Friday 5.9: C&J complex, Hang cleans and Back squat

Friday. Bar complex 1 hang squat clean + 3 split jerk (max 95kg). Hang squat clean singles (max 105kg). Back squat 3x9 reps (across 90kg).

My pal Jouni entered the cave again this Friday. I went to pick up Pauliina after work and hit it at the gym for another training day. I was a bit nervous about the training because my shoulders felt a little tired but I still decided to give it a shot on my original plan of hitting jerks. I love working for overhead strength, there's some brutality in that. Jouni took his first presses ever, then some deads and 5k row for time, great to see this man progress to a better fitness level!!!

Barbell.

• Complex of: 1 hang squat clean + 3 split jerk (60, 70, 80, 85, 90, 95kg)
• Hang squat clean singles (100, 105kg)
• Back squat 3x9 (all sets at 90kg)

We are heading to the countryside for the weekend so I needed to get some barbell work done before that. This kind of bar complex that I did in the beginning is simply great. Why not go for pure clean and jerks? This type of complex work is a great way to work on the weaker part of c&j movement. Mine is clearly the jerk, there's about 10kg difference in my max lifts between cleans and jerks. Getting the bar to front rack position is one move, and I need to develop my shoulder-to-overhead movement even more so I took jerk triples for that purpose.

Some core work at the end of the session

Warm-up was done for a little longer than normally because I felt like that's in place today to get this body properly ready for these lifts. It's definitely worth it in order to get good lifts done. For some reason I took all cleans from hang position instead of pulling from floor. It felt great and light so why not improve this movement at the same time. I've always taken my hang cleans as "tall cleans" or "pocket cleans" meaning the bar's starting point is at a very high position. Earlier this week Toni came to do a workout with me and we worked on our technique and he taught me how to do hang cleans from above-knee position. That rocked my world and obviously it's been a lot easier since then on hang cleans in general.

Those jerks felt good too and I was able to climb up well on the weight ladder. And they were decent in technique too! There's nothing I was left to think about that I'd like to change. They went as planned, no matter the weight. I remember having done a heavy triple like this at 90kg but 95kg was definitely a new max weight. I'm very happy on this one, some sort of record is in the books!

After having done that last 95kg lift I decided to let the jerks alone and take couple of hang cleans because it rolled well. There was 100kg on the bar next time and it felt great. Had no other chance but to add weight. I took 105kg up as well and to say the truth, that was not the max. This is sick if you compare the weights I've moved before. I believe previous max hang clean was either 90 or 95kg.

Yesterday was a pause squat day and that was more than enough to get these legs done. However, I read a lot about Smolov squat program in the evening and was enthusiastic about that theme. I don't like to follow any programs because that's as far away from crossfit as possible and I strongly believe you gotta keep the body guessing when you go to your Box. But why I got into studying this thing more is the high probability to increase leg strength remarkably. Don't know how to incorporate those into crossfit so probably I won't do that. Just wanted to get a feeling of squatting on back-to-back days. Felt good!

Froning's team hitting Team Series events