I have slowly been experimenting with some of the O-lifts. Mostly to gain the benefit of the lift and to enhance my juijitsu/grappling.
I have some questions about the “scoop” phase of the lift.
In Explosive Lifting for Sports the author says that when the bar is a bit past the knees you rebend the knees, hips, and ankles and scoop the bar to your waist, and explode up from there.
In reading Coach Davies and Dan John they say that the pull from the floor to about the knees is all legs, and then once the bar gets to the knees you explode and try to jump up. Since i am not trying to lift record weights i think i can manage to teach myself this method.
Which way is correct? Since i am not planning to compete or anything i am thinking the simpler method might serve me better. I am also using lighter weights so the technical concern about dropping into a rock bottom squat is not as much of an issue.
The two descriptions you are reading are actually talking about the same technique!
When Coach Davies says the first part of the lift is “all legs”, instead, think about that as meaning “no hips.” A power clean is NOT the same form as a deadlift. In a deadlift, you drive your hips forward right away, keeping them as close to the bar as possible. In the olympic lifts, you will start by straightening your legs, while leaving your hips out behind you. So when the bar gets to about knee-level, your legs will be basically straight, but your upper body will still be “over the bar” because your hips are still behind you.
It’s here that the re-bend or “scoop” occurs, when the bar gets just past your knees. It is only a slight re-bending, just enough to allow you to aggressively throw your hips forward and jump-shrug.
It’s a tough technique to describe, but i hope this helped some. If they show any olympic lifting this summer during the olympics, record some of it and go back to watch their technique.
The rebending of the knees should be something that occurs naturally, and trying to force it won’t work. You shouldn’t have to think about it. It will come on it’s own…