@CT, I’ve noticed that Oscar Figueroa and Andrei Rybakov do a hips low almost in the bottom a squat during their pulls. Their shins are almost perfectly vertical as opposed to someone like Dimas who lifts more hips high. In terms of power generation which form offers more explosiveness? I gather hips high has more spinal loading. If someone has the flexibility for either and the proper biomechanics which generally offers a greater return in terms of power generation and transferability to sports? Hips low (superman pull style)?
If you watch that first video carefully, he’s pushing his knees back as he comes off the ground, then right as it gets to knee level snaps into an RDL position to initiate his second pull. Point is, no matter which way you begin, you should be arriving in the same position at the start of your second pull.
[quote]iclardy wrote:
If you watch that first video carefully, he’s pushing his knees back as he comes off the ground, then right as it gets to knee level snaps into an RDL position to initiate his second pull. Point is, no matter which way you begin, you should be arriving in the same position at the start of your second pull.[/quote]
Pretty much correct. Really the starting position has a lot to do with the individual’s body proportions. someone with shorter limbs will normally start with the hips lower, shins more vertical and a more upright torso whereas someone with longer limbs will tend to start the hips a bit higher.
BTW, in the first video the hips are very low in the starting position, but at the moment of barbell separation (when the barbell leaves the floor, which is really when the first pull starts) they are pretty much in line with the knees… still fairly low, but nothing out of the ordinary.
I agree and disagree with you. Figueroa is emphasizing pushing through the heels more and with his shoulder retraction it looks as if the emphasis would be placed more on the hamstrings and glutes as opposed to Dimas who is leaning forward more with less shoulder retraction thus more emphasis on VMO and lower back.
[quote]nickj_777 wrote:
I agree and disagree with you. Figueroa is emphasizing pushing through the heels more and with his shoulder retraction it looks as if the emphasis would be placed more on the hamstrings and glutes as opposed to Dimas who is leaning forward more with less shoulder retraction thus more emphasis on VMO and lower back.[/quote]
Yes… that is exactly what Dimas is thinking about when lifting… “Gotta fire those VMO” (sarcasm).
Really he is using a style that fits his body type and individual strengths. A technique which was probably developped through experience because Dimas deviates A LOT from the normal lifting model (e.g. shrugging as soon as the bar reaches the knees). Very few lifters can actually copy his technique with any kind of success. Dimas is just amazingly strong and explosive, even by olympic lifting standards. A 660 front squat at about 190 kinda helps even if your technique is not “traditionally optimal”.
I get the sarcasm and I understand the biomechanics and I am not taking away from Dimas who I think is one of the greatest of all times. I was just inquiring thats all and I guess there is no general population argument and instead just focus in individual biomechanics.
[quote]nickj_777 wrote:
I get the sarcasm and I understand the biomechanics and I am not taking away from Dimas who I think is one of the greatest of all times. I was just inquiring thats all and I guess there is no general population argument and instead just focus in individual biomechanics.
Thank you for the responses :)[/quote]
If there were ONE optimal lifting technique universally applicable to everybody, every single lifter would lift exactly the same way… I’ve read HUGE texts studying the biomechanics of both competitive lifts, if there were one magic technique it would have been applied by all decades ago. The fact that you see a wide differences in lifting style among elite lifters is the best clue that while there are some universally true general principles to proper olympic lifting technique, you need to adjust the technique used to your body type.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
This gives you a better idea of Lu’s muscularity
[/quote]
This Is one of the best pic’s of him,just amazing.Thanks again for all the Info you provide for us CT.The layers and all the pulls you have opened my eyes to have done more for my physique In terms of denseness and Increased muscle growth than anything else In such a short period of time.
[quote]nickj_777 wrote:
Would Urik Vardanian be considered as a having the power look as well.
Most soviet lifters from the 70s and 80s would be decent examples of the power look. Vardanyan, would not be one of my prime examples. While arguably the best lifter ever and being lean and muscular, he was lankier than more physically impressive lifters like Rigert, Pervushin, Khrapaty and Klokov (Viacheslav, Dimitry Klokov’s father).
In fact, if I were to pick one olympic lifter to illustrate the power look it woul be David Rigert, or maybe Pavel Pervushin. The later was very muscular but Rigert just looked like he could walk through a brick wall.
Are these physiques achievable “unenhanced”? Perhaps it’s that (or genetics) which explains why Ivan or Lu look the way they do while fellow teammates and other o-lifters who more or less do the same thing can appear smoothed, not that “jacked”?
I just had a thought if there’s diminishing returns on o-lifts for physique purposes, where poundage/performance increases on SGHP, etc. really stops doing much for the look…
The rightmost progress pic in my avi is after a carb up and several days of “higher calories” but I’ve been going for maximum definition and basically look stringy during the day and “jacked” only during workout/pumped.
Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t banging my head against the wall or shooting for an unrealistically shredded power look (maybe at expense of health?) without some “support”
Thanks.
