Jim,
I want to hit a masters qualifying total in the Snatch and C&J. After two years of trying a bunch of OL programs, I realized most are based off the needs of kids and Olympians, and not a 40 year old professional after 20 yrs of training, with a wife and 3 daughters. My Sn and C&J went up, but my squat and clean pull (deadlift) went down by a 100lbs from doing too little strength work. So, I went back to the toolbox and tried something that is actually working.
I took your BBB 12-week challenge as a template, and did all the work as planned, using a snatchgrip deadlift, front squat, strict press, and shallow incline press. For the first block, I did 50% x10x5 for lower body. Then switched to FSL for on AMRAP set for 2nd and 3rd blocks. I did form work with the classic lifts (60-70% for 3-5 doubles) to start, instead of the dynamic effort jumps and medball.
I know its not your program, I have a different goal. But the principles in “Beyond” apply very well for me. Start light, progress slowly, don’t get cute, stick to the plan and then leave.
I am in week 11 of 12, and planning out my next 3+ blocks, looking at your 12-strength challenge in the Beyond book. I only want to “change one thing at a time,” since I am making progress. In that challenge, you have 5/3/1 sets, a second exercise for 5 sets of 10, then pulling or abs for volume, and ending with optional stuff. I need to start doing more full weightlifts, and just adding them on top would be a noob move.
So, am I closer to the intent of the strength program if I did the OL first, then 5/3/1 for strength lifts, then less volume on the 2nd lift? Or, would it be smarter to do the Snatch, Clean, Jerk, and press as the 4 “main lifts” and keep the assistance volume around 50 reps?
If you have a better idea, I am all ears. Your book has been a guide to my best gains in years.