Taking a barbell to the chest

The standing barbell lift (sometimes also called the jerk or barbell lift) is a basic multi-joint movement that every CrossFit athlete should take note of. The exercise itself originates in weightlifting, but today it is successfully performed by athletes from related disciplines.

We recommend that all CrossFit enthusiasts reconsider their training process a little and take some time to perform barbell cuts. The fact is that there are not so many exercises that immediately “hit on all fronts”, namely: they increase strength, promote muscle mass gain, give a good aerobic load, develop explosive strength and strength endurance. The barbell jerk to the chest is just one such exercise.

Today we will look at the following points:

• Technique for performing the exercise.
• What muscle groups work when lifting the bar to the chest?
• The benefits of doing the exercise.
• Typical beginner mistakes.
• Crossfit complexes that include this exercise.

What muscles does it load?

What muscles work when lifting the barbell to the chest? The lion's share of the load is distributed between the gluteal muscles, quadriceps, delts and traps. The hamstrings and spinal extensors are slightly less involved. It is worth noting that the abdominal press also significantly affects the performance of the exercise, helping to stabilize the position of the body, so it must be in static tension throughout the entire movement.

The benefit of doing chest lifts is to help develop muscles such as the deltas, traps, quads, and glutes.

Moreover, due to its multi-joint nature, an experienced athlete is able to lift decent weights in this movement, which favorably affects the production of their own testosterone. Due to the fact that lifting the barbell to the chest is a basic exercise, increasing strength indicators in it will lead to an increase in working weights in exercises such as snatch, front squats, deadlifts, good morning, thrusters, etc.

Exercise technique

The snatch of the barbell to the chest can be roughly divided into three stages: the barbell is lifted off the floor, the throw to the chest and the squat under the projectile. It is extremely important to observe the technique of performing the lifting of the bar on the chest while standing. If this is not done, there is a serious risk of injury. Let's start in order.

Starting position

We have the following starting position:

• Legs are shoulder-width apart, the bar is as close as possible to the lower leg, the feet are firmly pressed to the floor, the center of gravity is on the heels.
• The back is perfectly straight and it is important to keep it in this position throughout the entire movement. With a straight back, sit down and grab the bar tightly with a grip on top.
• The shoulders are pulled back a little, the trapezius muscles are in static tension, we create a small lordosis in the lumbar and thoracic spine. The knees are bent at approximately 45 degrees. From this position, we begin lifting the barbell to the chest.

Our task is to rip the barbell off the floor. What is the difference between ripping a barbell off the floor and a regular deadlift? Stalling implies that we will make a more amplitude movement (taking the barbell to the chest, snatching, pushing, etc.), so our main goal is to create enough momentum for the barbell to “fly up”.

Undermining

As soon as the bar is just above the knee joints, we begin to throw the bar on the chest. To do this, you need to make a pulling movement with your shoulders up and a little back, as when performing a barbell pull to the chin. We include the elbow joints in the work, trying to throw the bar higher. Many weightlifters at this stage make movement in the ankle joint - stand up on their toes or jump a little.

This option is, of course, also valid in CrossFit, but you must understand that weightlifters and CrossFit athletes are guided by completely different tasks, therefore, the technique of performing the exercise may differ. Moreover, the weights used for this exercise in CrossFit are not comparable to those used by weightlifters. My position - heels should remain flat on the floor.

Subseat

When the bar has reached the point of maximum amplitude, you must perform a sub-squat. To do this, you need to lower your elbows down and do a squat in a short amplitude. How short depends on the weight being lifted. The more weight, the lower you have to sit down. If all three steps are performed correctly, the bar should "fall" to your upper chest and deltas, with the triceps parallel to the floor.

The video shows options for taking the barbell to the chest:

Common beginner mistakes

1. Joints and ligaments are not prepared for work. The pull of the barbell to the chest places a heavy load on the elbow and wrist joints when holding the barbell on the chest and the hamstrings when the barbell falls off. To avoid unpleasant consequences, warm up thoroughly. Warm up your elbows at all angles: do triceps extensions, dumbbell curls for biceps, push-ups, or bench press with a narrow grip. To prevent knee injury, do a couple of sets of seated extensions and front squats with minimal weight. Use elastic bandages on your knees and elbows to minimize the risk of injury.
2. Lumbar rounding. Many beginners think that if they use an athletic belt, they can forget about holding their back. This is not true! If you round your back, the belt will only fix the part of the lower back that it covers, and everything that is higher will be hunched over.
3. The projectile is too heavy. Avoid heavy weights until you have perfected your barbell lifting technique.

Crossfit complexes

Below are several complexes that include lifting the barbell to the chest. I recommend trying each of them, the indescribable sensations after training are guaranteed.

Watch the video: 5 Ways To INCREASE Your Bench Press (November 2024).