OCS Swipes Shoulder Park Questions

[JClayton]

In my training for the OCS Swipes event, a couple of questions have come up regarding the shoulder park rest.

When in shoulder park position, how much do you need to hold on to the Clubbell handle? Can you just hold loosely with your thumbs and shake out your fingers? Can you cross the Clubbell handles and hold both with one hand, and then shake out the other hand, wipe your face with your wristband, or wipe the free hand on your pants?

Also, when in shoulder park position, can you walk around the platform and shake out your legs?

Finally, do the answers to any of these questions depend on whether you want the "rest rep" to count (assuming, of course, that you go from shoulder park to back position before continuing)?

I'm just trying to make sure that I'm training in accordance with the rules.

Thanks,

[Flatland]

Justin-
Yes, you can shake out your hands either way, in fact it is practically a necessity! I prefer the method of crossing the handles and holding them with one hand - I feel that I can shake out the pump better that way. I'm not certain about being able to wipe your hands on your pants, I don't remember anything in the rules about that. I think that it is probably ok.

I don't think that you can leave the platform area, but you probably could pace in a small area if you like. I don't remember this being addressed in the rules, either.

What you do in while in shoulder park will not effect the rep count. For your rep to count, you must return the clubbells to back position after the shoulder park. However, this will require more energy, since you will be forced to start with very little pre-stretch. Some competitors opt to conserve energy and launch the clubbells down into the pendulum, thus losing a half rep. You might want to experiment with both approaches and see which works best for you.

Good luck with your training!

Scott Hagnas, CST
Camas, WA

[JClayton]

Scott,

Thanks for the reply. I've been training to make the "rest rep" count, as I'm finding that I need every single rep to count. As for walking around the platform, I find myself just walking around in a little circle when I'm in shoulder park--kind of like active rest, I guess.

As for crossing the Clubbell handles, even though the rules don't say anything about crossing the handles and holding with one hand, I wasn't sure that would be legal.

Since it is legal, that brings up a whole realm of questions about what you can do with your free hand. I find that one of my limiting factors is that my hands get really sweaty around six or seven minutes into the swipes. If your hand is free from the Clubbells, I wonder if you can wipe the Clubbell handles with the wristband or your free hand? Or have a towel tucked into your waistband and dry your hand on that? Or even pull a small towel out of your pocket and dry the handle with it?

These things sound kind of silly, but they aren't addressed at all in the rules.

Hopefully Coach Sonnen or Coach Szolek will come along and answer some of these questions.

Regards,

[cbeltrante]

Justin,

I had the same problem with my hands sweating and the clubbell getting slippery. I'm currently using chalk which helps me a great deal with the sweat on my hands. Are we allowed to use chalk in competition :? :?:

[Doug Szolek]

Justin,

I had the same problem with my hands sweating and the Clubbell getting slippery. I'm currently using chalk which helps me a great deal with the sweat on my hands. Are we allowed to use chalk in competition :? :?:

You know guys, I've only once held a clubbell with chalk on my hands. While I was doing a workshop at the Old Texas Barbell Company in Lockhart, TX. the heat got this polar bear and my hands were so wet that it was hindering the demonstration so I heeded the suggestion of Mr. Graham (the gym owner) and chalked up. I tell you what my arm would have fallen off before I let go of that Clubbell. And no matter how nice it was, it felt completely like cheating to me. Relying so much on artificial friction over self-made pressure really defeats the weekest link training effect of Clubbells because chalk give your weekest link a cruch to lean on when it should be working. At this point in time, Chalk is not permitted in competition, only strength.

As for the other issues adressed, Coach Jones and I are currently in the process of detailing the "finer" rules of OCS competition. Until matters such as these are addressed and published, you can feel safe preparing with whatever means you feel are necesary.

In faith,

[JClayton]

As for the other issues adressed, Coach Jones and I are currently in the process of detailing the "finer" rules of OCS competition. Until matters such as these are addressed and published, you can feel safe preparing with whatever means you feel are necesary.


Hi Coach Szolek,

The OCS qualification date is getting near, and I'd really like to know if I'm preparing properly.

Have you gotten any further addressing the questions that I brought up earlier in the thread, specifically about wiping your hands on your pants, wiping your hands on a towel in your waistband, or pulling a towel out of your pocket to dry your hands?

I know these things sound kind of picky, but it's pretty hot where I'm training and I find that if I can wipe my hands on a towel I get quite a few more reps over 10 minutes.

Thanks,

[Doug Szolek]

Preparations for this years Championships are based off of the 1st edition rules published in the Olympic Clubbell Sport Training manual. In the 1st edition the issue of wiping your hands on your pant legs, shirt, or even rag hanging from your belt was not addressed therefore, these methods of keeping your hands dry will be permissable at the upcoming Championships.

The main difference between wiping sweat from your hands and adding chalk to you hands, is that with the first you are simply trying to keep you hands at a given level of friction, but with the second, you are increasing the level of friction between your hands and the Clubbell handle. The goal here is to keep the weakest link in OCS (the grip), even from one competitor to the next. The best way that we've found to do this is to make sure that everyone enters the contest with clean dry hands.

Any questions please keep 'em coming and good luck in your training :)

[JClayton]

Thanks for the quick answer Coach Szolek. I saw that these things weren't addressed in the rules, but I figured I'd better ask before I become too used to training this way.

I have one other question about the videotape submission. Do you care what format the tape is? My camera records in miniDV; should I just send you the tape?

As for my training, I've made pretty amazing progress over the past few months, but I seem to have hit a plateau at CMS-level numbers at the moment. I have a feeling that the difference between CMS and MS rank is going to be a very hard step to make.

Best regards,

[JClayton]

Sorry to ask again about the videotaping, but I've got to do my video qualification in the next week or so.

Is it OK just to send in a MiniDV tape? Or do you need a different format?

Also, just to check, you want us to leave it running during the 60 min break between events?

Thanks,

[Doug Szolek]

Yes, leave it running, and you'll need to convert it to standard vhs or dvd for it to be viewable. Thanks. And good work :) :!: