Topic: Training the best that I can.

[rjohnston435]

-Cleans: 40/2, 50/2, 60/2, 70/1, 75/x, 75/x, 75/1, 77.5/x, 77.5/x
-Cleans off low blocks: 60/3, 70/3, 80/x, 80/x, 75/x, 75/x, 75/1
-Front Squat: 60/2, 70/2, 80/1, 80/1
-Strength work (Floor Press w/DB, Inclined Rows)
-Shoulder rehab movements

I went off to Erindale to train. Things went swimmingly until 75kg. I wasn't accelerating enough upwards, which is my weakness. I am strong off the floor, as I have pulled 120kg with a hook grip and chalk when I maxed-out late last year.

According to the Russian theory, if my max clean is 75 off the floor, I should be good for 85 off the low blocks IF I am fast enough. I am not, apparently.

Additional notes:
-I should have probably went down in weight when the first 75kg attempt didn't go very smoothly and A) worked back up or B) started with 60kg or so on the clean off the low blocks.
-I was on my toes a little, so I have to be more concious of that each and every rep.
-Next week I will go back to the Mills-style workout with about 20-21 reps to give me more time with 80-90% weights so I can work on the smoothness of my pull.
-I should also remember to do a full warm-up, especially for the shoulders and hips. I typically foam roll, do arm circles, trunk twists with a small weight, hip swings, goblet squats as well as 'L rotations' and scapular wall slides for the shoulders.

[Arturo Gómez]

the chain brokes for  the weakest link. Your squat training is to low in proportion with olimplic work. It´s out of balance.This carry to injuries or excesival phisical stress.
I´d improve the work of squat and pulls and less clean

[rjohnston435]

Arturo,

I usually train two or three days per week as my schedule with work permits. Only one of those days permits me to do full Olympic lifts, which is why I do so many of them. The other day is usually in a gym where I cannot drop the bar, so I usually squat and do power cleans and snatches and also press.

However, I agree that I should work more on squatting and pulling. In fact, it was my intention to squat today but I am sick so I intend to recover.

[Arturo Gómez]

I understand.
Those who (as you and I) work for eat, have the challenge to optimize our training with different restrictions to the professionals of the sport.
In the other hand, they have not our freedom to choise the better for each one and create the own experience.

[rjohnston435]

-Front Squat: 50/2, 60,2, 70/2, 80/1, 90/1
-Cleans: 40/2, 50/2, 55/5x1, 60/4x1, 40/1

This was the first session of this week because I had been sick. I am still not 100%, so I backed off when my form started to slip at reps three and four at 60kg. My form did feel good, though, nice and crisp. I seem to be starting the second pull of my cleans near the crease of my hip like a snatch. I have no idea why, but it seems to work out just the same.

[rjohnston435]

-5 minutes on the bike, stretching
-Front Squats: 45lbs/2, 135/2, 155/2, 170 for 1/2/3 & 160 1/2/3
-Clean deadlifts: 135/3, 155/3, 185/3
-Batwings: 30/5, 35/5, 40/5
-Shoulder rehab
-Stretch/cool down

Today's workout was at the local YMCA.

I purchased Dan John and Pavel Tsatsouline's book Easy Strength in PDF format last night and have already learned a number of valuable lessons at just over halfway through said book.

I need more basic strength and GPP work. I need to spend more time pulling and squatting (Arturo said this too). I need more stability in my mid-section and I need to heal up my shoulders.

The Mills workout is awesome, I think, but not what I need. I need quality reps, but I also need to be stronger.

[rjohnston435]

-Warmed up with foam rolling, dynamic stretches, goblet squats, swings, L rotations etc.
-Front Squats: 20/1, 40/1, 50/1, 60/1, 70/1,2,3...1,2,3
-Cleans: 50/2, 55/2, 60/2, 65/x x, 50/2, 55/2
-Clean deadlifts: 70/2, 65/3, 60/5
-Stretched out and cooled down

The workout took about an hour, warm-up and post-workout included. I did the warm-up singles with no hands on the squats to focus on keeping my back arched and chest up. Goblet squats really seem to be helping with my tight hips and the back arch.

The 65kg cleans were not happening today, so I just decided to do a couple more reps and get the 'groove' back. I think I will switch the squat ladders to after the cleans next week.

16-10-11:

My shoulders are beat up today, I believe with a mild case of AC strain. The culprit is probably all the hard landings of the bar on my shoulders from cleans. I will have to avoid cleans for the week except for perhaps Saturday where I may do some stuff up to 80%. I have also been advised to do some light shoulder work to build the deltoids back up. I suppose I will sub in dumbbell or kettlebell goblet squats for a bit. I can still get a positive effect on my leg strength. With the lighter clean I can also incorporate some more posterior chain work because I won't be as tired. I do love me some swings and clean pulls.   

[rjohnston435]

-Warmed up
-Goblet squats: 25lbs/5, 45/5, 65/5, 85/5, 85/5
-Clean deadlifts: 135/3, 155/3, 145/3
-TRX BW rows 3x5
-1 arm presses 20lbsx5, 2 arm presses 20x5, lateral scapulation 15x5 (per arm)

I weighed in at 101kg today, down about 2kg or so. This took about 45 minutes with warming up and cooling down included. It felt like a good, medium workout.