Open and closed hips - I'm not understanding the nomenclature

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Can someone point me to a resource or show me pictures of open and closed hips on a clean and snatch.

I've been told I have my hips too open when I go into the scoop (or second pull) and, as a result, I have the bar too low on my quads when I start to accelerate. I'm losing my first pull.

I've been trying to figure this out on my own and it's just escaping me. If anyone can help, it would be much appreciated.

All the best,
Arden

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Posted similar thread on xfit and the answer came back as "open" is fully extended hip, whereas "closed" is squat or bent at the hip.

My next question, and it would be more appropriate here given the emphasis on the oly lifts, is if my hips are too open when I get to the scoop position, that means I've got my hips too close to the bar and I'm standing to erect?

In otherwords, I'm losing the drive I could get out of my shoulders, and arguably the jump because my hips are already "too open."

I could be just blowing smoke here. But here's the videos from which this commentary began.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXAHx_SW-wM

Thanks in advance for those that can comment. I want to get my first pull better.

All the best,
Arden

[Greg Everett]

Arden -

I looked briefly at the CF board for the comments and didn't find them, so my comments are based wholly on the video. You're fine going into the second - you shouldn't be inclined over the bar any more than you are. I imagine the advice you're getting is based on CrossFit/Rippetoe mechanics, which are fine for deadlifting, but snatching and cleaning are not deadlifting, even in the 1st pull. Stick with advice you get from weightlifters and weightlifting coaches.

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Originally Posted by Greg Everett

Arden -

I looked briefly at the CF board for the comments and didn't find them, so my comments are based wholly on the video. You're fine going into the second - you shouldn't be inclined over the bar any more than you are. I imagine the advice you're getting is based on CrossFit/Rippetoe mechanics, which are fine for deadlifting, but snatching and cleaning are not deadlifting, even in the 1st pull. Stick with advice you get from weightlifters and weightlifting coaches.

Thanks Greg. I'll keep doing what I'm doing unless you have more to add. I'm going to doing a lot more squat cleans then split jerks the next four weeks.

Thanks so much for your assitance. I means alot to me.

All the best,
Arden