As we wind down another cycle and Derek looks to sport-specific rugby training, Scott found willing lifters to go for max lifts on Thanksgiving Day.
Tuesday, 11/24/09
Axle Push Press, w/2 mb: 65×5/105×5/135×3/160×3/160×3/175×3/. Bands were wrapped around the bar twice. Front Squat: 95×3/135/. Ok that’s all for the front squat. Apprehensive about doing any weighted squats, so instead, I did, Barbell Step-ups: 135×10, each leg/185×8/185×8/. Plyo Box Jumps, 24″. 3 x 7. Single Dumbell Rows: 75×8/90×8/90×8/90×6/. Front Plate Throw, 35#: 3 x 8. Standing Cable Crunches: 100×10/110×10/110×10/110×10/.
Just about everything I did was preceded by a tentative movement to calibrate for an injury. Front squats were eliminated.
Thursday, 11/26/09
Looks like a deadlift and bench press ME day.
Power Cleans: 113×5/113×5/133×3/. These were put in toget the CNS ready to deadlift. Deadlift ME: 245×5/295×5/325×3/345×3/385/415/440/462.5pr/475f/470f/. Gave it all @ 462, which is the only set I could count the weight of the collars! Bench Press ME: 135×3/165×3/185×3/205×3/250/260 pr/270 pr/275f/.
Saturday, 11/28/09
Saturday was a big-time sick day. Sometimes you finish big, other times not so.
Squat Clean + 2 Split Jerks, x 2: 113/113/113/133/133/133/. Total: 12/24. Hold in the split position for a second. Front Squats: 135×5/185×3/205/85% doubles: 225/225/225/. Too much on the toes. Quad dominant. Last set was garbage. Barbell Row, x 8: 113/163/181/191/.
Super Set-Front Plate Toss, 35# & kettlebell side bends, 96#. 3 x 10/.
Another excellent week of training with Scott expertly mixing in some new technical movements like, um, the Bunny Hop, when mastered, may become one of my favorites. No question, over the last three weeks, I am training with the highest volume I have ever done. Should really have done this 30 years ago. Who ever says, “never too late” is invited over to the gym!
The Olympic squat clean, is a technical lift as is the power clean, requiring mastery of the techniques and progressions, getting quality reps and if you can, good coaching. That said, if your form sucks, and mine does, there is no reason you can’t take advantage of the benefits of including this great old-school lift in your training as a free-standing movement or as the primary lift in a barbell complex. For barbell lifts, I rate the clean just behind the deadlift and the squat for the most bang for the buck.
This week was supposed to be a deload week and for the most part it was, except I hit it hard on Saturday. But that is ok, since I got plenty of rest.
