Topic: How much do you pull?

[Mike Cook]

I have some questions about pulls:

1.  How much do pull?  For example if your program has you working between 75% and 90% of max, what percent of you max would you do on pulls? 

2.  Do you do pulls from the ground, below the knees, blocks?  Why do you do pulls from one position instead of another?

I usually do pulls between 100% - 110% of my max for snatch and CJ.  I only do pulls from the ground.  I do 3 sets of 3 pulls with nearly every practice. 

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Mike,
 I am very much the novice lifter, so what I'm saying is only tempered with about the 20 months that I've been exposed to OL.  My current program has me training every other day and I do snatch pulls to 100 to 100% (depending on what level I'm pulling in my snatch that day (70 to 85%) on Day one, clean pulls on Day two following the same protocols.  then on day three I deadlift (alternating sumo and conventional pulls and again waving the weights, reps, etc).

1. I like to stay closer to 100% in that my pulls are less than stellar
2. I normally always pull from the floor because of my less than exemplar pulls.

My goal is to correct the pull over time and implement the use of the boxes as you've described.  But I see little benefit in ever going over 110% At least for me.

All the best,
 Arden

[Erik Blekeberg]

I used to do pulls but, I found better gains just doing the lifts, the power versions and squatting (Bulgarian system).

When I did do pulls I worked them at 110%+ my max snatch/clean lifts for reps of 3 or so.

[Dave Chiu]

Pulls are about building confidence/consistency

in moving the barbell correctly.

I like to use them for "getting acquainted" w/ a weight

before I try to take it overhead (like SN pull, then SN w/ straps,

then SN hkgr).

I also like doing the kind of "top-pops"

seen in some of the Chinese training vids.

All-in-all, once you know WHAT you are using them for

the HOW comes pretty naturally.