Another way of thinking about hip drive?

[windcliff]

Two training sessions ago, I felt that when I squatted I actively pushed through my heals. I felt this made hip drive more effective, i.e., I didn't stall mid-way through the squat and do a good morning. Next session, I actively focussed on driving pushing through my heals, and the work sets weren't as hard as I thought they'd be. Is pushing through the heals a common way to cue oneself to initiate and maintain hip drive? I know the idea is to 'drive your ass up' and to keep 'knees out'. I was wondering whether driving through your heals has any negative impact?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't like it because I see it producing an unbalanced drive toward the back. But if it works and you like it, use it.

[progressiveman1]

What about 'ass...hole'? An abbreviated cue to raise the ass out of the hole. It's also a good motivational cue for the coach to yell at the lifter while he's lifting.

[khal]

On a slightly unrelaed note, I also found that tightening up my grip somehow made coming out of the hole and the initial hip drive much more easier. It felt more solid against the belt.

I had been using the same squat grip from when I first attempted to learn the lift so I guess shoulder flexibility had improved to the point that a narrower grip had become more comfortable.

[JLascek]

This is vaguely relevant, but I have had a lot of success by cuing people to "push their ass up". The word "push" does something that "drive your ass up" doesn't. Just my observation over the past year of coaching a lot of squats.

[minadi26]

JLascek, can you elaborate on what you mean when you say "push your ass up"? I see that part, but what should I be doing that will cause me to push my ass up?

Also, for reference see this from page 17 of SS 2nd ed.

"after the bottom position has been established, come up out of the bottom by driving your butt straight up in the air... Think about a chain hooked to your hips, pulling you straight up out of the bottom. Don't think about you knees straightening out, don't think about your feet pushing against the floor, don't even think about your legs. Just drive your hips up out of the bottom and the rest will take care of itself...pushing the floor with the feet provides an inadequate cue for the hamstrings, adductors, and glutes to provide their power out of the bottom. Hip extension is the first part of the upward drive out of the bottom."

Thanks

[GVA-66]

This is vaguely relevant, but I have had a lot of success by cuing people to "push their ass up". The word "push" does something that "drive your ass up" doesn't. Just my observation over the past year of coaching a lot of squats.

This is even more vaguely relevant. At my barbell cert Rip was standing in front of me when I was squatting and told me to lift my ass up. In response I told him to get behind me LOL. Either he didn't hear, misunderstood what I was implying, or was too much of a gentleman and pretended he didn't hear/understand. Either way, the cue stuck for me :-)

BTW, I hope you're getting your breakfast at Eastside next month, Justin.