Hello,
I love this movement…but it’s driving me a bit crazy. My 2RM has been stuck now for 5 weeks…using the Layer System (on break from Superhero program…knees were aching). I’m tired of 107.5kg just falling…I can get it off the blocks but not all the way to nipple height to classify as a rep.
I added in the Power Clean 3 weeks ago (was using it in the Superhero Program). Added it as a reference, as it should have some carry over…
Is there an exercise that would better help improve the 2RM that I could swap it out for temporarily or add?
Thanks!
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SGHP:
*2 reps; 7 sets
TODAY: 60,70,80,90,100,105
PREVIOUS: 60,70,80,90,100,105
3 sets 90% 2RM; 4-6 reps
TODAY: 92.5: 6 ; 95: 6 ; 95: 4
PREVIOUS: 92.5: 6 ; 92.5: 6 ; 92.5: 6
POWER CLEAN: Clean Grip
*2 reps; 7 sets
TODAY: 60,65,70,75,80,85 *1
PREVIOUS: 50,55,60,65,70,75,77.5
3 sets 90% 2RM; 4-6 reps
TODAY: 77.5: 5 ; 77.5: 5 ; 77.5: 4
PREVIOUS: 70: 6 ; 72.5: 5 ; 72.5: 3
The snatch grip high pull, and power clean (as well as other olympic lift variations) aren’t like regular strength lifts and progression cannot follow the same pattern. Just like typical progressive overload doesn’t work well with them.
The main reason is that on the strength lifts, you just have to gain enough strength to be able to move the extra weight. Whereas in the high pull and power clean you must gain enough strength to create the necessary acceleration to give sufficient momentum to the bar to make the lift: in those movement, you cannot grind the weight up like you can on strength lifts.
Gaining enough strength to accelerate an extra 5lbs of resistance enough to impart momentum require a lot more strength gain than what’s needed to just be able to move the extra 5lbs.
As such, using a progressive overload method (adding xyz Lbs per week) is a mistake with the high pull, and power clean. Because while you can still “make the lift” you are doing so by being a little bit slower every week (but it gives you the illusion that it’s possible to use the progressive overload) until you eventually reach a point where you are too slow to create the sufficient momentum. What’s even worse is that if you keep up with this, you might actually start to lose speed even on your submaximal sets.
I think a better approach is to use an accelerometer (Gym aware, Vitruve, Tendo) and focus on increasing speed and only adding weight when you can maintain the same speed.
As a baseline, measure your speed with 80% and this would be your target.
- Either stick to 80% for a while with the goal of increasing velocity at every workout
- Or add weight only when you can maintain the same speed. For example if on your test you reached 2.2m/s with your 80%. you can add weight only when you can do all you reps at 2.2m/s with the new weight. If you can’t, lower the load.
Ramping up constantly on high pulls is a recipe for disaster.
2 Likes
Thanks alot…that’s quite the different approach for those 2 lifts then. Will give it a go for a month and see how it goes.