As coaches and judges, we’re really good at policing the range of movements. We define a movement by its start and end point. Hip crease below the knee, chin over bar, arms locked overhead. These attributes are important, they allow us to define movement. But the problem is, they define movement completion, not movement quality. By disregarding everything that happens between the start and endpoint, we disregard the intricacies that go into creating efficient, safe and powerful movement.
In competition (as it currently stands), rightly or wrongly, we define reps by range. In training however, we have a responsibility to colour between the lines.
I propose a modified standard for movements in training. Not only will this facilitate the efficient, safe and powerful movements I’ve already discussed, but it will pave the way for correct mechanics in competition. This modified training standard relates to certain boxes that must be checked on each repetition (in addition to start and endpoints) for that repetition to be deemed complete.
As I see it, there is a finite collection of movement faults (or at least classes of faults):
In the squat (and its progeny) for example:
- Hips posteriorly rotate (tuck under) at the bottom and your back rounds.
- Knees collapse in (valgus).
- Inability to keep your upper back upright.
- Inability to maintain a front rack position.
- Inabilitiy to hit full depth without losing neutral spine.
- Inabilitiy to hit full depth without your feet turning out.
We need to determine key variables for the movements we complete. These variables must be demonstrated for the rep to be counted. These may be more subjective than the objective start and endpoints of movement, but they are no less (and may well be more) important.
Some examples of discounted reps may include:
- Contact between the elbows and knees in a front squat or clean.
- Drop of elbows below mid chest in a front squat or clean.
- Excessive (based on pre- determined angles) turn-out of the feet when squatting.
- Loss of scapula retraction in the deadlift.
- Elevation of the rib cage with overhead movements.
- Shoulders not travelling forward of the bar in a hanging snatch or clean movement.
- Any pressing out of the bar in push or split jerks.
- Internal rotation of the shoulder in any overhead movements, including bar and ring work.
- Winging elbows in push-up or dip based movements (caused by lack of external rotation torque at the shoulder).
- Overextension of the lumbar spine (elevation of the rib cage) during push-up or dip based movements.
Let’s start rewarding movement quality, not movement completion. Start handing out a couple of technique based ‘no reps’ and watch how fast people respond.
