An easy fix to help you touch and go heavy weights

By Zak Nothling; Renegade Performance & CrossFit East Tamaki Coach

First of all if you don't know what I mean when I say “touch and go” or have a different reference for it I am referring to lowering the bar to the ground and touching it and then proceeding to the next rep without the bar coming to a dead stop. Some people use the term “tap and go” some might say unbroken.

The information I'm going through today can be transferred to both clean movements and snatch movements, it applies to pretty much every movement which involves a hinge at the hip.

Today I am primarily talking about power clean and jerks.

The bar dumping on athletes as they go for their 2nd or 3rd or more touch and go rep is very common fault I see but can easily be avoided. It can throw you off balance and prevent you from getting to your true max weight.

In this video you will see a few examples of what I mean:

The method I am teaching is focusing on keeping the bar close to your body throughout the descent back towards the ground and finishing with the bar in an optimal position for the following rep (over your shoelaces)  

A step by step breakdown for the process from overhead:

Break at the elbows until your arms are at roughly 90-degree angles with your hands still facing the sky

Pull your elbows back this will bring your hands and the bar closer to your body

Transition the bar past your belly button and start to push your bum back

Keep your weight on your heels

The bar should automatically start brushing down your thighs at this point

Keep your hips/bum back as you lower the bar to the ground

The bar should finish up over your shoelaces

Some key things to think about:

• For touch a go reps you need to brace your midline before you descend to the ground this can start where the bar is still overhead by taking a big breath in and tensing your stomach.

• It's all about where your hips and butt are, this will determine the bar path - make sure you push that bum back
• Dial this in with an empty barbell or broomstick, once you have solid and consistent movement patterns then start progressing to heavier weights

This technique can be used for high volume reps in workouts or max Weight Touch and Go reps too.

Give it a go and let me know how you get on, video a few reps and send them through if you need a hand.