Dr mel siff talks weightlifting pulling technique 0

Here is some continued discussion from the IWF list on the weightlifting pulling questions which I posed recently:

One Supertraining Member contributed the following:

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Mel Siff:

But that is exactly what was taught in Weightlifting several decades ago and is not the much vaunted flatfooted style whose merits are so widely extolled nowadays. Way back then some lifters displayed a high heel raise, others less, as appears to be the case with most lifters today. There does not seem to be anything novel, original or revolutionary about that. Nobody back then ever advised pulling with early plantarflexion, especially because this can easily result in pulling off the obviously unstable and biomechanically inefficient on the balls of the feet base. The delayed plantarflexing action is similar to the situation which occurs when one is jumping, a process which is necessary to allow gastrocnemius to optimally contribute to the knee, hip and trunk extension action. If you try to jump with minimal plantarflexion you will produce less takeoff force.

Thus, it appears that some degree of optimallytimed plantarflexion is necessary if one wishes to rely on this muscle to enhance its tension and augment the vertical force generated by knee, hip and trunk extension. If one remains flatfooted throughout, then any activity of gastrocnemius would appear to be aimed primarily at flexion of the knee ostensibly for the double kneebend action.

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Mel Siff:

Why would this be ideal, i.e., biomechanically optimal in the light of the analysis that I have discussed above So far, those who are advising the flatfooted pull are rather emphatic about the heels not leaving the platform AT ALL. I still remain curious about the biomechanics behind the alleged universal advantage of this for all lifters. Are there any

biomechanical research studies which have shown that the flatfooted pull is significantly more efficient and more effective than the more traditional pulling style or does the issue still depend largely on empirical experience If I am to coach in a particular style, I prefer to rely on a combination of art and science and not simply on art and opinion. All that I am requesting is to see the scientific evidence to guide coaches in a far more logical and

solid direction.

Petrovs method seems to be pretty much the same as what was used traditionally many years ago he used a degree and timing of plantarflexion which suited him. It certainly is not flatfooted throughout the pull.

Any more comments Better still any relevant references