Power Good Mornings

The Master of the Power squat, Louie Simmons, demo's the Power Good Morning

Ever since by back went out right before the Dec HKC, my swing and snatch grooves have been all over the place. I have a variety of mechanical positions I can use and they all can work well for various amounts of time,though none has seemed like "it", the perfect, for me, combination of body mechanics and leverage, according my my unique limb length ratios and, of course, my injuries.

I did gymnastics with my head down( all of us do, its the style), I ran with my head down, I deadlifted and( at some point squatted) with my head down. It's a pattern. It's unique to my body as I have stronger quads than hips, a short torso and longer femurs as well as stronger abs the erectors. This served me well competitively but also resulted in some strong muscle imbalances.

I have to be very careful not to overload my abs or hammies too much or they will pull the curve out of my lumbar spine and I will have back pain.

For years after my original back herniation in 2000 I took Dr Siff's advice and focused on arching my back hard during squatting or pulling motions and did not flex my abs too hard during either. This includes the kb swing. My back can't take it, another reason I can't do double kb work; it works my abs too hard.

All my corrective exercise strength work was focused on developing the erectors and letting the abs open up.

Arch, arch arch.

Just like in the WSB Power squat and, the Power Good morning, as the Arched back good morning was also called. Louie preached, correctly, that one came out of the bottom of a power squat, not by pushing with the legs, but by "arching" out.

Extend the back first, then the hips, then let the quads extend the knees. That was the sequence and it required one really, really, really work on strengthening the back to be able to arch hard AND hold the arch under loads of pressure and tension pushing you in the other direction. The arched back GM was, what Louie called, the start and the finish of the power squat.

You set up like you were going to do a power squat but, instead, just pushed(hinged) the hips back while you arched hard and pushed the knees out to the side. You only descended 30-45 degrees, at the most, with the key caveat NOT to lose your arch. That was the most important thing. The hinge at it's most basic. To come up you pushed against the bar first, then drove the hips under. Sounds like Hardstyle swing technique to me.

My best was 545 for a triple wearing a suit bottom and belt, no wraps. I was STRONG in that position, just not at below parallel,lol.

For years I worked up to 405 for 5 after we did our speed squat box workouts. the heavy triples were saved for max effort day.This was to make our arch strong going into the squat and coming out of the hole as well.If your back rounded, you would miss a max attempt. Every time.

This,if you haven't caught it, exactly what a good Hardstyle KB swing looks like and what I saw when I first saw Pavels Russian KB Challenge. The shins are vertical, the butt is pushed back, the lower back is arched and the shoulders never travel in front of the knees.

I called it a dynamic good morning. And that was my technique for a long time. Head was up too. Just as I did when I did a power squat with a barbell. Looking at the horizon is up for me.

Using the neck extensors activates the back extensors which is important when you want max power out of the hips.

My latest swing style has devolved a bit into a quasi gs position with my head down and my back flat but not 'arched'. certainly not arched hard.I am NOT confident in it lately, especially after all the grief my back has put me through. The big clue for me was realizing my eye focus was all over the place in the last couple workouts and I hadn't completely decided exactly what it should be .

Then the light went off when I was researching latissimus dorsi kinesiology while I boned up on the science for my seminar/workshop this weekend. The lats, with the insertion fixed( like holding onto a pullup bar, OR a squat bar) helps great EXTENSION in the spine and tilts the pelvis anterior; EXACTLY what I need. How could I have forgotten this?

The harder you flex the lats the better your lumbar curve.Louie constantly told us to pull ourselves under the bar to better get and keep your arch . It created one POWERFUL lat contraction.The lats work to extend the shoulder but if you bring your arms back TOO far it creates roundness not extension. You had to find the exact right spot

Then I remembered all those power squats and arched back good mornings and then I practiced some swings, with my head up and back arched.

And there is was, my old friend. My power groove.It wasn't lost, it was just misplaced.My hips kicked right in, the groove was way shorter and my hip snap was snappier.Shins stayed vertical and the load was on my back/hips/ hammies- together- instead of just my back and hammies as it has been.

I had inadvertently been following the bell back too far and my head, and back went with it. Figured it out- better late than never.

NOW there is no assurance that this won't create it's own orthopedic issues but for right now I am glad to know what I am trying to do with my movement instead of "trying" to find a safe and strong position each workout.

ANd I KNOW this movement. I remember thinking so clearly when I first started swinging kbs that THIS was a position that wouldn't be limited by my jacked up knee. Most excellent.

Onto the workout

8 am

30 minutes swing practice with 16 and 20 kg bells. 15 rep sets of one arms and transfers.

Thursday 12 noon

swing warmup( head up)

16 kg x10/10 x 3

20 kg x5/5/5 x 3

24 kg x8/8 x 3

the new groove felt very solid.

Long cycle clean and press

16 kg x3/3 x2

20 kg x3/3

24 kg x 3/3 x 10 sets

I felt very very strong in the clean and press. wind was good too. short rest periods.Tracy was doing singles on one arm in the bottoms up press and I went right after her each time.

Snatch

16 kg x3/3

20 kgx3/3

24 kgx3/3

x5/5

Yes. I haven't snatched the 24 kg since I got hurt early Dec and have been worried that I had lost my snatch groove forever and wouldnt be able to snatch it again. this depressed me mightily so I was very happy to see the new position worked so well and the weight flex up like the nothing it is. Very pleased to get that off my back and was very suprised to see how good it felt after doing presses. Right shoulder position was solid. Nice.

Datsit.The Reifkind/Whitley/Reifkind strength and conditioning seminar is just two days away! Can't wait.PLUS we are getting DVD's out of this! Tracy's Training the KB Swing Method will finally be available to the world!

You can still go: http://kbworkshop.com