Clean and Press
140x3
160x2
170x1
180x1
190x1
195x0,1 ( PR +5 lbs - some leg drive on this)
167.5x5 (PR +2.5lbs)
Front Squat
140x3
165x3
190x3
215x3
240x3
265x2
290xfail
230x1 (from the bottom - pin 3)
Notes:
Snatches and C&J
My pulls are neatening up. Good 2nd pull with straight arms on snatches, but I’m still getting the bar too far from my body. I’m feeling more of the snap in the 2nd pull. All reps were easy. Add 5 next time.
Cleans are still a bit sloppy. I worked on getting my grip wider, which makes me a little uncertain in the catch and the jerk. Right shoulder is mushy so I end up stabilizing the jerk with my elbow, which can only lead to trouble down the road.
All pulls were hook-gripped. Stopped noticing my thumbs after snatch 6.
Presses
pretty good. Bending the knees a tiny bit on the 195 and turning the start into a 1/4 push press. I’ll clean that up in subsequent sessions Pretty good for all the overhead work preceding it.
Front squat
came up too fast on the 165 and launched the bar into my jar. That smarted a bit. This has fallen off a cliff. Granted, I’m going deeper than in the past but I’m also using the bounce at the bottom. Quads are not up to the job.
I’ll take two PR’s in a session with no complaint though.
I’ve always wondered, what is the principle difference between a hook grip where the fingers trap the thumb and a normal grip where the thumb traps the fingers? (besides the obvious: they’re different 'cause they’re different). Why would the hook grip be more secure?
[quote]soldog wrote:
Nice PR’s and great work on the oly lifts!
I’ve always wondered, what is the principle difference between a hook grip where the fingers trap the thumb and a normal grip where the thumb traps the fingers? (besides the obvious: they’re different 'cause they’re different). Why would the hook grip be more secure?[/quote]
I wondered about that too. All I can say is the 2 fingers seem to be stronger than a single thumb. My grip was not nearly so secure when I did pulls with the thumbs over the first two fingers. The bar rests on the thumb and the index and middle finger lock it in.
I’d have a fine blister in the inside of my thumbs if I hadn’t taped them, though.
[quote]soldog wrote:
Nice PR’s and great work on the oly lifts!
I’ve always wondered, what is the principle difference between a hook grip where the fingers trap the thumb and a normal grip where the thumb traps the fingers? (besides the obvious: they’re different 'cause they’re different). Why would the hook grip be more secure?[/quote]
I wondered about that too. All I can say is the 2 fingers seem to be stronger than a single thumb. My grip was not nearly so secure when I did pulls with the thumbs over the first two fingers. The bar rests on the thumb and the index and middle finger lock it in.
I’d have a fine blister in the inside of my thumbs if I hadn’t taped them, though.[/quote]
Now that’s a good tip! did you think of that or read it somewhere?
[quote]soldog wrote:
Nice PR’s and great work on the oly lifts!
I’ve always wondered, what is the principle difference between a hook grip where the fingers trap the thumb and a normal grip where the thumb traps the fingers? (besides the obvious: they’re different 'cause they’re different). Why would the hook grip be more secure?[/quote]
I wondered about that too. All I can say is the 2 fingers seem to be stronger than a single thumb. My grip was not nearly so secure when I did pulls with the thumbs over the first two fingers. The bar rests on the thumb and the index and middle finger lock it in.
I’d have a fine blister in the inside of my thumbs if I hadn’t taped them, though.[/quote]
Now that’s a good tip! did you think of that or read it somewhere?[/quote]
Saw the lifters in videos do their pulls with taped thumbs. Seemed like a good idea. I actually tried the first few lifts without and I could feel the bar abrading my thumbs. I dove for the tape.
[quote]mjnewland wrote:
good training, tony, but, i don’t know, man.
Don’t you feel a little, you know, disloyal, switching to oly lifts?[/quote]
I’m not so much switching as adding. I look at it as improving my shoulder stability and hamstring strength. Do 20 snatches and see how your ass feels. DLs are going to come off the floor easier, I think - and bench is hurting less to do. And I have to credit this work for making my press continue to go up. It’s the only thing different I’m doing and my press is the highest it’s been by a good ten pounds.
edit:
Ooooo, that sounded snarky and I didn’t mean it that way…Sorry, mj.
No Cable Cable Rows
150x5
175x5
200x5
225x5
250x5
280x3
And that’s good enough.
Right shoulder was a champ on presses. Possibly stayed too light today - no press was in doubt. Back is fatigued from yesterday so went for a nice triple and called it good.
On the snatch and C&J technique, Not bad, you definitely get a pop out of the second pull. There are two things you could start working on that will help. Back position and elbow bend. From the start of the lift, your hips and shoulders should be rising at the same rate, instead of hips faster the shoulders. This is one thing I’m working on in my own technique. Here’s a link to a youtube video of Kendrick Farris doing a snatch that is a perfect model for what I am talking about.
Nobody I’ve seen does this better that Kendrick in this video.
The other point is premature pulling with your arms. I know it may not seem like it but your arms are bending long before your hips and knees have extended. One easy way to get feedback on this is to put a ~4in piece of tape on the outside of your elbows, running longitudinally up and down your arm. Just attach it at the ends of the tape. When your elbows bend, the tape will tell you. It should stay on until after your hips and knees are fully extended.
You have a good strength to weight ratio and apparently some pretty good power. I’m interested to see what happens if you keep the olift training up.
I’m absolutely certain all the things you say are true, Carl. I’ve improved quite a bit on the hips and shoulders thing, but the hips are still going up first. I’m still not trusting the hip pop and trying to pull with the arms, definitely.
Good tip on the tape. I’ll use that tomorrow. Thanks a lot!
