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May 2011
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING CLINIC June 11th
Our OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING CLINIC will be held on
Saturday, June 11 from 4:30 - 6:30. The cost will be $40.00 and will be Instructed by USA Weightlifting Athlete, Derrick Johnson.
This clinic he will be going over: Snatch technique, and the importance of the Snatch in Sports, and how to perform it CORRECTLY. He will also be going over supplemental lifts such as Drop Snatch, Snatch Balance / Overhead Squat, Press in Snatch, Muscle Snatch, and Pulls. So come prepared to lift.
*THIS CLINIC IS OPEN TO MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS.
A three-time National Champion in the 62kg division, Johnson moved up to 69kg in 2009 to win the American Open. Johnson will compete at the 2010 American Open in December where he has plans to set American Records in his new division. "I feel that this will prepare me for making international trips in 2011 and prepare me for the Big Show in 2012. I will bring the 69kg class to back to being relevant like I did with the 62 kg class. Also I plan to add to my list of sponsors which will bring more revenue into USA Weightlifting because more attention will be brought to this sport," Johnson says.
As a coach of the Olympic weightlifting program at Lindenwood University, Johnson's goal is to produce athletes who win national and international medals, break American Records and qualify for international teams in both the junior and senior divisions. Johnson says his ultimate goal is have athletes qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games from multiple nations. Johnson hopes to expand his program at Lindenwood to include 100 Olympic weightlifters to "show colleges all around the world that Olympic weightlifting can be more than a club sport and can actually be something that scholarships should be given for. Also I would like for some of the MMA fighters I’m training to become UFC, or StrikeForce champions!"
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Senior World Championship Teams: 2005 |
There are limited spots, so contact me as soon as possible.
You can reach me anytime by phone or email to register. Again this clinic is open to ANYONE (member or non-member).
Tony Lucas
636-697-7320
Josh Bridges stops by Battle Ready S&C / CrossFit Ares
I had the very cool opportunity to meet the future 2011 CrossFit Games Champion, Josh Bridges this weekend when he decided to stop by to train. It was a unique sight, to see someone do double unders backwards! Josh is a SUPER COOL guy and I look forward to cheering him on during the next few months!
It was great meeting you Josh and good luck man!
Devon, Kirk, and Jason
Devon Thomas, Kirk Huff, and Jason Slattery, cursing me while simultaneously increasing work capacity. Ain't it grand...
I'm just that badass...
Nobody believed I could get a 66" box jump. I told them to just check this post and they'll see...
66"
So there you have it. A 66" Box Jump. Not hard really....
I should have been at the Games this year. Thing is, I just can't make it due to a prior engagement. I have an appointment to get the blinker fluid, and brake bearings changed in my truck that exact same week.... Just sayin'
These photo's are legit and have not been edited in any way....swear....
Battle Ready's Matt R. set to fight Ryan Couture
Team Vaghi, St. Charles MMA, and Battle Ready Strength & Conditioning's, Matt R. is set to fight Ryan Couture in Strikeforce Challengers on June 24th! As far as I know this will also be the Co-Main Event.
We are currently looking for sponsors to help Matt with his fast rise to the top. If you or anyone you know is interested in sponsoring an exceptional guy, contact me as soon as possbile. Thanks!
Click here to see event details on Sherdog
Here's the video of the decision from Matt's last Strikeforce fight.
Kenny Ruzicka takes 2nd place at NAGA
Battle Ready Strength & Conditioning's, Kenny R. took second place in a 16 man, 170-179 pound Intermediate White Belt Divsion at NAGA. Way to go Ken! Word....
Impressive...
Air Squat Mechanics
Proper Air Squat Mechanics
Tony Lucas
First, we have to understand that there are a lot of factors regarding Squatting. The following is a general guide for proper air squat mechanics and is not the, end-all-be-all, nor is it a substitute for a coach or trainer.
We must distinguish between an "Air Squat", and a wide "Power" Squat Stance (used when there is weight or load on the shoulders). We must crawl before we walk, so we'll be covering proper "Air" Squat mechanics today, as well as common faults and how to correct these common faults. To those of you thinking, "Damn Tony, it's just a freaking air squat, not nuclear fission" , I say the better your form > the stronger your joints will become > the stronger your joints > the more you'll be able to lift > the more you can lift > the stronger you will get!
Foot Placement
This will vary from person to person but the general rule of thumb is... heels in line with the shoulders, or slightly outside the shoulders (see below). We also want the toes, in line with, or "tracking" with the knees (see below). Eventually, with proper range of motion, practice, and stretching, mobility will increase and we can start to "creep" our toes forward more.
Range of Motion
At the bottom of the squat we want our weight distributed or "rooted" in the heel. We know we have reached proper depth, when the crease of our hip is slightly below our knees (see below). It is also ideal for the tibia to be as perpendicular to the floor as possible to reduce the amount of shearing force to the knee. In the sport of Grappling / Jiu Jitsu / MMA, the knees take enough punishment. (We want our training protocol to strengthen our joints, not add to the punishment they take daily in our sport of choice.) The chest should remain in as upright position as possible, in what I call a "Proud" position (see below)
Note: crease of the hip below knees
Common Faults
Weight distributed or "rooted" on the balls of the feet, instead of the heels. This can be easily corrected one of two ways. Shift back on the heels, and lift the toes off the ground as you lower your hips (see below).
FAULT: weight rooted in toes FIX: shift weight on heels and point toes up
The next common fault is an excessive forward torso lean. An excessive forward torso lean is when the torso leans too far forward, and the chest is not as upright as it should be. In minor cases of an excessive forward lean, you can simply point your outstretched arms toward the sky as you lower into the squat. This will usually force the torso into a more upright, "proud" position, allowing the glutes and hamstrings to be recruited properly. In extreme and rare cases (I've only seen it twice) a complete re-conditioning / re-learning of the squat may be necessary through incremental decreases in box squats. Another way to fix an excessive forward torso lean, is to face a wall with your toes 6"-8" from the wall and try to squat to proper depth, without your face hitting the wall (see below). There are many ways to correct an excessive forward torso lean, these are just two that I have found work well with different types of people.
FAULT: excessive forward lean FIX: squats facing wall
The final common fault seen with the air squat is when the knees "cave in" medially (see below). This can be fixed by distributing the weight on the outside edges of the feet and pushing the knees outward. Driving the knees outward should be done by everyone but sometimes we need to exagerrate the outward driving of the knees with the aid of bands(see below).
FAULT: knees "caving in" FIX: driving knees apart
At first, these corrections may seem tricky, as if you will lose your balance and fall backwards. After a while, you will gain stability and squatting properly becomes much easier. Keep practicing good form on squats and reap the benefits of healthy knees and watch your strength gains increase. Till next time...Stay Strong!
