From the Archives: For Weightlifting Geeks






What are the similarities and differences between these two athletes, as each transitions into and out of the second pull?

Comments

Unknown said…
I'll take a stab at it. It's good practice.

Similarities: they're both gifted athletes, lifting a lot of weight! They both seem to come to their toes early. They both keep the bar in a relatively narrow vertical path. And they both get good extension through the hip and legs.

Differences: Girl on left (L) has tighter vertical bar path, but kicks the bar sharply forward with thighs. L keeps arms long through pull, but remains extended too long. R keeps bar close to body through transition and is quick getting under bar, but pulls arms too early.

Is that Sage Burgener on R? How'd I do?
5:34 PM
CI said…
I need help ( after a couple of beers)...

The main thing I see is that the girl on the right doesn't keep her arms straight. Of course, I'm not adept enough to say she may be pulling a bit too early, but the girl on the left has straight arms when the bar just passes knee level and maintains that straight arm position through the next photo.
6:21 PM
Anonymous said…
Girl on right definitely bends her elbows, but she is able to get the bar higher up on her thighs before initiating the second pull, which has her pull more vertically. She also pulls herself under the bar with a lot more aggressiveness and appears to do more drift work during the bar's flight phase

Girl on left, initiates the second pull from mid-thigh, which may be why the bar travels forward quite a bit ... maybe an early second pull?! Also, her torso seems to straighten late. She appears to counter the forward acceleration of the bar by pushing backwards with her lower body quite a bit as well.

As a side note, and this may just be speculation (I'm making some assumptions), I find it interesting that the ends of the barbell look a lot more asymmetrical for the girl on the right ...

I would be interesting to see their velocity profiles in order to examine differences in propulsion phases.

A lot of ramblings for an early monday morning.
9:29 AM
CI said…
One more question...

I notice the girl on the right actually leaves her feet. Is this advised or is it just a matter of personal preference?

CI
12:22 PM
Anonymous said…
girl on right pulls with her arms too early because she is over pulling the bar into her hips....AND BECAUSE SHE takes after her mother!!! its a error and hopefully will be corrected. she is much quicker under the bar and pulls her body down with her arms.....her bar path is right on.
4:03 PM
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