If you train the Olympic lifts and like myself are not a professional, this video of an interview of
California Strength's Coach Glenn Pendlay (see photo above with lifter Caleb Ward) by
Brian Kinsella located on Brian's blog
here, contains practical information that is simple and very easy to put to immediate use. Coach Pendlay currently coaches 105+kg class lifter Caleb Ward, 105kg class lifter Donny Shankle and 94kg class lifter Jonathan North, three of the most promising young US lifters to date.
One of the key points made in the interview is that the lifter needs to get in minimum amount of "meaningful" lifts each session. By "meaningful" he means some fairly high percentage of one's 1RM in both lifts. Another key point, used for detecting over training, is that a lifter should be able to make 90% of each lift at any training session. If lifter fails to do this for few consecutive sessions, it is an excellent indication of being over-trained. With regard to both these, the Joe Mills template seems ideal for getting in those "meaningful" lifts as well as providing a way to test close to 90% of each lift in every session.
Training over the last week went well. I alternated days between kettlebell and Olympic weightlifting and derived benefit form all sessions. I continued to make solid progress with the Joe Mills template finishing on Tues at 72/94, both of which are post-China PRs. I'm now confident I can return to 80/100 and perhaps even more before the end of the year.
As for kettlebell lifting very solid progress there as with a new volume and intensity PR with 32kg snatches and a first with a left hand snatch with the 40kg.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010Afternoon Kettlebell Session on lawn outside my office building.
Z-Health R-phase Level 2 Dynamic Joint Mobility:
24kg Complex Medley:
N-OAC: N-reps of each lift One Arm Complex:
1. N One-hand swings
2. N Cleans
3. N Presses
4. N Front Squats
5. N Snatches
2 x (1-OAC left, 1-OAC right)
7 x (1-OAC left, 1-OAC right, 2-OAC left, 2-OAC right)
1 x (3-OAC left, 3-OAC-right)
1 x (4-OAC left, 4-OAC-right)
Total: 300 reps
Rest between sets was around a minute. I love this type of session as it works all the basic RKC lifts with the exception of the TGU. The last three sets I substituted short, explosive dip push-presses for military presses. May try adding a windmill after the snatch to work shoulder mobility next session.
Thursday, September 9, 2010Today I turned 57 and gave myself a wonderful Olympic Weightlifting training session as a gift.
Evening Olympic Weightlifting session in my basement
Z-Health R-phase Level 2 Dynamic Joint Mobility:
Joe Mills Template
Snatch (kg):
(46, 51, 56) x 5 x 1
(58,60,62,64,66,68) x 1 x 1
C&J (kg):
(70, 75, 80) x 5 x 1
(82,84,86,88,90) x 1 x 1
92 x 2 x 1
Again my friend and fellow master lifter, Richard Maloon, alternated turns going through the Joe Mills template. I had another no miss night going 43/43. I ended with another single with 92 as my arms were not completely locked out on the jerk. The 2nd rep was much quicker with both the clean and the jerk. As a result next session I start the lifts at 48/72.
Some of key points I focused on are:
- Keeping the bar very close before executing the 2nd pull.
- Keeping my arms loose.
- Keeping my back tight.
- Tightening my abs just before I catch the clean.
- Pulling myself under the bar into a deep squat and catching the snatch there.
- Implementing a shallow quick jerk dip.
- Pushing myself vertically under after the jerk dip.
Friday, September 10, 2010Afternoon Kettlebell Session on lawn outside my office building.
Z-Health R-phase Level 2 Dynamic Joint Mobility:
24kg kettlebell snatch:
7 x 10/10
1 x (12/12, 13/13, 15/15)
Total: 220 reps
24kg kettlebell Turkish Get-Up:
2 x 1/1
1 x 2/2
24kg kettlebell full circle chain: up-left -> down-right -> up-right -> down-left
- TGU left ascending
- Snatch left
- Windmill left
- One-hand transfer to right
- Snatch right
- Windmill right
- TGU right descending
- TGU right ascending
- Snatch right
- Windmill right
- One-hand transfer to left
- Snatch left
- Windmill left
- TGU left descending
I forgot how wonderful the windmill movement is. Note that the use of the ballistic snatch is to smoothly connect the windmill and TGU grinds.
Saturday, September 11, 2010Morning Olympic Weightlifting session in my basement
Z-Health R-phase Level 2 Dynamic Joint Mobility:
Joe Mills Template
Snatch (kg):
(48, 53, 58) x 5 x 1
(60,62,64,66,68,70) x 1 x 1
C&J (kg):
(72, 77, 82) x 5 x 1
(82,84,86,88) x 1 x 1
90 x 1 No Jerk
90 x 1
92 x 1
94 x 1 No Jerk
Again my friend and fellow master lifter, Richard Maloon, alternated turns going through the Joe Mills template. Richard was not to be denied today as he made all 42 of his lifts. I was doing well until I rushed a clean with 90kg leaving no energy for the jerk. I made it on on the next attempt and also with 92. Although that was all that was called for in the template, I decided to go for 94kg. I made a very difficult clean getting pinned in the hole but somehow made it up only to miss the jerk badly.
Richard who doesn't miss a thing pointed out on some of cleans I was needlessly bouncing up on the clean recovery. This is a bad habit I started to eliminate.
The program is now officially very challenging and can see that progress is going to take great determination and focus.
Sunday, September 12, 2010Kettlebell session in my basement
Z-Health R-phase Level 2 Dynamic Joint Mobility:
40kg x 2 x 5/5 One-hand swings
32kg x 10 x 6/6 Snatch every minute and half
Total: 120 reps in 14:26
Previously before a beginning a challenging set of snatches with the 24kg bell, I would start with a few sets of one-hand swings with the 32kg bell. This time I did the same thing only with heavier bells.
I hit a new volume and density PR with the 32k snatches. By slowly building up with the 32kg snatch will put me in a position to start snatched the 40kg for reps.
Monday, September 13, 2010Afternoon Kettlebell Session on lawn outside my office building.
Z-Health R-phase Level 2 Dynamic Joint Mobility:
24kg Complex Medley:
N-OAC: N-reps of each lift One Arm Complex:
1. N One-hand swings
2. N Cleans
3. N Front Squats
4. N Snatches
5. N Viking Push Presses
(3-OAC left/3-OAC right)
(10 left/10 right/10 two-hand) swings
(3-OAC left/3-OAC right)
(10 left/10 right/10 two-hand) swings
(3-OAC left/3-OAC right)
2 x 15 x (1 left/1 right) hand-to-hand swings
(3-OAC left/3-OAC right)
2 x 15 x (1 left/1 right) hand-to-hand swings
(3-OAC left/3-OAC right)
30 two-hand swings
Total: 300 reps
Each of the ten sets consisted of 15 reps each side of various combinations. The even sets were strictly various swings: one-hand, hand-to-hand and two-hand. The odd sets comprised the of the same 3 rep One-Arm-Complex of swings, cleans, front-squats, snatches and Viking Push Presses. Rest between sets consisted of waiting for my training partner, Gordon Lee, to complete a set of 20 two-hand swings with the 32kg bell.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Early evening Olympic Weightlifting session in my basement
Z-Health R-phase Level 2 Dynamic Joint Mobility:
Joe Mills Template
Snatch (kg):
(50, 55, 60) x 5 x 1
(62,64,66,66,68,70,72) x 1 x 1 [1101111]
C&J (kg):
(72, 77, 82) x 5 x 1
(84,86,88,90,92,94) x 1 x 1
Kettlebell Snatch:
32kg x 1 x 2R/1L
Richard Maloon joined this evening and we both had great sessions. I only missed a 66kg snatch but called a "do over" since I didn't give enough umph to the pull. I then made the "do over" the three consecutively heavier lifts.
For my cleans the cue of the day was "loose arm groove" and it worked especially well with 90kg and above where I typically get over-amped and start pulling with arms before exploding.
I then was pleased to finally snatch the bulldog (40kg kettlebell) with my left arm which followed my first double with my right arm.
Richard was very perceptive and noticed on my jerks I was dropping my elbows just after taking a breadth and dipping. I think it was a reactionary movement related to me no longer wasting energy on the clean recovery by going up on my toes and bouncing the bar. It took a few reps to completely get rid of it and my jerk splits improved .. thanks Richard!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Afternoon Kettlebell Session on lawn outside my office building.
Z-Health R-phase Level 2 Dynamic Joint Mobility:
Heavy kettlebell swings:
40kg x 7 x 5/5 One-hand
40kg x 5 x 10 Two-hand
40kg x 1 x 5/5/ One-hand
40kg x 7 x 10 Two-hand
Total: 200 reps
Kettlebell Squats:
40kg x 2 x 3/3 one-arm racked
40kg x 2 x 5 Goblet
40kg x 1 x 10 Goblet
Misc:
40kg x 1 x 1 Push Press right
40kg x 1 x 1 Windmill right
In an earlier post I talked about doing some heavier one-handed swings and today I did. The original goal was ten sets of five left, five right at the top of the minute but my form deteriorated during set seven. I then switched to sets of ten two-hand swings to finish the last three sets. I then did another nines sets of these at the top of every two minutes with one other one set thrown to see the form recovered .. which it did .. barely.
For the first time as able to front squat the 40kg in the racked position on both sides. However three reps each side is all I could manage. Goblet squats were much easier as even a set of ten was not too difficult.
