I as soon as wrote an article speaking about how “keep tight” could also be one of many worst teaching cues to present athletes. I used to be most likely a bit bit off base in that article and have really caught myself utilizing that cue extra typically than I did, however every part is about context. I consider there’s a time and place for all cues. Your athletes simply must know what you might be speaking about. Clearly.
I’ve been to many Weightlifting meets, many weight rooms, and have seen numerous movies on social media the place “keep tight” is the largely used teaching cue. If you’re a bro and you might be teaching up one other bro, then by all means preserve utilizing “keep tight,” as a result of that’s most likely the one factor that’s not going to confuse the respective bro.
I wish to discuss how the cue “keep tight,” however extra so the context of “keep tight” could be misused within the sport of Weightlifting, and the way extra instances than not you really don’t wish to be “tight.”
I might usually go on to explain what staying tight really means, however it’s one thing that no person really is aware of. Staying tight is just not one thing that really occurs physiologically, however extra so a sense somebody could understand. An instance can be how somebody all the time says their hamstrings are tight. That is most definitely a sensation they’re feeling as a result of their nervous system is telling their hamstrings to carry on for expensive life due to an anterior pelvic tilt. That is generally often known as neurological tone, which some folks describe as feeling tight. For the sake of this text, I’ll say staying tight is ones capability to create and maintain muscle rigidity.
Why Not Keep Tight
Within the sport of Weightlifting the place the actions are very quick and dynamic an excessive amount of muscle rigidity within the unsuitable locations could be a downside. Within the snatch and clear and jerk (the 2 lifts of Weightlfting) you might be mainly throwing a barbell. You’re throwing it overhead within the snatch and jerk and throwing it to your shoulders within the clear. I take advantage of the time period throw as a result of the implement (the barbell) must be briefly weightless to permit the lifter to come back beneath and catch the bar. This dynamic a part of the game is the rationale why an athlete must possess the power to remain “unfastened” within the Olympic lifts.
Think about a shot put or discus thrower and a baseball pitcher performing their craft. Take into consideration how a lot muscle rigidity they want when performing these actions. They’ve to remain comparatively relaxed within the course of to make sure an environment friendly and efficient throw. It’s no completely different within the Olympic lifts. For an athlete to speed up the barbell they must be relaxed sufficient by means of the arms so as to switch the vitality they’re creating from their legs into the barbell. Think about a pitcher attempting to throw a 100mph fastball whereas gripping onto the ball as exhausting as they presumably can. The result’s they aren’t doubtless going to have the ability to switch adequate vitality into the ball and the ball isn’t going to go the place that they had in thoughts. Additionally, think about a shot putter getting set as much as throw. Their higher our bodies are extraordinarily relaxed and they’re simply holding sufficient muscle rigidity to maintain the shot of their neck. It’s the identical when throwing a discus and very similar to pulling a barbell within the snatch or clear.
To effectively switch vitality to speed up the barbell upwards you will need to keep relaxed within the arms. Very like different sports activities that contain throwing implement. Many coaches like to make use of the rope analogy when describing the comfort of the arms within the Olympic lifts. The arms ought to act like ropes. A rope can very simply be bent and it doesn’t require a lot to get a rope to bend. Additionally, think about a rope being stretched out to its full size. Now, take into consideration pulling one finish of the rope excessively exhausting. The opposite aspect of the rope will speed up in direction of you. That’s the identical with the arms being relaxed with a barbell. The barbell will speed up up if the arms are relaxed sufficient. Now, think about attempting to drag the identical finish of the rope, however now this time there’s somebody on the opposite finish pulling it simply as exhausting. The rope will most definitely not transfer a lot in any respect. The identical would occur within the snatch or clear and jerk. If the arms stay too tight or tense, the barbell is not going to challenge upwards as a result of their is an excessive amount of rigidity resisting the upward motion of the bar.
Why Is This Vital
I wish to drive this significance dwelling as a result of it is likely one of the major issues I see with newbie stage lifters, and I feel there’s some widespread misunderstanding with what staying tight really means. Weightlifting, being a sport of athleticism; transferring shortly, exactly, and with the ability to produce plenty of power in a brief period of time, shouldn’t be given the identical context as a sport like Powerlifting. Powerlifting is a sport of absolute power the place you want as a lot muscle rigidity as attainable to maneuver essentially the most quantity of weight as attainable. It isn’t the identical as Weightlifting. Sustaining an excessive amount of muscle rigidity within the snatch or clear and jerk can lead to poorly executed lifts. Most individuals who give the game of Weightlifting a strive come from conventional power coaching backgrounds or are ex-athletes of area sports activities that proceed to wish to get their fingers soiled in a aggressive surroundings. Most individuals have little to no expertise with athletic barbell actions just like the snatch and clear and jerk. It is rather exhausting for folks to know the should be relaxed when studying the Olympic lifts, and in some circumstances work much less exhausting. Folks work in opposition to themselves as a result of they’re so used to barbell actions being an extreme quantity of muscle rigidity and dealing actually exhausting to maneuver the load. Weightlifting actions are comparatively mild when in comparison with absolute power. A one-rep max again squat is just not going to really feel the identical as a 70% snatch, or perhaps a one-rep max snatch for that matter. When educating the Olympic lifts you will need to train the significance of athletic and fluid motion to make sure general high quality of motion. Studying to remain relaxed or unfastened is an effective prerequisite for studying different complicated duties related to Olympic lifting.
As soon as an athlete feels the barbell weightless of their fingers from remaining relaxed they may instantly perceive the implication and significance. I can’t rely the variety of “AH-HA!” moments I’ve had from athletes feeling and understanding the comfort concerned in Weightlifting. It is likely one of the first objects we train at Power Barbell due to it’s relation to transferring vitality right into a barbell, which is extremely vital within the sport of Weightlifting.
Closing Ideas and When Not To Keep Relaxed
First off, don’t over exaggerate what I imply by staying relaxed and attempt to snatch a barbell with a totally rounded again since you have been attempting to remain “relaxed.” There are nonetheless nice quantities of muscle rigidity concerned to execute a snatch or clear and jerk. I needed to drive the purpose dwelling that you probably don’t should be as “tight” as you assume to be environment friendly and efficient at Weightlifting. Staying tight could be a misused and misunderstood teaching cue. Once I say keep relaxed I largely imply by means of the arms till the leg drive of the raise is over, and it’s implications are largely for newbie stage lifters as most intermediate and superior lifters already perceive this idea.
There are occasions within the sport of Weightlifting when you have to abandon the idea of keep relaxed and that’s throughout what I name, “go time.” Go time is the time once you strategy the bar for a brilliant heavy try, which is normally a PR try. Lots of people over assume throughout these conditions and nearly on a regular basis ends in missed lifts. That is the time to throw considering out the door and simply GO. Throughout this time you shouldn’t keep relaxed since you may probably prime your self to maneuver a bit too sluggish or transfer with not sufficient arousal. Throughout moments of heavy lifts the central nervous system must be way more aroused than when you find yourself practising with 70-80%. I feel it is best to keep mentally relaxed however not a lot bodily relaxed in these conditions.
What do you see once you witness a gorgeous pitch, a gorgeous golf swing, or a gorgeous discus throw? Most probably, you see a wonderfully calculated and coordinated athletic motion which delivers high quality outcomes for that athlete. The motion is normally tremendous fluid and nearly seems as if the athlete is just not even attempting. That’s when you might have witnessed somebody performing on the high stage of their craft. I feel Weightlifting must be considered the identical method. Though Weightlifting is a power sport, it’s nonetheless a sport that requires great quantities of athletic capability and fluidity in motion. It requires power, velocity, precision, timing, psychological acuity and all of which require the prerequisite of studying to remain relaxed. Efficient motion is just not about staying “tight,” however studying to maneuver you physique in a free and fluid method. Bruce Lee mentioned, “be like water.” So go be like water the following time you strategy the barbell.
