The Value of Video, and a blast from the past!

I started video taping my workouts quite by accident!  Originally I had a Cannon camera that would allow me to video 3 minutes at a time and I started video taping my swing progressions and workout demos to post on my original blog (Rediscovering Strength which turned into Living My Physical Potential).  At the time I never even spoke!  I forgot I could actually talk into the camera until one day, about 6 months of blogging, I just did!  It was a bit freaky at the time, but we all know what came of it by now, don't we?  Me being my bossy self, shouting out ONE, TWO, THREE....okay, okay, enough already!  lol

Although I was video taping demonstrations of my workouts it quickly became obvious how valuable it was for me to watch and evaluate my own movement and training. This is why, with all of the simple technology these days, I just can't imagine anybody who trains on a regular basis (or irregular for that matter!) that would not video tape at least parts of their training.  And if you are ever interested in becoming an Instructor then it's a must in my opinion.  You MUST be able to see and make corrections in your own practice to help others do the same.

So yes, I do video tape 95% of all my training...but lots of times I cut off my head!  Not a big deal, since I've seen my head plenty of times, but in the case of my GS snatch reps a big technique focus for me to be able to evaluate is where my grip end up at the top of the movement! So, it's not the decapitation that sucks when I don't get it right, it's that I can't see what it is that is most important to me.  It still has a ton of value though.

This video, which is a 16kg snatch, 8 min. set done at a 10 rpm pace (40 + 40)....yes, you read that right!  Ten reps per minute, NOT per 30 seconds, which is as slow as molasses!  Wow, I knew it had potential to be a challenge, and I was right!  (more about snatch pacing another time) The challenge was the overhead holds near the end of each side (R and L), left mostly because at that point I've already been snatching and holding for almost 8 minutes (one hand switch).  I loved every bit of it!  It was also nice that the 16kg snatch felt light for the first time in almost two weeks!



After the video I'm posting three still images, taken in succession,  as I'm about to snatch the next rep.  I'm posting them for my training partners to see how I use my entire body to "get under" the snatch, pulling back with my right shoulder, instead of letting the bell come way out in front of me I'm actually starting to move my body under the bell.  Also to show how long my upper arm stays connected with my torso allowing me to use my body, not just my arm, guide the bell overhead.  But this post is not about teaching technique, it's about showing an example of how to use video tape to capture, frame by frame, what you may be doing right, or wrong, and do it more/better, or change it to make improvements.

And here at the end of this post, just for kicks and giggles I'm also including my very first, very boring, swing video taken by Mark of the first time (or second time) I did 1000 24kg two hand swings (15/15), way way back in November 2006!  Good golly!  That's almost 7 years ago!  Enjoy!  Some of it or all of it!