ThunderRabbit's SS Log

[slowjoe]

Yep. I think squat cleans are the way to go to drill in the idea of getting under the bar. My problem is the tendency to just muscle clean it. It turns ugly around 160# right now as I then start hyper extending to catch it and I start missing around 170#.

Do you guys have the same problem?

Yeah, and at around the same weight. 70kg (~155) is dead easy. 90kg (~200) is dead ugly. One problem with the clean is that at light weights (below maybe 110lbs) it's hard to get the mechanics right, because the resistance isn't there.

Thinking aloud, the key bit of a "Burgener clean Warmup" is probably whatever step represents getting under the bar from the top of the shrug. And it probably needs to be done with a series of weights (20kg, 25kg,...). I'm not sure it can be done with the classic PVC pipe, due to lack of weight.

[ThunderRabbit]

I always do Burgener (snatch) warmup w/ a 45# barbell for 5 reps of each (BTN press, pressing snatch balance, heaving snatch balance, snatch balance, drop snatch, jump shrug, jump shrug+highpull, muscle snatch, power snatch). It's funny how even a light weight like that can get me sweaty and warm in a hurry.

I think there may definitely be value to assistance exercises with weight progressing up. Also, possibly set the criterion for "making" the lift be performing the portion that you're doing wrong correctly.

For example, I have the tendency to not finish the second pull if I get under the bar properly or hyper extend when I do finish the second pull. The criterion for the first would be hitting full extension (similar to clean high-pull). The criterion for second would be just rack the bar with appropriate forward lean + knee bend + elbows. Is there a clean equivalent to drop snatch?

Maybe I'm overthinking this a bit.

[ThunderRabbit]

SS Workout A

I can only really train MWF. Due to life interference on Monday, this week was TRF.

Squat 345# 5, 4(F), 2(F)

I felt fine but started suffering on the second set. Not really recovered in 24 hours yet. Maybe I should have made it a DE day. Third set was weird. First two actually went pretty well. Then just utterly got buried on the third rep. I think I mentally gave up fighting it halfway through without expecting it would be so hard.

Press 135# 3x5

I can't believe I actually made another 5# jump on my press. Later reps got slow and grindy with a bit of lean back. Not quite olympic press levels but moving in that direction. I might have to start microloading soon.

[ThunderRabbit]

SS Workout B

Squat: 345# 3x5

Reps flowed fairly smoothly today. Should be able to make another jump next session.

Bench: 175# 5, 4(F), 3(F)

Pretty rough sets. The same sticking point. Failed last rep on 2nd set came down and clobbered my chin. Thank god for safety pins.

PC: Technique work

Looked at Starting Strength Power Clean videos and was excited to work technique today hoping to finally get form honed in. All I can say is a little bit better, not the leaps and bounds that I was hoping for.

Also had a few reps end up on my carotid artery which made me really light-headed. This never happened before. Is that a good sign in some sense?

After that, even though I've only been messing w/ 135#, I was wobbly and decided to call it a day rather than risk injury.

Also threw in some quick sets of 4-5 pullups while waiting in between work sets. Banged out quick set of 7 dips at end of workout so as to not interfere with bench.

[ThunderRabbit]

SS Workout A

Squat: 350# 5, 5, 3, 2

First two sets were hard but manageable. Third set started out fine but bar ran down back and I had to rack. Tried to crush it a few minutes later but got buried instead. Maybe mental issue? Trying to decide whether to make another 5# increase next time or just repeat today's weight. I'd hate to make repeating a weight some kind of habit.

Press: 137.5# 3x5

First two were moderately difficult. I even contemplated slapping on more weight for third set. Ended up very happy that I didn't. Fourth rep on that set felt like fifth rep and last rep was possibly the ugliest press I've ever done. It went halfway up and was uneven (right high, left low), managed to barely grind it out by shoving head through.

Dips: 2x5 and called it a day. Gonna feel it in shoulders/triceps tomorrow.

[ThunderRabbit]

Squatting Madness (YNDTP, I know. Mea maxima culpa. Just one time deviation. Will resume regular programming soon)

Been reading some Dan John articles and came across one on the 100 rep challenge. He said it was stupid for training but can be useful for mental toughness. Given my recent tendencies to mentally stall out on 3rd sets as well as extra recovery time due to family vacation precluding training tomorrow and next Monday, I decided to do this for squatting.

I did this at 300#, 75% of my estimated 1RM (~400 or so). Cranked them out in sets of 5 with rest starting out at 1 min and growing to 2-4 min towards end. Total time ~70 mins. Maybe I should have paced less.

Holy moly. My legs are pretty smoked right now and will definitely be hurting tomorrow.

Bench: 175# 3x5, 5x3. Threw these in while recovering from squat sets. Didn't feel nearly as hard as last time.

Also did ~50 pullups in sets of 5 and 4.

[ThunderRabbit]

Workout A

Squats: 355# 3x5

Didn't feel very hard. Maybe the mental conditioning of the 100 rep challenge helps. Felt a bit creaky though. Probably a sign I should pay more attention to mobility.

I think my squats drifted a tad high during the second set. Corrected it on the third though. Still enjoying some steady progress on squats. Hoping to make it to 405# 3x5.

Press: 140# 3(F), 2(F), 135# 3(F), 2(F), 125# 5

Pressing was a complete and utter disaster today. Back slid significantly. Last warmup of 115# felt waaay heavier than usual. Ended up dialing it back and only finally clicked on 125#. I think I have to work damn hard to keep elbows in and forward. I tend to flare out elbows far to the side and thus lose it with some "chicken wing" wackiness otherwise.

DL: 150 kilo 1x5

Torn hands finally healing up a bit. Back to DLing. Back still rounding a bit on later reps but not too ugly. Gotta strengthen back up more. It's pretty silly that I have a stronger squat than DL now.

[slowjoe]

Squatting Madness (YNDTP, I know. Mea maxima culpa. Just one time deviation. Will resume regular programming soon)

Jeez, just cos you kno latin doesn't mean you should try to balance with extra stupid

I (very) occasionally work on my 20RM, pushing it up 10lb (5kg really) a time. Probably fuck you up less. I'm slightly surprised you made the next workout on Monday. How sore were you after this?

[ThunderRabbit]

doesn't mean you should try to balance with extra stupid

Sig worthy quote for sure.

How sore were you after this?

It actually wasn't too bad. I was only walking slightly funny the next day. The extra rest through Labor Day weekend didn't hurt either (4 days total). In all, I was actually shocked I wasn't messed up worse. Granted, it got grimey towards the end and I sweated through my shirt completely. Overall, it was less painful than I was mentally preparing myself for it to be.

Then again, I had a really off day with the press. It'd be weird if high rep squats messed with the press.

20RM is really hardcore. I probably need to do that at some point. In some sense, I think this 100 rep thing is actually less painful than that given I was doing these in 5's and thus get an opportunity to rack and breathe before jumping back under it.

[ThunderRabbit]

Workout B

Squat: 360# 3x5

These went up w/ some struggle. Focused on depth.

Bench: 180# 5, 4, 3

Felt heavy today and it was. Couldn't seem to complete my sets properly.

PC: major disaster and injury.

Somehow ended up pinning a nerve and/or blood vessel in my neck during warmup. Got dizzy and actually blacked out w/ rather unfortunate results. Got a huge gash on my chin which required stitches and chipped a tooth.