Split Stance Lifting for Athletes
Improved Training, One Leg at a Time
by Jeremy Frisch
In any competitive industry, there comes a time when ideas are scarce
and it seems like there's nothing left to "invent." One common way
around this phenomenon is to add variations to the things that already
work, but are becoming tiresome and overdone. Another way of
breaking through stagnant programming, or concepts in need of change,
is to bring old methods back from the dead and breathe new life into
them through modern application.
It's like reinventing the wheel... only it's actually useful. This
is especially true in the strength and conditioning industry, where new
methods of training, movements, exercises, and even lifting devices are
constantly being modified, reinvented, and reintroduced to become the
latest fad... again. Every coach out there has a few things
they cannot live without. Even as methods, tools, and other concepts of
one's training change, there always seems to be a place for those few
favorites. As a strength coach that primarily works with
athletes, Olympic-style weightlifting has been a mainstay in my program
for many years now. Just take a look at the sprinting speed and jumping
ability of any top Olympic weightlifter, and you'll see why. By
using exercises like the power snatch and hang clean, athletes can
build the total body strength and power necessary to excel in sports.
The traditional method of Olympic lifting has never really disappointed
me, but like I mentioned above, there's always room for growth and improvement. For
a long time, I played around with creating complexes and combinations
in order to satisfy my need for "new," but after a while, I decided to
look back to the old days for some inspiration.

History of the Split Back
in the 1960s, Olympic weightlifters used a lifting technique called the
split style. The lifter would use a split or lunge position to catch
the weight after the initial pull from the floor. These lifts were both
stylish and graceful to observe. Unfortunately, they fell out of favor over the last 40 years, and squat fever spread like wildfire. More weight is alwaysthe
goal in competitive lifting, and the squat style allowed lifters to do
just that, due to an increased leverage and control over the weight. Today,
just about all top level lifters use the squat style in competition.
Although the split has been abandoned by the Olympic weightlifting
community, the lifts still offer some real benefits for athletic
development. As strength coaches, we're not preparing our
athletes for Olympic lifting competitions (except for those who work
with actual Olympic weightlifters), so maximizing loads should be a
secondary concern. At our facility, we use several variations of the
Olympic lifts to help develop certain strength qualities that will
enhance sport performance.

Why Split Now? When
performed correctly, and used in conjunction with a well-rounded
athletic development program, the split lifts can be a valuable
addition to any strength and conditioning program. As history
has demonstrated, the Olympic lifts are excellent tools for developing
total-body strength and power through the explosive triple extension of
the ankles, knees, and hips required during the pulling phases of each
lift. Split-stance
lifts differ from their squat-stance counterparts in that, after
completion of the pull, the athlete will move into the split catch
position. Achieving this position requires the athlete to quickly drive
one leg forward and the other leg rearward into a lunge or deep
split-squat. A number of key factors contribute to the proper
execution of this catching style. For example, the splitting of the
legs after the pull must happen extremely fast in order to successfully
perform a split snatch or a split clean. The athlete must
possess split-second timing, foot quickness, speed, and dynamic lateral
balance — all of which are components of agility and translate directly
to the field or playing arena. Take a look at these videos to see what
I mean.

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Split
stance lifts not only demand a level of flexibility-strength, but they
also help to promote it, especially in the hip flexors of the back leg.
This extreme position necessitates that these muscles be both flexible and strong in the fully stretched position in order to provide enough stability to properly execute the movement. Many
of today's athletes often have tight hip flexors due to inactivity and
poor exercise choices. Tight hips can lead to injury and decreased
efficiency of movements such as sprinting and jumping. By utilizing
exercises like the split snatch, split snatch balance, and overhead
split squat, the athlete can kill two birds with one stone by
strengthening the hip musculature and promoting mobility of the hips as well.
Strength and mobility can be a winning combination.

Incorporating the Split Stance The
split lifts are fairly easy to learn, provided that an athlete already
has a decent foundation with the traditional power or hang clean and
snatch movements. It actually functions as a training tool for some
tight-hipped athletes. If one can't perform a proper power catch or
squat catch, the athlete will usually have an easier time catching in a
modified (less deep) split position. A true split position
would require an athlete's hips to be level with, or slightly below,
the forward knee joint at the bottom position of the lift. When first
learning the movements, it isn'tan absolute necessity that the
athletes go this low. Instead, an emphasis should be made on achieving
an adequate split-stance, with the hip of the trail leg fully extended
and front foot flat on the floor. While
first attempting to become accustomed to the split-stance catch, be
sure to split both legs in the opposing directions. Many novices will
tend to only move the trail leg, failing to also step forward with the
lead leg. This results in an inadequate split, reduces the ability to
properly stabilize the movement, and increases the potential for injury. The ultimate goal is to be able to perform the split catch with either the right or
left leg serving as the forward leg. When performing a split catch,
many athletes will instinctively lead with their dominant leg on each
and every repetition, as this will naturally be more comfortable. Because
of this, an individual must make a conscious effort to train with each
leg going forward equally. Doing this will help address any imbalances
between limbs that may exist, and will also help to prevent any new
imbalances from developing.

Summary I
encourage any athlete who already has sound technique in the power
clean and snatch to give these split-lift variations a try. They can be
challenging, fun, and serve as a nice change of pace from the
traditional style of the explosive lifts. And to all the coaches out
there, the split style gives us an additional way to increase
athleticism in those we train. By now, if you're not aching to
get out there and give these split-lift variations a try, then I don't
know what it will take to convince you. This technique could be just
what you need to bust through any barriers holding you back, and
continue along the path to athletic excellence. One last time, let's review the benefits of the split style:
Allows
less-flexible athletes, and those who struggle with proper squat
mechanics, to safely experience the benefits of Olympic lifting.
Develops flexibility-strength in the often-tight hip flexors.
Improves single-leg strength and stability, especially with the lead leg.
Requires a higher pull, thereby promoting greater power output during each lift.
Develops the components of agility — foot speed, timing, total body coordination, and lateral balance.
Places greater demands on core stabilizers than traditional Olympic lifts.
Provides
a lifter with a new and challenging technique that can be both fun to
perform and easy to learn, once a basic foundation has been established
with the traditional Olympic lifts.
Special thanks to Shane Davenport and Mike Craven for their help with this article.

About The Author
Jeremy Frisch is the Performance Director at the Competitive Athlete Training Zone in Acton, MA. He can be contacted at jfrisch@catzsports.com. If you're interested in learning more about the split style, here are some additional information sources:
Cissik, John M. "Resurrecting the Split Lifts." Pure Power. Mar (2002): 10-7.
Jones, Lyn. "Split Technique: It Has a Past, Does It Have a Future?" Milo: A Journal for Serious Strength Athletes. 2.2 (1994): 31-33.
Jones, Lyn. "Split Technique: It Has a Past, Does It Have a Future? Part II." Milo: A Journal for Serious Strength Athletes. 2.3 (1994): 38-40.
Siff, Mel C. Mel Siff Supertraining Archive. http://groups.google.com/group/siff-archive

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