New Zealand All Blacks rugby player Owen Franks works with Coach Mike Burgener to improve his olympic weightlifting.
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 allows Burgener to fine-tune the mechanics of the second and third pulls, as well as the bottom position. Franks is strong and powerful, and his pulls look good—his weakness is in the bottom. With the chink in the armor identified, Burg knows where to go next: overhead squats and snatch balances.
One of the most frequent questions we’re asked is how to increase your speed under the bar in both the snatch and the clean & jerk. The key to increasing speed under the bar is to make sure that you reach full extension and finish at the top of the pull, and develop the hip flexor reverse stretch reflex shortening cycle along with your arms to actively pull yourself under the bar. The two drills we like to use to develop this stretch reflex are to start the lift from the power position (position 1), and to pull from a static position off of the blocks, from just below the knee. These drills can also be used with both the snatch and clean & jerk.
Chad’s best snatch is 330 pounds. He’s a two-time Olympian in weight lifting as well as a CrossFitter. Oh, and he held the American record in the Clean & Jerk at 418 pounds.
13th Temple 
You must be logged in to post a comment.