Moving on with press and cleans

[sunetdanne]

Hi

I have been reading a bit about the middle part of the lifts and I have noticed something that I need a bit off input with.

I am stuck with a 3x5*100kg bench. I have deloaded to 90kg and increased up to 100kg again but I can’t finish 3x5, generally sets look like this: 4,4,3 or 5,3,3

I always fail in the middle of the bench.

Now to OHP(quite low compared to bench) I have failed at 3x5*57,5kg. I have deloaded to 52,5kg and increased up again but cant finish 3x5 here either. Here the sets are looking this way: 5,3,3 or 4,4,2

For the OHP, I fail in the start of the lift or in the middle. The last part of the presses (bench/OHP is never an issue).

I would like to know if its time to strengthen my middle and/or start of the lifts.

If so how?

I have been elaborating a bit with heavy iso holds for the OHP (a couple of inches from the start position) and started doing 1x3*110 lifts for the bench when I failed on the 3x5 weight (perhaps not a good option) but I cant evaluate if it worked since I got the flue for 1, 5 week ago and have still not recovered.

Now for the clean it’s my "arm pull" that plays with me for loads higher then 65kg. I have been keeping the weights around 60kg focusing on form for 5x3 reps and finishing off with heavy clean pulls(are they the same like power shrugs that Mark showed in the platform section except starting from the floor?) for 1x3*90kg.

Is that a good way to keep adding strength/learning to get use to heavy "speed" pulls instead of just lifting the same power clean weight for weeks?

Best regards
Daniel

[barbellbeginner]

First im just a novice and i dont have your bench numbers. But I followed the tip i got online that pullling excercises helps strengthening your push. So maybe you should try using barbell rows and weighted chin ups for a while and then try the bench again. You are not stronger than your weakest link, and changing things up and doing pulls might help dealing with those weaknesses.

Secondly, i would recomend you try using creatine. Creatine is a sort of sugar stored in your muscles, and when the muscles are fully loaded with it, you get more anerobic endurance. Which means you can get an extra rep or two in the bench.
My bench is only 70 kg, but three weeks ago i struggled with 60 kg. I really feel the difference with creatine. One box of creatine last a VERY long time, since its enough to take 5 mg a day. On the box its says 20 mg, but that copletely unecessary unless u want to load quickly. I loaded with 15 mg for a few days, then continued with 5 mg just to maintain the creatine levels in the muscles. Also before bench day i someties take 10 mg.

[RRod]

Depending upon your body proportions, certain parts of the lift will be relatively more difficult for you than others with different limbs. Say you and I are exactly the same, except I have shorter forearms. In the press I will be able to be in the rack position with my upper arm raised higher, and thus in a better position to push the bar. This means that the start of the lift will be "easier" for me.

I think fixing your programming is probably what you need, more than isometrics.
Let's get more info:
.What's your weight/height?
.What increases are you using on your lifts (all of them)?
.How many resets have you done?

As far as the power clean:
The problem with pulls is that it's hard to gauge if you are pulling the bar to the same height each time, and thus harder to guarantee that you *power* is improving as the weight moves up. Plus they may be reinforcing your early arm pulling, as you have less feedback when you don't get the bar all the way to the rack position. Again, what increases are you using on the clean, and how many times have you reset? You might start adding power snatches, which really make you do things right.

[sunetdanne]

First im just a novice and i dont have your bench numbers. But I followed the tip i got online that pullling excercises helps strengthening your push. So maybe you should try using barbell rows and weighted chin ups for a while and then try the bench again. You are not stronger than your weakest link, and changing things up and doing pulls might help dealing with those weaknesses.

Secondly, i would recomend you try using creatine. Creatine is a sort of sugar stored in your muscles, and when the muscles are fully loaded with it, you get more anerobic endurance. Which means you can get an extra rep or two in the bench.
My bench is only 70 kg, but three weeks ago i struggled with 60 kg. I really feel the difference with creatine. One box of creatine last a VERY long time, since its enough to take 5 mg a day. On the box its says 20 mg, but that copletely unecessary unless u want to load quickly. I loaded with 15 mg for a few days, then continued with 5 mg just to maintain the creatine levels in the muscles. Also before bench day i someties take 10 mg.

Hi

I am doing one armed dumbbell rows 3x5*42,5 or 3x10*37,5

Thanks for the Creatine advice. But I prefer to lift "clean" I am absolutely against all kinds of "fitness drugs".

I also have IBS and I don’t wish to put crap in my system that triggers my IBS(I don’t have any issue’s with my IBS if I think about what I eat)

Regards
Daniel

[sunetdanne]

Depending upon your body proportions, certain parts of the lift will be relatively more difficult for you than others with different limbs. Say you and I are exactly the same, except I have shorter forearms. In the press I will be able to be in the rack position with my upper arm raised higher, and thus in a better position to push the bar. This means that the start of the lift will be "easier" for me.

I think fixing your programming is probably what you need, more than isometrics.
Let's get more info:
.What's your weight/height?
.What increases are you using on your lifts (all of them)?
.How many resets have you done?

As far as the power clean:
The problem with pulls is that it's hard to gauge if you are pulling the bar to the same height each time, and thus harder to guarantee that you *power* is improving as the weight moves up. Plus they may be reinforcing your early arm pulling, as you have less feedback when you don't get the bar all the way to the rack position. Again, what increases are you using on the clean, and how many times have you reset? You might start adding power snatches, which really make you do things right.

.What's your weight/height? 82kg/178cm
.What increases are you using on your lifts (all of them)?, the same for all currently +2,5kg each week.
.How many resets have you done? bench on reset, OHP two,

Cleans deloaded from 65kg to 60kg one time and have not increased yet since I have still not managed to rack the bar with 60kg without using my arms.

Regards
Daniel

[RRod]

Do you have access to plates smaller than 2.5kg? If so, smaller jumps might keep your from getting stuck. Perhaps you are capable of 98 or 99x5x3 on the bench, and if you could finish that it would spur enough adaption to make 100 possible. If you have these smaller plate, do a reset and try working back up in the smaller increments (say 90, 92.5, 95, 97.5, 100 /or/ 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100). Same thing for the press.

If you don't have access to smaller plates, you'll have to move to an advanced novice or intermediate program to get the gains going again. This is all assuming the recovery is happening as it should; how are your sleeping and eating?

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

"But I prefer to lift "clean" I am absolutely against all kinds of "fitness drugs"."

Says the guy with shitty lifts. Creatine as a drug. Fuck me.

[RobCor]

"But I prefer to lift "clean" I am absolutely against all kinds of "fitness drugs"."

Says the guy with shitty lifts. Creatine as a drug. Fuck me.

Indeed. If you eat meat, you're eating creatine. Supplementing it, to me, is just like taking another vitamin.

OP, the best way for me to get unstuck was to eat more and drink more milk. Seriously. I failed 155lb press twice, drank a gallon or two of milk in addition to eating even more food, and made it without much trouble on the third attempt.

[sunetdanne]

Indeed. If you eat meat, you're eating creatine. Supplementing it, to me, is just like taking another vitamin.

OP, the best way for me to get unstuck was to eat more and drink more milk. Seriously. I failed 155lb press twice, drank a gallon or two of milk in addition to eating even more food, and made it without much trouble on the third attempt.

I have IBS(Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I cant drink milk or eat creatine in "powder form"

[sunetdanne]

"But I prefer to lift "clean" I am absolutely against all kinds of "fitness drugs"."

Says the guy with shitty lifts. Creatine as a drug. Fuck me.

Sorry I made an bad formulation. I think that you can manage without creatine powder if you have a decent diet. And whats wrong with peatnuts

And concerning your offer NO THANKS!!!!