Wanderlust
By Jon North
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30.6.12
On Weightlifting: A Personal View
Chapter
4
ON
THE BENEFITS OF SUBORDINATE EXERCISES
BOTH IN REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BODY AS WELL
AS THE WELL-BEING OF THE MIND
BY
DONNY SHANKLE CPT
“Familiarity
Breeds Contempt.” Anonymous
55
Split Cleans
Weightlifter Mie Yoshinaga practices Split Cleans
“The easiest is the clean,
second the snatch, and lastly the jerk.” This is a direct quote
from coach Ivan Abajiev and it is very true. Sure, you will have some
very naturally talented jerkers out there but, for the most part this
is the one lift you will devote most of your time perfecting in the
gym. The split clean does not train the clean but is a jerk exercise.
This is the only subordinate exercise listed I have not done myself in training
but can see its value enough to talk about it. You must attack the
jerk from every angle intelligently to become proficient at it. What
the split clean teaches you is to get your back knee down during a
jerk. Jerking on a straight rear leg will leave the bar out in front
every time causing you to miss. The subordinate exercise permits you
to train your footwork with a heavy weight while saving the
shoulders.
I recommend you train the
exercise from above the knee to save the back and focus on your
“split” command. Each repetition you do focus on “receiving”
the bar with 50% of your body-weight on each foot. The lead foot must
slap the platform completely flat footed, and the rear heel at the same time must be off the
floor and turned out with each rep. This turning of the heel allows you to drop your knee. Remember,
the thing you are training during this exercise is bringing the back
knee down with each repetition. If you are not doing this then come
down in weight and correct yourself.
REPS: 2-3
SETS: 5
ADVANCED WAY: N/A
DURATION: 15 minutes
PLACEMENT IN TRAINING: At the
completion of a weeks training, typically on a Saturday, is when I
would advise doing the exercise and I would make it first on your
list for the days training.
29.6.12
Weightlifting Talk
Tune in and listen to two of the best weightlifters around and best
friends Jon North and Donny Shankle talk about weightlifting and
whatever else comes up. Call in and ask your questions. Live each Friday at 1300 EST time.
Click link below.
On Weightlifting: A Personal View
Chapter
4
ON
THE BENEFITS OF SUBORDINATE EXERCISES
BOTH IN REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BODY AS WELL
AS THE WELL-BEING OF THE MIND
BY
DONNY SHANKLE CPT
“Familiarity
Breeds Contempt.” Anonymous
54
Peaks and Valleys
Like reverse hyper-extensions,
peaks and valleys are one the best subordinate exercises you can do
to keep your back healthy. I will go so far as to even say they are
one of the best exercises ever thought of. Adding in this exercise in
your training everyday religiously shows you are a professional.
Anyone tough enough can endure the hammering that comes with being a
weightlifter. The best weightlifters pay attention to details
however, and take care of their bodies each day. Not only does this
exercise keep your back healthy by stretching and decompressing the
lumbar at the peak but, it also shapes the curvature of your spine
creating a strong back arch in the valley. A strong back arch is the
silhouette of a champion weightlifter. The exercise also makes the
lockout in your arms stronger as you force your elbows out and
isometrically hold the exercise for ten reps. I also use it as
meditation before bed. Doing a few of these each night is relaxing
and helps me to forget all I did in training for the day as I look
forward to tomorrow.
Peak
Get into a push up position at
the end of the concentric phase and hold a tight plank. From here let
your hips drop low enough until they are just off the floor and your
body resembles a valley. Do not let the hips or knees touch the
floor. Raise your head up high and breathe in deeply through your
mouth. Hold for a two count on your toes and locked arms. To move out
of the valley slowly bring your hips back up into a plank and
continue bringing them up by taking a large step forward with each
foot. Bring your head down and breathe out. In the peak position
raise up on your toes a little by flexing your calves and be sure the
arms and legs are locked. Hold for a two count and proceed to move
directly back into the valley. Focus on your back stretching at the
top and the curve in your spine at the bottom. Listen to your
breathing and build your lung capacity. Let go a little bit mentally
as you break a slight sweat.
Valley
REPS: 10
SETS: 2
ADVANCED WAY: N/A
DURATION: 5 minutes
PLACEMENT IN TRAINING: Either
directly before training, directly before bed, or both.
28.6.12
On Weightlifting: A Personal View
Chapter
4
ON
THE BENEFITS OF SUBORDINATE EXERCISES
BOTH IN REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BODY AS WELL
AS THE WELL-BEING OF THE MIND
BY
DONNY SHANKLE CPT
“Familiarity
Breeds Contempt.” Anonymous
53
Weightlifters Shrug
Shrugs are a beginners exercise
which teach a weightlifter what exactly is going on with the wrists
at the “finish” of their pull. I have heard a lot of confusion
regarding the exercise and wanted to clarify its purpose once and for
all. The purpose of the shrug has nothing to do with developing the
powerful trapezius muscles. The subordinate exercise facilitates the
wrists turning over faster at the “ receive” command of a snatch
and clean by utilizing the rotation of the bar. By forcing the
wrists into flexion at the “finish” they will turn over faster
into extension during the catch. This turning over is what puts the
bar behind you in a snatch and elbows up during a clean so long as
you are also finishing violently. It is a beginners exercise because
it allows for multiple repetitions in a given set for you to learn
quickly. After you understand the purpose of the exercise, and
what you are developing, it is a good idea to drop it from your
training only to be brought on again if you are working around an
injury.
wrist relaxed at start of shrug
wrist in flexion at the "finish"
To perform the exercise set up
blocks which put a heavily loaded bar at the crease of your hip.
Ensure your shoulders are over the bar and your bodyweight is across
the center of your feet. Extend hard into your “finish” up in a
straight line by bringing your hips through until you rise up on your
toes. At the top curl your wrists in as you bring your shoulders up.
Ensure the bar is kept close to the body with every rep and lower
back down. A good visual aid which may help you understand better
flexion into fast extension is this. Hold the end of a rubber band at
the top of your thigh. Using your other hand curl the rubber
band around your leg until both ends meet. The rubber band is in
flexion at this point and when you release notice how quickly it goes
back into its original state. The muscles in your lower arms are
doing the exact same thing and with practice you will begin to notice
a significant increase in how fast your wrists are turning over
during your lifting.
REPS: 3-5
SETS: 5
ADVANCED WAY: N/A
DURATION: 10 minutes
PLACEMENT IN TRAINING: In
between maximum days at the beginning of your training.
27.6.12
On Weightlifting: A Personal View
Chapter
4
ON
THE BENEFITS OF SUBORDINATE EXERCISES
BOTH IN REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BODY AS WELL
AS THE WELL-BEING OF THE MIND
BY
DONNY SHANKLE CPT
“Familiarity
Breeds Contempt.” Anonymous
52
Combinations
(Part 3 Conclusion)
Heavy dips plus assisted jerks
set in motion a straight “dip and drive” command. The exercise
does not have to be assisted but I like to do them that way
occasionally to make the jerk portion even faster. Speed is essential
for every lift but when you move into the jerk you have to find
another gear. To perform the combination load a weight on jerk blocks
that is between five and fifteen kilos heavier than your best jerk.
Pick the bar up like you are about to perform a jerk from the front
and “dip and drive” powerfully focusing on dipping down in a
straight line and driving up in a straight line making sure to stay
off your toes. As the weight comes off your chest let it fall to the
blocks and have two training partners unload weight from each side.
Initially, have your training partners unload a significant amount of
weight to ensure speed and completely locked arms in the “split”
command. The combination like I said does not have to be assisted.
Perform it the exact same way on your own without worrying about the
unloading portion. Remember to focus on your “dip and drive”
being straight and when you move into the second sequence, the jerk,
you should be dipping and driving much straighter. This combination
when done heavily is also a fantastic way to strengthen your hips
during a jerk immensely.
The last combination I will talk
about is the back raise brake plus back raise. Now that we are
nearing the end of the chapter it is a good time to remind you about
weightliftings golden rule which applies to every weightlifter, and
that is keeping the back straight and chest up while lifting. Lifting
with a weak rounded back will get you nowhere in this sport. This
combination reinforces a strong back arch followed with developing
power in the back during the second sequence the raise. Remember a
brake is nothing more than isometrically holding a position for a
count. Six seconds is good enough. (Refer back to the back raise
earlier in the chapter for a detailed instruction on how to perform
the exercise correctly). During the first sequence, at the end of the
concentric phase, hold the top for a six second count. Think about
looking at the back of the gym and fight hard to keep the weight
steady and your back tight. The weight will want to push you down but
don't let it. After a six second pause lower back down all the way
and immediately move as fast as you can back to the top again. The
combination is a great way to strengthen your back and shape it to
stay straight during your pull.
Combinations are not for
beginners and should only be done after initial gains have been made
from strictly performing the snatch and clean and jerk from the floor
over a set amount of time. This amount of time is dependent on your
athleticism and coaching but so long as personal records are
continually being made then subordinate exercisers like combinations
are not needed yet. Combinations are a great way for the seasoned
weightlifter to scratch away at making a few more kilos in their
total in the constant pursuit of improvement and making personal
records. Like I said in the beginning, no other subordinate exercise
requires as much thought as a combination. Think about what you are
trying to correct in the first sequence and then get fucking
emotional during the second sequence. Never accept a plateau in your
training but always try and think about how to get around it. Usually
to get through plateaus simply requires running through the wall and
saying the hell with going around it. Their will be times however,
when you need to sit down with your coach and look at video to see
what you could be doing better. Once you or the both of you have
found areas for improvement is when you start to choose the
combinations that will work the best for you. Do not limit yourself
to these five but figure out multiple combinations that can improve
your numbers in training.
REPS: 1
SETS: 5
ADVANCED WAY: Exercise is
already advanced
DURATION: 15 – 25 minutes
(depending on how heavy you are lifting)
PLACEMENT IN TRAINING: In
between days you are lifting at maximum from the floor. For example
if you are pushing to maximum on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday split
then on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday is a great day to include one
combination.
26.6.12
25.6.12
On Weightlifting: A Personal View
CHAPTER
10
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING
YOUR WAY AROUND THE KITCHEN
By Donny Shankle CPT
“Diet is the most important factor.” - Anonymous
Chips and Guacamole
2
Haas avocados
¼
cup diced tomato (no seeds, jelly, or water)
¼
cup chopped cilantro
¼
cup minced yellow or red onion
Juice
from one lime
1
tsp sea salt
1
clove finely minced garlic
tortilla
chips
Avocados
are a great source of unsaturated fat, potassium, fiber, vitamin K,
vitamin C, and B6. The avocado is a miracle fruit that not only helps
with digestion but is a fantastic anti-inflammatory. Any weightlifter
who does not include this guacamole recipe in his diet is missing
out. I promise if you start snacking on this your total will improve
by at least ten kilos and your muscles will thank you too.
Slice
two avocados lengthwise and after you separate the halves and remove
the pit use a spoon to scoop out the inside. Place your avocado on a
plate and using a fork gently mash until no solid pieces are left.
Add in your tomato, cilantro, onion, garlic, lime juice, and sea
salt. Mix everything together and serve with your favorite tortilla
chips. The best tasting guacamole all depends on the freshness of
your avocados. Serves as a great snack for up to four people or two
weightlifters. Enjoy.
24.6.12
23.6.12
On Weightlifting: A Personal View
Chapter
4
ON
THE BENEFITS OF SUBORDINATE EXERCISES
BOTH IN REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BODY AS WELL
AS THE WELL-BEING OF THE MIND
BY
DONNY SHANKLE CPT
“Familiarity
Breeds Contempt.” Anonymous
52
Combinations
(Part 2)
Front squat plus jerk is one of
the classic combinations which corrects cleaning in a straight line
followed by dipping and driving into your jerk in a straight line. The
combination to a lesser degree also improves speed on your clean as
you are focused primarily on the jerk. Quite often when a jerk is
missed it is not due to anything you are doing wrong in your “dip
and drive” or “split” commands. If as you “stand” from a
clean you are slightly on your toes or especially if you have not
kept your back straight everything will be pulled forward at the
onset of your “heels” command. When this happens no matter how
hard you remain focused on dipping in a straight line you will nine
times out of ten fall to your toes. As you do the combination think
about keeping your back straight and chest and elbows up as high as
possible. All of your weight should be across the center of the feet
and closer to the heel. Once you have stood up this way with the
front squat quickly, your balance will be perfect allowing you to “dip
and drive” in a straight line. With a straight “dip and drive”
your jerk will become much more efficient. Since the completion of
the combination is the jerk, that is where your mind goes, and wants to
do perfectly. With the mind directed someplace else, the front squat
you will notice moves much faster, so long as before the repetition
you remain focused on keeping your back straight. This combination is
a great conditioner for your legs to remain strong as you prepare and
move into the jerk especially as you gradually force the exercise
above your personal best clean and jerk.
The power clean plus clean
combination emphasizes finishing your pull powerfully. If you notice
yourself catching your cleans softly, on your toes, with a rounded
back, falling back on your heels, or especially not bouncing out of
your bottom position immediately you are not finishing violently and
bringing the hips through completely. By performing a power clean in
the first sequence you will redirect your attention on hitting the
bar powerfully with the hips and finishing hard in the second
sequence. As you move into the second sequence you should feel some
neuromuscular memory and “finish” the exact same way on your
clean. Without a powerful finish you will never “stand” up with
the heaviest of cleans authoritatively. A fast and strong clean has
less to do with how much you can squat and more to do with how fast
you can force yourself to move on the pull and “”finish,”
keeping your back straight throughout the entire exercise. Power
clean plus clean is a great combination for the weightlifter who is
fearless going under the bar but, needs a bit more emphasis on
finishing their pull and strengthening the hips coming through.
22.6.12
Weightlifting Talk
Tune in and listen to two of the best weightlifters around and best friends Jon North and Donny Shankle talk about weightlifting and whatever else comes up. Call in and ask your questions. Show starts today at 1300 EST time and will be live each Friday at 1300 EST time. Click link below.
21.6.12
Getting close to our goal! Come join the chat room with Coach Pendlay, Director Adam Scheiner, and weightlifter Donny Shankle. Click link below and please donate.
On Weightlifting: A Personal View
CHAPTER 5
ON SOME COMMON QUESTIONS
Unraveling The Many Different Queries Held By Both
Spectators And Competitors
By Donny Shankle CPT
“A man who wants to do something will find a way; a
man who doesn't will find an excuse.”- Anonymous
Q:
How do you maintain a low body fat with your training? Do you
incorporate cardio sessions or is it from a diet or both?
If you have a question in regards to weightlifting you would like to ask me please email me at donny.shankle@gmail.com
20.6.12
Writer, director, producer Adam Scheiner discusses the movie The Artist and the Olympian with Coach Glenn Pendlay and weightlifter Donny Shankle. Click link below to join the chat room and please donate.
19.6.12
On Weightlifting: A Personal View
Chapter
4
ON
THE BENEFITS OF SUBORDINATE EXERCISES
BOTH IN REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BODY AS WELL
AS THE WELL-BEING OF THE MIND
BY
DONNY SHANKLE CPT
“Familiarity
Breeds Contempt.” Anonymous
52
Combinations
(Part 1)
Combinations are a sequence of
two exercises done together. The first exercise is to get the
weightlifter to correct a fault in the lift. The second exercise is
done immediately after and shows you made the correction.
Combinations are a little secret the best weightlifters use to push
towards a new personal record. They are to be done for one rep only
(consisting of two exercises) and of all the subordinate exercises,
combinations require the greatest amount of thought while doing them.
You have to think about what you are trying to correct on the first
repetition and then follow through with that correction on the second
rep for the exercise to have any value. The amount of weight you use
is important but not at the expense of losing the purpose of the
exercise. Below is a list of some combinations I have used in
training. For each one I will explain what the first rep fixes and
how the second rep must be performed.
- Straight legged snatch high pull + Snatch
- Front Squat + Jerk
- Power Clean + Clean
- Heavy Dip + Jerk (assisted)
- Back Raise Brake (end of concentric) + Back Raise
The first thing you might notice
is although the exercise is similar to the subordinate exercise
Toying it is in fact very different. Remember Toying is
primarily used to strengthen the mind and is a collection of three
exercises done in sequence, whereas combinations are used to fix
flaws in bar path, flaws in strength, and flaws in speed. As you
practice combinations your understanding of how the bar moves in
relation to you will improve, and you will be strong as well as fast
enough to hit your commands with authority.
Straight legged snatch high pull
plus snatch is a combination used to correct bar path. The high pull
teaches you to keep the bar close to your body and is best utilized
for weightlifters who have trouble leaving a snatch out in front on
the catch or who tend to windmill (see chapter 1). During the first
sequence your focus should be on envisioning the barbell as close to
your body as possible on the way up. In fact, touching the chest at the top with
the bar (also known as Shankle pulls) is a good idea. At the top your
wrists are curled in flexion. Your shoulders are drawn back and up
enough that they are slightly behind the bar. You are up on your toes
and your hips are through. Here you should feel yourself in an ideal
finished command with great attention given to how close the
bar is to your body. Do not let the bar get away from you on the
pull. Keep it close and as you move into the second sequence of the
exercise the bar should fall perfectly behind your head on locked
arms. If not you failed to resemble your second rep from the first
sequence. The correction the combination is fixing is body/bar
efficiency meaning no wasted effort by the weightlifter. All of your
power will gradually be towards moving up in a straight line on the
“finish” and reacting by moving down in a straight line with the
bar locked out in your sweet spot.
18.6.12
Director Adam Scheiner speaks with Donny about initial scenes for The Artist and the Olympian.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn6GWRk2_0M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn6GWRk2_0M
17.6.12
On Weightlifting: A Personal View
CHAPTER
11
30 MISTAKES
TO BE AVOIDED BY THE WEIGHTLIFTER
By
Donny Shankle CPT
Finally,
brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be
any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. -
Philippians 4:8
Not
Taking Enough Attempts at Maximum Weights (6)
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED
Many good weightlifters get so caught up in percentages
and programming they forget the fundamental principle on how you get
stronger. To make your body (and will power) stronger you must place
increased demand on yourself. A very difficult part of training for
the conditioned weightlifter is pushing through comfort zones. Moving
past comfort zones although very difficult and sometimes painful is
the only way to lift heavier weights. Elite weightlifters have the
special ability to command themselves to go after heavier weights
fearlessly. To do this requires a certain amount of pain tolerance
and a great deal of confidence. Weightlifting is the greatest display
of an athlete's confidence and discipline, no other sport presents a
challenge in strength so radical as weightlifting. The weight will
never have a bad day or ease up on you. The weightlifter who
acknowledges this and continues to put on more weight even when
personal records are made in training will become successful on the
competition platform with an impressive total.
No matter how many attempts you take at a lighter weight
this will not prepare yourself mentally for the heavier weight.
Physically with the lighter weights you condition yourself in the
number of attempts made and you train your nervous system to react
without hesitation. The only way to make the personal record,
however, is to put the heavier weight on the bar and go after it
many times. Even if you miss your building muscle and assurance of
your ability for the next time you go after that PR. How do you know
what you can actually lift if you don't even try? DO NOT, however,
train with more failed attempts in the training session than
successful attempts. Having more misses than makes in training is
counterproductive to success on competition day. Once you have
attempted a heavier weight multiple times without success you then
must finish with some lighter attempts. You may notice once you come
down in weight sometimes you'll miss that first drop set. This is
normal, your body was just under increased demand and neurologically
you are not as sharp. This feeling goes away quickly (usually by the
second rep) and your able to find your rhythm again.
It is better to have tried and missed than to have never
put it on the bar. I would rather see a weightlifter go after more
weight in training than continue lifting the same percentages
everyday saving it for competition. If you are a member of a gym who
does not train with the direction of going to maximum everyday but to
only lift maximum on competition day, get out of there and run for
your life. This kind of gym and training style is a pit for
mediocrity. You will never excel nor' become great in this kind of
atmosphere. These are the same gyms who teach you the lifts with
broomsticks and sensitivity. From the day you begin weightlifting
learn the feeling of what heavy is and display the courage of a
champion to deal with it. I promise after 20 misses you might miss 40
more, but one day your name will be on a list of the most ever done.
14.6.12
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