Met with the OL Coach Tonight!

[Arioch]

The progression is a fairly typical one, where he is trying to assess the strength of muscle groups of primary importance to OL'ing, legs, back (including traps) and shoulders.

And the squat is different for OLing simply because you are trying to make it as specific to the snatch and clean as possible, and the knees will project over the toes in both lifts.

As to what you should do, drop the geek and start training at a real gym now. Each workout you miss is one you can never make up. I never claimed to be a nice guy.

And I knew you would like it. No one as masochistic as you could fail to do so.

 

[Gladiola]

Was on vacay, but went & trained again last night. Would love some feedback, Arioch & others.

Oh - and YES, I'm signing up to join the team!

Here's what I did:
Hanging Cleans 5 sets of 5
Squats - front squats by my choice (he got a pleasantly surprised look when I suggested it, but I told him I know I need to learn & get used to the clean grip) 5X5
Deadlifts - 5X7 - mostly stiff-legged, but he calls that a regular Romanian DL
Push Press - 5X5
----------> This took about 2 hours - but I was working in with other people.

In between sets of cleans, I practiced the shuffle from the pulling stance into the squat stance. He drew chalk lines for my feet for me to practice.

Primary points to work on:
Getting the JUMP, THEN SHRUG & clean the bar utilizing this momentum
My "Power Position" in general & in particular, rotating elbows out & not letting chest collapse.
Keeping the arch in the squat - which I lose because I wasn't letting my knees go over toes immediately (still have to UNLEARN what I've always done).
Keeping my arch in the DL, also keeping chest lifted & bar close to me
Driving with hips in the push press ("DIP & DRIVE" he says) & bringing it up & back - wrists extended.

I cannot believe how much my front delts & collar bones hurt today from front squats - they felt bruised! Although they don't appear marked. Putting on a bra hurt, the seatbelt in my car brushing against them was painful!!!! I know I'll get used to it though.

Absolutely pathetic #'s IMO - way lower than my regular squat was - but I'm in the stage of learning technique. Gonna post them despite how embarassing they are!
Hanging Clean: 25kg
Front Squat: 35kg
DL: 55 kg
Push Press: 25kg

I'm already getting used to not using clips on bars, & dropping barbells. such fun!

 

[Arioch]

To maintain the arched position and tension in the hips, pretend you are a swimsuit model. You know what locations you need to stick out. T&A all the way

How far were your feet moving during the repositioning?

 

[Gladiola]

Damn right, I'm thinking in Kilos!

My feet were moving from about shoulder width, toes only slightly turned out, to wider - toes out at about 45 degrees - my heels weren't moving too far. Maybe my big toe in squat position was where my little toe was in pulling position. Although my coach did say he still wasn't certain on what was ideal for me.

 

[Arioch]

Ok, it takes time to find the ideal stance for each individual.

So when do you go back?

 

[Gladiola]

Update time!!!!

Well, it has been discovered, predominantly through my difficulty with the overhead squat, that I need to increase my hamstring flexibility. PNF to the rescue! It is a damn good thing that I like pain, b/c OOWWW! My coach has been trying to split me in half. Also need to work on the ankle flexibility.

Still working on lots of technique & not going to failure (not super heavy). But I swear my traps & quads have grown already!!! My training partner said he noticed my quads.

Yesterdays workout (forced to do at regular gym - hence odd numbers - converting from pounds):

Power/hang cleans: 5 sets of 3 reps, 37.5KG
Power Snatch (JUST learned this, working on technique): 21KG 5 sets of 3 reps
Push Jerk in the Snatch Grip (these are FUN!): 30K - 5 sets of 3
Overhead Squats: 21K (just 2 sets of 6 - for technique, not strength work)
Back Squat (bar in the usual place): 49 K (NOW we're talkin'!) - 5 sets of 5
Clean pulls from the knee (jump & shrug) 49K - 3 sets of 4 reps

Hands still aren't very calloused, but they're slowly coming along.