Monday 18.8: Clean and jerk, Cleans, Front squats

Monday. Strength, clean and jerk (max 100kg), clean singles (max PR 115kg), front squat 10x3 (110kg).

Started the week with pure strength training. Wanted to just feel how the weights feel in front rack position and overhead. The focus was to build up to heavy loads. My legs also got stronger through a lot of squatting in the end of the training session. I had a training partner to work with me, one dude from work called Asser, who pushed me forward on the cleans. I also got good tips on my leg position in the jerk from him. He was destroying rowing Nancy in the end, a pleasure to see someone go through that benchmark wod unbroken, great job man!

It was all about barbells today

Strength.

• Clean and jerk, 3x60, 70, 80kg, 1x90, 95, 100kg, 102.5kg failed
• Clean singles, 105, 110, PR 115kg
• Front squat 10x3 (100, 110, 110, 110, 110, 110, 110, 110, 110, 110kg)

First of all I started with clean & jerks. My mind was set up for them and front squats. Then a short metcon was supposed to take place in the end. However, clean felt good so I took couple of heavy attempts in between, and ended up smashing a new record. I did jerks twice last week and that's why I figured test how clean & jerks would feel like today. First sets were light ones and their purpose was just to warm up the muscles and joints for some big lifting.

Clean PR, 115kg

The limit is somewhere around 100kg at the moment. 90kg lifts are easy, 95kg are doable, 100kg are tough. I had some issues in locking my elbows in the 100kg jerk but I was able to save it without that much problems. Had to stay in the jerk position for a second more just to make sure it counts. The 102.5 clean was easy but the bar felt heavy-ish in the front rack position.

Took the dip and drive, and pushed it with all I got but didn't throw my front leg as much forward as it should have so it resulted in the same issue as with the previous jerk. That is not locking my elbows right away. I tried to save it right away and I got myself straight and held the bar overhead. However, I don't count that as a successful rep because I couldn't hold it still for a second or two. It was a little wobbly so it can't be put in the books as a good lift.

I wanted to work on my legs too through squatting my butt off. A total of 10 sets of triples. First set at 100kg, then the remaining 9 sets at 110kg. Those were semi heavy loads. I guess my 3RM is around 120-125kg currently. Having done 10 sets of triples I was done for the day. It felt like an eternity, I'm not used to squat that many sets. But it's got to be beneficial to keep the body guessing what's coming for it.

Rich Froning, Chris Spealler and now Jason Khalipa are out from individuals