Todays workout is: 20 rounds on 1:00
0:00 2 x clean pull
1:00 1 x (hang, if necessary) clean
increase your weight if necessary
2:00 2 x clean pull
3:00 1 x (hang) clean
increase your weight if necessary
4:00 2 x clean pull
5:00 1 x (hang) clean
increase your weight if necessary
repeat up to …
16:00 rest
17:00 1 x (hang) clean
18:00 1 x (hang) clean
19:00 1 x (hang) clean
total your last 3 rounds for a “score””
Here is how I will do this workout at Saul’s Secret Workout at 4PM, hopefully, this will help you warm-up and lift so that you can successful.
Position: Start out with some mobility that will be helpful while pulling and/or squatting. I will be doing squat prep and some t-spine extension using foam roller and a band or possibly a 20 KG plate. Your mileage may vary but I think most people will get some good benefits from doing something to help both hips and the shoulders externally rotate.
Movement: Review the Pocket Drill (if you don’t know what this is, ask your coach) so that you can make sure that your pull is as bomb-proof technically as possible.
Let’s talk tatics. Use the DC Blocks, I paid a lot of money for them! Seriously, the blocks help you get into a position with a strong neutral spine which is the easiest, fastest way to get a really nice, long straight arm pull. The longer you pull with straight arms and a neutral spine, the faster your hip extension elevates the bar. The point of training the clean is to learn how to powerfully extend and flex your hips. Lifting the bar the extra 2 – 6 inches off the ground has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with why we are training the clean. Not coincidentally, learning to keep a neutral spine makes you look way sexier in your slinky black dress or your tight black t-shirt, just sayin’… Set-up position is everything in the clean, use the blocks if you need to get your spine into a neutral position. Put your ego aside and lift something heavy.
Tactic 2, using the first 8 rounds. I tend to take a long time to warm-up mentally and physically but, and that’s a big badda bing “but,” I have experience lifting my last three weights and I am not interested in finding out what my max clean is because I am going to a weightlifting seminar next weekend. Here is what I am going to do: 50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 60, 60, 70, rest 1:00 then 3 x 80 KG on the minute. If you want to PR then you might want to go up a little faster. If you want to get better at cleaning, you might want to start out light and spend most of your reps at something medium heavy, i.e 65 – 75%. We are doing Grace (30 Clean and Jerks for time) next cycle so if you want a better time on that workout, then you may want to spend all your reps at your Grace weight. Ask a coach what tactic is best for you.
Tactic 3, resting. Every moment you are not lifting you should be sitting. Have your water and weights ready. Work with a partner to change weights. Use your friends bar. Whatever you need to do to rest more is a good thing. You will see that it will matter on your last reps.
Don’t forget to record your score!