Fun with Blocks
Ashley Jones

Block work I believe is a much under used modality for training, often just the domain of Olympic lifters, it can add both variety and supplement your more traditional training elements.

Pulling Blocks Click Here

A good solid set of pulling blocks should form the cornerstone of every gym from the garage dwellers to Olympic training centres around the world. By performing your pulling/Olympic movements from different starting positions you train different portions of the kinetic chain and specifically strengthen areas sequentially. From the top position where the bar is set at approximately mid to high thigh position you must have an aggressive shrug and forward hip drive in order to finish the lift. The second position has the bar set around knee height, above or below, depending on lever lengths, this position greatly emphasizes the hips moving through quickly and timing of the hip contact with the shrug on the bar, also a good shoulders forward starting position in line with a flat back start are also re-enforced. Finally from the floor where all of the above are used in sequence following on from a solid set up and starting pull, with the shoulders, hips and knees rising at the same rate allowing for a correct transition form the first to the second pull.

I have written before of utilizing blocks in your training, I would like to add a few extra ideas for you to add to your sessions. Firstly, though some terminology issues: