Teaching as a Learning Opportunity

Had the chance to teach a few guys at CF Valley Park yesterday. We worked on basics of the snatch--not even the full lift, mostly partial movements, skill transfer exercises, overhead positioning and the like. I think it was a good session for the guys. All three got a better idea of what it is to really get your legs to move the bar--ground based power via triple extension. This is much different than simply hauling the bar overhead anyhow, something strong guys can do with moderate and sometimes heavy weights; yet they never really learn to move optimally.

For me, it was the opportunity to problem-solve and find new cues to get people to move differently. I had no video for feedback, just verbal cues and demonstration. For the first time, I used the cue "jump." I find this fascinating, because in a previous life, I would have never been open to using this term. I would've considered it heresy; a four-letter word. But in this case, it was a fabulous way of teasing out excessive horizontal hip thrust, and demonstrating that the knee and ankle need to contribute to produce effective vertical force. Gotta love it when your eyes are opened to something different! I have to credit old Coach B for helping me see the value in this verbal cue. Just don't tell him I said that, because he will never let me forget it. ;-)

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