I don't know if I explained it properly, but possibly? Can you elaborate?
By pulling how I'm pulling, keeping hips down and basically squatting up, as well as due to my anatomy (lol torso/leg ratio) its loading my l3.
Yeah, primary reason for going is my shoulder, getting my back tweaked a bit is a definite bonus.
I'll post here for you and ice to see, purely because ice has seen you lift and will have a better idea of what my suggestion may or may not do for you (I.e. can tell you if this would not be a good idea or whatever)...
One of the things required from the first pull of a snatch or clean is a stable pelvis-torso alignment: you will see in all slow motion clips of world class Olympic lifters is how stable their pelvis-torso-shoulder alignment is during the first pull. In other words, after setup, they lift the bar with their hamstrings pretty much alone, whilst keeping their upper body at the same angle.
Requirements are uber core strength and epic control. As well as crazy hamstrings.
So I would suggest you go in for some first pulls as an exercise, as well as (eventually) SLDLs as a second stage from first pull to upright.
For the first pull of a clean, you need to do the following (feel free to add/whatever):
- Bar just around midfoot;
- Top down set up for starters (big breath in, lock your core off with your spine in a good neutral position and a big chest). Head straight forward;
- Give your knees a 5-10 degree bend keeping your torso straight;
- Hip hinge and sit back, pushing your bum as far back as it will go. You will feel a massive pull in your hamstrings the first time you do this;
- Once you're at your limit, this will be your torso's starting position. You must not move it from here;
- Bend your knees a bit more to find the bar. Your torso should still be at the same angle.
- Hook grip. And don't be a pussy. Anybody can do this. You think the smallest men's category in weightlifting get to use the ladies' bar? Nope. So just do it.
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- once you have a good hold on the bar, make sure your core is locked hard. Getting to this point consistently will take a fair bit of practice, but what doesn't?
- Take the strain...
- Keeping your torso and hips in the same position, pull your knees back by pulling against your heels. You will notice a massive pull on your shoulders, but if you set up properly, this won't be a problem.
- Once you have pulled your knees all the way back to the point where your legs are almost (but not quite) straight, you hold and then lower the bar simply by letting your knees come forward. Keep your hips and torso locked.
You will probably have to do this with a much lower weight than you are used to deadlifting simply because the movement is so odd.
However, this should get you used to keeping a rigid core under load (concentrate on keeping your pelvic-torso alignment static under load, rather than changing it as you would with a regular deadlift with the glute 'push').
This is just my suggestion without getting close and personal. I will see about getting a video so you can see what I am talking about.
Either way, youtube 'clean first pull' for much better examples than I could ever manage.
If you really want to see what your lumbar is made of, play with a snatch first pull.
Hope this makes sense...