MovingTarget's Training Log

[simonsky]

a cue i use for arm bending is pointing elbows forward at the start until the very last moment. mechanically, you can't really do this full on, but it straightens my arms until the right moment.

[Moving_Target]

Gotcha. internally rotate elbows.

[simonsky]

i think i got that from the snatch platform vid of rip

[Moving_Target]

I do recall that cue (internal or external something or other) being mentioned as well. I will go back and review it once again. Thanks, Mr. Sky.

Now to make me brains and musskles do as me wishes. Ukkk ukkk ukkk ukk ukk.

/popyeye

Weds. Sept.7/2011

Walked boys and avoided errant dogs and children

Messed around a bit more with hang snatches. I do not like having the bar
close to me on the way up and especially on the way down. I really ought
to have bumpers for these to spare my iffy shoulders.

Hang Power snatches

few singles up to 105lbs


FSQ

185lbs x 5r x 3s

Deadlift

245lbs x 5r x 1s

Clean and Push Press (1 clean & 5 P.P)

135lbs x 5r x 3s


Notes:

Front squats are getting noticeably heavy. I will ease off on the progression.
Starting light on the deads. I had planned on going up to 275lbs but misloaded
the bar and did 245lbs which is good. Ego lifting. *slap*

[Srini B]

Hi M_T,

Looked at your Power Clean videos - you are right...you are arm pulling a lot, (maybe 100% - totally muscle pulling the bar up).

I am certainly, in no way, qualified to suggest anything regarding PCs, but FWIW,

Hang cleans should help a lot with resolving this. Starting with very light weights (empty bar at 20 kgs) should be fine. And, this is where I like Coach Pendlay's Clean Progression Series...and I think, this helped me a lotttttttttt. I keep referring back to this, often, whenever I think of new questions...

Also, you might need to extend more. What I did was, during hang cleans, to look up a bit and extend (jump). There comes a point when you jump like this (in full extension & no elbow bend & bar close to body), the bar gets "yanked" up, (without the arms pulling it up). Once you get that feeling, you'll know you are not arm pulling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mGjYQRvp2w (another resource, from Coach Mike Burgener, regarding understanding role of arms in PC/Cleans - in case you haven't see it already).

Keep the bar very very close to the body. In fact, always during light hang cleans, I ensure bar is always touching body.

For me, it was a case of my mind understanding and accepting (then experiencing) the fact, that bar does go up, without arms needing to pull bar up, (or so I think).

Again, these are advices from a total PC non-expert. I kinda did all the above and I think, I am no longer arm pulling, (but once I post form check video, I may find out otherwise)...

[Moving_Target]

Hi M_T,

Looked at your Power Clean videos - you are right...you are arm pulling a lot, (maybe 100% - totally muscle pulling the bar up).

I am certainly, in no way, qualified to suggest anything regarding PCs, but FWIW,

Hang cleans should help a lot with resolving this. Starting with very light weights (empty bar at 20 kgs) should be fine. And, this is where I like Coach Pendlay's Clean Progression Series...and I think, this helped me a lotttttttttt. I keep referring back to this, often, whenever I think of new questions...

Also, you might need to extend more. What I did was, during hang cleans, to look up a bit and extend (jump). There comes a point when you jump like this (in full extension & no elbow bend & bar close to body), the bar gets "yanked" up, (without the arms pulling it up). Once you get that feeling, you'll know you are not arm pulling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mGjYQRvp2w (another resource, from Coach Mike Burgener, regarding understanding role of arms in PC/Cleans - in case you haven't see it already).

Keep the bar very very close to the body. In fact, always during light hang cleans, I ensure bar is always touching body.

For me, it was a case of my mind understanding and accepting (then experiencing) the fact, that bar does go up, without arms needing to pull bar up, (or so I think).

Again, these are advices from a total PC non-expert. I kinda did all the above and I think, I am no longer arm pulling, (but once I post form check video, I may find out otherwise)...

What can I say, I'm Captain Upperbody and have the gimpy shoulders to prove it. :-)

I've been doing some empty barbell vertical jumps and hang cleans every time I wander past the the bar to try to rewire my brain to keep my arms taut. It can be a difficult habit to break but I will get this though. It would be cool if I could get a (decent looking) BW power clean eventually.

I have seen Mr.B's video a few times over the last couple of years and it's always good to get reminded. Thanks.

[Moving_Target]

Fri. Sept.9/2011
AM

HBSQ

290lbs x5 x3 (decided to push here just a teensy-weensy bit on my reps -- Big PR for me, at least)

Notes:

I decided to see if I could get 290lbs in 3x5 vs. the ladder format and the first 3 of each set were relatively easy
and got slow and grindy by the end. I am fighting to keep my chest from dropping but it's like
trying to stay balanced on a beach ball on the way up on the last rep. Like last squat workout, I widened my stance a bit
from usual and it felt better so Imma keep doing it this way (or not. Ill see how my lower bits like it).

Last night, I was watching a video on belt selection and usage done by Jason Pegg and I may have to break down and look for a better belt than
the "1970's YMCA POS" leather belt I've been using up to now. Until I actually purchase one (thinking 10mm single prong maybe), I'll start wearing
the wide part of this tapered belt at the front again. It was pinching me when I first started wearing it but came to the conclusion that I was
being dumb and wearing it too low on my abdomen.

I'll do some upper body stuff this afternoon or evening.

Fri PM

3x side planks - 40s per side w/10sec rest increasing to 20sec on last set.

5r x 2s chin-ups @ BW

Sat. Sept.9/2011

I didn't get to much upper body stuff since I was repairing some fencing and a gate yesterday.
I did buy myself some miscellaneous parts to make myself an ab wheel and some chain and eyelets
to play around with isometrics. Both Ross E and Bill Starr made convincing arguments for adding
them in as a complement to weight training. It could work well when I'm pressed for time
and can't do a barbell workout at home. As always, we'll see.

[Moving_Target]

Sun.Sept.11/2011


Decline Pushups (feet on 3' 2" table )
3x5 @ bw

Shoulder (P)rehab

Band pull-aparts with doubled-up green theraband
15r x 3-4s

Broomstick stretches & Pec stretch
rubber softball rolling on scaps/rear deltoids

Left knee and Right knee are slightly achy. Ditto for left shoulder (on the top
near collarbone insertion).

[sking1001]

Sun.Sept.11/2011
(on the top near collarbone insertion).

This is the first I've heard of someone with what sounds like the exact shoulder pain as I. Is it almost right at the bony point on top? I've been sporadically doing a rehab routine I found by DieselCrew.com. It seems to help sometimes, but it's not really "healing". I mostly just learn to live with it. I also ice it sometimes too.

[Moving_Target]

Yeah, the achy-ness comes and goes. It was much worse a couple of years ago and I laid
off pressing movements for over a year to give both shoulders a break. I think
bad benching technique (rolling shoulders forward and all that) and maybe (mis)using the pec deck
is what did me in to begin with so that's why I've dropped benching now for a while and mixing in the bw pushups and prehab workl.

I'm just playing things by ear and trying to remember to take some fish oil and glucosamine. It's not debilitating just annoying as fuck.

I've been lurking on your log and read earlier you were having the same issues. Like you said, it's "healed" but not really 100%.