Hey CT.
So, I’ve been trying to simplify my lifting drastically the last few months while trying to gain strength primarily in the front squat and the Oly lifts. What I’ve been doing for the last several months looks like this:
Day 1: mobility/foam rolling followed by some sort of jumping movement for 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps, based on how I feel that day. Usually alternates between broad jumps, box jumps, depth jumps or jumping snatches and/or cleans as shown in your neural charge videos.
Then I perform cleans/jerks off the floor, building up to a heavy single. I try not to miss any lifts here although I usually try to still hit my max potential for that day. I drop down by 10% and perform 3 sets of 1 the first week, 4 sets of 1 the 2nd week and then at least 5 sets of 1 the 3rd week. The fourth week I do the same but I just perform a heavy single and call it a day on that exercise. I then move on to front squats and ramp up to a true 1RM for that day, followed by the same pattern of heavy singles at 90% as with cleans.
Day 2: Same rep/set/loading scheme as Day 1 except that I perform power cleans/jerks from a hang or off blocks. I still work up to a true 1RM for front squats, drop down to 90% etc, etc.
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Same concept as Day 1, except that I perform power snatches off the floor followed by deadlifts in place of front squats. Every other week I pull around 80-90% for speed instead of working up to a true 1RM for deadlifts.
Day 5: Same as Day 4 but I perform power snatches from a hang and perform front squats instead of deadlifts. I build up to a true 1RM on front squats just like on Days 1 and 2.
Day 6: rest
I thought this sort of approach would eventually lead to neural fatigue, but it hasn’t at all. I followed your HP Mass program for about a year or so and got very, very good at learning how to self-regulate myself in that respect which I assume is why I’ve been able to try a 1RM on front squats three times a week and seen steady gains in strength without blowing out my CNS in the process.
So my question is, if I want to maintain this same workout but I want to incorporate more pressing movements on my “off days”, what would you recommend here? Obviously, other than the clean/jerk and the second half of the snatch, I have completely neglected pressing and I haven’t done flat bench more than maybe two or three times since December. I love the progress I’ve made with my current approach and like performing just a few main movements. I was thinking of something along the lines of a simple neural charge circuit on Day 3, maybe something like explosive flat bench press, then medicine ball slams, push/presses and then some sort of plyo pushup. Then on Day 6 some dips, weighted pushups, face pulls and an all-out set of Kroc rows.
As you can see, I would like to work out every day if possible, maybe just take one day a week off wherever I feel I need it. My main concern is that I don’t want to neglect the pushing movement, but I also don’t want to be working with fatigued shoulders when I perform heavy cleans/jerks and power snatches. The other thing is that I simply don’t have the mobility yet to perform proper snatches to full depth. I’ve been improving the mobility in my hips and knees and have no problem back squatting or front squatting ass-to-grass, but the shoulder girdle is another issue. So while I don’t want to neglect the pressing movement, I also want to incorporate presses that will not hinder my shoulder mobility when it comes to snatches. Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.
And sorry about the long post. Many people on here will tell you that I have a perverse inclination toward them. It can’t be helped.