Re-training the double knee bend

Emily Mattes · 02-07-2009, 02:09 PM

So I begin my second pull (and double knee bend) way too close to my knees. I've been trying to retrain it so I start the jump a bit higher up and I'm having a hell of a time getting my coordination down. Can anyone think of ways I can target this? Doing pulls off boxes, maybe? PVC pipe over and over?

Greg Everett · 02-07-2009, 09:12 PM

Emily -

Start at the mid-thigh position - jump. That's it. Quit thinking about it so much. The DKB will happen correctly and naturally if you get yourself into that solid mid-thigh position before you fire off that final hip extension.

Once your sn/cln from the mid-thigh is good, start at the knee, and gradually move to the floor. You can work 3-position snatches/cleans also -take one from mid-thigh, another immediately from the knee, and then the last from the floor.

Also, you can work halting deadlifts -DL to that same mid-thigh position and hold it for a few seconds before returning. Ingrain that position and continue returning to it when you get confused.

Emily Mattes · 02-08-2009, 08:33 AM

The weird thing is I think I actually pull better during the full lifts than if I just practice the pulls.

I'm going to do the mid-thigh work then though, thanks!

glennpendlay · 02-08-2009, 09:57 AM

when trying to clean up the pull, i find it helpful to do the following:

stand straight up with the bar in your hands, shoulders back. bend the knees slightly, about 3-4 inches, do this without bending at the hip, or without leaning over. this puts you in a position that although is maybe not textbook, is a realistic representation of the position that the second pull or explosive phase actually occurs in most lifters. stop in this position, get to know it. i call this the second pull position. do a clean from this position, in fact, do several, on each one, repeat the process of standing straight, puling the shoulders together, stopping, and taking stock of where you are. then bend the knees and get into the second pull position, again, STOP, take stock of where you are, get to know this position, do another clean, repeat till you are comfortable with both positions and can get into either with little fidgeting.

now, get into the second pull position, via the method described above, stop, make sure to stop, then slowly (again, after you have stopped in the second pull position) slowly, bend at the hip so as to allow the bar to slide down your thigh till the bar is just below your kneecap. do this slowly. when the bar is right below your kneecap, resting against the patellar ligament, not the patellar tendon, but the patellar ligament directly below the kneecap, stop. stop for 3 or 4 seconds, maintainning a tight back... then slowly, slowly, extend the hip (not the knees, they should neither flex nor extend while you are going from the second pull position to the below the knee position, what i call the low hang position), keep extending the hip till you feel yourself coming to the second pull position, the position we achieved by flexing the knees. when you feel yourself in this position, simply jump, catch the bar, and viola you have a clean.

gradually repeat this exercise, maintaing the stops and the slow speed of movement on the way down, but gradually increasing speed on the way up, increasing speed to the limit of how fast you can go while still hitting the second pull position on the way up in exactly the same way as you hit it on the way down.

hope that helps.

glenn

George Mounce · 02-08-2009, 04:02 PM

There needs to be a Wiki of both Glenn's and Greg's posts...

Aimee Anaya Everett · 02-12-2009, 04:59 PM

YAY for GLEN!

I am thrilled to see you posting in our forum! So many people can benefit from your knowledge and expertise! Stick around!

glennpendlay · 02-12-2009, 09:48 PM

Aimee,

I just posted a link of your recent video, the one that includes you squatting 95kg for a few reps about 2/3 of the way through, on the crossfit forum... as an example of what a squat should look like. You know, the knees actually move, etc. hope you dont mind. Ill keep fighting the good fight regardless...

By the way, im going to be in the bay area for about 7-8 days in late March, how far away are you and is there any way we can get together for a day, or for a few hours? guess it depends on distance, and im no expert on Cali geography, was there once and got back to Texas as quick as I could.

glenn

Greg Everett · 02-12-2009, 09:59 PM

We're in the south bay - immediately north of San Jose and 30-40 min south of San Francisco (the fabled Silicon Valley). So depending on where you are, we could be pretty close - anywhere in the southern half of the bay, west or east, isn't more than 45 min away.

So let us know where you'll be and we can give you directions. You're welcome to hang out at our place for as much time as you want - we'll see if we can dig up a good supply of red meat for your hourly feedings.

glennpendlay · 02-12-2009, 10:33 PM

Greg,

ill be in danville, with spitz and his group, and my guy Shankle. Id love to spend a some time at your place. Caleb will be with me, and id like for him to be able to do a workout at your place, it schedule permits. Maybe him and donny, could produce two 200kg plus clean and jerks in one session, donny might be more like 210 or 220kg. would love for one of them to have the coveted title of "biggest clean and jerk ever at catalyst athletics", of course that would mean a lot, as it should.

And its every other hour, as long as the meat is smoked.

glenn

glennpendlay · 02-12-2009, 10:37 PM

PS, Aimee has a nice looking squat, as you know. Would it be possible for you to send me a video of her squatting for me to use for educational purposes? Preferrably something with an a least somewhat challenging weight, not a warmup.

glenn