Thursday 4.4: Singles in clean and jerk, front squat

Thursday. Clean & jerk 1-1-1-1-1 (max 85kg). Front squat 1-1-1-1-1 (max 120kg).

Today was all about doing strength singles. I had planned to do snatches, clean & jerk, front squat and back squat, all according to Diane Fu's training program. My time was a bit short so I had to eliminate snatch and back squat from the equation so I only did CJ and front squat. No metcons today.

Strength.

• Clean & jerk, 70, 75, 80, 85, 87.5kg (clean successful, jerk failed). PR's in clean and c&j!
• Front squat, 100, 110, 120kg, 130f, 130f

Awesome! I had put on my PR shirt and was ready to upgrade some digits on the max loads =) My clean has taken some serious steps forward this year, I believe, and through the latest development - squat cleans - I've been able to add load constantly. I have also added hang cleans to my selection way more than before. All in all, there's been a good number of various reps so this was only a consequence of all those. I'm very satisfied!

I began the clean & jerk sets from 70kg, then adding 5kg until 85kg, which was my precious max for clean and 2.5kg beyong my jerk max (82.5kg). Jerking it up felt good and it actually came up a bit easier than the 80kg, which startled me big time =) At 80 I had to push the last centimeters hard to reach full range. At 85 it came easier, nice one.

I realized going for 90kg would not have been the smartest thing so I went for 87.5kg. I managed to get it at my chest at first try with a deep squat clean. My jerk got half way but wasn't able to get it all the way. Split jerk would help a lot in this movement. I don't think I'm trying max weights at home box as I can't drop the weights but I've already spotted a place where olympic lifts can be done properly so I believe we'll deah there with Toni some day next week. I tried clean & jerk with 87.5kg another time and I got that clean part of it successful for the second time in a row! Jerk was bit of a joke this time but how awesome was it to get that clean twice with a new PR! And just moments ago my jerk also improved to 85kg. Great day!

With front squats I got too greedy. I took 80kg up, then 100, 110, 120kg. All came up solidly, after which I put 125 on the barbell. Thought about it for a few seconds, then decided to change directly to 130kg, my current max. That 120kg was so light. That was a stupid move this time, I believe I should have taken 125kg up once and only then continue forward. There was a slight mental hesitation after having 130kg in front rack position and bouncing back up from the bottom position. I got it up enough to know it's only a matter of mental strength but for some reason I thought I can't lift it so I dropped it. I knew right after it I should have delivered it all the way up. The second try wasn't that good, my stomach was already full of satisfaction I suppose so I didn't get that flow zone on anymore.

It was a good training day. I would have liked to go through all four movements but had not enough time to do them all. Toni is travelling this week as well, hopefully he finds that mental toughness to create space for some insane training.

In the evening we went for a one hour stroll in the forest with Pauliina for active recovery =)