Snatch Balances ,OH Squats and the ETK Program Minimum

Here is a summary of consecutive day sessions:

Tuesday December 2, 2008

Weight: 180 lbs

My Olympic lifting coach, Ben Fuller, is certainly tuned into my needs as he had me perform both OH squats and snatch balances (snatch drops) as my first set of lifts.

Morning:
Z-Health: Neural Warm-up Level 2 (Dynamic Joint Mobility Drills)

Back & Ab Complex: 1 set
A1: BW x 1 x 10 Heavy blue band Goodmorning
A2: BW x 1 x 5 Ab wheel on the knee rollouts, 5 sec hold and rollback

Evening Oly Session:

40kg x 3 x 5 OH Squat
30kg x 3 x 3 Snatch Balance (50% failure)
40kg x 7 x 3 Squat Snatch (66% failure)

Front Squat (lbs):
135 x 1 x 3
145 x 1 x 3
155 x 1 x 3
165 x 1 x 3
175 x 1 x 3
185 x 1 x 3

I am really looking forward to receiving the Olympic lifting shoes I ordered on-line as the position of my OH squat is so uncomfortable and I have been told the high heel on the shoe makes a big difference. A snatch balance is were the barbell is held on the back with the wide snatch grip and the lifter quickly drops to a squat while extending the arms fully as if dropping into the squat after performing a snatch. I had incredible difficulty with these as well. Finally I forced myself to drop into a full squat with each snatch with only 40kg and struggled mightily. I can power snatch 60kg but I know I have to master the squat snatch to really progress. The flexibility and balance needed by Oly lifters is really extraordinary. Its a good thing that I don't give up easily as this is extremely humbling.

Total volume: 4700 lbs

Wednesday December 3, 2008

Weight: 180 lbs

Although yesterdays volume was under 5000 lbs, I was very sore for most of the day. I had planned in the evening to join my client with a program minimum like session of swings and TGUs.

Evening:
Z-Health: Neural Warm-up Level 2 (Dynamic Joint Mobility Drills)

Back & Ab Complex: 1 set
A1: BW x 1 x 10 Heavy blue band Goodmorning
A2: BW x 1 x 5 Ab wheel on the knee rollouts, 5 sec hold and rollback

24kg x 1 x 8/8 Snatch warmup

24kg x 10 x 20 Swings @ top of every 1:30
2kkg x 5 x 10/10 One-hand swings @ top of every 1:30
Total: 300 swings

32kg x 2 x 1/1 TGU

BW x 3 x 3 Tactical Pullups

I made every rep of the 300 as explosive as possible with hard negative throw downs and glute-squeezing lockouts. Would have liked to have done some double TGUs, but my left wrist is c;lose but just not ready yet for that intensity.

Total volume: 16900 lbs