12 February '21
Welcome to the second edition of my FREE monthly Newsletter on Weightlifting.
Each month I’ll share with you some of my recent discoveries related to health, info from my library and of course a topic on Weightlifting.
Happy New Year! This is the year of the Ox according to the Chinese calendar.
Health
Have you ever considered the effectiveness of your cardiac output? Aileen worked for many years in the field of cardiac rehab and has introduced me to this topic. She wears an oura ring which gathers a whole host of data. One important metric is heart rate variability. This is a measure of how resilient your cardiac output is for the variety of situations we encounter each day. It’s a measure of how healthy you are.
article from Harvard
Most specifically related to athletic training, Dr. Phil Maffetone has been experimenting with how best to increase one’s cardiac capacity. He calls it the “MAF Method.”
read about it here ->
Basically his theory, which he’s tested the past 40 years is to expand the baseline of your cardiac capacity by working up to only 80% of your heart rate max and performing all of your conditioning in this zone. Over time, expanding baseline capacity in this zone your cardiac muscles grow more efficient and work can be done faster with less stress on your heart producing faster running times and greater workload output.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Coach Miller’s Library
“Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown
Have you ever found yourself stretched too thin?
Do you sometimes feel overworked and underutilized?
Do you feel motion sickness instead of momentum?
Does your day sometimes get hijacked by someone else’s agenda?
Have you ever said “yes” simply to please and then resented it?
If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is the Way of the Essentialist.
The Way of the Essentialist involves doing less, but better, so you can make the highest possible contribution. It isn’t about getting more done in less time. It’s not about getting less done. It’s about getting only the right things done. I highly suggest, in the interest of efficiency that you pick up Greg’s book. It’s a fantastic read that can help prioritize your time and more effectively reach your goals.
Weightlifting Bar Path
Let’s discuss the most critical phase of Weightlifting technique - getting the barbell to move from the platform and around the knees. Almost all lifting errors occur in this area. Once the athlete learns to maximize their performance here, peak explosive performance can be realized. Humans walk erect on two legs. This upright posture means we have the potential to develop the most powerful hip extension of all animals. Hip extension is our most essential mechanism for running, jumping, throwing, etc. Therefore, achieving proficiency of movement around the hip is our goal in all athletic endeavors.
This barbell skill practice is coached in many ways :
- Staying Over the Bar
- Don't Get Behind the Bar Too Soon
- Double Knee Bend
- Scoop
- Remain Flatfooted Longer
All of these coaching cues are intended for the athlete to maintain vertical velocity on the barbell and reduce horizontal forces while building hamstring eccentric tension.
The "gun powder" for firing the jump.
RDL
Romanian Deadlift is the most effective strength building exercise to assist the weightlifter in gaining necessary strength and stability for holding the proper position while moving the barbell past the knees. I’ve experienced great results from coaching athletes to practice Cleans & Snatches from a low-hang position below the knees. From this position the athlete is required to manage their balance properly and avoid falling. Successful practice from this low-hang position carries over directly to the full lifts from the floor. Practicing an overloaded Lift-Off and a Lift-Off + Pause then continuation of the Snatch or Clean are the finishing touches that will cement an athlete’s successful performance.
I’ve posted some of these skill practice videos on YouTube. Have a look and let me know if you’d like to see a particular exercise that’s not on my channel - I’ll make one.
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