August 14, 2012
The CrossFit Experience with Coach B

Listen up and be ready to answer: Coach B is talking. During the CrossFit Experience at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games, Olympic-weightlifting coach Mike Burgener begins by naming the three fundamentals of teaching: the stance, the pulling position and the landing position.

The pulling position, which he also calls the jumping position, is not only good for jumping, but also pulling, pressing and jerking. The landing position is for receiving the snatch, clean and power jerk, Burgener says.

“The work comes from the legs and the hips,” he explains. “The speed comes from driving the body down, not driving the bar up—that’s the key.”

Next, he gets into the first of five exercises comprising the Burgener Warm-Up: the down-and-up.

The purpose, he emphasizes, is speed through the middle.

“All that is is ankle and knee and hip extension,” Burgener says. “All that is is a jump.”

He adds: “Now I’m not jumping high. I’m not trying to stuff that basketball. I’m trying to get what? I’m trying to get that bar weightless.”

Video by Again Faster.

Click here for more information and a list of upcoming CrossFit Olympic Weightlifting Trainer Courses.