I was watching this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDnaGDDelwY
I've never heard such a talk about arms function in the jerk. What do you think? What is, in your opinion, the arms function in the jerk?
Arms function in the jerk
Re: Arms function in the jerk
It doesn't sound very controversial, though I agree, when to 'push with the arms' does seem rarely discussed - but I feel like there are lots of things that are rarely discussed in WL as evidenced by this entire forum.
Linking the 'when' with the dip and drive style of the lifter is intuitive enough, the part that's missing here I feel is how well coupled the lifter is to the bar with their front rack/hand interface.
You have to give it to Greg Everett, he has been extremely consistent with his offering of technical presentation on social media. Lord knows I feel its top brief to hit the mark, but as a funnel towards his other services, it looks like its worked over a long period for him.
Linking the 'when' with the dip and drive style of the lifter is intuitive enough, the part that's missing here I feel is how well coupled the lifter is to the bar with their front rack/hand interface.
You have to give it to Greg Everett, he has been extremely consistent with his offering of technical presentation on social media. Lord knows I feel its top brief to hit the mark, but as a funnel towards his other services, it looks like its worked over a long period for him.
Re: Arms function in the jerk
Agreed below where the front rack positioning and specific front rack or dip/drive strength plays a role.
Poor front rack positioning and poor leg drive due to strength and/or mobility deficits necessitates the use of the arms, lest the bar fall off the lifter's shoulders.
But basically yeah; push with the arms earlier or later until you jerk the least shitty. Regardless of objective measures, that subjective feeling of timing for the lifter which lines up best with objectively jerking more (or doing it easier) is when the lifter should push.
Push doesn't even have to be the word, you can use "reach", "punch" or whatever the fuck word makes sense to the lifter.
I view it as a continuation of the upward force into the bar and body, where from the perspective of the barbell, there is only one continuous force from the drive to the finish of the jerk. What's more important, really, is the ability to stay stiff and rigid in the receiving position, through every element from the floor through to the barbell.
Any softness results in the lifter being pushed down, increasing internal forces/moments and increasing instability.
These factors, along with understanding the elasticity of the bar and how to (individually) change direction between dip and drive as quickly as possible are IMO the key physical traits of good jerk technique.
Poor front rack positioning and poor leg drive due to strength and/or mobility deficits necessitates the use of the arms, lest the bar fall off the lifter's shoulders.
But basically yeah; push with the arms earlier or later until you jerk the least shitty. Regardless of objective measures, that subjective feeling of timing for the lifter which lines up best with objectively jerking more (or doing it easier) is when the lifter should push.
Push doesn't even have to be the word, you can use "reach", "punch" or whatever the fuck word makes sense to the lifter.
I view it as a continuation of the upward force into the bar and body, where from the perspective of the barbell, there is only one continuous force from the drive to the finish of the jerk. What's more important, really, is the ability to stay stiff and rigid in the receiving position, through every element from the floor through to the barbell.
Any softness results in the lifter being pushed down, increasing internal forces/moments and increasing instability.
These factors, along with understanding the elasticity of the bar and how to (individually) change direction between dip and drive as quickly as possible are IMO the key physical traits of good jerk technique.
Re: Arms function in the jerk
Every few months something reminds me of this clip.
Re: Arms function in the jerk
Chemerkin is a great example of why principles matter more than methods.
No, I would never teach anyone to jerk like Chemerkin. But he knew how to lift and didn't miss jerks (to the standards of the time), his missed lifts were always missed cleans.
He had much better technique than I think people give him credit for, just shit front rack mobility for whatever reasons may be. Like I pointed out before, he was able to properly change direction (well enough) and stay rigid in the catch, the two hallmarks of good jerk technique.
Coached a guy with a similar problem due to contact injuries/surgeries from prior sports, the flexion position (pretty much regardless of loading) required of the arms would irritate his elbows significantly more than simply jerking whilst holding the bar. He never missed a jerk, only cleans, and if you ignore the poor rack position, everything else about his jerk was effortless.
No, I would never teach anyone to jerk like Chemerkin. But he knew how to lift and didn't miss jerks (to the standards of the time), his missed lifts were always missed cleans.
He had much better technique than I think people give him credit for, just shit front rack mobility for whatever reasons may be. Like I pointed out before, he was able to properly change direction (well enough) and stay rigid in the catch, the two hallmarks of good jerk technique.
Coached a guy with a similar problem due to contact injuries/surgeries from prior sports, the flexion position (pretty much regardless of loading) required of the arms would irritate his elbows significantly more than simply jerking whilst holding the bar. He never missed a jerk, only cleans, and if you ignore the poor rack position, everything else about his jerk was effortless.