SUMMARY Weightlifting Has a Long Tradition in the Development of Scientifically Based, Sophisticated Training Methodology and Exercise Techniques

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation - N° 2 / August-December 2015 SUMMARY Weightlifting has a long tradition in the development of scientifically based, sophisticated training methodology and exercise techniques. This development has created the conditions for female weightlifters to raise weights once reserved for only the world’s strongest men. 18 2 EDITORIAL by Antonio Urso

4 FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING by Alberto Andorlini

18 HOW THE FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTER OUTGREW THE “LADY BAR” by Andrew Charniga

30 BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE BASIC SNATCH TECHNIQUES by Donato Formicola

42 DEFINING SPORTS TRAINING. VAIN AMBITION OR NECESSITY? by Pasquale Bellotti

50 THREE-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SNATCH TECHNIQUE FOR LIFTING DIFFERENT BARBELL WEIGHTS 30 by Hadi Gökhan; Akkus Hasan; Harbili Erbil In general, the technical analysis of a sports movement is realised by a 62 IMPORTANCE OF APPLIED SCIENCE IN TRAINING systematic observation of the entire PROGRAM DESIGN movement, breaking down the overall by Jay R. Hoffman aim of the action into different motor tasks, each of which is to be carried 70 COACHING WEIGHTLIFTING IN THE AGE out through a characteristic motor OF SPORT TECHNOLOGY pattern whose efficacy influences the by Anna Swisher efficiency of the action 2

EDITORIAL

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The emale Strength FThe first thirty years of women’s weightlifting 1984. Each story carries and conveys a wealth of hu- kg performance in the snatch and 90 kg in the clean man feelings, science and conscience, reason and and jerk 67.5 kg category. emotion. This story then, like many others, is rich, in- tense and above all, experienced through emotions, 1987 - The first Women’s World Championship sweat, joy and pain, encompassing the full range of The following year, Budapest organised the first Wo- human resources. It all began in 1984, when the IWF men’s World Championship. It was only natural that Congress approved the practice of women’s weight- the American Weightlifting Federation should host lifting, including it in its statute and in the technical this first World Championship at Daytona Beach, Flo- regulations of the 1984-1988 Olympic Cycle. Fur- rida, because female weightlifting in that country thermore, the term “for men only” was abolished at had already developed to a very high level, both in the IWF Congress in Los Angeles, thus opening the terms of organisation and in sporting success. 100 doors definitively for women in weightlifting. Details participants from 23 countries took part, 38 from such as weight categories, weigh-in procedures, re- European nations, representing Great Britain, Spain, ferees and equipment all had to be resolved before Norway, Hungary, Bulgaria, Italy, (here we are!), Fran- the official competitions took place. ce, Finland and Iceland. Eight Nine of the winners came from China, and one from the United States of 1986 - The first international tournament America, Karyn Tarter (nee Marshall). The first IWF international female tournament was organised in conjunction with the Pannonia Cup in 1988 - The first European Championship Budapest, on 21-23 March 1986. A couple of years The first European Senior Championship was orga- prior to this event, women lifters were already very nised in 1988 in San Marino by the EWF; the driving active at national level. Championships were organi- force of the organising committee was Marino Er- sed in the USA, China, India, Australia and in various colani Casadei. 67 women from 13 nations compe- European countries. The first official competition ted. Present in San Marino for this first continental organised by the IWF in Budapest, saw the partici- championship organised by the EWF were: Italy, Gre- pation of 23 women, representing China, Hungary, ece, Great Britain, Finland, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, Canada and the USA. America’s Arlys Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, San Marino and Kovac, achieved the best technical result, with a 75 Norway. Among the winners were Maria Christofo- 3

ridi, Greece and Milena Trendafi- female lifters from 47 countries In 2003, the title of the event was N° 2 / August-December 2015 lova, Bulgaria. These two women competed for a place on the po‑ changed to European Under 17 went on to become two of the most dium. 26 of these hailed from 14 Championships. successful female lifters in the hi- European nations. No European story of European weightlifting, athlete took home a gold medal, You have no doubt got the messa- along with Hungary’s Maria Ta- however, Popova (Russia), Markus ge: these are not just dates, they kacs. Italy won its first gold in the (Hungary) and Poland’s Wrobel, all are stories of dates and data: be- 48 kg category with Genoan, Ro- won silver, whereas Greek lifter, fore and after stories, stories of berta Sforza. The 1989 and 1990 Chatziioannou clinched a bronze. women who changed the way of editions were organised following The statistics of the 2004 Athens interpreting sport and indeed, life. the same formula, in other words, Games were exactly the same of They paved new roads: in lifting a separate championships from the 2000 edition: 85 female lifters weights, they also raised aware- the men’s. Then in 1991 in Varna, from all over the world: 28 from 11 ness of who they were and what a women’s competition was held European nations. This time the they were doing. They made it cle- emale Strength along with the European Junior Europeans had better luck: 2 gold, ar that muscular strength was not Championships for male athletes. Taylan, from Turkey, in the 48 kg taboo for women, it was a gateway F Only from 1998, in Riesa, Germany, category, and Skakun, from Ukrai- to growth and fulfilment. In sport, The first thirty years did female athletes compete at ne won gold in the 63 kg category. as in life, strength was everything the same time and in the same and it was becoming more and of women’s weightlifting place as their male counterparts more evident. They explored new in the Senior Championships. The 1998 - European Junior Women’s and undiscovered paths: it was biggest turnout of women recor- Championships a beautiful understanding and ded at a continental champion- The first Junior Women’s Cham- enlightenment. Training led to ships was the 2004 edition in Kiev, pionships was organised in Sofia, knowledge and experience. Sport Ukraine, when 110 athletes took Bulgaria, in conjunction with the improved everything, because part, mainly because of the fact European Junior Men’s Champion- there was the basis for growth and that the Championships was an ships in 1998. for studying the growth of per- Olympic qualifying event. Strong formance: athletes that wanted weightlifting nations such as Rus- 1994 - The first European to succeed and that could, simple sia and Poland brought female Women’s Under 16 and Youth and straightforward means of teams to the Europeans in 1993 Championships training, truly significant. It was and 1996. Valentina Popova is one Once again the EWF made another a pioneering age, a Once Upon a the most famous Russian female successful step with regard to fe- Time in the West moment. But it lifters, whereas Agata Wrobel is to male weightlifting. The first Euro- also stood for progress, breaking date the most well-known fema- pean Under 16 Championships was down barriers. Obstacles and diffi- le Polish weightlifter. Today, the held in 1991 in Kosice, Slovakia, culties. It was a moral and ethical EWF has no less than 45 affiliated open only to male athletes 14- 16 journey that is the soul of sport federations, each representing a years old. In 1994, in Ljubljana, the today. It started from far away, country and all with a female wei- girls joined their peers and it was a taking little steps that soon be- ghtlifting section. resounding success: 39 girls from came bigger and more confident. 12 countries took part. Since then Tomorrow it will run, of that we 2000 - Women’s Weightlifting at the number of girls has been on a can be certain. It will run and lift the Olympic Games constant increase. Dortmund, Ger- weights, that’s how training ma- The IOC admitted women’s weight- many 2003, registered the highest kes progress. But under those wei- lifting into the Olympic Games for number of female competitors, ghts, there’s a good head on the the first time in Sydney in 2000. 94, to be precise. In 2013 the EWF shoulders. This first edition marked the dawn introduced the U15 category in Antonio Urso of equality with men’s weightli- Klaipeda, at these Championships EWF President fting. In Sydney, no less than 85 we had 95 women competitors. 4 The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The Functional Training and Movement Training From the very beginning. Our body is made up of 100,000 billion tiny elements, cells, that form its entire structure. The cells that make up the human body are not all the same. Groups of cells that present the same characteristics form what is called tissue. Groups of similar tissues are known as systems. The main systems of the body are the muscular system and the nervous system. The “communication” systems that connect all the body parts are called networks.

BY ALBERTO ANDORLINI 5 N° 2 / August-December 2015 6 FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING

The main networks of the human kes things work but very often it often lost our bearings, forgetting body are: the neural network, the cannot be targeted, directed and that if it is true that movement is circulatory network and the fi- focused on what we believe to be the product of various functions, it brous (myofascial) network. the “temporarily” preeminent hu- is equally true that in a finalistical- When, on the other hand, different man function, because training is ly orientated synthesis, movement tissues join together to carry out a victim of a vision limited to a par- has one, single function: Social Re- the same function, they form an tial context (aesthetic standards, lations. Social Relations is made apparatus. The main apparatus of available time, social orientation). up of economy (daily movement), the human body are: integumen- This qualifies training as “fun- aesthetics (artistic movement), tary, skeletal, respiratory, cardio- ctional” because it can induce strength (sports movement). Mo- vascular, digestive, uro-genital, detectable changes, but also vement itself is not one thing or articular, glandular and sense or- “non-functional” if it does not another, it is a syncretic combina- gans system. meet the requirements, the ne- tion of basic elements. Training is The apparatus and systems that eds and not least, the limits of the a process aimed at consolidating

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The materially control the movement individuals the training is geared such elements - so-called Funda- are: the skeletal system, the arti- towards. mental Movements -, based on a cular system and the muscular sy- There is an objection, a hypothe- motor continuum that combines stem, often defined collectively as sis, an alternative. You can train ability and skill, expression and the locomotor system. the Function of the communica- condition, adaptability and adap- The action of the locomotor sy- tion networks - neural, circula- tation. As human beings, we pro- stem is regulated by the nervous tory and fibrous - by maintaining gressively acquire one scope of system, whereas the raw material a close relationship of adjacency motility, based on a pattern that for its operation is supplied by the and proximity between all the ele- adapts our vital functions to our respiratory, cardiovascular and ments not of a system, but of the surroundings. In this way we learn digestive systems. It is possible to system. Training such a Function how to roll, get up, stand up, walk, train the cellular function: by the - between the three communica- run, jump, lift, push, pull, bend, resynthesis mechanisms of ener- tion networks - means training turn around and climb. All these gy substrates both aerobically what exactly? In-depth perceptive activities take place on three car- and anaerobically. The major vital communication and external rela- dinal planes, sagittal, frontal and functions - cardiovascular, respi- tional communication. transverse. All three respond to ratory, nervous and muscular - can The Body is the agent. Movement specific components - coordina- also be trained. is the catalyst. There’s nothing tion, type of muscular contraction, It is possible to train the functions new there. Nothing that the first energy source, speed and range of the systems: driving muscular humans on earth had not already of movement - which characte- contraction (concentric, eccen- unconsciously experimented with. rise and distinguish the action tric and isometric), acquiring and Something that has been passed based on the “instant” requests, improving kinesthetic and pro- down like a precious inheritance. the variability of the situation and prioceptive sensitivity, the dy- For the past 2,500 years, we have surrounding disturbances. Each namic stability of complex joints, been toing and froing between individual component of the trai- pre-programmed (feed forward) the preparation of a real and rea- ning movement must be viewed and reactive (feedback) control listically finalised movement (daily not as a single element in itself, of motor responses, the integra- movement), the quest for a move- but as piece of the bigger picture. tion of the responses into finali- ment that interprets emotional If each component is addressed sed motor patterns and the sen- tension (artistic movement) and individually, it may appear inconsi- se-perception processing of the the perfection of a movement with stent, weak and even superfluous. visual, auditory and vestibular a competitive edge (sports mo- Training draws strength and clari- nerves. Training works and ma- vement). Along the way we have ty from the united force of various FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING 7

elements. Rediscovering the in- efficient movement is the aim of Over the last hundred years or so, N° 2 / August-December 2015 gredients that make up Movement our daily activity, the aesthetics of training has neglected an aspect does not necessarily lead us to the expressive gestures, the efficiency - the functionality of movement invention of new equipment or the of sports language. Naturally, mo- - and has exalted the function of identification of new techniques, vement cannot be compartmenta- not the Body, but of the parts that it brings us closer to the move- lised, labelled, categorised. It can, make up the Body as a system; it ment of the actual training, fol- however, be interpreted, graceful- has forgottenen that the main skill lowing a highly personalised and ly adaptable to situations, conca- of the body in movement is Social code. Movement Training implies a tenations, and improvisations. Relations, and it has insisted on conscious acquisition process: the The perfect gym does not exist. the ability of the systems to make Body is the instrument (with whi- There are, however, places that the body stronger, more resistant, ch...), Movement is the means (by elicit motor responses (the town faster; it has adapted the body which...), the Body in Movement square and urban fabric); a thea- more, yet made it less adaptable. is the purpose (of which...); com- tre of efficiency (nature); a mobile In the last fifty years (an infinitesi- manding the body, producing an gym (objects and people). mal amount of time in relation to 8 FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING

the history of Movement), we have ctioning and Functionality, and that define movement (Adams shifted attention towards Functio- what is the relationship between 1987), determining which ning, and left Functionality out in training in vitro and real situa- muscles to contract, in what the cold. tions. order, with what force and for As previously mentioned, by ma- how long (Schmidt 1976). On one side of the scales, the one king the body an instrument, mo- occupied by wall bars, climbing vement the purpose and the body 3) “Isolating a motor component stages, horses, bars and parallel in movement the result, Training is interrupts the kinetic chain; bars, we have put heavy iron ma- not Functional Training, it is MOVE- integrating more components chines, treadmills, exercise bikes MENT TRAINING; improves the transfer of the and vibrating platforms; on the it does not discover original ele- load and the transmission of other side we have left sticks, ro- ments, it rather “rediscovers” the information inside the pes, sacks and balls. And the sca- original structures, in a a sort of system” (J. Noth, 1992). “The les, as was clearly inevitable, gave “back to basics” as simple as it is fact that a muscle in a given

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The us an answer that was both ob- essential. situation can exert a certain vious and useless. There are THREE basics of Move- force, is no guarantee that the ment Training. Three connected body will be able to use this Now, in the last years, our interest and concurrent domino blocks: force in all situations” (Per- has turned to Functional Training, fetti, 1988). Integration is the not that it did not previously exist, 1) ”The body functions like a ki- key to Training. Teaching all but simply because training is an netic chain” (J. Noth 1992) and the muscles to work together ever-recurring cycle. as such, the body’s behaviour as opposed to individually Today, being the hopeless enthu- as a whole (integrated analy- (Roskopf, 2005). siasts of comparison and testing sis) cannot corrispond to the that we are, we have once again behaviour of the sum of its Today. Recently, correlated terms, put on one side of the scale (having parts (mechanistic analysis). directed both at designing specific jilted iron and steel), techniques In reality, we are as strong as intervention areas and at defining and disciplines (Tai Chi, Pilates, the weakest link in the chain work proposals based on the pe- Yoga, Feldenkrais, Calisthenics…); (Gambetta & Gray, 1995); and culiarity of the means used and of and on the other (having removed from the moment the links in the contents proposed (Core Trai- the small equipment) we are pla- the cahin are connected by ning, Gravity Training, Resistance cing evidence extrapolated from functional links, the simplest Training, Body Weight Training, scientific studies and research regional movement is the re- Balance Training, Suspension Trai- (Kinetic Chain, Sensory Motor Pro- sult of a “far off” activation ning) have become part of every- gram, Motor Learning, Neuromu- that has widespread effects day language. In fact, by the same scular Training, Proprioception, on all the areas. nature of the terms used and for Stabilization, Balance). the vast scope of activity they re- 2) ”The brain thinks in terms of fer to, the methodologies and te- On one hand we have placed the movement, not of muscles” chniques are subject to various weight of global intervention (de- (K. Bobath). The activation of interpretations. fragmentation), and on the other a kinetic sequence depends Undoubtedly, the meaning and the local intervention (fragmenta- on the motor programme. comprehension of the word “trai- tion). The motor programme is con- ning” has become more and more The next beneficial step will be to sidered a pre-structured set vast and now includes unexplored weigh up Body and Movement, in of commands that contains frontiers (brain training, mind ro- an attempt to understand what the patterns of muscular con- oms, etc.) and “live and vital” spa- is the right balance between Fun- tractions and decontractions ces, in constant transformation FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING 9

(parkour, skate, free running, na- road is taken, traditional training Based on the relationship betwe- N° 2 / August-December 2015 tural movement, wild fitness). For forgets about the Body, as an indi- en Exercise and real movement, in some, the extent of vision repre- visible part, and Movement, as an other words, movement that oc- sents a limit, for others the consi- unrepeatable expression, and re- curs daily, Exercise can be divided stency of such “transformation” is aches its destination by availing of into 5 levels: associated with a new idea of mo- two means alone, which are always vement. the same: Exercise and Equipment. 1. the level of selective muscular sensitivity (e.g. the use of the Nowadays, living Movement, un- We can change the effect of the diaphragm and the pelvic flo- derstanding Movement and in- exercise and the use of the equip- or muscles); terpreting Movement means tra- ment by varying sequences (sets, 2. the level of activation in a ho- velling on the edge of change; a reps, kilos, minutes, etc.). Reeva- rizontal position of the myofa- fast-moving change, sudden and luating and re-interpreting the scial chains (e.g. the plank in unpredictable as is the rhythm of two elements, Exercise and Equip- Horizontal Holding Postures); evolution and word of mouth. ment, the core elements of tradi- 3. the bi/monopodalic stance in tional training (which I identify as a vertical position (e.g. squat, A first step: re-interpreting Exer- Resistence, Insistence and Reite- lunge, one-legged exercise); cise and Equipment and reintro- ration), and transfering them onto 4. the level of the closed/ ducing the Body to Movement. Our an original map, represents the open-ended chain (open-en- reflections lead us along a concep- first step towards an interpreta- ded chain; e.g squat and lift or tual line that goes from being able tion of other terms, Form and Fun- lunge and reach); to move to knowing how to move, ction, that no longer refer to Exer- 5. the level of locomotion (run- from movement being activated cise and Equipment, but to Body ning, climbing, jumping, by a muscular contraction and pro- and Movement (a prickly, yet at the walking, crawling, etc.). duced by two articular heads co- same time delicate topic that will ming together, to the coordinated be the conceptual cornerstone of From level 1 to 5, the Form of the sequence of movement designed the next article). Exercises gradually adapts to the to achieve a desired goal. Up un- Let’s take a look at how Exercise Function that life asks of it, moving til now, the journey that has inci- works: from isolation to integration, from ted this desire to train has placed activation to finalisation, from a ho- many roads before us, each with • it involves the whole body rizontal to a vertical position, from several turning points. Each cros- (Body Work), stationary to locomation, from po- sroad can indicate different de- • it exploits the body weight sition to acition (fig. 1). By gradual- stinations (energetic, mechanical, (Body Weight Training), ly losing points of contact with the coordiantive). Each road can lead • it uses the instability deter- ground, the Form/Body explores to a particular type of technique or mined by proprioception enri- simple patterns of movement, it method. Techniques and methods ched environments (Balance discovers a stabile/mobile structu- can vary in terms of form (changing Training), ral alignment and it prepares for the shape of the body) or function • it exploits the counteraction the gravitational “impact” that the (improving the functions). There of small equipment (Functio- execution of the relational function are few techniques and methods nal Tools), requires. There are, on the other that change the Shape of the Body, • it uses the overload of free hand, three levels that involve the optimizing its relationship with weights (Free Weight), world of Equipment: the monoar- the world; there are few techn- • and it controls the situational ticular “distancing” of the isotonic qiues and methods that adapt the variability dictated by neuro- machines that isolate the muscle Form of Movement to the Form of muscular stimuli (Neuromu- and interrupt the kinetic chain (e.g. the Function. Still today, whatever scular Training). leg extension); the multi-articular 10 FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The

”approximation” of the machine that cooperates (e.g. leg press); the Figure no. 1 “credibility” of a machine that integrates various movements, facilita- standardization of the Exercise in 5 levels imitates the natural progression ting a comprehensive action (Pilates, Gyrotonic, Kinesis, Free Motion that guides from Cable Column, Gravity, etc.) (fig. 2). a lying down position to an erect position. The position is initially stationary and then locomotory. FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING 11 N° 2 / August-December 2015

Figure no. 2 The categorisation of Equipment. Machines that simulate Real Movement

Form and function of the body and movement

The principle “form follows fun- tions. It can be designed, using us; it will basically be the first aid ction”1 means that the shape of diverse stylistic techniques and to a reflection on the sense and a building or object should be with a variety of chromatic so- meaning of the process that we primarily based on its intended lutions. Applying the two terms call “training” (diagram 1). function or purpose.. The body is “form” and “function”, not to se- a “designed” system; it preser- parate elements but to “macro” THE BODY. The first object of stu- ves the features and properties structures (Body, Movement), dy, or rather, of comparison, is the of a structure that is plastically consents us to obtain alternative BODY. adaptable to the demands made information. We will travel along The form of the Body. The fact that on it. It may be “designed”, it is the thin line of a terminologi- the BODY has a FORM is not, so to not unchangeable. Movement is cal discussion. The saying “form speak, an original observation. an expression which can be “de- follows function”, coined in the However, by studying and inter- signed”; and as such, it is subject twentieth century, in relation to preting its form and the relation- to modifications and changes de- the world of architecture and de- ships that connect the volumes termined by the plasticity of the sign, will become the unconven- that make it the actual form, we Body and the variability of situational “compass” which will guide can acquire a vision that is qui-

1. This saying was originally attributed to the American sculptor, Horatio Greenough; the architect, Louis Sullivan cited it and thus made it famous in relation to architectural, functional and aesthetical implications in the article “The Tall Oﬃce Building Artistically Considered” (Lippincott’s Magazine, March 1896). 12 FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING

Diagram no. 1 THE BODY. The first object of study, or rather, of comparison, is the BODY. Th e oﬃ cial journal of the European Weightlift ing Federation ing Weightlift European of cialthe journal oﬃ e Th

te different to what is commonly According to aesthetic (non-ana- of gravity, held together by increa- perceived. Samuel Butler (1835- tomic) standards, the Body has a sing compression. The only defect 1902), a nineteenth century Briti- Form, the result of the fusion of of this interpretation of the Human sh writer, remarked that “The body various parts (the torso, abdomen Form is that, albeit stable and ali- is but a pair of pincers set over a and pelvis make up the proximal gned, the building is made of bricks bellows and stewpan and the who- segments; the upper and lower and therefore does not move. le fixed upon stilts”. limbs make up the distal segment; If we want a bio-architectural mo- the hands, feet and head are the del that is more similar to the pla- Burne Hogarth, American carto- terminal parts of the body). Each sticity and fluid nature of the Body, onist and illustrator (1911-1996) segment, in connecting with the then we must look to the Geodesic and author of Dynamic Anatomy, adjacent segment, generates a ki- Dome designed by Buckminster stated that “The torso mass is the netic chain. Fuller; the lightest, strongest central double form to which all and most efficient structure ever other forms attach. Any movement From another mainly anatomi- made. In Buckminster Fuller’s mo- in the upper lower torso will imme- cally point of view, we have a del, it is tension, not compression diately throw the secondary forms conventional vision of the Form/ that supports the framework. If we (legs, arms and head) out of their Body in its entirety - as a building applied the same model to the Hu- previous positions and into a new made of bricks, in which each man Form, we would have bones relationship. The merest move- floor corresponds to a different that work as internal spacers as ment of the rib barrel produces an segment (feet, legs, pelvis, abdo- opposed to bars that support the immediate displacement of arms men, torso, arms and heads). It is compression.2 and head, while a pelvic shift com- a well-structured building, from pels total deployment of all the the conventional perspective, the In our “design”, the BODY therefore body forms.” floors are aligned along the axis becomes a self-supporting tensile FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING 13

structure that moves by virtue of a may seem a banal subject to ad- sabling interferences. The body de- N° 2 / August-December 2015 Chain Reaction. It stands, without dress. In truth, on closer exami- forms, it ceases to function and/or any foundation, thanks to the ten- nation, the research becomes ex- it becomes dysfunctional. sion applied on the rigid elements tremely problematic and open to by chords and wires. The bones various interpretations. MOVEMENT. MOVEMENT is the se- “float” in the muscular matrix; they We can say that the primary FUN- cond element on which we must are “spacers”, not “bricks”; they act CTION of the human body (in terms verify the application of the FORM/ as levers in the complex traction of Form) is the social life, or rather, FUNCTION principle. process carried out by the muscles “social survival”. Relating to people and tendons. The Chain reaction is or things, projecting movement in- The Form of Movement. MOVE- the kinetic expression of the acti- ternally or externally; activating MENT is an incredible, complex vation of a muscular or myofascial motor sequences aimed at a pre- concert of coordinated actions by chain. This chain can be defined as cise goal, keeping control of one’s a network of sensory-motor im- open-ended or closed depending comfort zone; this is Function. pulses. As such, it has two Forms on the type of resistance applied and eight expressions of form. On to the extremities of the chain it- Social, daily, occupational or sport a par with a verbal form, it may be: self. We use an open-ended chain functions are nothing more that 1. intransitive, to move oneself, or to move, whereas to move oursel- the product of the Kinetic Chain, 2. transitive, to move. ves we use a closed chain. in other words, the coordinated, There is no such thing as a pure consecutive and sequential acti- Movement can “come to a halt” chain, only open-ended or closed, vation of the interconnected and on the body’s system, travelling they are kinetic combinations that interdependant segments3, that through the infinite spectrum of guide the body in an open space contribute to placing the farthest kinetic chains, or it can transit and define balance and dynamic segment (hand, foot and head) in along the same system, finalising posture. the required position, at the ne- the action of the CHAIN itself, gra- The Chain Reaction allows us to cessary speed, with the timing sui- sping an object, carrying out a so- overcome, or at least, neutralise table to the set goal.4 cial assignment, reaching a goal. the effects of gravity. Overcoming In order for a “finalised move- gravitational restraints comes The synchronous, simultaneous ment” to be optimal, it must be de- about by virtue of diagonal acti- and synergic motor wave of acce- signed to transmit the movement, vation patterns that: create a re- leration/stabilisation/deceleration throughout the entire system. To sultant kinetic effect (“serape” that travels through the links of operate effectively as a KINETIC effect), from the ankle to the op- the kinetic chain in the segments, CHAIN, the joints must be stabi- posite shoulder; they act locally on generates a coordinated flow that lised in the precise moment that one or more joints; they activate transmits force and generates pur- the force is transmitted and tran- cocontractions that control the ar- poseful movement. In this sense sits through the system. ticular “disturbances”; they stabi- and with such a formal and functio- lise, generate and transmit force nal characteristic of the body, Mo- Every movement produced by the in the three planes of movement vement can become the enabling kinetic chain and expressed in an or in the three dimensions. agent and optimise performance, intransitive form (I move myself) or else lose the properties of the or in a transitive form (I move so- The Function of the Body. Investi- element that enables the Function mething), has its motor origins in gating the Function of the Body of the Body, to drive only the di- the Basic Movements.

2. Thomas W Myers, Anatomy Trains, Churchill Livingstone, Edimburgo, 2001, 23-29. 3. Kibler WB, Press J, Sciascia A; The Role of Core stability in Athletic Function, Sports Med 2006. 4. Putnam CA, Sequential motions of body segments in striking and throwing skills: descriptions and explanations. J Biomech. 1993; 26:125-135. 14 FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING

There are eight Basic Movements: they act as anchors for the upper for the final gesture (catch, pull, 1. Rolling, 2. Squatting, 3. Pulling, and lower limbs.6 push, move something and move) 4. Pushing, 5. Lunging, 6. Bending, The three stabilising fulcrums cre- and expand the comfort zone. 7. Twisting, 8. Gait: walking, run- ate a mechanical model similar to To describe the fourfold function ning, crawling5. that of a four-wheel drive vehicle, of movement, we can use invisible Each movement is “core-depen- as each of them, inserted in a dif- structures: the gravitational axis, dant” and therefore is strongly ferent mechanical segment (front the line that “measures” distance, connected to the correct functio- axle, wheelbase and rear axle), the cone of action and the shadow ning of the central core stabiliser control the rotational speed of zone. These “invisible” structu- and the peripheral stability pla- each single part, ensuring the dy- res are basically visualisations of tforms (coxofemoral joints and namic stability of the entire vehi- portions of space, within which the humeral scapular complex). cle. (fig. 3). we control and direct movement. The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The

Figure no. 3 The Body is a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Images from: Alberto Andorlini, “From Prehab to Rehab: “Rehabilitation and Training” National AIPAC Congress, Florence, 25.05.2009.

The pelvic region, alongside the The Function of Movement. Mo- We will use them as a sort of “geo- coxofemoral joint and the hume- vement has a Function, or rather, metric map” where we can find the ral scapular complex, like the core, it has four complementary Fun- paths of Balance, Relationship, are simultaneously motor links ctions (fig. 4): it must balance Purpose and Expansion. and stabilising joints; they incre- against gravity the segments that The control of each “invisible ase the energy and force genera- make up the “body” system, con- structure” is entrusted to the me- ted; they consent the passage of sent a relationship with external chanisms of an in-depth percep- movement and at the same time, forms (objects, people), prepare tion (see “Proprioception”).

5. Check P, Movement That matters, Publisher: C.H.E.K. Institute, May 15, 2001. 6. Kibler WB, Role of the scapula in the overhead throwing motion. Contemp Ortho. 1991;22:525-532. FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING 15 N° 2 / August-December 2015

Figure no. 4 The four functions of Movement. Images from: Alberto Andorlini “From Prehab To Rehab: Form Ever Follows The Function”, XIX International Congress on Sports Rehabilitation and Traumatology, Bologna 10 April 2010.

The gravitational axis is a line that cle described by the projection of ting an infinite number of central passes through the body, throu- the barycentre to the ground in a lines according to the position of gh the spine and falls within the position of maximum imbalance the volumes we relate to. circle of gravity. The perception of before having to take a step to Around the central line we can the gravitational axis in relation compensate. imagine a cone, whose vertex to the surrounding elements con- coincides with the objective of sents greater dynamics in move- The line is the distance that sepa- our action. The central line passes ment. rates man from people or objects. through the vertex of the cone, By learning to perceive imbalance The distance can be perceived dy- whereas the base is represented along the gravitational axis, you namically, as a line that connects by our body. Perceiving the cen- can become aware of your circle the gravitational axis with that of tral line, controlling the cone of of gravity, in other words, the cir- the surrounding forms, thus crea- action, acting within the cone with 16 FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING

a reactive action of the distal seg- The second step: re-interpreting elements that are changeable, de- ments and effectors (hands, feet) the Body and Movement to bring terministically speaking, yet unal- allows us to find the shortest path Form and Function together. In terable in the teleological sense. to execute the movement. the theoretical review addressed in the previous article, we had put Let’s try to decipher this concept. The shadow zone is a propriocep- forward the possibility to enable The body seeks balance, a relative and kinesthetic dimension the Function of the Body by me- tionship, a purpose, to expand its in which we lose the ability to ans of various Forms of Movement comfort zone; during this quest correctly handle the event and and, through these Forms of Mo- it alters its alignment and inte- to interact with the surrounding vement we could induce changes raction between the various seg- environment. The comfort zone, in the Forms of the Body. ments that make it up. Movements therefore, is defined as the com- Form and Function are appropria- are the essential aids to carry out plementary dimension of the sha- te, albeit, unsual terms; deriving the function of the body, its social dow zone, that is, the zone where from architectural terminology, relationship. If it can guide the

Th e oﬃ cial journal of the European Weightlift ing Federation ing Weightlift European of cialthe journal oﬃ e Th we are aware of the event and con- in this context they adapt to the forms of movement towards ac- sequently find the most functional description of the kinematic rela- quiring Balance, relationship, Pur- solution. tionships between biostructures. pose and Expansion of its Comfort Body and Movement are primary Zone, then the Body will better

Diagram no. 2A/2B 2a) The “Form/Body” follows the Functions exerted by Movement; the Forms of Movement follow the Functions of the Body. 2b) The closer the Function of the Body gets to the Form of the Body, the more the Forms of Movement must adapt, until they coincide with the Function of Movement itself. FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AND MOVEMENT TRAINING 17 N° 2 / August-December 2015

adapt to its functional destination (diagram 2b). The more the bio-tensile plasticity of the Body is adapted to the Basic Movements, or vice versa, the more the Basic Movements act on the Forms of the Body. The more the Function of the Body and the Function of Movement align, they generate a “survival” package based on an optimal harmony of Ba- lance, Relationship, Purpose and Expansion. (diagram 2c) .

Diagram no. 2C 2c) The more the Form of the Body adapts to the Forms of Movement, the more the Function of the Body and the Function of the Movement become aligned.

ALBERTO ANDORLINI After extensive experience as a Physical Education Teacher, today he is a Sports Trainer and Rehabilitator. His activity has long been connected to his interest in the evolution of movement and the development of performance. He has worked for Fiorentina F.C., Siena F.C., Al Arabi Sports Club, Chelsea F.C., he was the Physical Therapist and Sports Trainer for the Italian Women’s Football Team. He is currently the Rehabilitator at Palermo Sports Club. He collaborates with the Florence Training Lab and lectures in Sports Science and Techniques and Preventative and Adaptive Motor Sciences at the University of Florence. 18

Courtesy of The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The How the Female Weightlifter Outgrew the “Lady Bar”

It has been said that man is “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Wilton M. Krogman, 1951

BY Andrew “Bud” Charniga 19 N° 2 / August-December 2015 20 HOW THE FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTER OUTGREW THE “LADY BAR”

Whoever said “man is fearfully and In 1997 the International Weightli- mension of the official equipment wonderfully made” in all probabili- fting Federation decided to intro- remained unchanged. ty could not even imagine a mem- duce the lady bar. The new 15 kg ber of the “weaker sex” raising 193 bar with a smaller diameter grip When a number of factors are ta- kg over her head. became the official bar for female ken into account, practical expe- competitions. By this time the fe- rience clearly indicates the weaker The first official women’s world male world record in the clean and sex has outgrown the shorter and weightlifting championships took jerk had flat- lined by remaining smaller in diameter 15 kg bar. place in 1987. By 1989 the world the same 155 kg level established record in the clean and jerk of the in 1993. The realization in weightlifting female +82.5 kg (unlimited bo- sport that alterations in the com- dyweight) class was 137.5 kg, the Up until 1997 when the lady bar petition equipment designed for same weight as the 82.5 kg record. debuted on the international the female lifter are needed is not At the end of 1993, the year the scene, both sexes used the same a problem, but a reason for envy.

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The new weight classes were introdu- equipment. A bar with a smaller Weightlifting has a long tradition ced, the world record had already diameter for the smaller hands of in the development of scientifi- grown to 155 kg. This 155 kg con- the females, especially the little cally based, sophisticated trai- stituted approximately 124% of girls in the 46 – 59 kg classes, se- ning methodology and exercise the bodyweight of the 125 kg fe- emed appropriate. All of the other techniques. This development has male lifter who raised it. specifications of weight and di- created the conditions for fema-

At the present time the world re- Figure no. 1 cord in the +75 kg (unlimited wei- The relatively huge bend in the bar for this 190 kg lift is caused by a ght class) is 193 kg which was set number of factors: the proportionally larger working length of the by 106.21 kg Tatiana Kashirina bar; the smaller diameter of 25 mm grip; the strength of the athlete; (RUS). This weight is 182% of her the limited space on the sleeve to load the discs according to the protocols. bodyweight, i.e., 38 kg more weight lifted by an athlete with 21 kg less body mass than the record of 1993! HOW THE FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTER OUTGREW THE “LADY BAR” 21

le weightlifters to raise weights ter of each sleeve is same for both So, approximately 31.8% of the N° 2 / August-December 2015 once reserved for only the world’s bars at 50 mm; the same discs are lady bar constitutes the area for strongest men. used for both bars. loading the discs. On the other Consequently, the present circum- hand, each sleeve of the men’s bar stances are a tribute to the more Consequently, it is logical for one is 18.9%, or the combined area for than 100 year history of the te- to assume a 25 mm diameter grip loading discs of 37.8% of its total chnical expertise of weightlifting and a sleeve length of 320 mm length, i.e., not just a larger area, sport science. would be enough space to load but disproportionally larger for discs for a female weightlifter; an the athlete with ten times the se- athlete with serum testosterone rum testosterone of a female wei- Problems with the levels of just 10% of a male weightlifter. specifications of ghtlifter. the 15 kg bar Furthermore, the distance betwe- Renowned Israeli weightlifting The 320 mm loading area of each en the center and end of the lady sport scientist Genadi Hiskiya had of the lady bar sleeves constitu- bar is 1,005 mm, which, like the been given the task to determine tes 15.9% of its 2,010 mm length. 1,100 mm dimension of the male appropriate dimensions of the lady bar which was based on the size of the athlete and the anticipated stresses imposed on the equipment of a “weaker” sex.

Hiskiya did the math and decided a 15 kg bar should have a diameter of 26 mm. The 2,010 mm length of the bar would be shorter than the 2,200 mm male bar. However, Hiskiya’s calculations were cast aside when it was decided the bar would have a 25 mm grip. In all probability, since a 25 mm diameter steel is a common dimension, consequently, it would be cost effective to produce one. Besides the most any female could lift was 155 kg and many would have logi- cally thought that this, if not the ceiling, was close to it.

However, even though the grasping portion of the lady bar (space between the collars) is the same distance: 1,310 mm; the space on the loading portion of the bar Figure no. 2-3 known as the sleeve is 415 mm for A 15 kg lady bar loaded to 193 kg with the 1.5 loaded not according to the the male bar, whereas it is only 320 protocols; less than 2 cm space left at the end of the bar. Compare this to the mm for the female bar. The diame- 195 kg on the male bar with collars expanded by the opening the threaded end. 22 HOW THE FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTER OUTGREW THE “LADY BAR”

bar, constitutes 50% of its total The “working further out away from the center length. The specified width of each length” of the bar of the bar. inside collar on both bars is 30 mm. In this manner a lifter could practi- Therefore, that means the distan- Soviet sport scientist Ilya Zhekov, ce the springy conditions inherent ce between the outer surface of author of Biomechanics of the to lifting a maximum weight in the inside collars, i.e., the closest Weightlifting Exercises, which the jerk from the chest with a sub point the first discs on the bar some aptly have called God’s book -maximum weight, i.e., get in more approach its center, is the same of weightlifting, referred to the practice with more lifts of a lighter for both bars. That is because the distance from the precise center weight. width of the inside collars is the of the bar to the point where the same 30 mm and the distance discs are loaded up against the in- When this concept is applied to between the grasping portion of side collar as the “working length” the design of the lady barbell, it is both bars is the same 1,310 mm. of the bar (Zhekov, 1976). obvious the working length of the lady bar is proportionally greater

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The However, the distance between Zhekov recognized when a weight- than that of the male bar, i.e., the the exact center of the bar and lifter produces a rapid bend in the discs are placed further out from this point on the outer surface of barbell, timing this bend so that the center of the bar. This means the sleeve is 1,035 mm for the lady the recoil will assist the upward li- it is possible that the lady bar can bar or 51.2% of its length. The di- fting of the barbell in the jerk from flex more in both relative and ab- stance of 1,035 mm is identical for the chest, was a complex skill cru- solute terms, because the working men’s bar, but it constitutes only cial for the high class weightlifter length is greater than the male 47.01% of its total length. to master. The problem connected bar, which, of course, is only exa- with mastering this skill is the cerbated by its smaller (25 mm) Because of the differences in re- amount of weight required in or- diameter (see photos). lative distance between the cen- der to bend and utilize the recoil in ter of the bar and outer surface the jerk. A weightlifter needs to lift Men lift bigger weights than wo- of the sleeve, the diameter of the weights in the jerk from the chest men. Bigger weights can cause male and female shaft, one would heavy enough to practice the pre- the bar to bend more. In absence expect the case hardened steel cise conditions of bar bend. of precise calculations, it would constructed lady bar to flex di- appear the ladies have a slight ad- sproportionally more for a given It was Zhekov’s idea to reprodu- vantage in the jerk from the chest weight than would be anticipated ce the bending/recoil conditions with a proportionally greater wor- of the male bar. The reason is be- of lifting a heavy weight from the king distance on a 15 kg bar. This cause the first discs loaded on the chest in training by increasing the perceived advantage would be sleeve segment are disproportio- “working length” of the bar. This is the potential to create and utilize nally further from the center of accomplished by moving the discs the elastic energy from a springier the lady bar. further out on the collars from the barbell. nearest point to the center of the In effect, this would be similar to bar. “The oscillation of a given barbell loading the first disc on the men’s increases along with its increa- bar not flush up against the inside For instance, by making the appro- sing weight.” I. P. Zhekov, 1976 area of the collar but several centi- priate calculations, a lifter, who meters further out from its center. had difficulty timing the bend with However, other factors need to be (for him) a maximum weight of 200 taken into account. kg could practice these conditions Besides a larger working length, with say 120 kg simply by moving as already noted, there is less innermost discs on the sleeves space to place the discs on the 15 HOW THE FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTER OUTGREW THE “LADY BAR” 23 N° 2 / August-December 2015 Figure no. 4-5 Obvious differences in bend of both bars loaded near the maximum available space.

The lever of the collar is designed to lock down the discs and collars to prevent shifting during the act of lifting. In and of itself, this should suffice. However, the two piece threaded design most ma- nufacturers employ allows the length of the collar to be expanded by unscrewing the portion abut- ting the discs.

If, for instance, the unexpanded length of a collar of a category ‘A’ barbell is 68.22 mm, it can be elongated to 93.78 mm. Unexpanded, each collar takes up 68.22/320 mm equaling 21.3% of the length of the 15 kg bar sleeve. This com- pares to 68.22/415 mm equaling 16.4% of the 20 kg bar sleeve. Con- sequently, not only is the loading area of the lady bar smaller in absolute terms, but using the same collars for both bars means the collars take a disproportionate amount of space on the 15 kg bar, and effectively disproportionately increases its working length.

Furthermore, if one of the 0.5 – 2.0 discs is loaded on the outside of the collars, as the loading protocols sti- kg bar. The smaller space is often hole be 5.0 cm. The same collars pulate, this disc can be shifted fur- exacerbated by: first, the loading are used for both 15 kg and 20 kg ther from the center by elongating protocols stipulating the 0.5 kg – bars. the collar, i.e., artificially increasing 2.0 kg discs be outside the collars The problem associated with the the working length of the bar. This and second, the manner in which requirement of collars is not their effect, in turn, is slightly pronoun- the collars are fixed to the barbell. weight, but their design. Collars ced because the lighter segment The rules require the discs be fixed are designed with a lever to secu- of the collar is shifted towards the to the bar by means of collars. The re the discs from sliding and at the discs pushing the heavier segment rules specify the collars weigh 2.5 same time fix the position of the further out, along with the disc loa- kg each and the diameter of the collar on the barbell. ded on the outside. 24 HOW THE FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTER OUTGREW THE “LADY BAR” The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The

Figure no. 6 Regardless of differences in a manufacturer’s discs or collars; there is not enough room left on a lady bar to prevent excessive oscillation. Here the lady barbell loaded to 193 does not follow the protocol because the 1.5 kg disc is loaded on the inside. Furthermore, the collar has been expanded, i.e., unscrewed pushing it further out on the sleeve.

So, a situation where fixing the Some of the factors phase of the clean and, of course, collar on the barbell with the le- affecting oscilla- bar bend and recoil in the jerk. ast effect on the working length tion of the barbell Whereas, in the opposite case, the of the bar would be unexpanded not connected with closer the hands are spaced to the (a length of 68.22 mm) with a 0.5 the design of the shoulders, the more oscillation kg disc on the outside. Conversely, equipment one can expect. circumstances are created with the largest effect on the working Apart from the amount of weight, When the barbell is resting on length would be a fully elongated other factors which affect oscilla- the chest prior to the jerk, a wide collar (93.78 mm) with a 2.0 kg disc tion of the bar, independent of the shoulder girdle provides more loaded on the outside. design of the equipment, are the support with slightly less oscilla- However, if a record attempt, of hand spacing, stance, width of the tion while a narrower shoulder gir- say 194 kg, is loaded on a lady bar- shoulder girdle, width of the pelvic dle provides slightly less support bell, not only is there no room to girdle and the suppleness of the creating slightly more oscillation. expand the collar, but placing the athlete. The relative width of a lifter’s pel- 2.0 kg on the outside will definitely vis probably has little effect on affect the oscillation of the barbell Generally, the further the lifter’s bar oscillation but a stance signifi- and with it, the athlete’s ability to hands are fixed to the bar from the cantly wider than hip width would. control it. edge of the shoulder joints, the more the grasp supports the bar What does all of this have to do further from its center. This tends with the problem with the lady to reduce oscillation in the pull bar? Women generally have pro- HOW THE FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTER OUTGREW THE “LADY BAR” 25

portionally wider pelvic girdles, N° 2 / August-December 2015 narrower shoulder girdles and smaller feet. Although most select a hand spacing for the clean and jerk in between what is considered wide and narrow (hands almost touching deltoid muscles) and a stance of approximately hip width, some of the elite females do not.

Some of the top female lifters gasp the barbell with a narrow hand spacing combined with an atypical stance where the feet are inside the width of the pelvis. A female (or male for that matter) lifter who employs a narrow hand spacing, along with a foot spacing (feet inside the width of the pelvis), shifts the lifting force acting on the barbell closer to the center of the bar, i.e., increasing the working length There is not much research in Figure no. 7 of the bar from the inside out. weightlifting about oscillation of Example of female lifter In order to counterbalance the the barbell from lift off to fixation increasing the working length of the bar with narrow weight in the jerk from the chest, overhead. Generally, most people starting position of feet and many female lifters place their recognize the bar bends before lift normal hand spacing close to feet in the starting position such off from the floor or on the chest in shoulder width. that the foot of the leg which is shi- the jerk, but few recognize the bar fted forward in the split is slightly can hyper bend, especially if the li- on the athlete’s body when she in front of the other, i.e., artificially fter’s movements are fast. locks her arms to fix it overhead. increasing the length of the base Furthermore, this additional recoil of support. The female body is The accompanying pictures illu- is magnified with the heavier the more complex than a man’s body. strate two forms of oscillation in weight, the longer working length Consequently, this technique is in- the jerk from the chest. The 151 kg of the 15 kg bar, the narrower the stinctive, a natural predisposition barbell has straightened out after hand spacing and the narrower of a complex organism to accom- recoil; in part because the lifter stance. An excessively springy modate to complex conditions. has a wide hand spacing. The other barbell becomes more and more So, a proportionally narrower 157 kg barbell is bending in a sli- difficult to control at the chest, at shoulder girdle and a close hand ght hyper recoil with this athlete’s full extension of the arms, as well spacing along with feet inside narrow hand spacing. This hyper if the weightlifter struggles out of pelvis width stance will facilitate recoil of the barbell means the the squat with a maximum weight. barbell oscillation and recoil in the center of the bar is bowing down, An example of an unexpected pro- jerk, especially when this techni- while the discs are bowing up (see blem of a too springy bar was the que is employed with a bar that figure no. 8 next page). clean and jerk competition in the has a 25 mm grip and an already 58 kg class at the 2012 Olympics proportionally longer working len- Ultimately, the extra, hyper recoil (https://www.youtube.com/wa- gth. is added to the force of the weight tch?v=X7AulgVE86A). 26 HOW THE FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTER OUTGREW THE “LADY BAR” The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The

Figure no. 8 A wider hand spacing will tend to support the bar so that there is less bend. On the other hand a closer to shoulder width hand spacing will promote more flex in the barbell including the hyper-flexion of the bar opposite its direction of inertia, i.e., the center is bowed downward with the ends bowing upwards.

Two of the BLR 58 kg girl’s lifts This action increased the working beyond the equipment which was were turned down for oscillating length of the bar, as noted before, originally designed for a “weaker the barbell in the jerk. from the inside out. sex,” whatever that is. The rules stipulate a lifter cannot Even though she paused briefly Another factor, not easily quanti- purposely move in such a manner before beginning to jerk the bar- fied, is the fact that females gene- prior to jerking the barbell from bell, it continued to oscillate after rally have greater flexibility, grea- the chest as to make the bar oscil- the clean. Two of the three refere- ter overall suppleness and larger late for additional assistance in es apparently noticed the barbell range of motion in joints which is the upward lifting. oscillating; assuming the lifter sometimes referred to as lax arti- In this instance, this lifter’s hand was in violation of the rules, they culations. Suppleness and lax ar- spacing for the jerk was very close turned the lift down. The rules do ticulations are desirable qualities to the shoulders. She raised the not stipulate a length of pause for raising heavy barbells. barbell off her chest after reco- from recovery to jerk only that the very from the squat to switch to a athlete become motionless. A pro- A very supple, flexible athlete can thumb-less grip, which the rules longed pause to wait for a 133 kg perform complex movements whi- permit. However, in the process female barbell to stop oscillating le experiencing less of what the switching to this grip she expan- is unrealistic. The athlete was pe- Russian sport scientists call “in- ded her grasp such that the base nalized for the moving bar even ternal resistance.” A large range of her thumbs were brushing up though there was no deliberate of motion in joints coupled with against her shoulders. Conse- attempt on her part to flex the bar- less internal resistance means quently, the 127 and 133 kg barbel- bell in order to gain an advantage. movements of the modern female ls she was lifting oscillated a little The fact here is not to point a fin- weightlifter can be mechanically more than would be expected had ger but to make a point: the stren- more efficient in lifting maximum she retained the original grasp. gth of today’s women lifters is weights. HOW THE FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTER OUTGREW THE “LADY BAR” 27

Elite female lifters can raise big 4) the specified 30 mm width of Consequently, the first dimension N° 2 / August-December 2015 weights while performing less the inside collars of the sleeves; of the lady bar that should be al- work against gravity by means of 5) the expandable collar; tered is the 1,310 mm dimension less resistance to the body’s mo- 6) the loading protocols to fix the between the inside portion of the vement while raising the barbell 0.5 – 2.0 kg. collars. This dimension dispro- to a lower height. The high class portionally increases the working elite females instinctively achie- Of the factors affecting excessi- length of the lady bar. It is highly ve a resonance, i.e., a rhythm of ve oscillation of the 15 kg bar, the unlikely anyone will need that stretching tendons and ligaments unanticipated, astonishing stren- much area to grasp the bar. Along (biological springs) with the oscil- gth of the female weightlifter is with reduction in the 1,310 mm, lation of the barbell. not the fault of engineering. The the 30 mm required width of the fault lies in the modern methods inside collars should be reduced Concerning the of preparing weightlifters, espe- as well. These two alterations pressing need for cially the modern concepts of would reduce the working length alterations to the weightlifting technique which is a of the bar and free up space on the female barbell positive development for weightli- sleeve for the strongest female li- The obvious problem associated fting, to say the least. fters. with an excessive bend (see pictu- If those reduced dimensions were re of 190 kg clean) in the lady bar Of all the alterations to the lady applied to a bar with a 26 mm created by the heavier weights bar to consider for the safety of diameter, the barbell will still be being raised is an important issue, the female lifter, asking them to springy, but not excessive. but perhaps not the most signifi- become weaker so they will not As far as the collars are concerned, cant from a safety standpoint. bend the bar too much is not a the simplest, logical solution is to viable option. direct the loaders not to expand A hyper bend in the barbell just The 1,310 mm dimension of the the collar. It is unlikely unscrewing before the lifter locks the elbows grasping area between the inside the collars after the lever is ti- in the jerk or multiple, impercepti- surface of the collars stands out ghtened will contribute anything ble to the naked eye, oscillations in as the most irrational dimension substantial to holding the weights the barbell when a lifter is strug- of the 15 kg bar. The idea to make a on the bar. Of course, in the long gling out of the squat or trying smaller diameter grip, even thou- term an expandable collar is unne- to become still with a maximum gh the 25 mm is now too small, cessary. Furthermore, eliminating weight overhead in the jerk pose is understandable. This is to ac- the threaded two piece design will bigger threats to safety and per- commodate smaller hands, so the save unnecessary retooling. formance. small girls will not have to strain There are a number of factors whi- just to hold on. ch affect oscillation of the modern A number of factors have coale- weightlifting barbell such as the sced to create the conundrum of However, at least part of the ra- amount of weight, the working excessive oscillation with the lady tionale behind the 1,310 mm gra- length of the bar and the width of bar. The following are the most si- sping area between the collars is the hand spacing. However, the gnificant factors affecting exces- to accommodate the lifter whose unanticipated current and still sive oscillation of the 15 kg bar: arms are so long the lifter needs to growing strength of the modern 1) the strength of the female wei- grip the bar with hands up against female weightlifter has antiqua- ghtlifter; the inside collars. It is illogical to ted the bar designed specifically 2) the 1,310 mm dimension of the assume someone with arms that for this athlete. This has created grasping area between the insi- long to require 1,310 mm of space safety and performance issues de surface of the collars; will have hands so small as to need which can only be addressed with 3) the 25 mm diameter of the grip; a 25 mm grip. design changes in the lady bar. 28 HOW THE FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTER OUTGREW THE “LADY BAR”

Afterward It is a quirk of fate that the sta- of both genders face the same of the strongest lifters. For the gnation of the male world records problem of oscillation. men it would be appropriate to in- which necessitated the change in From the pictures of the ends of troduce the already approved 30 weight classes combined with an the barbells of both sexes, you can kg 450 mm discs, and, as already unexpected strength of the fema- see there is not enough room to mentioned, to eliminate the thre- le lifter is that the strongest lifters safely load the weights required aded collar. The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The

Figure no. 9 Curiously the stormy growth of the female records and the stagnation of the male record has created the same circumstance with not enough room at the end of the bar to safely fit the discs on according to the current rule protocols. In all three pictures the collars are expanded unnecessarily taking up the too little space left on both barbells. HOW THE FEMALE WEIGHTLIFTER OUTGREW THE “LADY BAR” 29 N° 2 / August-December 2015

References 1. Charniga, A., A De-masculinization of Strength, Sportivnypress, Livonia, Michigan, 2102

2. 2/ Zhekov, I.P., Biomechanics of the weightlift ing ANDREW B. CHARNIGA exercises, English translation: Sportivnypress, Weightlifting sports scientist Livonia, Michigan, Original publication in Russian: and trainer with a degree in Exercise Science from Eastern Fizkultura I Sport, Moscow, 1976 Michigan University (USA) and a Masters in Kinesiotherapy from Toledo University (Spain). The founder of Sportivny Press in 1980, Mr. Charniga has also edited 15 books translated into Russian and dozens of articles on weightlifting training, biomechanics, recovery, etc. He regularly publishes specialised articles and translations on the website: www.sportivnypress. 30 The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The Biomecha- nical model of the basic Snatch techniques

The Snatch is the lift of modern Olympic Weightlifting which involves lifting the barbell from the ground to an overhead position a single, continuous movement, showing perfect postural control with all the central joints of the anatomic segments in full extension [1].

BY DONATO FORMICOLA 31 N° 2 / August-December 2015 32 BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE BASIC SNATCH TECHNIQUES

INTRODUCTION ble knee bend” phase (plyometric effect inevitably has an impact on The upward trajectory that the action leg) that, to reduce the ho- the curve of the barbell trajectory. barbell completes during the exe- rizontal displacement in the first Much research is underway in the cution of the Snatch generates pull, loses the countermovement, field of sports biomechanics re- great interest from the scientific becoming therefore, a “single garding the weight contribution literature that deals with sports knee bend” [5], and (2) the exaspe- of the athlete and the barbell, in biomechanics, as it is a demon- ration of the explosive component order to define a standardised stration of how it is possible to of the thrust through the accen- efficient execution of the modern develop specific motor strategies tuation of the jump action at the technique of the Snatch and to that can lift a load, which, in the end of the triple joint extension minimize the dispersion of muscle specific case of this movement, of the lower limbs, in order to limit forces engaged in the develop- can reach almost two and a half the rotation of the arms at the ma- ment of the performance of Olym- times the body weight (Liu Xia- ximum height of the barbell in the pic Weightlifting [8]. ojun, 2013 world record holder, push [6].

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The who lifted 176 kg in the Snatch, However, in the Snatch, the bar- In general, the technical analysis about 2.3 times his body weight bell goes beyond the athlete’s of a sports movement is realised of 76.4 kg). The trend of the bar- centre of gravity with a change by a systematic observation of bell trajectory is represented by a in the vertical direction of the ex- the entire movement, breaking characteristic “S” shape [2] and is tension of the upper limbs and a down the overall aim of the action delineated by the mechanical con- relative variation of the dynamic into different motor tasks, each of tribution of the joint levers that, in vertical thrust: when the arms are which is to be carried out throu- altering their spatial disposition stretched downwards, the legs de- gh a characteristic motor pattern during the entire evolution of the velop a vertical acceleration of the whose efficacy influences the effi- movement, mainly generate three barbell through a linear inertial ciency of the action [9]. This type of propulsive periods [3]: force that exploits the reaction procedure is known in literature as 1) the pull, characterised by the force generated by the support qualitative biomechanical analysis action of the lower limbs and surface; whereas, when the arms and involves the evaluation of the the rearward displacement of rotate upwards, the upward force motor actions, in order of effecti- the barbell; 2) the thrust, which of the barbell is ensured by the veness, through the outcome of involves raising the pelvis and moment of inertia produced by the the pre-set task and, in order of a forward displacement of the interaction between the athlete’s efficiency, comparing its imple- barbell; 3) the push, when the centre of gravity and that of the mentation with a reference model shoulders are fully raised with barbell. Based on the morpholo- [10]. Therefore, if for the technical the simultaneous extension of gical and athletic characteristics, analysis of the effectiveness of a the lower limbs to allow the bar- some lifters prefer to coordinate phase, it is sufficient to check the bell to reach maximum height [4]. the rotation of their weight mass execution of a motor task, for the as opposed to that of the barbell, evaluation of the efficiency, it is In the modern evolution of the te- while others fail to control the ro- crucial to have a reference model chnique, aimed at improving the tations of the barbell while main- obtained through a process of di- mechanical efficiency of lifting taining constant the positions of gitizing the movement composed increasingly heavier loads produ- the inertial mass of their body [7]. mainly of five consequential sta- cing increasingly faster actions, The elevation of the upper limbs ges: the trajectory of the barbell tends during the third push therefore 1) designing a system capable to assume a less curved trends. requires the management of a of capturing motion which can Two examples of technical varia- roto-translation strategy of the collect the information on the tions of this type are (1) the chan- centres of gravity of the athlete position in space of the different ges that are occurring in the “dou- mass-barbell mass couple, whose parts of the body involved in mo- BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE BASIC SNATCH TECHNIQUES 33

tor action to be analysed (usually or a few subjects, conducted in a the Snatch requires in order to be N° 2 / August-December 2015 these systems are composed of controlled environment. performed in a condition devoid sensors, such as accelerometers of motor skills and of subjective placed on the body segments in In this study, we present a descrip- compensations associated with motion [11], or computer vision tion of the Snatch movement, morphological causes. The length applications which use multiple using a standardised, anthropo- and position of the centre of mass cameras to record the position morphic, biomechanical model, di- of the anatomic segment of the of the anatomical points of inte- viding the execution of the action upper limbs were calculated from rest from different angles and into different positions characte- the maximum possible distance then reconstruct the position rising the overall technical move- that can be obtained between the in a virtual environment [12]); ment and which can be achieved articular centre of the shoulder 2) recording a series of execu- by a series of key, basic motor stra- and the longitudinal axis of the tions of the same motor action tegies. This simulation aims at of- barbell, assuming that the athlete performed by one or more indi- fering a new method of qualitative grips the bar with taut wrists and viduals, according to the degree analysis of the movement in favour elbows and at a width that allows of intra-subjectivity [13] and/ of the study of technical efficiency, the head to pass under the bar- or inter-subjectivity analysis; 3) which meets the biomechanical bell during all phases of the lift. In normalizing the motor action by and ergonomic properties of the representing the pelvic volumes, means of statistical procedures, human body. The new biomechani- the two-dimensional model of with the aim of obtaining a single cal approach adopted would allow the torso was characterised by a motor action from the average us to calculate the only postural quadrangular area, defined by the of all tests recorded, thus em- attitudes that the athlete, accor- iliac spines above and below by the phasising the recursive motor ding to his/her anatomy, can assu- sagittal protrusions of the stoma- strategies and reducing the ef- me to effectively satisfy the funda- ch, gluteus and pyramidalis mu- fects of the complementary ones mental phases of the Snatch. scles, and by a line representing [14]; 4) integrating experimental the longitudinal axis of the spine, data with anthropometric data MATERIALS AND which combines the hip joint to collected from literature [15] to METHODS that of the shoulder without con- allow biomechanical assessmen- The anthropomorphic biomecha- sidering the metameric joints of ts which require the weight con- nical model used for the study the spine, the latter presumed in tribution of the individual body was carried out by integrating the a static conformation capable of segments (the anatomical posi- data collected from the literature integrally preserving its physio- tioning of the centres of gravity regarding the biomechanical [17] logical curves. The volumes of the of the body masses is determi- and anthropometric [18] compo- lower limb were illustrated with ned only by direct methods of nents. The shapes and the masses the longitudinal axes of the diffe- dissection investigation); 5) si- of the body of a virtual athlete have rent anatomical segments joining mulation of the action with diffe- been simplified in the association the hip (aligned to the landmark of rent mathematical optimization of six anatomical regions (foot, the greater trochanter) with the methods of the motor perfor- leg, thigh, torso, arms, head) re- knee and the ankle. Finally, in the mance model [16]. Specifically, presented by the same number of anthropomorphic model, the foot in scientific studies on Weight- coplanar linear segments that ori- is defined by a triangular shape lifting, it is interesting to note ginate from their centre of mass which joins the ankle to the rear that the biomechanical analysis and end in their distal and proxi- bony protrusion of the calcaneus that presented a model of the mal joints. The use of a two-dimen- and to the distal end of the last Snatch execution technique, sional anthropomorphic model phalanx of the big toe. A fourth took into consideration the best of this type is supported by the anatomical point of biomechanical performance of individual cases total contralateral symmetry that interest was also identified on the 34 BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE BASIC SNATCH TECHNIQUES The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The

of the Snatch has been studied and classified with a series of six key motor actions: 1) First Pull 2) Transition 3) Power Position, 4) Triple Extension of Lower Limbs, 5) Turnover and 6) Recovery of Erect Position. All six key motor actions comply with two fundamental principles of postural stability: the first is based on the shortest distance possible between the centres of mass of the anatomical segments and the centre of gravity of the barbell (to reduce the inertial ef- Figure no. 1 fects of their mutual movement), Graphical representation of the multi-segment anthropomorphic the second requires that the ver- biomechanical model. The model comprises six segments: tical projection of the centres of foot (in red), leg (in purple), thigh (in dark blue), torso (in light blue), gravity of the barbell and of all the arm (in orange), head (in green). The centres of mass of the individual body masses, including the total body segments have been identified (the asterisks bear the same colours as the body segments) and the mass of the entire body (cross circled in mass, must fall within the area of black). The ordinate values are expressed in model units (fractions of the supporting surface correspon- height of the anthropomorphic model). ding to the plantar section of the midfoot, at half the total length of the foot [20]. The qualitative bio- articulation metatarsophalangeal joint) and forefoot (the phalanges mechanical analysis of the Snatch joint to split the main axis of the of the toes). Figure 1 shows the has been illustrated in Figure 2, foot into hindfoot (from the ankle anthropomorphic model. where we can observe the ten sta- to the protrusion of the posterior ges in which the athlete assumes calcaneus), midfoot (from the an- Following the guidelines defined some characteristic postures of kle to the metatarsophalangeal by literature [19], the movement the six key motor actions. BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE BASIC SNATCH TECHNIQUES 35 N° 2 / August-December 2015

Figure no. 2 Transition. From the position Basic phases of the Snatch Technique.The multi-segment biomechanical model represents the distinct solutions of ten postural positions adopted in the motor action of that characterise the Snatch technique. The univocity of the spatial the First Pull, the barbell is raised, layout of the model was reached by respecting the articular ranges of continuously touching the legs the different body segments and the two basic principles of postural that extend by the concurrent ef- stability: maximum proximity of the centres of gravity in relation to fect of a retraction of the knee and the vertical line of the movement and the projection of the centre of a hip lift, which are indispensable mass of the athlete’s body which falls in the centre of the midfoot. The in order to ensure the verticality ordinate values are expressed in model units (fractions of height of the anthropomorphic model). of the barbell trajectory. The final moment of this phase, where for First Pull. In this first motor action equations (the straight line of the purely explanatory purposes, we the centres of mass of the foot, the arms, the torso circumference consider null the anatomical vo- barbell and the tibia are aligned in with radius on the shoulder, thigh lumes of the joints and the cross a straight line and perpendicular circumference with centre on the sections of the barbell, is descri- to the support plane that inter- knee). bed by a superposition of the sects the shoulder joint in order The Phase described by this bio- central knee joint with the longi- to make the direction of the bar- mechanical simulation shows tudinal axis of the barbell (Figure bell ascent vertical (Figure 2, Pha- how the upper edge of the iliac 2, Phase 2). The segments of the se 1). Therefore, by knowing the crests, defined by the point of in- thigh, torso and arms thus define position of the knee and the hori- tersection between the main axis a scalene triangle, whose centre zontal component of the shoulder, of the torso and the upper side of of gravity represents the horizon- the hip can be placed in the plane the pelvic quadrangle, is parallel tal component that falls on the of the anthropomorphic model to the knee and hip, and placed perpendicular of the ankle, on the (also called the homographic pla- below the knee line, places the posterior margin of the midfoot ne) at the point of intersection ar- vertical projection of the centre of but still within the limit of postural ticular radii of the torso and thigh. gravity of the body masses slightly stability. The two coordinates of the hip and ahead of the ankle, making it fall the shoulder height (three unk- even so, within the support sur- Power Position. After the tran- nown) therefore constitute the face of the midfoot, to guarantee sition to the knee, the barbell only solution of a system of three total postural stability. continues its upward movement, 36 BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE BASIC SNATCH TECHNIQUES

sliding along the longitudinal axis the forefoot, with a reduction of propulsive effects accumulated in of the thigh until the plane of the the foot contact surface (Figure the previous motor actions, this arms intersects the line of the iliac 2, Phase 4) and for a total involve- is the only moment in which the spines on the upper margin of the ment of extensor musculature of athlete is free of the load, and can pelvic quadrangle of the basin, the lower limbs which produces a extend the arms upward (Figure 2, in the geometric arrangement strong increase in the thrust, so Phase 6), preparing to halt the fall where, in the average anthropo- as to ensure the constant applica- of the barbell with arms stretched morphic model, the barbell is at tion of an upward force on the bar- overhead (Figure 2, Phase 7). The approximately the same height bell, even when the foot support final position that the athlete as- of the hip (the greater trochan- is reduced only to the balls of the sumes at this stage is accompli- ter). This postural configuration feet (Figure 2, Phase 5), or is even shed by restoring full foot support is achieved with a forward displa- non-existent during a jump. In this in a characteristic squat, where cement of the knees that realigns geometric configuration, the ver- the lower margin of the pelvic qua- the vertical line of the centres of tical line that aligns the foot in full drangle is in its lowest position (in

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The mass of the torso, thigh and legs plantar flexion, the leg and thigh, this regard, please note that the with that of the foot (Figure 2, intersects the line joining the cen- international regulation of Olym- Phase 3) and corresponds to an tres of mass of the upper limbs. pic Lifts forbids athletes to bring interesting biomechanical confi- This point is the hub of two mecha- the gluteus, or other parts of the guration (said athletic posture or nical levers where the barbell acts body other than the soles of the power position), in which the ar- as resistance: one of the first type, feet, in contact with the competi- ticular segments of the thigh and the power of which is represented tion platform). The centres of mass torso in relation to the arms and by direct muscle strength on the of the tibial segment and the foot the front section of the iliac crest, shoulders, extending to the tor- will produce the vertical axis of the behave like a mechanical panto- so, and a third type, whose power movement, to indicate the point graph (the shoulder, iliac spine, is the muscular strength that ex- of ground pressure for maximum knee and hip are the vertices), ca- tends the lower limbs and pushes postural stability and to align the pable of multiplying the upward the hip upwards. The first type of longitudinal axis of the arms with force and simultaneously cause a lever generates a rotational for- respect to the shoulder and the forward displacement of the bar- ce that simultaneously moves the centre of gravity of the barbell. bell. barbell forward and upward, while the second type of lever produces Recovery of Erect Position. The Triple Extension of Lower Limbs. an additional upward thrust that Snatch is successful when the ath- The motor action subsequent to enhances the effects of the first lete resumes an upright position, the power position is when the lever. maintaining the barbell overhead joints of the ankle and knee are with extended arms. This latter fully extended, while the athlete Turnover. The fifth motor action position is achieved with a disten- attempts to hyperextend the tor- of the Snatch begins when the sion of the lower limbs, while the so in order to lift the barbell as barbell reaches its maximum hei- arms are vertically aligned to the high as possible (Figure 2, Phases ght against the annulment of the centres of mass of the foot and 4 and 5) which, as seen in the pre- constraining forces of the sup- leg, ensuring the projection on vious strategy, is resting on the port surface. From this moment the ground of the weight of the torso with the arms fully exten- onwards, both the athlete and the barbell on the tying point of ma- ded. This strategy is characterised barbell continue their rise until ximum postural stability. During by a rapid increase of the thrust the gravitational pull counteracts the extension of the lower limbs, of the foot on the support plane, their inertia and reverses the di- the pelvis initially rises, droppin- for a displacement of the centre rection of their vertical motion. gs backwards (Figure 2, Phase 8) of pressure from the midfoot to While the bar is raised under the and then tilting forwards (Figure BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE BASIC SNATCH TECHNIQUES 37

2, Phase 9) until maximum leg ex- N° 2 / August-December 2015 tension is reached. The torso leans forward, its centre of mass being vertically aligned with the centre of mass of the foot (Figure 2, Pha- se 10). In this position, the vertical axis divides the masses of the body segments and the barbell in two distinct mechanical sections, which are in a state of static equili- brium by reciprocity of their coun- terweights, which relieve the extended joints of excessive muscle tension. Once the ten phases that describe the characteristic actions of the Snatch had been defined, it was possible to calculate the angular and linear kinematics from the virtual model of the athlete. Figure no. 3 Figure 3 illustrates the articular Angular Ranges. The articular ranges (in degrees) are illustrated for ranges of the foot, ankle, knee, hip each of the ten phases of the Snatch: sole of the foot in relation to the and shoulder, whereas Figure 4 support surface with vertex on the metatarsophalangeal joint (in red); ankle (in purple); knees (in dark blue); hips (in light blue); shoulder (in shows the vertical components of orange). the ankle, knee, hip, shoulder and barbell and Figure 5 shows the trajectories of the centres of mass of the athlete and the barbell. RESULTS The ten phases defined in the qualitative biomechanical analysis of the Snatch in Figure 2, show two particular motor strategies that make up the overall movement. The first is achieved by a rotatory movement of the torso, which first tilts the pelvis backwards (Phase 1 and 2) and then moves it forward until it comes into contact with the barbell (Phases 3, 4 and 5), with the aim of transferring to the latter a sufficient quantity of motion to continue its ascent even when Figure no. 4 there is no longer any contact Vertical Displacement of the Joints. The ten phases of the Snatch have been characterised by the vertical component of five joints: ankle (in (Phases 6 and 7). The second mo- red), knee (in purple), hips (in dark blue), shoulder (in light blue), hand tor strategy, which is performed (in orange). The hand’s centre of mass intersects the main axis of the at the same time as the first, is the barbell. The ordinate values are expressed in model units (fractions of height of the anthropomorphic model). 38 BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE BASIC SNATCH TECHNIQUES

extension of the lower limbs that morphological parameters, such drop in the height reached by the takes the barbell to such a height as the joint length - in technical barbell in Phase 5. that it exploits the thrust from the terms, such as the ability to ma- In this way, the athlete can re-u- pelvis and remains suspended in nage the interaction between the se the thrust of the legs that had the air long enough for the athlete inertial masses and the load of the been exhausted during the maxi- to squat with arms outstretched barbell and performance-wise, mum articular extension in Phase before regaining control. Note such as the concatenation of the 5, to continue the upward path of how the height reached by the different contributions of stren- the barbell until the motor task barbell in Phase 5 matches that gth developed by the muscles has been completed. The effects of reached in Phase 7, and therefore activated during the lift. In the de- the pelvic rotation strategy can be the lift of the barbell during Phase scription of the articular ranges, seen in the interaction between 6 is related to the time required for Figure 3 illustrates the opening of the centre of mass of the athlete the athlete to completely bend the the hips (the torso rotation stra- and the barbell described in Figu- knees, and the lifting force applied tegy) and the knees (extension of re 5. If in Phases 1 2 and the centre

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The on the barbell, obtained from the the lower limbs strategy) that are of mass of the athlete withdraws jump and the pelvic thrust, is much formed in a linear and continuous to ensure a vertical movement of greater than the reduced speed of trend (from Phase 1 to Phase 5). the barbell, during Phases 3, 4 and the athlete’s squat. Taking into ac- A first opening of the ankle angle, 5 these becomes the centre of ro- count the first five phases of the keeping the feet on the ground, tation of the torso and, due to the Snatch, we observe how the ath- allows the athlete to pass the bar- thrust of the vertical lower limbs, lete moves his/her centre of mass bell over the knees without losing rises without being moved hori- back to compensate the anterior stability (Phase 2) and then (Pha- zontal. If the athlete manages to displacement of the barbell and to ses 3, 4 and 5) to start opening the get off favouring the gravitational facilitate the drop of the body du- knees and ankles with a simulta- pull, Phase 6 is also characterised ring Phase 6. neous plantar flexion of the foot by a straight portion of the centre The interaction between the rota- up to the moment in which the of mass that reverses only in Pha- tion motor strategy of the torso barbell, connected to the athlete’s se 7, when the feet come back into and the extension of the lower lim- body, reaches its maximum height contact with the ground and ben- bs is visible in Figure 3. It is to be (Phase 5). After the barbell brea- ding of the legs must stabilize to noted that this figure, as Figure ks away from the athlete’s torso, create a solid base support able to 4, is realised by using an irregu- there is a reduction of all the joint arrest the fall vertical barbell. The lar graphic representation so as angles of the lower body, in cor- progress of the barbell of Phases to guarantee readability of data. respondence with an increase of 3 and 4 the effect forward displa- As the x-axis is set out in phases the shoulder joint angle (Phases 6 cement of the pelvis, while the li- and not in a timeframe, instead and 7). The barbell is held by fully fting height of the barbell Phase of a linear trend, it was necessary extended arms with the athlete in 5 highlights the contribution the to opt for a histogram graph. The a full squat position, and is then full extension of the limbs lower. broken lines that join the different lifted with a thrust of the lower The bell-shaped trajectory that articular ranges, obtained du- limbs, mainly originating from the the barbell tends to form in Pha- ring the ten phases of the Snatch, hips and knees (Phases 8, 9 and ses 5, 6 and 7 is due to the circling show a continuous trend without, 10). Figure 4 shows how the first of the limbs higher realized un- however, giving information on five phases of the Snatch are cha- der the effect of the acceleration the time path of the complete racterised by an increase in the vertical etched to barbell in the movement. An analysis of the te- vertical positions of all the joints phases in which the athlete has chnique’s time path of gesture is which are not grounded. Phases 6 generated lifting force remaining outside the object of this study, and 7 show a complete closure of in support Plantar. In a simulated because it is subject to individual the hip and knee joints without a situation like the one described in BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE BASIC SNATCH TECHNIQUES 39 N° 2 / August-December 2015

Figure no. 5 Barbell trajectories. The graph shows the trajectories of the athlete’s centre of mass (black) and that of the barbell (orange) in model units (fractions of height of the anthropomorphic model), in the seven phases (points 1-7 on the trajectories) that make up the five key motor actions of the technical movement of the Snatch.

this repre-sentation of graphical Snatch is possible mechanical models the technique of lifting weights to observe that the lack of translatory movements constructed on the basis fixing the horizontal axis vertical movement on a sin- of direct observations on athletes, introducing errors gle point of the supporting surface for all seven of the intersubjectivity movement correct. Many of these Phases described. models were made with performance ceilings that do not respect the canons of the current elite athletes. A DISCUSSION OF RESULTS biomechanical model Virtual respecting the morpho- The search for a technique Lifting Weights high level logical characteristics an average athlete can serve Efficiency is the key objective of all the biomechani- to identify strategies motor that realize uniquely the cal analysis studying the gestures Raise the Olympic technical act of Alzate Olympic. The uniqueness of sports. Currently the specific literature presents bio- the realization an exercise as the strain, for example, 40 BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE BASIC SNATCH TECHNIQUES

is based on a series of postures key, each of which is capable of achieve one and only one of individual pha- PRACTICAL ses that constitute the gesture. This study presented APPLICATIONS a biomechanical model anthropomorphic designed The biomechanical model presented anthropomor- for the realization the lift of the Olympic Snatch in ten phic in this study was developed through average va- attitudes postural, each of which obtained calculating lues of anthropometric parameters and ergometric the only solution mathematics can satisfies the posi- of male subjects, but its total integration makes it tion in the plane Euclidean constraints articular con- scalable for any condition subjective. The mathemati- stitute the model. The representation graphical model cal approach used can therefore be applied to anthro- anthropomorphic allowed to observe the trajectories pometry and ergonometry of individual athletes or a the centres of mass of the segments anatomical whi- group specific athletes, and can help identify postural ch constitute the body of an athlete, the trends of the structures that characterize the phases of the Snatch amplitudes articular and the vertical displacements technique, referring exclusively to anatomical limi- of individual body segments. From these parameters tations. Eluding conditions athletic of individuals, as imbalances district muscle strength and elongation of Th e oﬃ cial journal of the European Weightlift ing Federation ing Weightlift European of cialthe journal oﬃ e Th it was possible distinguish two motor strategies particular, one dedicated to rotational movement of the the muscle-tendon, is it possible to quantify the criti- torso and one that involves the extension of the lower cality of different postures that must be overcome for limbs. Efficient synergy between these two strategies improve the overall efficiency of technical movements. demonstrates how the athlete preserves its vertical Collect anthropometric data of an athlete, beginner or axis without moving horizontally and controls, in the expert, and then create a model mathematician of his two phases of full extension of the legs, the change of biomechanics, can help technicians to quantify indivi- direction of the barbell using the weight of his body as dual goals of a training program, such as amplitudes a counterweight. Furthermore, the heights of the bar- reach particular joint and postural certain structures, bell can reach in the phases of Total extension of the with the aim of improving the technical efficiency of torso and Full squat arms outstretched are dependent the Olympic Alzate. on the capabilities athlete to generate force. Finally, the linear trend and continuous amplitude knee joint shows as the technique of double bending of the legs can be limited to the flexion-extension tibial tract ensuring so the realization of power position with a con- DONATO FORMICOLA tinuous extension of the leg, turning to stretch tibial Masters Degree the task of calling up properties plyometric muscle in Sports Science, extensors of the thigh. Although a technical analysis Techniques and Training. of this type is based on a biomechanical model of the Dr. Formicola body of an athlete the limits of which are joint anato- specialises in biomechanical models to mical and not neuromeccanci, without considering the assess motor and sports skills based muscle forces on motion capture systems. He is currently a lecturer in Motor the individual parts of the body and calculating the Sciences at the Turin Graduate School. sequence of unique postures through the solutions of He is a IV Level CONI European Coach, static problems, its realization allows detect those ba- FIPE Master of Weightlifting and sic positions that must be present in the technical act member of the National FIPE Scientific Snatch falls outside of all the subjective factors that Committee. affect performance. BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE BASIC SNATCH TECHNIQUES 41 N° 2 / May-August 2015

References 1. Derwin BP (1990) SPORTS PERFORMANCE Vision and Image Understanding 104 (2– SERIES: Th e snatch: technical description and 3):90-126. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. periodization program. Strength & Conditioning cviu.2006.08.002 Journal 12 (2):6-15 13. Ho KWL, Williams MD, Wilson CJ, Meehan 2. Vorobyev AN (1978) A Textbook on Weightli- DL (2011) Using three-dimensional kinema- ft ing (trans: Brice WJ). International Weightli- tics to identify feedback for the Snatch: a case ft ing Federation, Budapest, Hungary study. Journal of Strength & Conditioning 3. Medvedev A (1988) Th ree periods of the snatch Research 25 (10):2773-2780 and clean jerk. Strength & Conditioning Journal 14. Schwameder H (2007) Issues and challen- 10 (6):33-38 ges of applied sport biomechanics research. 4. Whitehead PN, Schilling BK, Stone MH, Journal of Biomechanics 40, Supplement 2 Kilgore JL, Chiu LZF (2014) Snatch technique (0):S14. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0021- of United States national level weightlift ers. 9290(07)70013-1 Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 15. Cai Q, Aggarwal JK (1999) Tracking human 28 (3):587-591 motion in structured environments using a 5. Bai X-l, Wang H-s, Zhang X-a, Ji W-t, Wei G-f, distributed-camera system. Pattern Analysis Wang C-t (2009) Th ree-dimensional kinema- and Machine Intelligence, IEEE Transactions tics simulation of snatch in male weight lift er on 21 (11):1241-1247. doi:10.1109/34.809119; and knee joint movement analysis. Journal Aggarwal JK, Cai Q (1999) Human Motion of Clinical Rehabilitative Tissue Engineering Analysis: A Review. Computer Vision and Research 13 (35):6879-6882 Image Understanding 73 (3):428-440. doi:ht- 6. Stone MH, O’Bryant HS, Williams FE, John- tp://dx.doi.org/10.1006/cviu.1998.0744 son RL, Pierce KC (1998) Analysis of Bar 16. Bai X, Wang H, Zhang Xa, Wenting J, Wang C Paths During the Snatch in Elite Male Wei- (2008) Th ree-dimension kinematics simulation ghtlift ers. Strength & Conditioning August 20 and biomechanics analysis of snatch techni- (4):30-38 que. Proceedings of 1st Joint International 7. Campos J, Poletaev P, Cuesta A, Pablos C, Pre-Olympic Conference of Sports Science & Carratala V (2006) Kinematical analysis of Sports Engineering 1 - Computer Science in the snatch in elite male junior weightlift ers of Sports:291-296 diff erent weight categories. Journal of Stren- 17. Winter DA (2009) Biomechanics and Motor gth & Conditioning Research 20 (4):843-850 Control of Human Movement. Wiley 8. Szabó AS (2009) Some special biomechanical 18. Tilley AR, Associates HD (2002) Th e Measure questions of olympic weightlift ing. Interna- of Man and Woman: Human Factors in Design. tional Quarterly of Sport Science 2 (57-60) vol 1, Wiley 9. Duane Knudson, Morrison C (2002) Qua- 19. Ho LK, Lorenzen C, Wilson CJ, Saunders JE, litative Analysis of Human Movement. 2nd Williams MD (2014) Reviewing current know- edn. Human Kinetics, ledge in snatch performance and technique: 10. Lees A (2002) Technique analy- the need for future directions in applied rese- sis in sports: a critical review. Jour- arch. J Strength Cond Res 28 (2):574-586. doi: nal of sports sciences 20 (10):813-828. 510.1519/JSC.1510b1013e31829c31820bf31828. doi:10.1080/026404102320675657 20. Liu Y, Chen W (2001) Foot Pressure Study 11. Godfrey A, Conway R, Meagher D, ÓLaig- During Pulling Phase of Snatch Lift ing. Paper hin G (2008) Direct measurement of hu- presented at the 19 International Symposium on man movement by accelerometry. Medical Biomechanics in Sports, San Francisco, June 26, Engineering & Physics 30 (10):1364-1386. 2001 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meden- gphy.2008.09.005 12. Moeslund TB, Hilton A, Krüger V (2006) A survey of advances in vision-based human motion capture and analysis. Computer 42 The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The Defining sports training. Vain ambition or necessity?

BY Pasquale Bellotti 43 N° 2 / August-December 2015 44 DEFINING SPORTS TRAINING. VAIN AMBITION OR NECESSITY?

I have always thought – from a very lishing, declaring, describing the (many of whom considered them- young age, when I knew nothing – phenomenon through its distin- selves authors: I have gathered a that it was essential, for a trainer guishing and essential elements, varied selection of embarrassing or anyone involved in the world of we provide - in my opinion - a clear, documentation by these would- sporting activity, to be able to pro- distinct idea of all its aspects be Italian experts in the field of vide a complete and thorough def- which, in addition to characteris- training, full of mistakes both in inition of sports training. I thought ing, contain the entity of sports terms of language and content. that being unable to do was a training on a conceptual level. They should be ashamed and poor serious affair, because it would Precisely for these reasons, I have Dante would turn in his grave), be similar to a worker, who for 40 always been in search of a defini- as I was saying, as if the trainers years carries out a task or a profes- tion of sports training that fully thought about and dealt with a sion, reaches retirement and does explores the factor complexity and completely different subject. not know exactly what he has been expresses the basic and inevitable doing all those years. Therefore, features, indicating at the same There was not much input from the

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The defining (placing borders and time, how vital it is to broaden international scene either. It was clarifying what goes within them) our knowledge. I think that such a my belief that without this basic is fundamental, it is the first skill definition would constitute an au- explanation (a definition) to put all a trainer must possess. What does thentic guide for daily practise: in misinterpretations to rest, it was training mean? What exactly is this other words, a definition is a good impossible to really understand phenomenon we call training? starting point for serious training! anything. Toni Nett’s definition in Whilst mulling over these things, I Der Lauf, in 1960 made me laugh, In my experience as an instructor I did as much research as I possibly quoting from a certain Dr. Hueppe have spent hours on end, days on could, reading and asking around: (my research on this character end and many many words trying I don’t think that anything escaped has been fruitless), who affirmed to convey the importance of this me. However I was by no means that “training is the organisation aspect to students, that first and happy, because the scene that un- of victory through self-discipline”. foremost training in a clear and folded before me in Italy was far A wonderful way of starting a de- unequivocal manner. By estab- than comforting, as if the trainers bate on training without any foundation whatsoever.

In the 1980’s, Carlo Vittori made an interesting definition, in my opinion the first destined to go a long way. This was his second merit, his first having been setting up an Italian school for sports training (which unfortunately closed down due to our inability to keep good things up and running, especially when it is someone else’s brain- child), which made a great effort in defining sports training. Vittori laid the foundation and then three of us came together on the project: Alessandro Donati and myself, joining Vittori. Very often Donati and I worked on this project by DEFINING SPORTS TRAINING. VAIN AMBITION OR NECESSITY? 45

night and during any free time be- On the night that this very defini- other story. Definition 2 (let’s call N° 2 / August-December 2015 tween meetings on the very sub- tion was presented to a group of it the brainwave definition) was as ject of training. Dozens of hours high level Italian trainers, I had follows: spent over single words, a verb or a brainwave that made me not an adverb. At the time it seemed so much refuse this definition, 2 of vital importance. And today I am as treat it with some diffidence. I still of the same opinion. It means had gone from elation to doubt in Definition 2: Sports training is laying the foundation stone on a short time. I, however, kept my a complex pedagogical-edu- which all else is built. doubts to myself and took some cational process completed by notes, which I still have. I was not the systematic organisation of This was the definition. I have so sure and I didn’t want to be a physical exercise, repeated in called it Definition 1 (and it is a cor- spoilsport, I had great respect such quantities and with such nerstone in both my professional for the work in which I had been a intensity so as to produce pro- life and my humane approach), big part of. Those few notes com- gressively increasing loads that because in this essay there are plicated my life, for reasons I will stimulate the body’s overcom- others that will follow with a pro- soon reveal. I told myself that, if pensating physiological progressive number that takes us up I changed even one word in that cesses and favour the increase to the present day. I have another definition, the meaning would be of physical, psychical, technical number ready for tomorrow, but I understood better, the phenom- and tactical processes of the have not yet the definition. I think enon of training would be better athletes, in order to consolidate that, if I can manage to elaborate identified, broadening the con- and enhance performance in another definition, it will be even fines, the function, the prereq- competition. closer to the truth, that is unat- uisites and the destiny. To define tainable for all of us. As unattain- training is indeed an ethic fact, The new verb did not simplify able for the ignoramuses who talk a bioethical operation. It is not the understanding of the others their heads off at conventions as merely a description of what it (actually, when I started to talk it is for the handful of real experts contains, of what it is made of, of about it, years later, I found many whose voices often go unheard. how it unravels over a brief sea- people critical, uncertain and ir- son or over the entire career of a ritated precisely for the fact that 1 champion who beats everyone or it required a series of new lines a non-champion who always beats of reasoning): the passage was as Definition 1: Sports training is a himself. And, I told myself, it would follows: in order to be clear and un- complex pedagogical-education- have indubitably emphasised the ambiguous, a definition of train- al process put into effect by the various and serious responsibili- ing must recover (and include) all systematic organisation of phys- ties of those who should monitor the motor skills of man and plant ical exercise, repeated in such the movement, intended as a re- its roots in practicing movement quantities and with such intensi- source and a principle of people, from an early age. Training does ty so as to produce progressively from birth to death. not begin a process, it follows it increasing loads that stimulate through. It lays the foundations of the body’s overcompensating What did I do? I removed “put into the entire motor activity from an physiological processes and fa- effect” and replaced it with “com- early age with the aim being - note vour the increase of physical, pleted”. It was like turning on a carefully - not sport, but life per se. psychical, technical and tactical powerful spotlight. I immediately Only if the basic motor skills are processes of the athletes, in or- understood so much more and I formed (I have often written and der to consolidate and enhance was ready to take further steps spoken about, so I’ll be brief here) performance in competition. in defining. And in fact, that is can training begin. Training is the precisely what I did. But that’s an- completion, the crowning, the in- 46 DEFINING SPORTS TRAINING. VAIN AMBITION OR NECESSITY?

depth analysis of a process which A careful reader will notice the I must underline at least the two has been underway for years. Al- journey made and the recovery of aspects - the bioethically ground- ways. Otherwise it would be better the motor activity that originated ed concept (given the times, it’s not to start at all. in childhood. Training starts in better to base training on bioeth- It was easy to be more precise, in a youth and comes to completion ics) and reasonably at the end of third definition (which we will call when the body is capable of doing the definition, because it implies Definition 3 here), it came easy to so. It therefore begins at quite an the acceptance of a calculated me, it seemed taken for granted, early age and over time becomes risk, never a gamble, and because however it made me understand complete. But isn’t this a contra- it takes us to a limit without ex- new aspects of the process and in- diction? Isn’t is absurd to start ceeding it. What is beyond the vited me to delve deeper into the sports training so young? No, we limit? What do scientists tell us? I subject of the motor skills devel- are off track and it is clear that remember that in the 80s and 90s opment that is compulsory for life the problem must be addressed they said that man had reached and the sports training that can in a different manner because we his limits and that there was no

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The come about, or not come about, are speaking of two different phe- margin for improvement. What do in a person’s life. Now I had clearly nomena, with different laws, dif- they say today, the scientists of distinguished between an obliga- ferent goals, different purposes years gone by, now that those “in- tion of society (motor skills de- and different paths. surmountable” limits have actu- velopment) and a possible choice So I came up with Definition 4 - a ally been trashed many times in a made by an individual (sport and new, more precise and richer defi- stunning, unbelievable, unimagi- specialisation). nition. In fact, I consider this to be nable and indignant way? rather more complete. With definition 5 (we are in 2003 more or less), I wanted to clarify 3 4 the necessary reference to an “ini-

Definition 3: Sports training is Definition 4: : Sports training a complex pedagogical-educa- is a complex pedagogical-edu- tional process, which develops cational process, bioethically over long periods of time, possi- grounded and developed over bly starting from childhood, and long periods of time, possibly is completed by the systematic starting from childhood, which organisation of physical exer- is completed by the systematic cise, repeated in such quanti- organisation of physical exer- ties and with such intensity so cise, repeated in such quanti- as to produce progressively ties and with such intensity so increasing loads that stimulate as to produce progressively the body’s biological processes increasing loads that stimulate of adjustment, adaptation and the body’s biological processes overcompensation and favour of adjustment, adaptation and the increase of physical, psychi- overcompensation and favour cal, technical and tactical pro- the increase of physical, psychi- cesses of the athletes, in order cal, technical and tactical pro- to reasonably increase, consoli- cesses of the athletes, in order date and enhance performance to reasonably increase, consoli- in competition. date and enhance performance in competition. DEFINING SPORTS TRAINING. VAIN AMBITION OR NECESSITY? 47

tial and essential phase of development and physical Definition ± came along while I was telling the whole N° 2 / August-December 2015 and psychical initiation”. The definitions were getting story to students, encouraging them to keep going, longer, but they remained clear, actually - it seemed to question themselves, to ask, to search, to reflect, to me - that they were progressively simpler. to go over concepts again and again. What do you do when you are training? How do you approach the 5 task? Don’t you feel like the makers of a creative phenomenon that requires immense skill, that not every- Definition 5: Sports training is a complex pedagog- one possesses? Do you understand the importance of ical-educational process, bioethically grounded your work and your endeavour? and developed over long periods of time, possibly In definition 6, new concepts are added, to try to in- starting from childhood, and which - after an initial clude what had escaped me in the definition of sports and essential phase of development and physical training. A completely different problem (that did not and psychical initiation - is completed by the sys- appear in any definition, excluding an entire world) tematic organisation of physical exercise, repeat- was the relative one, I mention but I do not discuss ed in such quantities and with such intensity so collective training, team work. Here, the question as to produce progressively increasing loads that is: is it possible to train a group? The work done on a stimulate the body’s biological processes of ad- single athlete can be done with a group? I will not go justment, adaptation and overcompensation and into it here, it would take time and space. Perhaps the favour the increase of physical, psychical, techni- reader will reflect and will find my vision ridiculous. I cal and tactical processes of the athletes, in order would be happy to change my mind about this, but to reasonably increase, consolidate and enhance here is definition 6. performance in competition. 6

Definition 6: Sports training is a complex pedagogical-educational process, bioethically grounded and developed over long periods of time, possibly starting from childhood, and which - after an initial and essential phase of development and physical and psychical initiation - is completed by the systematic organisation of physical exercise, repeated in such quantities and with such intensity and density, based on forms and levels of difficulty and with degrees of efficacy so as to produce progressively increasing internal loads that stimulate the body’s biological processes of adjustment, adaptation and overcompensation and favour the increase of physical, psychical, technical and tactical processes of the athletes, in order to reasonably increase, consolidate and enhance performance in competition.

One student who had been listening to me became in- fatuated and took me literally. He did this to make me realise that I had often spoken during lectures about 48 DEFINING SPORTS TRAINING. VAIN AMBITION OR NECESSITY?

the necessity to personalise the Sometimes I count the words, whole training process and that I to tell students that by increas- 8 had not placed (as was necessary: ing the number of words, you he told me; and I refer to it here, to increase the geometric pro- Definition 8: Sports training is pay tribute to young people, from gression of the possibility to a complex pedagogical-educa- whom I have learnt so much over capture the essence of training. tional process, personalised and the years) emphasis on this aspect Today, I define training with a bioethically grounded, which (that I declared as being vital) in number of words which is ap- develops over long periods of the definition. Therefore, this as- proximately 4 times more than time, possibly starting from pect was then included and today when I started out. And natu- childhood, and which - after an stands out in two points (at the rally, I have made many other initial and essential phase of de- beginning and at the end) of defi- considerations, that bring me velopment and physical and psy- to definition 8, where - instead nition 7. chical initiation - is completed - I place the emphasis on the by the systematic organisation necessity to revise the concepts

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The of physical exercise, repeated 7 of adaptation and supercom- in such quantities and with such pensation (I strongly fear that intensity and density, based on these phenomena do not exist Definition 7: Sports training is forms and levels of difficulty and I’m sorry for all those who a complex pedagogical-educa- feel orphans of adaptation and and with degrees of efficacy so tional process, personalised of Matveev) and start to under- as to produce progressively in- and bioethically grounded, line what really happens when creasing internal loads, always which develops over long pe- you train. The muscles respond diversified but progressively riods of time, possibly start- with an authentic transforma- incremented, that stimulate ing from childhood, and which tion. I will discuss it at length the body’s biological processes - after an initial and essential elsewhere. Here is definition 8 of adjustment, adaptation and phase of development and phys- with its small, yet at the same real structural transformation ical and psychical initiation - is time enormous, modifications! and favour the increase of phys- completed by the systematic or- ical, psychical, technical and ganisation of physical exercise, tactical skills of each athlete, repeated in such quantities and in order to reasonably increase, with such intensity and density, consolidate and enhance per- based on forms and levels of formance in competition. difficulty and with degrees of efficacy so as to produce progressively increasing internal loads that stimulate the body’s biological processes of adjustment, adaptation and overcompensation and favour the increase of physical, psychical, technical and tactical processes of each athlete, in order to reasonably increase, consolidate. DEFINING SPORTS TRAINING. VAIN AMBITION OR NECESSITY? 49

I read over my old and new defini- • complexity (constitutive and in- I conclude by reminding that N° 2 / August-December 2015 tions and I remember the journey, terpretive). The same complex- saying more does not necessar- the path that over decades has tak- ity as indicated in the “science of ily mean complicating things, very en me here, the thousands of stu- complexity”; often the result is a progressive dents who I have met over the years. • a connection to the motor skills simplification. All journeys have a I realise that in the final definition I history of the individual, which starting point, a path to follow and have taken into account the 10 cru- means understanding the leg- a destination. cial aspects that a trainer must be acy, the personality, the vital The same applies to training, and aware of. I will try to list them, to action of the environment, the to its definition, you try to define conclude this short, fragmented individual responses of each it, you pursue it, you reach it, but history of an Italian definition of athlete, the consequent you are never entirely satisfied sports training. I say short, but I do indulging the aptitudes and in- with it. not wish to make light of it, because dividualisation of the approach; in reality it contains the power of • a practical approach that uses thoughts that reaches for the light, physical exercise to perfect the that wants to understand and move movement; forward. This is a trainer’s life. • trial and error to measure the physical exercise and its effects; A trainer must ensure that in his • the practical aspect (even if of definition of training there is: uncertain interpretation) of PASQUALE BELLOTTI • a wide-ranging and well-struc- the so-called parameters of the ([email protected]; tured process; workload; [email protected]), • a phenomenon that comes about • the professional code of conduct medical physician and expert in in its own time (which cannot be of the phenomenon in question; movement and training, he influenced); • connecting the limits and train- currently lectures in Sports • an educational approach (with ing ability of the individual. Ethics and Bioethics at the Turin Graduate School. its various aspects); He is the author of many books and articles. He is also President of Amàca Onlus, an association concerned with numerous aid and support projects in Africa (and in Italy): www.amacaonlus.org. 50

Courtesy of

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The Three- Dimensional Kinematic Analysis of the Snatch Technique for Lifting Different Barbell Weights

BY Hadi Gökhan; AkkuŞ Hasan; Harbili Erbil 51 N° 2 / August-December 2015 52 THREE-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SNATCH TECHNIQUE

Introduction of the second pull and that the vertical moves away from the lifter’s body, and The aim of Olympic weightlifting velocity of the barbell reached ma- finally, it drops toward the body from 16,20 competitions is always to lift higher ximum levels during the second pull the maximum height ( ). Stone et 17 25 weights successfully. Lifting higher ( ). On the other hand, it was expres- al. ( ) reported that the barbell was weights in snatch lifts requires a sed in a large number of studies that displaced horizontally by 10–20 cm multifactor performance including mechanical power was higher in the during the snatch lifts by elite weight- technique, power, explosive stren- second pull compared with that in the lifters. However, these anterior-po- 2,5,9,12 gth, and flexibility (2,5,9,10,15–18,22). When first pull ( ). The mechanical work sterior displacements of the barbell the snatch technique is analyzed as a and power outputs showed that the should be small to avoid unnecessary 16 whole, it can be seen that the synchro- first pull was characterized by force, energy consumption ( ). nization and perfection of the system whereas the second pull was largely 18 consisting of the body and barbell of power nature ( ). Therefore, the There were relatively a limited num- is the key to a successful lift (2,5). The higher power output seen during the ber of studies available in literature performance pattern of the snatch second pull was reported to be a re- examining the effects of the increased sult of the combination of a greater barbell weight on the biomechanics of The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The technique requires the barbell to be 12 lifted from the floor to a straight-arm velocity of the barbell and a shorter the barbell and body ( ). In their stu- 13 12 overhead position in one continuous duration during the second pull ( ). dy, Garhammer ( ) found that a small 21 movement (2,5,15–18). The first 5 pha- Isaka et al. ( ) stated that optimizing decrease in weight, about 5%, could ses (first pull, transition, second pull, the barbell height after the second often increase power output substan- turnover under the barbell, and catch pull and minimizing the decrease tially because of a considerably grea- phase) are considered to be the most after the maximum height of the bar- ter movement speed and shorter time important phases of the snatch lifts, bell were effective factors for a suc- interval for the completion of the lift. and increasing the barbell weight cessful lift. In the light of these findings, the kine- has an important effect on all biome- Similar results were reported in a stu- matic analysis of the body and barbell 3 chanical factors during these phases dy by Burdett ( ) showing that lifting during the snatch technique may pro- (15–18). Determining the exact effects the barbell to the lowest possible hei- vide important information to incre- of the increased barbell weight on the ght by talented weightlifters created ase performance by determining the barbell and body kinematics might a certain advantage, and minimizing mechanical factors that are effective help to understand the effective tech- the decrease of the barbell height in lifting higher weights. Increasing nical factors and the biomechanics of during the turnover under the bar- the barbell weight results in a decre- successful lifts of higher weights. bell resulted in savings at total work. ase in power output, vertical velocity, The horizontal displacement pattern and maximum height of the barbell. A A great majority of the published stu- of the barbell during the lift is also detailed analysis of the kinematics of 25 dies on the biomechanics of weight- important ( ) in that the horizontal the increased barbell weight may pro- lifting have usually focused on the movement during the first pull and vide useful information for coaches kinematics of the barbell and body transition phase allows the storage of and weightlifters, who always aim to segments of elite weightlifters who elastic energy into the extensor mu- lift higher weights. participated in national (1,7,8,10,17,19,24,25) scles of the knees during the flexion and international competitions (3,4,6,9) of the knees and its use during the fol- The purpose of this study was to in- and world championships (12). The lowing concentric contraction of the vestigate the effects of increased common aim of those studies was to knees, resulting in an explosive power barbell weights on the barbell and 16 determine the biomechanical diffe- output during the second pull ( ). The body kinematics of elite weightlifters rences between the different phases horizontal displacement of the bar- at different percentages (60, 80, and to evaluate the technical compo- bell is a toward-away-toward pattern: and 100%) of 1 repetition maximum nents of snatch lifts. These studies re- The barbell is pulled toward the body (1RM) in the snatch lifts and to eva- ported that the mechanical work du- during the first pull and the transition luate the biomechanics of the snatch ring the first pull was higher than that phase, and, during the second pull, it technique. THREE-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SNATCH TECHNIQUE FOR LIFTING DIFFERENT BARBELL WEIGHTS 53

Methods N° 2 / August-December 2015 Experimental Approach to the Problem To determine the changes that the increased barbell weight caused on the body and barbell kinematics, the kinematic data obtained from the subjects were studied by 3-dimensional biomechanical analysis. The reason for the preference for the 3-dimensional analysis was that other studies reported that 2-dimensional analysis adversely affected the reliability of 2 angular kinematics ( ). Figure no. 1 Placement points of reflective markers on the body and barbell. Subjects This study was performed on 7 elite nique and to digitize the data pro- V18E, Tokyo, Japan) capturing 50 male weightlifters (Table 1) at diffe- vided with higher precision, a set of fields per second with approximately rent categories of the Turkish weight- 14 reflective markers were stamped 3 minutes of rest between lifts were lifting national team during their pre- on tiptoe, ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, positioned on the diagonal level of paration camp for the 2007 European elbow, and wrist on both sides of the the platform at a distance of 7 m away Championship. The subjects were me- body and 2 markers on the chin and from the platform forming an angle dal-winning weightlifters in previous forehead. The other 2 markers were of about 45° with the sagittal plane international competitions. All the placed at the right and left ends of the of the weightlifter. Cameras 1 and 2 subjects provided written informed barbell. The reflective markers on the were placed to view the right side of consent approved by the local ethics body and the barbell were digitized by the barbell and the body, and cameras committee of the Selcuk University. using an Ariel Performance Analysis 3 and 4 recorded the left side. There System (San Diego, CA, USA). To obtain was an angle of about 90° between Procedures a clearer vision of the markers, an il- the optical axes (Figure 2). To determine the 3-dimensional ki- lumination source of 500 W of power The cameras were synchronized using nematic data of the barbell and body was placed on each camera (Figure 1). the lift-off of the barbell, and 3-dimen- segments during the snatch tech- Four digital cameras (Sony DCR-TR- sional coordinates were constructed

Barbell mass (kg) Subjects Age (y) Body mass (kg) Height (cm) Category (kg) 60%1RM 80%1RM 100%1RM WR* WR† (%) GA 27 58 150 56 66 88 110 143 78 SA 31 60 162 56 72 96 120 138 87 EB 20 64 156 62 72 96 120 153 78 YA 29 70 163 69 84 112 140 165 85 TS 22 81 171 77 78 104 130 174 75 HY 25 100 175 94 96 128 160 188 85 BS 32 107 176 105 96 128 160 200 80 *World record. †the ratio between 100%1RM and WR. Table no. 1 Characteristics of the subjects and the barbell. 54 THREE-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SNATCH TECHNIQUE

using the direct linear transformation method. To calibrate the viewing area in 3 dimensions, a rectangular cube with 12 control points of 250-cm length, 100-cm breadth, and 200-cm height was used. The video recordings were taken at the fourth week of the 4-month preparation camp before the 2007 European Championship. Only successful lifts of each weightlifter at 60% (60%1RM), 80% (80%1RM), and 100% of 1RM (100%1RM) were recorded. A low-pass digital filter with a cutoff frequency of 4 Hz was used for the smoothing of the raw data (15,16,18). Th e oﬃ cial journal of the European Weightlift ing Federation ing Weightlift European of cialthe journal oﬃ e Th

Figure no. 3 Phases of the snatch technique based on the angular displacement at knee angle. (a) the first pull, (b) the transition, (c) the second pull, (d) the turnover under the barbell, and (e) the catch.

pull was calculated from Statistical Analyses the change in mechanical Multivariate test Wilks’ lambda (λ) energy, which is defined and post hoc test with Bonferroni cor- as the sum of kinetic and rection were used for the statistical potential energy (11). The analysis of the linear kinematics and work done in elevating the energetics of the barbell. Normality center of gravity (CG) of of data was verified by the Kolmogo- the body was calculated rov-Simirnov test. The level of statisti- from potential energy, and cal significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. the horizontal work done Figure no. 2 on the barbell was calcu- Results Top view of the positions of the lated by multiplying the horizontal No significant differences were found cameras recording snatch lifts. displacement of the barbell by the between the durations of the phases, horizontal force, obtained from the except for the first pull (Table 2). The snatch technique was divided into multiplication of horizontal accele- It was indicated that there were si- 5 phases according to the changes in ration of the barbell by its mass. The gnificant differences between the the knee angle and the vertical posi- power output of weightlifters during maximum height of the barbell during tion of the barbell as the first pull, the the first and second pulls was calcula- 60%1RM, 80%1RM, and 100%1RM transition, the second pull, the turno- ted by dividing the work of each phase snatch lifts (Figure 4) and between the ver under the barbell, and the catch by its duration. Technical efficiency maximum vertical velocity of the bar- phase (Figure 3). was calculated by dividing the vertical bell (Figure 5). The maximum height The linear kinematics of the body and work by the total work on the barbell. and vertical velocity of the barbell de- barbell and the angular displacemen- All of the work, power values, and te- creased significantly during 60%1RM, ts of the knee joint were calculated. chnical efficiency were calculated 80%1RM, and 100%1RM snatch lifts, The vertical work done on the barbell according to the methodology descri- respectively. Significant differences during the first pull and the second bed by Garhammer (11). were also found in the maximum ver- THREE-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SNATCH TECHNIQUE FOR LIFTING DIFFERENT BARBELL WEIGHTS 55

Mean ± SD N° 2 / August-December 2015 60%1RM 80%1RM 100%1RM Wilks’ lambda First pull (s) 0.42 ± 0.06 0.40 ± 0.03‡ 0.46 ± 0.04 0.149k Transition (s) 0.10 ± 0.01 0.11 ± 0.01 0.13 ± 0.03 0.591 Second pull (s) 0.14 ± 0.03 0.13 ± 0.01 0.12 ± 0.01 0.524 Turnover under the barbell (s) 0.24 ± 0.03 0.24 ± 0.03 0.23 ± 0.02 0.880 *1RM = 1 repetition maximum. †Significant difference at the p<0.05 level in 80%1RM. Table no. 2 ‡Significant difference at the p<0.05 level in 100%1RM. Duration (seconds) of the §Significant difference at the p<0.05 level in 60%1RM. phases in snatch lifts.* kp<0.05.

tical displacement and vertical velocity of CG during the turnover under the barbell. Another significant difference was observed in the drop distance of the barbell from maximum height (Table 3). It was found that there were significant differences between the percentages of 1RM in vertical work done during the first pull and in the total vertical work. The vertical work in the first pull and the total vertical work were significantly greater at 100%1RM, 80%1RM, and 60%1RM snatch lifts, respectively. Another significant difference was found between 80%1RM and 100%1RM in the total vertical work done in elevating CG during the lifts. There was also a significant difference between the vertical work values of CG in the second pull. In addition, the Figure no. 4 Trajectories of the barbell in the snatch lifts of TS: technical efficiency value was found to be signifi- from lift-off to the catch phase. cantly greater at 100%1RM than at 60%1RM. Howe- ver, no significant differences were found between the percentages of 1RM in the total horizontal work or the vertical or horizontal work in the second pull (Table 4). It was found that there were significant differences between the percentages of 1RM in the vertical power of both the first and the second pulls. The total vertical power and the total horizontal power values of 60%1RM, 80%1RM, and 100%1RM were also significantly different. Although the multivariate test showed no significant differences between the values of the horizontal power in the second pull (λ = 0.304; p = 0.051), the Bonferroni test showed that the horizontal power in the second pull for 80%1RM was significantly higher than that of 100%1RM (p < 0.05). Another significant difference was observed Figure no. 5 in the total vertical power values of CG. On the other The linear vertical velocity of the barbell in the snatch lifts of TS: from lift-off to the catch phase. 56 THREE-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SNATCH TECHNIQUE

Mean ± SD 60%1RM 80%1RM 100%1RM Wilks’ lambda Maximum height of the barbell (m) 1.38 ± 0.09† 1.29 ± 0.08‡ 1.18 ± 0.09§ 0.027k Maximum vertical displacement of CG (m) 0.45 ± 0.04 0.44 ± 0.03 0.43 ± 0.03§ 0.118k -1 Maximum vertical velocity of the barbell (m•s ) 2.30 ± 0.18† 2.02 ± 0.18‡ 1.79 ± 0.17§ 0.030k Vertical velocity of CG during the turnover -1 21.49 ± 0.16† 21.73 ± 0.14‡ 21.97 ± 0.13§ 0.077k under the barbell (m•s ) Drop distance of the barbell (m) 0.24 ± 0.07† 0.16 ± 0.04 0.13 ± 0.03§ 0.107k *1RM = 1 repetition maximum. †Significant difference at the p<0.05 level in 80%1RM. Table no. 3 ‡Significant difference at the p<0.05 level in 100%1RM. Kinematics of the barbell §Significant difference at the p<0.05 level in 60%1RM. and CG during snatch lifts.* kp<0.05.

hand, there was no significant dif- than that of 80%1RM (p < 0.05). As peak was seen during the first pull of

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The ference between the vertical power for the relative total power values, the other 2 lifts. When the transition values of CG during the second pull however, no significant difference phases of the 3 lifts were investiga- (λ = 0.326; p = 0.061); nevertheless, was observed. On the other hand, in ted, it was found that the acceleration as far as the results obtained by Bon- the second pull, significant differen- of the barbell decreased sharply in ferroni test are concerned, the ver- ces were found between the absolute 60%1RM snatch lift, whereas in the tical power of CG in the second pull total power values and between the other 2 lifts, it decreased relatively of 100%1RM was significantly lower relative total power values of the dif- mildly as the weight of the barbell than that of 60%1RM (p < 0.05). It was ferent percentages of 1RM (Table 5). was increased. It was also observed also found that there were no signi- The analysis of linear vertical acce- that the barbell was accelerated po- ficant differences between the abso- leration during snatch lifts, an indi- sitively again in vertical direction du- lute total power values (λ = 0.345; p = cator of the magnitude of the force ring the second pull, 100%1RM being 0.070), but the Bonferroni test results applied on the barbell, revealed 2 the highest and 80%1RM the lowest. showed that the absolute total power peak acceleration values during the Another finding was that the barbell of 60%1RM was significantly higher first pull of 60%1RM, whereas only 1 was accelerated negatively during the

Mean ± SD 60%1RM 80%1RM 100%1RM Wilks’ lambda Vertical work in the first pull (J) 389.00 ± 127.98† 503.00 ± 154.34‡ 630.85 ± 180.72§ 0.049k Vertical work in the second pull (J) 446.42 ± 78.02 467.00 ± 84.26 511.14 ± 97.72 0.529 Total vertical work (J) 835.42 ± 151.13† 1,014.28 ± 182.93‡ 1,142.14 ± 217.33§ 0.054k Total horizontal work (J) 50.71 ± 26.71 55.28 ± 40.47 39.28 ± 32.04 0.354 Horizontal work in the second pull (J) 38.14 ± 21.65 44.00 ± 33.11 22.85 ± 18.25 0.344 Total vertical work of CG (J) 338.85 ± 119.73 337.85 ± 109.13‡ 326.14 ± 104.44 0.256|| Vertical work of CG in the second pull (J) 140.42 ± 36.60 132.00 ± 41.88 108.85 ± 25.39§ 0.209|| Efficiency (%) 94.57 ± 1.98 95.28 ± 2.81 97.00 ± 2.00§ 0.161k *CG = center of gravity; efficiency = vertical work/total work on barbell; 1RM = 1 repetition maximum. †Significant difference at the p<0.05 level in 80%1RM. ‡Significant difference at the p<0.05 level in 100%1RM. §Significant difference at the p<0.05 level in 60%1RM. kp<0.05.

Table no. 4 Work done by CG, horizontal and vertical work done on the barbell during snatch lifts.* THREE-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SNATCH TECHNIQUE FOR LIFTING DIFFERENT BARBELL WEIGHTS 57 N° 2 / August-December 2015 Mean ± SD 60%1RM 80%1RM 100%1RM Wilks’ lambda Vertical power in the first pull (W) 817.71 ± 239.49† 1,008.42 ± 231.76 1,081.28 ± 199.27‡ 0.115k Vertical power in the second pull (W) 2,026.71 ± 443.31 2,309.00 ± 462.55 2,595.28 ± 569.45‡ 0.229k Total vertical power (W) 1,174.28 ± 231.36† 1,413.85 ± 239.20 1,467.28 ± 241.09‡ 0.131k Total horizontal power (W) 71.14 ± 35.88 76.42 ± 54.79§ 48.71 ± 40.40 0.204k Horizontal power in the second pull (W) 170.42 ± 89.89 200.57 ± 155.84§ 126.28 ± 118.70 0.304{ Total vertical power of CG (W) 477.14 ± 182.15 469.14 ± 141.89§ 417.28 ± 119.90 0.175k Vertical power of CG in the second pull (W) 647.57 ± 239.29 598.71 ± 213.94 558.28 ± 172.81‡ 0.326# Absolute total power (W) 1,722.57 ± 441.44† 1,959.28 ± 422.40 1,933.42 ± 392.29 0.345** -1 Relative total power (W•kg ) 22.28 ± 2.13 25.85 ± 3.07 25.28 ± 2.98 0.446 Absolute total power in the second pull (W) 2,844.57 ± 727.61† 3,108.28 ± 804.50 3,279.85 ± 849.77‡ 0.262k -1 Relative total power in the second pull (W•kg ) 37.28 ± 4.34 40.28 ± 4.88 42.71 ± 3.03‡ 0.287k *1RM = 1 repetition maximum. †Significant difference at the p< 0.05 level in 80%1RM. Table no. 5 ‡Significant difference at the p < 0.05 level in 60%1RM. Power output during snatch §Significant difference at the p < 0.05 level in 100%1RM. lifts.* kp , 0.05; {p = 0.051; #p = 0.061; **p = 0.070.

catch phase and the magnitude of acceleration of the barbell that started to fall from the maximum height was higher at 60%1RM when compared with 80%1RM or 100%1RM (Figure 6).

Discussion The most distinctive effect of the increased barbell weight in snatch lifts in this study was the decrease in the velocity of the barbell and the vertical displacement of the barbell and CG and the increase in the vertical velocity of CG during the turnover under the barbell. It was reported in the studies of Garhammer (9,11,14) that when Figure no. 6 the barbell weight was increased du- The linear vertical acceleration of the barbell in the ring competition, maximum vertical snatch lifts of TS: from lift-off to the catch phase. displacement values of the barbell were decreased. In addition, it was ment of the barbell at 100%1RM was The velocity-time relationship of the found in one study (17) that maximum found to be 1.18 m. The main reason barbell during the snatch lift—espe- vertical displacement of the barbell for the inconsistent results found by cially the maximum vertical velocity during snatch lifts of elite weightli- different researchers about the ma- of the barbell—is an important point fters was 1.25 m, although this value ximum height of the barbell could be for both coaches and athletes (21). was 1.15 m in another study carried the physical differences of the wei- Baumann et al. (2) reported 2 types out by the same authors (15). In this ghtlifters, including the differences of velocity curves for the snatch lift of study, the maximum vertical displace- in their height. elite weightlifters: The first was with 58 THREE-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SNATCH TECHNIQUE The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The 2 maximum peaks in the vertical ve- ts to those of this study regarding the cond pull phase ended. Although the locity during the pull, and the second horizontal and vertical displacement barbell continued its upward motion was with 1 maximum peak. In this stu- of the barbell. Small differences were during the turnover under the bar- dy, a slight decrease was observed in seen among the values resulted from bell, the turnover under the barbell vertical velocity during the transition the physical and technical characte- was realized in the direction of CG. phase in successful lifts, suggesting ristics of the athletes. The study con- The decrease observed at the height a curve with almost 2 peaks. Although ducted by Hoover et al. (20) on women of the barbell and at its maximum ver- 1 maximum peak in the vertical linear weightlifters, and others, support tical linear velocity during snatch lifts velocity of the barbell during the pull the finding of this study that the ma- increased the velocity of the turnover was reported to be characteristic of ximum vertical velocity of the barbell under the barbell of the body and de- better weightlifters, successful lifts decreased as the weight of the bar- creased the duration of the turnover by elite weightlifters with 2 maximum bell was increased. under the barbell (Table 3). The most peaks were also reported (2). The de- important advantage of the increa- celeration of the barbell during the When the body and the barbell are se in the vertical linear velocity of CG transition phase were characterized evaluated together as a system, the during the turnover under the barbell by fatigue or higher percentages of height and vertical velocity of the was the decrease in the drop distan- their maximum velocities at the end barbell decrease as the barbell wei- ce of the barbell; technically, moving of the first pull and might not cause ght increases, during which the ki- faster during the turnover under the any notable decrement in performan- nematics of the body that constitute barbell resulted in an easier control of ce as long as the loss of the barbell’s the system also change. The most the barbell weight, namely, catching linear vertical velocity is a small per- significant indication of this change the barbell. centage of maximum linear vertical is the vertical velocity of CG during velocity (18). the turnover under the barbell. When The most notable effect of the incre- Although the maximum vertical velo- the kinematic characteristics of the ase in the barbell weight was that, city of the barbell increased in parallel system were investigated, it was ob- although it resulted in an increase in to the increase of body weight in cate- served that the full extension of the the vertical work done during the first gories (2), it was observed to decrea- body was realized at the end of the pull, it did not produce a similar result se in 1RM in general (9,10). Therefore, second pull. At this moment, the CG in the second pull (Table 4). The incre- it might be said that increasing the reached the maximum height and the ase in the barbell weight also led to an barbell weight is a factor affecting the barbell reached its maximum velocity increase in total work values, similarly vertical velocity of the barbell directly. (5). After this moment, the turnover to those of the first pull. The reason Isaka et al. (21) reported similar resul- under the barbell started as the se- for the increase in the vertical work THREE-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SNATCH TECHNIQUE FOR LIFTING DIFFERENT BARBELL WEIGHTS 59

and total work values in parallel to the of increased barbell weight on the to the barbell in the vertical direction N° 2 / August-December 2015 increase in the barbell weight during barbell kinematics for snatch lifts, for a successful lift, and the decrease the first pull might be the longer time was higher at 100%1RM when com- in the horizontal work done on the period needed to overcome the iner- pared with 60%1RM and 80%1RM. barbell supported this conclusion. tia of the barbell and the relatively The values found demonstrated that The pull refers to the initial part of the decreased vertical velocity (18). to make a more efficient lift, athletes lift during which the barbell is displa- Gourgoulis et al. (15,18) reported that presumably increased the vertical ced from the floor to approximately the work values of the second pull work done on the barbell and decre- waist height (5). In a previous study, had an average 409 J value, whereas ased the horizontal displacement of biomechanical analyses were perfor- Gourgoulis et al. (17) found that this the barbell. med by dividing the pull stage into 3 value was 388 J. The value obtained in Garhammer (11) used the change of phases (2,5,7): The first pull, the tran- our study was 511 J for 80%1RM and mechanical energy, which expres- sition, and the second pull. The pull, 100%1RM. The biggest reason for the sed the total of potential and kinetic with respect to angular displacement difference between the result obtai- energy, to calculate the work done at the knee joint, consists of 2 stages ned in our study and those reported and expressed that at the end of the of extension, separated by a period in previous studies might be that second pull, CG reached the maximum of flexion, known as the double knee Gourgoulis et al. (15,17) did not include point in the vertical direction and that bend (5). This knee flexion is used to the work done by CG in the work calcu- at this moment, the kinetic energy of realign the lifter, relative to the bar- lations, which, therefore, led to lower CG was negligible because its velocity bell, and is referred to as the second values in the total work. The second was close to zero. Therefore, he pro- knee bend (5). These angular changes pull work values found in the study of posed the use of potential energy to in the movement structure of the Harbili and Aritan (19) and those of this calculate only the work done by CG in knee joints made considerable contri- study, both of which included weight- the vertical axis. It was found in this butions to defining this second pull as lifters with similar physical characte- study that as the weight of the bar- the power phase in that these chan- ristics who lifted similar weights, bell increased, there were decreases ges transfer the elastic energy stored were similar to each other. in the vertical work of CG in the se- in knee extensor muscles into the second pull and in the total vertical work cond pull after the knee flexion during It was emphasized that in addition to (Table 4). The decrease in the vertical transition phase, which was indicative the vertical movement of the barbell, work done by CG was directly related of the biomechanical importance of the horizontal movement was also an to the drop observed in the height of the double knee bend (2,17). In addi- important factor in performing the CG, similarly to the decrease obser- tion, during the first pull, the changes snatch technique (23) because the ho- ved in the vertical kinematics of the in the barbell’s kinetic and potential rizontal displacement of the barbell barbell. However, the increase in the energy were greater, and the lifters during snatch lift caused an addi- work done on the barbell and the de- had to produce considerable work tional acceleration and work during crease in the work done by CG was in over a long period to overcome the the lift (2). In this study, it was obser- accord. The analysis of the decreasing inertia of the barbell (18). In this study, ved that the horizontal work values vertical displacement of the barbell it was found that as the barbell weight between the different percentages and the change in mechanical energy increased, the duration of the first of the lifts were similar to each other because of velocity indicated that the pull extended. This finding supported because there was no statistically only factor that supported the incre- the result reported by Gourgoulis et significant difference between the ase in the work done on the barbell al. (17) that the first pull was forceful in total horizontal work values. Howe- was the mass of the barbell. The most nature, whereas the second pull was ver, technical efficiency is a parame- important variable here was the con- characterized by power. ter that supports the importance of tribution of the kinetic energy of the According to Garhammer (12), even the decrease in the horizontal work. barbell to the vertical work done on a small decrease of about 5% in the Therefore, it was seen that technical the barbell. These findings suggested barbell weight led to an increase in efficiency, which showed the effect that weightlifters applied more force the movement velocity, which might 60 THREE-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SNATCH TECHNIQUE

increase the power output substan- the barbell’s decreased and the bo- tially as a result. It was found in the dy’s increased kinematics during the same study that as the barbell wei- turnover under the barbell. With the ght increased, power outputs during effect of the increased barbell wei- DR. HASAN AKKUS the first and second pulls decreased. ght, the values of the work done and is Associate Professor at Faculty Therefore, the findings of Garhammer power output increased during the of Sport Sciences , University of (12) seemed to be inconsistent with first pull, but during the second pull, Selcuk, Konya, Turkey since 1988. the significant increase observed in power output increased, whereas the He has doctorate degree from the first and second pull power values work done remained unchanged. Health Sciences Institute of of the different percentages of 1RM Marmara University Istanbul with thesis of “The relationships in this study. This difference betwe- Practical between anthropometric en the 2 studies might have resulted Applications characteristics, biomotor from the fact that unlike the greater The rationale for this study was that abilities, physiological difference between the percentages analyzing the effects of increased characteristics and success in of 1RM in this study, the percentages barbell weights on the barbell and elite weightlifters” in 1994. Th e oﬃ cial journal of the European Weightlift ing Federation ing Weightlift European of cialthe journal oﬃ e Th of 1RM in the study of Garhammer (12) body kinematics of elite weightlifters He has more than 40 scientific were performed with barbell weights at different percentages of 1RM (60, study published in international close to 1RM (92.7, 97.6, and 100%). 80, and 100%) would facilitate the un- scientific journal and presented in international scientific This closeness in the percentages of derstanding of the biomechanical de- congresses. He is EWF General 1RM probably forced the limits of the mands at each phase in the snatch lift. Secretary and Anti-Doping Hearing weightlifters’ performance. The results of this study are con- Panel Member of IWF. The mean power output value during sistent with those of previous re- the second pull was reported as 2,506 search studies reporting that the W in a study performed by Gourgoulis strength-oriented first pull and the et al. (17). The average value found in power-oriented second pull are the our study, however, was 3,279 W. The most important phases in the sna- reason for this difference was pro- tch technique and that the explosive bably because Gourgoulis et al. (17) strength during the second pull is calculated only the vertical power du- especially important for a successful DR. ERBIL HARBILI ring the second pull. It was reported in turnover under the barbell. The decre- is Associate Professor at another study that as the body weight ase in horizontal power despite the Faculty of Sport Sciences , increased, so did their second pull increases in vertical power observed University of Selcuk, Konya, power values; as the bar weight was in our study indicates that coaches Turkey. increased, the duration of the lifts ex- and practitioners should primarily He is associate professor tended, and the average vertical velo- focus on designing training programs at Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey. He has been working city, maximum bar weight, and power for the improvement of the explosive on the topics of biomechanics 9 outputs decreased ( ). strength for a better pull. Based on of weightlifting and training As the barbell weight was increased, the result that the power output in science since 1999. the vertical and horizontal kinemati- 80 and 100% of 1RM were similar, it He has doctorate degree from cs of the body and barbell decreased is recommended that loads between Health Sciences Institute during the first and second pulls in submaximal and maximal barbell wei- of Hacettepe University this study. The decrease in the maxi- ghts (80 and 100% of 1RM) should be Ankara with thesis of “The mum height and vertical velocity of chosen in training programs designed biomechanical analysis and modelling of snatch technique the barbell observed during the total for improving strength, preferably lo- in weightlifting” in 2006. pull was found to be characterized by ads of 100% of 1RM. THREE-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SNATCH TECHNIQUE FOR LIFTING DIFFERENT BARBELL WEIGHTS 61 N° 2 / August-December 2015

8. Garhammer, J. Energy fl ow 17. Gourgoulis, V, Aggeloussis, N, DR. HASAN AKKUS DR. GOKHAN HADI during Olympic weightlift ing. Kalivas, V, Antoniou, P, and is Associate Professor at Faculty He was born in 14.03.1983. Med Sci Sports Exerc 14: Mavromatis, G. Snatch lift ki- of Sport Sciences , University of He has been working as research 353–360, 1982. nematics and bar energetics in Selcuk, Konya, Turkey since 1988. assistant at Faculty of Sport 9. Garhammer, J. Biomechanical male adolescent and adult wei- profi le of Olympic weightli- ghtlift ers. J Sports Med Phys He has doctorate degree from Sciences, University of Selcuk, ft ers. Int J Sport Biomech 1: Fitness 44: 126–131, 2004. Health Sciences Institute of Konya, Turkey since 2006. He 122–130, 1985. 18. Gourgoulis, V, Aggelousis, N, Marmara University Istanbul graduated master degree with 10. Garhammer, J. A comparison Mavromatis, G, and Garas, A. with thesis of “The relationships the thesis of “Three Dimensional of maximal power outputs Th reedimensional kinematic between anthropometric Kinematic Analysis of Snatch between elite male and female analysis of the snatch of elite characteristics, biomotor in Weightlifting ”. He has been weightlift ers in competition. Greek weightlift ers. J Sport Sci abilities, physiological studying for doctorate degree Int J Sport Biomech 7: 3–11, 18: 643–652, 2000. characteristics and success in in Health Sciences Institute of 1991. 19. Harbili, E and Aritan, S. Com- elite weightlifters” in 1994. Marmara University Istanbul. 11. Garhammer, J. A review of parative biomechanical analy- power output studies of sis of the snatch technique in He has more than 40 scientific Olympic and powerlift ing: elite weightlift ers. 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Gourgoulis, V, Aggeloussis, N, Exerc 20: 178–187,1988. Williams, FE, and Johnson, Garas, A, and Mavromatis, G. 7. Garhammer, J. Power pro- RL. Analysis of bar paths Unsuccessful vs. successful duction by Olympic weightli- during the snatch in elite male performance in snatch lift s: A ft ers. Med Sci Sports Exerc 12: weightlift ers. Strength Cond J kinematic approach. J Strength 54–60, 1980. 20: 30–38, 1998. Cond Res 23: 486–494, 2009. 62 The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The IMPORTANCE OF APPLIED SCIENCE IN TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGN

BY Jay R. Hoffman 63 N° 2 / August-December 2015 64 IMPORTANCE OF APPLIED SCIENCE IN TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGN

The understanding of training 2000 – 2010, 21 deaths occurred the heart’s conductive system, due program design is based upon during National Collegiate Athletic to the elevation in potassium ion a strong knowledge of scientific Association (NCAA) Division I Ame- concentrations in the circulation. principle. It is the product of the rican football workouts (1). These These latter changes are poten- basic sciences; biology, physics and incidents occurred at different tially lethal. Fortunately, none of chemistry, which are combined to Universities, but each one of these these athletes sustained perma- an applied field of study such as deaths occurred during an off-se- nent injury, but highlight the po- exercise science that has additio- ason conditioning workout. In tential danger associated with po- nal specific emphasis in the study addition, to these fatalities there orly designed workouts. The major of physiology, biomechanics and have been a host of serious even- issue with all of these incidents is biochemistry. The understanding ts occurring during other training that they are not associated with of basic physiological response to sessions. For instance in 2011, 13 the normal risk of sport participa- exercise is an important aspect in members of the University of Iowa tion. Each incident was preven- the training of athletes and in pro- football team were admitted to the table, and could have been avoided

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The viding the background to develop hospital following their first wor- with the coaches understanding realistic training goals that can be kout after their winter break (2). appropriate training progression. achieved through effort and good The athletes were diagnosed with Often, it’s not the workout itself, coaching. An understanding of rhabdomyolysis, a condition in whi- but when that specific workout science provides us the ability to ch muscle tissue is damaged to the was given in context to the athle- effectively evaluate the efficacy of point where there is large leakage te’s conditioning level at specific various training paradigms and cri- of skeletal tissue enzymes into the period of time. tically examine the broad spectrum blood stream. Although elevations of available ergogenic aids and in muscle enzymes are relatively Relationship of nutritional supplements that are normal following a training ses- Science and Sport continuously being provided or sion, the magnitude of the eleva- The beauty of applied research is suggested to athletes. In addition, tion seen during rhabdomyolysis in that it provides an applied appli- understanding the applied scien- these enzymes may reach 5 times cation for the basic knowledge of ces will allow the sport scientist their normal limit, but often are science and explains how it can be and coach to better comprehend much greater, with reports sugge- used to understand and enhance the physiological, psychological sting that it can reach more than athletic performance. It allows and biomechanical requirements 50-fold greater (100,000 U/l) than the coach to maximize athlete’s necessary for success in sports that seen at rest (9). Increases in performance, or perhaps as im- and help develop selection criteria myoglobin, uric acid and potas- portant, understand limitations that maximizes the chance of ath- sium ions are also released from of performance. Such information lete and team success. the damaged tissue. The increases can assist coaches and athletes in in inflammatory markers invade setting realistic training goals and The Dangers of a the damaged area of the muscle performance expectations. It may Lack of Understan- causing it to swell in size. The in- also provide assistance in setting ding of the crease in the swelling of the mu- more objective criteria used for Scientific Principles scle, due to the inflammation, can team selection. Applied research of Training cause compartment syndrome (9), provides tools for the coach to use The lack of an appropriate appre- while elevation in the enzymes or to minimize risk for injury, to re- ciation of the importance of ap- electrolytes in the circulation may duce the risk of fatigue and over- plied science has at times resulted cause renal impairment leading training and achieve peak perfor- in catastrophic incidents during to kidney failure. Potential chan- mance at the appropriate time. the training of competitive ath- ges to the electrocardiography Most scientists are comfortable letes. In the 10 years spanning (ECG), indicating impairment of working in laboratories and using IMPORTANCE OF APPLIED SCIENCE IN TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGN 65

laboratory measures to assess set in the squat and bench press non-linear training (6). They re- N° 2 / August-December 2015 human performance. This type of exercises. If the required number ported that linear training that science and data collection has an of repetitions were completed required the athletes to train at important role in increasing our the athletes were encouraged to 80% of their 1-RM twice per week scientific understanding of human increase the resistance used in was significantly better in elici- performance. However, applied the next training session. One-re- ting strength improvements in scientists are also equally adept petition maximal (1-RM) strength first-year players than non-linear at working in a laboratory environ- measures of the upper and lower training (athletes training twice ment, but also are adept at using body were measured (bench press per week, but one workout perfor- the playing fields and courts as and squat, respectively) at the be- med at 90% of their 1-RM, but 70% their laboratory. The examination ginning and end (15 weeks) of the during the second workout of the of athletes within their competi- competitive season. All player logs week). When examining the data tive environment provides a more were collected and analyzed. Tho- from the linear training group an specific understanding of the se players who were able to main- average of more than 80% per needs and stresses of the sport, tain a training intensity of 80% workout was observed throughout and also provides data that coa- or move for the entire in-season the in-season training program. ches may readily comprehend. In addition, the ability and desire to delineate information collected in both field and laboratory based research is a responsibility that applied scientists have in performing research with competitive athletes. Timely communication to the coach and athlete will allow the information learned to enhance their understanding of the needs of their sport and when applicable to develop appropriate training paradigms. An example of this type of research was published in 2003 by Hoffman and Kang on the influence of intensity and volume In contrast, the non-linear group Figure no. 9 of training in the in-season trai- trained slightly more than 75% on Effect of Intensity of Training ning program of American College on Strength Improvement. * = the lower intensity days, but less football players (5). In this stu- significant difference between than 90% on the heavy days. The dy, the investigators provided an groups. Data from Hoffman non-linear group trained at 80% in-season training program con- and Kang, 2003. or more only one day a week, while sisting of the following exercises; the athletes in the linear training squats, bench press, push press, group trained at an average grea- and power cleans. Players were training program increased their ter than 80% twice week. Thus, the required to train twice per week strength significantly more than stimulus for the linear group was using 4 sets per exercise at 80% of those athletes whose training in- greater and this group experien- their 1-repetition maximum. This tensity per exercise was less than ced significantly greater strength was equivalent to 4 – 6 repetitions 80% (see Figure 1). improvements than the non-li- in the power clean and push press A follow-up study by the same in- near group. The results of these exercises, and 6 – 8 repetitions per vestigators compared linear to studies were used to set the most 66 IMPORTANCE OF APPLIED SCIENCE IN TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGN

appropriate in-season training is used in improving athletic per- squats and bench press throws) program for subsequent seasons. formance can be seen in the stu- on power development in stren- The bridge that spans science and dies that have emanated from the gth/power athletes. In addition, sport travels in two directions. It Human Performance Laboratory examination of new training mo- is not only the curiosity of sport in the Department of Health and dalities such as thick bars and re- scientists that develop the resear- Exercise Science at The College sistive running on treadmills has ch question, but its often coaches of New Jersey. Different training also been used to provide impor- and athletes that become curious paradigms for both in-season and tant information on exercise per- on the effectiveness of various offseason conditioning programs formance. training methods or on specific have been examined over the past Results of these studies have been nutritional supplements. Their few years. Examples of such stu- used to format training programs curiosity often raises important dies include the investigation of in subsequent seasons. In addi- questions that generate specific linear and nonlinear periodization tion, various nutritional supple- research ideas for scientists. This techniques in both in-season and ments such as protein drinks, cre-

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The two-way communication is integral offseason conditioning programs atine and -alanine combinations, in spawning the impetus for new for football players, comparison and pre-exercise high energy drin- research projects. An example of of Olympic and traditional power ks have been examined in expe- this type of research is reflected by lifting training programs in the rienced strength trained athletes a recent paper that examined the off-season conditioning program to determine the efficacy of these effect of playing time on physical of football players, and the effect supplements in this population. performance changes in profes- of ballistic exercises (i.e. jump The critical component attributing sional basketball players (3). This paper revealed some interesting information that indicated that players that were starters or part of the regular playing rotation increased their power performance during the course of the season, while players not part of the regular rotation did not improve power; they were more apt to increase their slow-velocity strength. It was concluded that the stimulus of playing games enhanced power performance, while non-starters may need to perform additional exercises to maintain their power performance during the in-season training sessions. Interestingly, these results supported a previous study on NCAA Division I female college basketball players (4), while a recent study in NCAA Division I female soccer players reported that Figure no. 2 starters tend to get faster during a Comparisons of number of repetitions performed. * = season than non-starters (8). significant difference between groups. Sup = Protein group; Examples of how applied research PL = Placebo group. Data from Hoffman et al, 2010. IMPORTANCE OF APPLIED SCIENCE IN TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGN 67 N° 2 / August-December 2015

to the success of the research per- While others understand the po- creatine kinase concentrations, formed by the Human Performan- tential benefits, but want the an enzymatic marker of muscle ce Laboratory has been in the abi- scientific evidence to make the ap- damage, began to decline in the lity to rapidly delineate the results propriate decision regarding whi- protein group but continued to of these studies to the coaching ch supplements are efficacious elevate in the placebo group at staff and athletes. These lines of and safe, and which supplements 48-h post-exercise. The message communication provide positive are not effective. An example of for coaches was the importance reinforcement for continued re- such research is the benefits of that protein intake surrounding search and generate additional protein immediately following the the workout may have in enhan- ideas for subsequent study. It also workout that appears to enhan- cing recovery. provides support for continued ce the recovery from the workout cooperation between coaches and (see Figure 2) (7). Interesting, the investigation sur- applied scientists. In this study a protein supplement rounding the rhabdomyolysis inci- Sport nutrition is another area provided pre and post a high inten- dent at Iowa University discussed of study that is often examined sity workout including the 4 sets of above revealed that none of the by sport scientists that have im- the 10 repetitions per set of the athletes that were hospitalized mediate relevancy to coaches squat exercise was compared to a consumed any protein pre or post and athletes. One of the largest group of participants consuming a workout. However, no athlete struggles seen in sport today is placebo. that consumed a protein supple- the understanding of the efficacy The groups consuming the pro- ment surrounding the workout of various sport supplements that tein recovered faster from the was hospitalized. This presents athletes are confronted with. The- exercise session, as reflected by a interesting anecdotal evidence, re are many individuals that simply significant greater number of re- that sport science has provided want to minimize the use of dietary petitions performed in the squat scientific evidence to support the supplements, ignoring the poten- exercise 24- and 48-h following potential benefit of protein intake tial benefits that they may provide. the initial workout. In addition, and recovery from exercise. 68 IMPORTANCE OF APPLIED SCIENCE IN TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGN

References

1. Casa DJ, Anderson SA, Baker L, Bennett S, Bergeron MF, Connolly D, Cour- son R, Drezner J, Eichner R, Epley B, Fleck S, Franks R, Guxkiewicz KM, KG Harmon, Hoffman JR, Holschen JC, Jost J, Kinniburgh A, Klossner D, Lopez RM, Martin G, McDermott BP, Mihalik JP, Myslinski T, Pagnotta K, Poddar S, Rodgers G, Russell A, Sales L, Sandler D, Stearns RL, Stiggins C, Thompson C. The inter-association task force for preventing sudden death in collegiate conditioning sessions: Best Practices Recommendations. Journal of Athletic Training. 47:477-480, 2012.

2. Drake DR, Herwaldt L, Hines NW, Kregel KC, Thoman D. Report of the special presidential committee to investigate the January 2011 hospitalization of

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The university of Iowa football players. March 2011.

3. Gonzalez AM, Hoffman JR, Rogowski JP, Burgos W, Manalo E, Weise K, Fra- gala MS, and Stout JR. Effect of playing time on performance changes in NBA basketball players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 27:611- 615, 2013.

4. Gonzalez A.M., Hoffman J.R., Scallin-Perez, J., Stout J.S., and Fragala M.S. Performance changes in NCAA Division I women basketball players during a competitive season: Starters vs. non-starters. Journal of Strength and Condi- tioning Research. 26: 3197-3203, 2012.

5. Hoffman JR and Kang J. Strength changes during an inseason resistance training program for football. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 17:109-114, 2003.

6. Hoffman J.R., M. Wendell, J. Cooper, and J. Kang. Comparison between linear and nonlinear inseason training programs in freshman football players. Jour- nal of Strength and Conditioning Research 17:561-565, 2003.

7. Hoffman JR, NA Ratamess, CP Tranchina, SL Rashti, J. Kang, and AD Fai- genbaum. Effect of Protein Ingestion on Recovery Indices Following a Resi- stance Training Protocol in Strength/Power Athletes. Amino Acids. 38:771– 778, 2010.

8. Jajtner AR, Hoffman JR, Scanlon TC, Wells AJ, Townsend JR, Beyer KS, Man- gine GT, McCormack WP, Bohner JD, Fragala MS, Stout JR. Performance and Muscle Architecture Comparisons between Starters and Non-Starters in NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Re- search. 27:2355-2366, 2013.

9. Vanholder R, Sever MS, Erek E, Lameire N. Rhabdomyolysis. J Am Soc Ne- phrol. 11:1553-1561, 2000. IMPORTANCE OF APPLIED SCIENCE IN TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGN 69 N° 2 / August-December 2015

DR. JAY HOFFMAN holds the rank of full professor in the Sport and Exercise Science program at the University of Central Florida. He is presently the Department Chair of Education and Human Sciences and Director of the Institute of Exercise Physiology and Wellness. Dr. Hoffman is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He served as President of the National Strength and Conditioning Association Board of Directors from 2009-2012. Dr. Hoffman also served on the Board of Directors of the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation. Dr. Hoffman holds a unique perspective in his sport science background. Prior to his academic career he signed free agent contracts with the NY Jets and Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL and the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL. A dual national of the USA and Israel, Dr. Hoffman commanded the Physiological Unit of the Israel Air Force and served as a Research Officer in the Combat Fitness Unit of the IDF during his military service. Dr. Hoffman has been honored or awarded the 2007 Outstanding Sport Scientist of the Year from the NSCA, 2005 Outstanding Kinesiology Professional Award from the Neag School of Education Alumni Society of the University of Connecticut, 2003 Educator of the Year NSCA, and 2003 Neag School of Education Outstanding Alumni Research Award (University of Connecticut). Dr. Hoffman’s primary area of study focuses on physiological adaptations resulting from nutritional and exercise intervention. Dr. Hoffman has published more than 200 articles and chapters in peer-reviewed journals. His books Physiological Aspects of Sport Training and Performance, Norms for Fitness, Performance, and Health, and Program Design were published by Human Kinetics. A Practical Guide to Designing Resistance Training Programs and Total Fitness for Baseball were published by Coaches Choice. Further sharing his research and findings, Dr. Hoffman has lectured at more than 380 national and international conferences and meetings. 70 The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The Coaching Weight- lifting in the Age of Sport Technology

What can technology do for a weightlifter and coach?

BY ANNA SWISHER 71 N° 2 / August-December 2015 72 COACHING WEIGHTLIFTING IN THE AGE OF SPORT TECHNOLOGY

The level of sophistication in trai- coach is a wonderful tool, but at ning athletes, including weightli- the elite level, where razor-thin fters, has increased exponential- margins separate the top perfor- ly over the last few decades. An mers, using sport technology to explosion of tech products, such aid in athlete monitoring can be as wireless accelerometers, fit- a big advantage. Here are three ness trackers, motion-capture sy- questions to guide you as you con- stems, barbell trackers, and apps sider adopting new technology. for seemingly everything, has given coaches and athletes the ability to measure and track virtually Is the technology anything. Now that technology has reliable and valid? opened up what is possible, the Reliability can be thought of as focus must shift towards learning repeatability, meaning that if you

The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The what is worth tracking and how weigh someone on a scale once it can be integrated into decision every ten seconds for two minutes, making. Weightlifting coaches are the scale should show the same ement between gold-standard well versed in weightlifting tech- mass at each reading.1 If the sca- equipment and the device in que- nique, training, and tactics, but le fluctuates by nine pounds over stion. Assessing validity is nearly are often less familiar with sport the twelve readings, the data is impossible when companies cre- technology. As technology in sport not reliable and therefore is wor- ate proprietary variables such as becomes ubiquitous, coaches can thless to a coach. Both intra- and “remaining energy” and “total ef- benefit from learning more about inter-session reliability are critical fort” as these are unknown amal- what to consider when selecting when using fitness trackers, force gamations of multiple sources of and adopting devices. plates, calipers, accelerometers, input. or anything else that tracks data These metrics purport to help longitudinally over time to inform make the coach’s analysis easier What can technolo- coaches and athletes about the by collating information into “co- gy do for a weight- training state of the athlete.1,2 ach friendly” categories, but may lifter and coach? Coaches can work to enhance re- lead the coach to erroneous con- Though it can be a powerful tool, liability by using the average of clusions. technology cannot accurately pre- multiple trials rather than a single dict sport performance, replace effort, always testing under the Coaches should use directly mea- common sense, or give definitive same conditions (e.g., same time surable metrics such as peak bar- answers about how to optimally of day, same level of hydration, bell velocity or jump height rather train lifters. same tester), and using calibra- than “reactive ability” or “remai- Information from technology does ted, quality equipment.1,2 ning energy” to ensure that the not hand answers to a coach about data is valid. Coaches should also training and performance, but ra- Validity means that the test or avoid comparing values between ther allows a coach to ask better measurement is truly represen- devices as the variance between questions. tative of the ability or trait being devices can be very large.3 This can measured. For example, a one-rep be due to methodological diffe- Technology expands what a coach max bench press may be a reliable rences in how a variable is calcu- can see and measure, effectively test, but is not a valid measure of lated and how the data is filtered augmenting the coach’s subjecti- aerobic endurance. The validity of and smoothed.3,4 Even if the device ve observations and intuitions. new technology is often assessed you select has some variance from The well-trained eye of a veteran by looking at the degree of agre- the gold-standard measurement COACHING WEIGHTLIFTING IN THE AGE OF SPORT TECHNOLOGY 73 N° 2 / August-December 2015

technique, as long as the measu- testosterone to cortisol ratio, an- collect several weeks or months of rements have high reliability, it thropometrical measurements, baseline data to get a sense of how can be a helpful tool to use to track and vertical jump; these may pro- a particular variable fluctuates in changes over time. vide valuable information about a lifter prior to using the data to an athlete’s trained state and trai- inform training decisions. There ning progress.2,3,5-9 This list is not are highly individual responses What variables/ exhaustive, and there are promi- in many variables, such as heart metrics should be sing new findings each year, such rate and power output, so setting tracked? as examining force asymmetry in an arbitrary threshold for action As “big data” comes to sport, co- the lower body, that might further is not recommended.11,12 Coaches aches must grapple with how to assist coaches in training lifters.10 should understand the trends and mine meaningful information out implications of the baseline data of the mountains of data collected and continue to monitor the same from new devices. Collecting a lot How does the data lifter longitudinally rather than of data is relatively easy, but analy- influence training analyze group data for guidance. zing data and turning it into actio- decisions and fit nable outputs for a group of lifters into the athlete Once baseline data has been col- after each training session can be monitoring plan? lected, a coach should consider se- complex and incredibly time con- Some of the challenges with new lecting a few key variables to aug- suming. The human and financial devices are that we don’t yet know ment the other existing athlete resources required to run an ath- what information is valuable and monitoring practices that influen- lete monitoring program are con- how the detailed streams of in- ce athlete programming. A coach siderable and perhaps only formation should inform training might collect weekly vertical jump widely feasible at the highest le- choices. When peak power drops data in weightlifters including vels of sport.2 unexpectedly but the lifter can still jump height, peak force, impulse, make the lifts/reps in a workout peak power, and rate of force de- Specific variables to consider without problem, should the coach velopment to see if changes in any when monitoring weightlifters in- act to change training on account of these variables are reflective of clude peak barbell velocity, peak of the new info about power? fatigue levels. If jump height re- power output, peak rate of force mains stable over several months development, barbell trajectory, It is a good idea, when possible, to of training with both high and low 74 COACHING WEIGHTLIFTING IN THE AGE OF SPORT TECHNOLOGY

Conclusion training volumes, the coach learns An accelerometer would be hard know tactical and biomechanical that jump height lacks the sensiti- pressed to identify when an ath- aspects of weightlifting, the pro- vity to reflect fatigue levels. Howe- lete is burned out by training, fession is evolving such that coa- ver, if the coach sees that impulse coming down with a cold, or ner- ches must be competent in using and peak power data from the ju- vous about an upcoming contest. sport technology. mps is more sensitive to changes However, carefully chosen and To be most effective, coaches must in training volume, that data may implemented sport technology first understand sport technolo- be valuable as part of a larger pool does have the potential to be a gy’s strengths and limitations and of information used to monitor a valuable supplemental source of how to incorporate it into decision lifter’s training. information. Just as coaches must making. The official journal of the European Weightlifting Federation Weightlifting European of the official journal The

Anna Swisher, MA, CSCS A doctoral fellow in Sport Physiology and Performance at East Tennessee State University, Anna teaches undergraduate courses and conducts research on weightlifting, athlete monitoring, and coach education under Dr. Mike Stone, veteran weightlifting coach and sport scientist. She is a former weightlifter, a sport science consultant, and the co-creator of Eleiko’s Olympic Weightlifting and Program Design for Strength Coaches course. COACHING WEIGHTLIFTING IN THE AGE OF SPORT TECHNOLOGY 75 N° 2 / August-December 2015 References 1. Vincent W.; Weir J. Statistics in Kinesio- 8. Garhammer J. Power production by Olym- logy. 4th ed. Champaign, IL: Human pic weightlifters. Medicine and science Kinetics; 2012. in sports and exercise 1980;12:54-60. 2. Stone MH, Stone ME, Sands WA. Princi- 9. Musser LJ, Garhammer J, Rozenek R, ples and Practice of Resistance Training. Crussemeyer JA, Vargas EM. Anthro- Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2007. pometry and barbell trajectory in the 3. McMaster DT, Gill N, Cronin J, McGui- snatch lift for elite women weightlifters. gan M. A brief review of strength and Journal of strength and conditioning ballistic assessment methodologies in research / National Strength & Conditio- sport. Sports medicine (Auckland, NZ) ning Association 2014;28:1636-48. 2014;44:603-23. 10. Sato K, Heise GD. Influence of weight 4. Cormie P, McCaulley GO, Triplett NT, Mc- distribution asymmetry on the biome- Bride JM. Optimal loading for maximal chanics of a barbell back squat. Journal power output during lower-body resi- of strength and conditioning research / stance exercises. Medicine and science in National Strength & Conditioning Asso- sports and exercise 2007;39:340-9. ciation 2012;26:342-9. 5. Carlock JM, Smith SL, Hartman MJ, et al. 11. Argus CK, Gill ND, Keogh JW, Hopkins The relationship between vertical jump WG. Assessing the variation in the load power estimates and weightlifting ability: that produces maximal upper-body a field-test approach. Journal of strength power. Journal of strength and condi- and conditioning research / National tioning research / National Strength & Strength & Conditioning Association Conditioning Association 2014;28:240-4. 2004;18:534-9. 12. Racinais S, Buchheit M, Bilsborough J, 6. Stone MH, Sands WA, Pierce KC, Carlock Bourdon PC, Cordy J, Coutts AJ. Physio- J, Cardinale M, Newton RU. Relationship logical and performance responses to a of maximum strength to weightlifting training camp in the heat in professional performance. Medicine and science in Australian football players. International sports and exercise 2005;37:1037-43. journal of sports physiology and perfor- 7. Crewther B, Cronin J, Keogh J, Cook C. mance 2014;9:598-603. The salivary testosterone and cortisol response to three loading schemes. Journal of strength and conditioning research / National Strength & Conditioning Asso- ciation 2008;22:250-5.