Wednesday 22.10: Snatch, 21-15-9

Wednesday. Barbell, snatch complex: 3 power snatch + 3 snatch grip push press (max 50kg). Technique, overhead squat (max 60kg). Metcon, 21-15-9 of: hspu, front squat (70kg), bar-facing burpees. Time, 12.22.

Went to work later in the day so I had time to hit a workout in the very morning. It's been an eternity since working on snatch so it was about time! Didn't wanna go after max numbers though, just getting the feeling back with a complex. Then, some progress on ohs too. Finally, the metcon was a bad ass version to get some pure crossfit in my system.

Barbell.

• Complex 3 power snatch + 3 snatch grip push press behind neck
• Overhead squat singles for technique (40, 45, 50, 55, 60kg)

I had thought about doing presses with snatch grip but then again, why wouldn't I practice the actual snatch too. I looked for the correct width on the grip so the barbell would hit the correct hight before touching my body. The reality was I had to get the hands more narrow than I've thought they should be. Only now I understand where they must be located. Another thing I focused was the starting position. Same as with cleans. Start from low enough by sitting down.

In my opinion I got the touch point to a correct place. It's another thing how well I was able to utilize that to bounce the barbell in a beautifully vertical path. There's more work to do for sure. Doing squat snatches is a different ball game, especially with this more narrow grip. It makes it much more difficult to get below parallel with the barbell overhead. I have never been able to squat down with a narrow grip.

Today was the first time in the history of squat snatches / overhead squats that I got below parallel by having my grip so that my hands are not in the very end of the barbell. This was a huge success story for me. This means to say there's still hope that some day I'll be able to do squat snatches with good mobility. I've done some extra stretches for shoulders every single day lately. I have a broom at work place and from time to time I use it as a pvc pipe for mobilizing my shoulders. On the overhead squats I took just singles, going down slowly, staying in the squat for a while, then coming back up. Just to make sure I can do the movement.

Recap of training session

Metcon. Time 12.22

• 21-15-9 of:
• Handstand push-ups
• Front squat, 70kg, from ground
• Bar-facing burpees

Huh, this was tough. Bar-facing burpees are always a pleasure, not! =) They're totally different than regular burpees. The jump over and turning around makes it a lot more taxing. On hspu's I managed well. Took 15-6 on the first round, then something like 6-4-3-2, and the last round was 6-3. Even though I had to cut them in couple of sets on the round of 15's they felt solid all the way. It took some time in the transitions between movements.

The bar was at 70kg so it didn't feel tempting to grab it right away. I should have pushed myself a bit more in the squats. At the moment it felt heavy but with common sense says it should have been able to gone in bigger sets. First round was 11-5-5, second round 9-6 and last one unbroken. The first round should have easily been done in 2 sets. My legs could have tolerated that. First instinct was that I got to save my legs for the bar-facing burpees somehow.

Those are tough. Would I do only things I enjoy, bar-facing burpees would never be part of my programming. But they are because these bastards are useful. Awesome movement for metabolic conditioning. Gets breathing very heavy plus it kind of forces you to use the hips because you want to make the movement strong so you jump over the barbell right away without having to step close to the bar before jumping over.

Lauren Fisher