March 31, 2010
Many people take the wrong approach to strength training. Bill Starr says the simple, focused approach is the best way to build strength quickly.
When constructing any sort of structure, from a simple shed for the back yard to a stadium that will seat 100,000 people, you need to create a solid foundation first. If this isn’t done properly, the structure will not be substantial, nor will it last for very… Continue Reading
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In Olympic Lifts, Sports Applications, Videos
March 23, 2010
After introducing New Zealand All Blacks rugby player Owen Franks to the Burgener Warm-Up, Mike Burgener takes him through high-hang snatches at Mike’s Gym in Bonsall, Calif.
Starting at the top and working down to the floor, Coach B has Franks work the high-hang position. Focusing the athlete, Burgener gives him a goal for the session: keeping his chest up and his weight back on his heels.
Working from the high hang… Continue Reading
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In Olympic Lifts, Videos
March 16, 2010
The snatch might be one of the more complex athletic movements, but Coach Mike Burgener has developed a teaching progression that works for schoolchildren and elite athletes alike. In this case, Coach B is working with Owen Franks of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team at Mike’s Gym in Bonsall, Calif.
Like many top athletes, Franks is a big, strong guy, but his best clean is 50 kg more than his best snatch… Continue Reading
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January 13, 2010
Bill Starr breaks down one of the most difficult athletic movements you’ll ever perform. Put the pieces together to master the world’s fastest lift.
The full snatch is one of the most complicated movements in all of sports. An athlete has to pull a weight upward with force and speed, then completely reverse his mental keys to explode downward under the still-moving bar. To be able to perform a snatch with a maximum… Continue Reading
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In Olympic Lifts, Videos
December 21, 2009
A clean and jerk takes about 5 seconds to perform—but you can analyze those five seconds for hours.
Working with Stacey Kroon, who finished 10th at the 2009 CrossFit Games, Coach Mike Burgener uses a computer to break down footage of three clean and jerks.
Kroon is working with light weight, but Coach B is quick to correct form errors that will be amplified when the plates start adding up. Kroon’s main… Continue Reading
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In Olympic Lifts, Videos
December 10, 2009
At about 180 lb., James Hobart can snatch over 220 lb. He’s clearly a great athlete who’s ready for very specific criticism of his technique—and Olympic lifting expert Mike Burgener is ready to provide it.
But rather than overload Hobart with endless minutia, Coach B keeps it very simple during a recent snatch session. His main concern: Hobart’s bottom position. The athlete’s shoes contribute to some instability at the bottom of… Continue Reading
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November 18, 2009
Full cleans can get complicated, but Bill Starr simplifies the movement into a power clean and a front squat. Get comfortable with the movements, then start refining the clean by adding speed and power.
Full cleans are one of the very best exercises for any strength athlete.
They are beneficial because they involve so many of the large muscles of the body in a dynamic fashion. When performed correctly, full… Continue Reading
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In Olympic Lifts, Videos
November 16, 2009
After working his athletes through the clean and the first parts of the jerk, Coach Burgener completes the progression with the full split jerk.
Starting with the bar on the shoulders behind the head, the athletes work on a good dip with a vertical torso before jumping and landing in the receiving position with the bar locked out overhead. The next step is to start with the bar in the rack… Continue Reading
