Kirk on why people miss Jerks 1. They think the jerk is a JUMP up and slide under. From the beginning, the “jump” cue that many lifters that have no coaches and read online, are exposed to this completely WRONG cue and end up spending more time floating in the air than exploding a bar […]
Chinese Weightlifting on All Things Gym
The Best of All Things Chinese Weightlifting on the Web!
Snatch High Pull Demonstration
Snatch High Pull Demonstration filmed by Kirk from lifthard.com
Head Position for Weightlifting
Kirk on keeping the head in neutral position. Keeping a neutral spine is better to deliver force into the bar. This is because it transfers the power better without losing a percentage of it through flex or excessive arch/curve. The comments I get most by looking downwards or forward are: Better stability and ability to […]
Chinese Weightlifting Squat Technique
Kirk has some cues for a good squat form. 1. Chest stays as high arched as possible.2. Feet pointed point, comfortable width.3. Shoulders stay behind knees (super tough for the long torso lifter)4. Push butt back and sit down. At this point, think “chest up, chest up”5. Keep in control all the time. Avoid bouncing […]
Basic 6 Week Strength Training Program
Kirk shares a super simple 6 week strength training program. He and his lifters used this for presses, weighted chins and dips, squats.He doesn’t recommend applying this template to Olympic lifts as they require more work in the 85-90% of 1RM range with fewer than 5 reps per set. Week 1: 70% 1RM x 4 x […]
Weightlifting Error Fix: Hips Rising too Fast
Q: I’d be interested to hear how they address the common problem of hips rising too fast (in the pull and also the squat). I feel like taking care of this would also fix uprightedness issues with people whose hips shoot up on a heavy back squat, for example. Kirk answers 1. Rhomboids and lats […]
Pulls in Chinese Weightlifting
Kirk wrote a post about how the Chinese use pulls and their variations in their weightlifting training. Why do snatch pulls (or clean pulls)? Teaching the body, of the most accurate angles for exerting the maximal amount of power Accurately moving the load from the quads to the hips once the bar hits knee level. […]
Chinese Weightlifting Training Template
Kirk from lifthard.com shares a Chinese weightlifting training template you can use as a starting point for your lifting. 1RM squat once a week. It takes too much to keep going to 1RM’s and it cuts your capacity for more work. The stronger you are, less time should be spent on strength. More time must be spent […]
Common Weightlifting Errors and their Fixes
In Part 5 of his series on the Chinese Weightlifting System, Kirk has offers some really good insights into what exercises the Chinese use to correct technical errors in their lifts. We just do something that fixes the weak segment, with less concern on “What muscle is weak”. It could be your brain muscles that are weak, causing […]