If you only focus on the weakness how can you make your strengths stronger, but if I only focus on my strengths the weakness will become a limiting factor, or worse, injuries.
A Little of Both
As many have posted, some training needs to be devoted to your weakness and finding a way to minimize it.
With that said, the information that I am about to present is geared Powerlifting/Limit Strength Training. However, these concepts can be applied to other types of training.
"Training Your Weakness"
The sticking point is the weak link. Think of it like having to drive your car through a mud hole, where you can get stuck. Some effective training methods are...
Isometrics
In the concentric contraction (pushing/pulling the weight up) only a few milliseconds is spent at the weak link/sticking point; research indicates that is somewhere around 300 milliseconds, about 1/3 of a second, in the movement.
Isometrics allow you to focus on the sticking point and strengthen it. Isomeric Strength in the sticking point is developed with around 3 - 6 second of an all out Isometric; Josh Bryant, one of the best coaches in this area, uses 10 second holds.
That means when an Isometric Hold is maintained for let's say 3 seconds, the time under tension is 10 time more than in a concentric movement, with around 300 milliseconds of tension.
Research also shows that up to 15% more force is displayed with an Isometric Hold and that Strength is developed within 15 degrees below and above the position of it. The Isometric directly target the sticking point.
Heavy Partial Rack Work
Heavy rack work from the sticking point is effective.
When performing it, remember where the bar stop in a movement isn't necessarily the sticking point.
It is similar to a car running out of gas. When you runs out of gas your car keep rolling. So, where your car eventually stop isn't where you ran out of gas.
With that said, heavy rack work for the sticking point needs to occur slightly lower where "you ran out of gas".
Anna's Halting Deadlifts
Strong swing, weak deadlift - how to bridge the gap?
Partial Range Movements in the weak part of the movement is another effective method.
Anna provided a video of her Conventional Deadlift in coming off the floor, post 105.
Anna then post a video of her results after training Partial Range Halting Deadlifts, post 112. An impressive improvement.
Power Training
Power is the grease that help you slide through you sticking point. Just as in driving through a mud hole in your car, the more momentum you can generate with a heavy load prior the sticking point, the more likely you are to squeeze through it.
Power is developed in traditional movement (Squats, Bench Press. Deadlift, etc) in using load of 48-62% of your 1 Repetition Max.
Sticking Points
The Squat, Bench Press and Conventional Deadlift sticking point are approximately 1/3 of the way up.
Thus, the more force/power you can generate in coming out of the hole in a Squat, coming off the chest in a Bench Press and coming off the floor in a Deadlift, the more likely you are to get through the sticking point. The Sumo Deadlift sticking point is different, requiring a different approach.
Playing To Your Strength
For a competitive lifter, this come down to playing to your strength and avoiding your weakness, as much as possible.
A good example are lifters with a strong back usually do well with a Conventional Deadlift. Lifters with strong leg drive perform better with a Sumo Deadlift.
Dr Tom McLaughlin's Biomechanical Bench Press Analysis
One of the greatest lifter of the 1980's was Mike Bridges, a great Bench Presser, Squatter and a good Sumo Deadlifter.
McLaughlin's research examined what great Bench Pressers vs what poor Bench Pressers do (
Bench Press More Now).
Changing The Bar Path Trajectory
McLaughlin's research determined that over the years, Bridges' Bench Press bar path trajectory changed, allowing him to push more weight up.
Think of the Bench Press as ascending a mountain and finding a path to the top that is easier; better technique.
Bench Press Bar Path: How to Fix Your Bar Path for a Bigger Bench
Dr Greg Nuckols' article provides some of McLaughlin's research on how to improve your Bench Press.
The training
concepts of McLaughlin's Bench Press research are applicable to the Squat, Deadlift, etc.
Kenny Croxdale