TWO MINUTE CLOCK

Hi friends,

I've been pondering over the technical term 'triple extension' over the past week. Not so much in the position itself, but in the overwhelming interest of beginners who tend to 'get into specifics, before covering the basics'. Something I know well from experiencing myself.

As I share a lot on technical concepts of the snatch, clean and jerk. The concept I receive the most questions on, is triple extension.

TRIPLE EXTENSION

I would consider triple extension a 'specific', that needs the 'basics' to be covered in order to achieve it. Hence why I think beginners can struggle with such a concept.

As you can see above in the end frame, I have achieved what would be considered 'triple extension'... But I certainly didn't think about the ankles, knees and hips extending in perfect synchrony.

I share the prior positions as I find these more important. Maintaining balance in the mid foot, keeping my shoulders on top of the bar, and focusing on leg drive are some factors that led to this 'triple extension' pictured. I consider the term 'triple extension' more of an afterthought, or a result of the prior positions working together to produce power in extension that launches the bar vertically.

If I were to be thinking of triple extension as a primary cue, while for example, having my shoulders behind the bar before the second pull, then it isn't going to result in an efficient extension phase.

So if I were to be talking to past me who obsessed about such specifics (more than I would like to admit 😵‍💫), I would simply remind him to cover the basics of first, while ensuring he is driving with the legs. Which is what is going to produce the power necessary to add more weight to the bar.

STORY BEHIND THE MEME

For those that are attentive to my daily Instagram posts, you'll notice that I'll post a weightlifting themed meme quite regularly. I post these not simply in an attempt to try be funny, but an in attempt to break up my serious posts to remind myself and others to not take themselves too seriously in the sport. Another thing about these memes, is that the inspiration is typically derived from a personal experience of mine. Here is an explanation of the one below.

The inspiration for this one was from a competition in 2019, a few days before Christmas, in Qatar. I had registered for this competition as it was the last Olympic qualification event before the final one a few months later. It was also the first event within the 'third trimester' of the qualification period. I'll save you the explanation of the confusing qualification system, but know that I needed to post a total that counted towards qualification each trimester.

I had planned it would be worth attending to submit a worthy total that solidified my top position in my region months before the last qualification event. I was currently leading the 'points system' in my region already at this point so I didn't need a great total, I just simply needed a respectable one.

I was battling a niggling hip injury at the time, so I wasn't in fantastic form. But I thought I could still put it together on the day. I selected the lightest opening snatch in almost three years, thinking I'd build some confidence off it and then lift something 'ok' for the following two attempts... I apparently had other plans.

I went to war with this opening snatch attempt for all three attempts, only just pulling it together on the last attempt... I vividly remember sitting there on my chair after missing my second attempt, looking at the clock ticking down on my third attempt. Thinking to myself, "I just paid over $5,000 to compete a competition that I didn't need to do, with money I barely had, on the other side of the world, on Christmas, that won't count for anything".

Now this total did in fact not end up accounting for anything towards qualifying for the Olympics. Not because the total wasn't high enough, but because this marked the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the last qualification trimester was void due to the cancellation of all future competitions that year. Having all that said though, I hold no regrets as I still qualified, and it gave me the inspiration for such a meme!

Also, for those that recently saw on my social media, I offered a free 'Beginner's Split Jerk Progressions Ebook' to those who wanted it. It included all progressions, technical concepts, and faults I would consider important to understand if I were to learn all over again.

If any one was interested in accessing it, I thought I would just make it freely accessible below to download. Also feel free forward on to anyone who you feel would find value in it.

​Beginner's Jerk Program Volume 1.pdf​

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Until next week.

Happy Lifting 😎 ,

Brandon

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