Jerked into my chin

[bandego]

I'm taught that I should pop my chin up on the drive, but it isn't intuitive to me apparently, and I really hurt myself. Chipped a tooth, and jaw hurts.
I went on Youtube to see what the pros do, and none of them seem to do the head popping, looks like their whole head go back, chin stays neutral.
How can I be sure that this doesn't happen again? Coach said it happens only once, but now I have a fear of trying to jerk again. What is the best way to position yourself so this can be avoided if I am not 100% watchful.

[Mr_Rogers]

I don't buy the "you'll only do it once" thing. I've hit my nose and chin on several occasions trying to press. Maybe I didn't hit myself hard enough to leave the impression that I shouldn't do it again? I could just be stupid :-/

It was either on Everett's DVD or book, but he suggested pulling your chin/neck back a tad while keeping everything in line. I assume this is what you mean when you say it's what the "pros" do?

[bandego]

sounds like it, yeah.

Maybe the impact on the press wasn't enough to give u the right impression :P I put everything into that jerk :/

[Mr_Rogers]

I don't know what the head popping business is, I'm having a difficult time picturing it. I do know I don't like moving my neck/spine when I'm lifting, but that's just me.

edit:

What's the purpose of the chin pop?

[PFerrari]

If you're worried about it, you could wear a mouthguard to protect those pearly whites. There's a guy at my gym who does it. Looks a little silly, yes, but if you've spent tons of $ on orthodontics could be worth it.

[Steve Berryman]

edit:

What's the purpose of the chin pop?

To get the chin out of the way of the bar.

[bandego]

If you're worried about it, you could wear a mouthguard to protect those pearly whites. There's a guy at my gym who does it. Looks a little silly, yes, but if you've spent tons of $ on orthodontics could be worth it.

I'm just a beginner, i'm looking for a way I can avoid this if there is a way to put me in less risk when i'm not paying attention. If it happens again after I know how to avoid it, maybe then I'd consider a mouth piece.

[ColoWayno]

I think this is one of those cases where the best answer is "don't do that".

[niclane]

I'm taught that I should pop my chin up on the drive, but it isn't intuitive to me apparently, and I really hurt myself. Chipped a tooth, and jaw hurts.
I went on Youtube to see what the pros do, and none of them seem to do the head popping, looks like their whole head go back, chin stays neutral.
How can I be sure that this doesn't happen again? Coach said it happens only once, but now I have a fear of trying to jerk again. What is the best way to position yourself so this can be avoided if I am not 100% watchful.

Man, that sucks. Sorry. I've cleaned into my chin. Once. So there may be something to the, "it only happens once logic." But that's a case of going just a little too far - not nearly the same as trying to drive the bar up through your face. That might make me a little gun shy too. My first thought was “mouth guard” to give you a little extra confidence/save on the orthodontia until you're sure you won't do it again. But I see someone already suggested that.

Then again, looking at T Bone's log I keep seeing she nails her pubic bone on snatches or cleans (can't recall which). Maybe she gets a cup, you get a mouth guard and you both push through this unfortunate, short lived, phase.

[Simma Park]

Then again, looking at T Bone's log I keep seeing she nails her pubic bone on snatches or cleans (can't recall which). Maybe she gets a cup, you get a mouth guard and you both push through this unfortunate, short lived, phase.

Except that slamming the bar into your chin when you jerk is definitely incorrect technique. According to my coach, slamming your pubic bone when snatching isn't necessarily wrong. It's common for lifters to train with padding there because it's a component of some people's technique.

I slammed the bar into my chin while jerking. And so far, the saying that you only do it once has held true for me. I'm really glad, though, that I don't have a bad habit of biting my lips or sticking out my tongue when I perform movements that require big effort.

Train yourself to keep your jaw closed--not clenched tight enough to create painful tension or anything, but closed--when you exert yourself. It's something I learned in MA, because it's much better to have your jaw firmly closed when you get hit anywhere around the jaw.