

Add Some Bounce.

If you are doing explosive lifting, ie. Power snatches, hang cleans, explosive pulls, etc.; make sure you don't lock your knees. You will see this technique in play with any serious training hall video footage.

Here is an example of what NOT to do. New lifters, especially those who are very detail oriented individuals, will do hang cleans with knees locked and moving just the upper body, frequently just moving the hips and shoulders. They typically do this because they are working on bar receiving technique, where they are trying to increase bar speed and get higher elbows. The goals are good ones. However, the knees need to be unlocked and have a little bit of bounce. The resulting springiness is comparable to shock absorbers in your car. You don't need to have them in order to move around, but ride will be a lot smoother. In other words, it will save some trauma in your low back.

Live strong,

Roger LaPointe

“Today is a good day to lift.”

links:

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=BK12

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=IGIWF

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=BPC45LB

Core Training Safety Squat Style

by Atomic Athletic on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 4:24pm

As a great rapper once said: “You can do side bends or situps...” and you probably know the rest.

The truth of the matter is that side bends with weight are an excellent exercise to strengthen the core.

Enter the Safety Squat bar.

With handles placed at the chest level the Safety Squat bar makes it comfortable to add weight to your side bends. Instead of doing conventional bends with dumbbells or kettlebells hanging from your hands, the Safety Squat Bar instead places the weight comfortably on your back.

When doing side bends with the weight higher on the torso you may find that your range of motion and balance is different than with hanging dumbbells. We suggest starting off light, or with just the Safety Squat bar itself, until you get the hang of the movements.

Why can't I just use a regular bar to do side bends? Well, you can, however, using a regular Olympic bar to do this movement could result in shoulder impingement, discomfort and possibly shoulder injury. With a safety squat bar these problems are resolved for most people.

Try the Safety Squat bar for side bends and give your core a workout.

Live Strong, 

Roger LaPointe

Safety Squat Bar

 http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=SSB