Sunday, July 7, 2013

Vaughn - Use the RDL


(Note:  RDL is romanian deadlift.  RDLs look like strait legged dead lifts, and generally allow one to test and develop strength in the hamstrings)
We use the RDL for position and movement strength, but not just in the hamstrings and the rest of the posterior chain. Get into bottom position of the RDL and relax your lats so your arms are hanging straight under the shoulders the shoulders should be in front of the knees. How far from your body is the bar? Maybe a foot or more. We have to push the bar back to keep it as close to the body as possible in the strongest "lever" position. With heavier weight, the bar will, of course, want to drift away. And even though you will only be moving through this specific point briefly as you perform the whole lift, we need as much insurance as possible. This is so critical that you should be able to get into this position and hold more than 100 percent of your snatch or clean with either grip while keeping the bar pushed against the body for at least five seconds.

Be aware this number must be met without cheating the position. This means that if the knees are pushed too far forward (the shins are not vertical) or the shoulders are behind, directly over or just not in front of the bar enough, keeping the bar close becomes much easier. But remember this indicates the bar is no longer in the correct path and your body is no longer in the position of best leverage and activation. Also, if you are back on your heels too much and have created a backward angle with the shins, you are actually bringing the shoulders back over the bar instead of in front of the bar. This is only OK in an RDL in which you are going past the knees or to the floor, as it will activate the hamstrings/posterior chain differently. But again, you are now out of that best path and position. What I recommend when doing an RDL for ideal positioning and technique strength is to just focus on the range of motion from standing down to that transition point (bar above knee). Get to that point, hold three to five seconds, and then come back up while maintaining the perfect body position established at that lowest point.

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