Consistency

This is video I shot back in 2007 when I paid a visit to the wonderful state of Washington to spend a few days with Melanie Roach and her coach John Thrush. Mel was working very hard to come back from back surgery and make the 2008 Olympic team. I went out to take some video for John for a more in depth look at her technique and to document improvement.

As you will see in the graphs at the end of this video, Mel had made some great strides in her snatch technique and was no longer losing velocity on the barbell like she was prior to surgery. I was able to show her this using video and velocity measures captured via Dartfish. Eventually, Melanie went on to make the 2008 US Olympic team and place 6th in Beijing, snatching a lifetime best of 83 kg and going 3/3 in the snatch. She also set a new American record in the total with a 193 kg total, which included a 110 kg Clean & Jerk. This record still stands, as does her American record of 113 kg in the Clean & Jerk which was set in 1998.

To date, Melanie is the last female to clean and jerk double bodyweight and over in competition. She recently came out of retirement to compete at the 2014 American Open where she placed 1st in the 53 kg weight class, just 3 days shy of her 40th birthday, going 6/6 (67,70,73 90, 94, 97) and posting a 170 kg total. The video of her 97 kg clean &jerk can be found here.

Note the consistency and focus on every lift in this video. There is a quiet purpose to every repetition. This is what it takes to be one of the best the US has ever had.