adding front squats to my programme?

[heman]

Hi, Andy,

I've been getting more and more interested in Olympic lifting, and a coach told me I need to train front squats (after seeing me clean).

Now I do 1x5 LBBS squats on intensity day and 5x5 LBBS on volume day.

I was thinking about replacing the 5x5 LBBS with first 3x5 front squats, followed by 3x5 LBBS on volume day. Both sets across with the most weight I can do 3x5 with. (my current LBBS 5RM is ~300 lbs).
Any other ideas or suggestions?
If possible I want it to (negatively) affect my progress with the 1x5 LBBS weight as little as possible.
Since I do volume squats in a separate workout I think 6-8 rather heavy sets should be achievable (more if they are less heavy).

I base my current programme on a 4 day split TM from PPST 3rd ed.
M: intensity BP, volume OHP
Tu: intensity squat, cleans
Th: intensity OHP, volume BP
F: snatch, intensity deadlifs
S: volume sqauts

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I'm not an Oly coach but I have done some programming work for competitive Olympic lifters. I recently had a guy perform a 5RM Back Squat on his Intensity Day and then pull some weight off the bar and hit 5 heavy Front Squat singles. Seemed to work okay. Keep your volume day as LBBS.

[jayshort21]

Given his set-up, would you program the front squats before or after the cleans?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I'd probably have him clean first, before any squatting. Although in PPST3 we ripped off Coach Moser and illustrated an Oly program where the lifter works up to a heavy front squat single, then does a clean workout, and then finishes with more front squats. The heavy front squat from the rack prior to cleans serves to prep the lifters CNS for the heavier weights to come in the clean. It isn't such a shock when he arrives in the hole with a big giant weight on top of him.

[jayshort21]

Okay, cool. Thanks for the info as always.

I really appreciate all that you do on this forum.