Thursday, May 6, 2010

Pull Up Happiness: Great Coaching can make so much difference.

One of the best parts of the certifications the RKC runs is that, as part of the training, after learning the drills, we practice corrections for these drills. Pavel asks for one candidate who may be working on a particular issue in a given move. and then asks for another candidate to articulate what they're seeing and what corrections they might run. It's in no small part because of these mini case studies in applied work that RKC's leave well prepared to teach and what makes the RKC such a potent teaching paradigm.

As for being a victim in these cases, there is only a benefit and no shame in being so pointed out: if you're a victim for a Pavel crit session, you have the opportunity to get incredible feedback on your form from a world-leading coach.

At the Feb 2010 RKC II critique session where i was humbly holding the pull up bar for RKCII Strong Gal Nikki Shlosser, who presses 24s like they were 12s. sheesh,


Brett Jones said, "why not have mc do one?"



While  I had had the privilege a few times that weekend for some corrective strategies, this was the best: a one on one PU workshop with Pavel, featuring excellent feedback from the floor from both Team Lead Paul Daniels (who uses the gently thrust the foot in the stomach of victim while pulling on arms to correct a windmill technique) and RKC II beast tamer KC Reitter - oh, and quite a bit from Pavel, too (each time i finished a pull up, got feedback, and thinking wow, that was great, and to go back to sit down, Pavel said "don't go away, com mc; we're not finished [insert discussion of technique improvements]...Again now, please [insert pull up here]. What else would you say comrades?" - awesome).

What can i say? Repete apres le model...


While i have a long way to go (as you can see),  and others are way stronger in this event than i (including the inspirational two times tactical strength women's champ, UK'er RKC Angela Craig ), i  love the Pull Up.  And i dig Pavel's coaching - the latter being why i travelled across the ocean to do the RKC II. And wow, there they were together! Great great tips to improve something i love to do. Thanks again Brett Jones for that casual "why not..." Funny how those things can take us by surprise eh? Quel Gateau, Quel Surprise!  Now i'm getting all vaklempt about it, so you'll just have to excuse me....happy happy joy joy.

mc

PS -update
Note my head over the bar? that first one - that's me looking up with joy, and two, that's an end move i have to stop - it's me sticking my neck over the bar at the end deliberately - since part of the RKC II test is to make cleat the chin is over the bar. But there are costs for this if one does it on the way up. Mike T. Nelson's video, that he references in the comments on this post, shows why clearly:


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6 comments:

Laura M said...

Any tips you'd care to share?

dr. m.c. said...

Sure
here's a ton: pull ups 101

best
mc

Gary Horn said...

Yeah, but nothing new since that article? Nothing specific to that particular encounter?

dr. m.c. said...

Gary,

abs, and prepping for the pull before doing it.

like power to the people's description of prepping the muscles for the deadlift before even grabbing the bar. v. similar here.

also perhaps take a look at the post on the hanging leg raise - lots there that applies.

been coaching this with some athletes - nice results.

mc

Mike T Nelson said...

I would second that as I would like to see some examples that helped you the most and work for your athletes.

Here is what I do
Perfect Pull Up Tips

Rock on!
Mike T Nelson PhD(c)

dr. m.c. said...

Really nice tips on your vid, Mike. Will put it in the Pull Up resources page, too.

thanks,
mc

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