Friday’s fruitful fun

Friday’s fruitful fun

We had our first session at 9.15am and it focused on the Clean movement, the pull in particular. We all adapted how we pull, just like with the Snatch last night. It took a while for us to wake up and get the body moving faster, but that was that the warm up sets were for. Here is what we did:

Session 1

1. Power Clean + 2 Hang Power Cleans—1x3@ 40, 40, 40, 60, 80, 90, 100 for three triples. We focused on keeping the bar close, getting a shrug at the top of the pull and also to catch the bar as high as possible while resisting being driven down by the weight. This last coaching point was tricky with the top end weights in the next exercise when we went to singles because our minds are used to accepting our limits as to what we can Power Clean.

2. Power Clean and 2 Jerks—1+2@ 60, 60, 80, 90, 100 for three sets. We then did single Power Clean and Jerks with 110, 115, 120 and 125. I missed the Power Clean with 125 because my elbows were slow—despite the fact that the bar was really high. I will show this in the video. In this movement my feet were again put out in my starting position, and I was really trying to engage the traps like last night. Each set got smoother—the opening sets were really rough. The idea is to get the positioning and pull right and then the speed will come. Murph got an easy Power Clean and Jerk with 111kg for a pb and his lifting was really sharp this morning.

3. Clean Pulls with shrug—1x3@100, 110, 120 for three triples with this. Like last night, Charlie had us try to hold the shrug at the top of the pull while on the toes. I was creeping forward a bit on these which means I was hitting it out a bit.

4. Clean deadlift with shrug—The same idea as Jim Schmitz’s reasons for using the movement. A slow pull with an isometric hold at the top of the pull. Myself and Cathal did triples with 120, 130, 140 and 150. My back lock abandoned me after the first rep at my top set which tells me I need to strengthen my lower back and hamstrings which leads into...

5. 45 degree back extensions—3x20—These burned my lower back like there was no tomorrow. I obviously need to do more of this movement.


To summarise, the main coaching points from this morning’s session were:
- Keeping the back locked and as flat as possible throughout the pull

- Using the traps at the top of the pull in order to guide the bar and pull the bar as high as possible

- Pushing the elbows though in the catch position as fast as possible

- Catching the bar in as solid a manner as possible, as high as possible while pushing up against the bar in order to resist the heavier weights pushing you down into a full squat clean


Session two: 5pm

1. Power Snatch—3x3@70-% of best Power Snatch--These were tough because my scooping point was sore to touch and I was pretty tired after all the pulls earlier. I also found it tough because I knew this would be an easy session and I was probably conserving my energy for tomorrow.

2. Snatch Pulls—3x3@ 10kg heavier than Power Snatches—Each set got better with the Snatches and the Pulls, but that was it for the second session. Short and sweet so that we can all go heavy tomorrow.