Having issues with banging the bar or a loopy bar path? Here are some common faults and what you can do to fix them.
Faults
- Too much separation between the bar and your legs
- Sweeping the bar in with the arms
- >Hitching
- Staying over the bar too long
- Stupid “backflip” technique
How to Fix
- Separation: make sure you are pointing the knuckles down, elbows out and keeping the lats engaged at the start. This sets the bar up to stay close. From there if you are still having issues check to see if the butt is raising too fast and the legs are straightening too much which creates a big space. Adjust by moving the knees less and trying to keep the chest tall.
- Sweeping with arms: sometimes athletes get “keeping the lats engaged” confused with actually sweeping the bar in and up the leg instead of just keeping it close. This moves the bar higher up your legs so it reaches the hip crease before you have time to get behind it. This leaves you one choice for extension, out and around. Keep your arms loose and allow your body position to move the bar into the hip crease.
- Hitching: typically this comes from athletes having too much speed off the ground then having to stop and readjust killing all bar speed and forcing a horizontal extension. Slow the pull off the ground down then accelerate above the knee.
- Staying over the bar too long: this comes down to timing, you need to trying adjusting at different positions on your thigh as to where you should adjust to get to the power position. Everyone has different body types so it won’t be the same for everyone. Play around with it until it feels smooth and easy to replicate.
- Stupid “backflip” technique: this is caused by ignorance and, unfortunately, comes from coaches who didn’t learn it properly or you just watching too many YouTube videos and not seeking proper coaching to learn the lifts. Regardless, now it’s time to fix this backflip, catapult, kettlebell swing lifting technique. The lifts are best performed with a vertical extension, not horizontal. Vertical is so much more consistent than any horizontal extension will ever be. It may feel weaker at first to some but that’s only because you didn’t learn how to use your legs (quads) properly to produce power. Your first task is to master the high hang (vertical torso) position with a vertical extension. There should be no bending over or pushing the hips back at this position. Shoulders, hips and ankles should be stacked.
While I don’t go through and address everything in detail in this video, I show you what progressions I would use to get more comfortable getting back to the correct power position. The video shows me linking everything together, although in coaching athletes, I would break it up into pieces and only work one piece at a time until the athlete can consistently move through the position with ease and comfort. From there you can go to the next piece or add them together.
As always, if you want to see a topic covered, don’t hesitate to reach out. Share with anyone you think could benefit from these help videos.
I will add part 2 soon with a complete detailed breakdown of drills I would use to further help and athlete fix these issues.