Topic: LaDuke's Training Log

[Jack]

Paul,

Thanks for the explanations, it makes sense. Thanks for putting up your dumbbell routine video.

Sjaak

[Paul LaDuke]

I took a couple of days off due to work.  High School wrestling is a big sport in PA.  Our team made it to the first round of the state tourney, a trip of 2 hours, only to get beat.  They put up a great fight but the other team was very solid and wrestled a slightly different style that we are used to.  It was fun to watch but sadly the boys couldn't pull out a win.  The trip meant for a late night and I still had to be up early the next day.  Life goes on!  During the days off I did do 100 push ups, 20 pullups and shoulder DB circuits every day.

Workout, 2/5/2009

Warm Up - Jump rope, squats, multi-directional lunges with bar, presses, bar work, stretching

Clean and Jerk
- 3 x 3 x 61kgs (135#)
- 3 x 3 x 84kgs (185#)
- 2 x 1 x 102kgs (225#)
- 3 x 1 x 11kgs (245#)
- 2 x 1 x 120kgs (265#) 1st attempt was a pull.

Clean Pulls
- 5 x 2 x 143kgs (315#)

This felt like a pretty good session and my legs felt pretty good.  I have video of the last clean and jerk and I will post the link here once the video is approved by the site admin at Revver.

[Paul LaDuke]

Here is the video. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0aBosvZBkU

I think my set up is much better than the 129 miss I had 2 weeks ago.  I still think there is something wrong at the top of the pull - starting the 2nd pull too early?  1st pull looks good to me.   In the jerk, the front foot lands short.  I need to get it out there farther.

Any other thoughts and comments are welcome.

[Carl Darby]

Paul, two things, the weight doesn't come back much after it passes your knees and gets too far forward after it leaves your thighs. This makes your catch a little soft. Those are the symptoms, I don't know the cure. On the jerk, your weight is too far forward, notice your right heel popping up at the bottom of the dip. I think if you just get your weight back towards your heels, most of the jerk problems will disappear. Overall, a good looking lift.

[Paul LaDuke]

Carl,

Thanks for the input.  You are right about the symptoms.  I think the bar gets forward on me because my timing is a bit off.  I need to start the 2nd pull a little bit later (higher).  This would keep my hips and thighs from banging into the bar and sending it forward.  So my thoughts are getting the weight back into me when it passes my knees and waiting until about mid thigh to start my 2nd pull. 

What are everyone's opinion on that?  Good or bad?

Thanks.

[Jack]

Paul, I'm very envious of your 120 C&J Absolutely awesome

I think Carl's and your own trouble shooting are right on. In your clean, your are pulling a bit to the left, that's probably because of the top weight, I couldn't even clean it .

I think if you would postpone your top shrug, like you say, the bar would stay on the thighs longer plus the weight would be much easier to pull. The premature shrugging makes the bar go forward now. You also squat a bit to the rear, (sitting back) your knees hardly go forward past the toes. This increases the distance again between you and the bar.

In the jerk, you descend by pushing the hips back, wich is cool, but your upper body tilts forward at the same time, so then you must correct it by coming forward with the hips, loosing contact with the heel(s) like Carl mentioned. Then your launch at that point is not optimal. you could try to arch in the back more and more when you descend, (if possible) to keep the upper body vertical so no correction is necessary. I think it's mostly a flexibility issue.


Sjaak

[Carl Darby]

Sounds good to me. Let us know how it goes.

By the way, I'm doing that russian squat routine you recommended, today was the 6x6 day. Walking down the stairs to my classroom afterwards was tricky. Thanks, and I mean that in the worst possible way. (in four more weeks I'll probably be more sincere.)

[Paul LaDuke]

Carl,

6x6 is a killer day.  That is the only thing I do that day and nothing but stretching and lunges (for warm up) the day after!  5x5 is a little better but after that it is cake.  Tomorrow for me is a 4x4 day and I am looking forward to that after doing 5x5 last week and 6x6 2 weeks ago! 

Sjaak,

Flexibility in my R ankle is minimal at best due to a ankle fracture when I was 12.  I was told early on that I may never walk again.  I proved them wrong!  But no matter the amount of flexibility work I do on that ankle, it will not allow my knee to go past my toes.  The anatomy of the ankle just is not normal and it won't allow it.  It is frustrating a bit because I have a very flexible L ankle.  If I wouldn't have broken my ankle so badly, my flexibility wouldn't be an issue at all!  You are very right about the hip problem with the jerk dip.  Since I haven't worked jerks that much lately I am a bit rusty and that is one thing I noticed right away.  Arching my back and trying to bend only at the knees so that the hips stay under the bar is what I need to do.  Thanks for the great advice.

Thanks again for the comments.  I am hoping to be able to do a 130 or more clean and jerk very soon!  I am confident I have the strength, I just need to work on some technique that is holding me back.