KB Snatch

45lbs KB Snatch
8/30s for 8min

I am in Texas for the week and brought my 45lbs bell. This was a easy week, traveling, resting, today's a light KB snatch workout. Back to business next week.

Snatch

In lbs:
65x1
95x1
115x1
135x1
155x1
155x1
165x1
175x1
185x1
195xF-my knee hit the deck, I stood up with the weight after recovering
195XF-lost it in the hole
195xF-just ended up deadlifting the weight.

195 is my PR, lesson from today, stay away from PRing on the snatch. Next session work up to 180 or 185lbs and just try to get that weight consistent. Again, IL WL Championships are 30 Jan 2010, I wanted to hit 80 and 85kg on the platform, so those need to be my snatch focus.

Calling Everyone Out, Part II

Earlier I challenge everyone to state their training goals for 2010. Now, I am asking you what your plan is for getting those goals? You do have a plan, don't you? If you are a coached athlete, does your coach know your goals? Have you guys discussed those?

Who said "goals without plans are just dreams". Here are my goals in priority and my plans for achieving them. Please note, again, training is my hobby and I love the thinking/planning/implementing training ideals as much as the results. My training is a journey, I am enjoying the ride, not just looking forward to the destination.

1. Snatch 100kg. This is a tall goal. My current PR in the snatch is about 195lbs. I have snatched balanced 215, my front squat for a triple is 295lbs. I believe I have the strength to snatch 100kg, I need the technique. My snatch training will focus on technique and slowing building the loads. Technique training will be done on most training days, usually with just the PVC or light weights. I will also add in some supplementary exercises to work the various pulls individual...halting deadlifts, power snatches, snatch balances, tall snatches, etc. I plan on doing at least 1 snatch workout a week. I am not setting any sub goals..like snatch 205lbs by Feb, 210 by July, etc. I think getting my technique solid is the main thing I need to do.

2. 200 reps SSST. This is a secondary goal. My training be based around doing KB exercises on days not olifting. Mixing in swings, snatches, TGUs with other exercises in conditioning circuits. Depending on the progress, I may put 1 KB snatch specific workout a week (there are many on DD to chose from). I do believe the hardstyle KB swing is an important component of the KB snatch and focusing on it will lead the goal.

3. 25 Deadhang Pull-ups. Nothing special here, just do pull-ups. I am focusing on doing ladders, ala Pavel. 5min of pull-ups a few times a week as I am able. I think just doing this (consistently) will get me there.

4. Double-Unders. This is my lowest priority and is a goal just because I think doing 100 DU consistently shows one is capable at DUs. I have no real plan here, other then incorporate DUs into conditioning circuits and occasionally do DU skill work.

That is my plan. What is yours?

Program Minimum- KB Swings/JR

Snatch Warm-Up
With PVC:
5 Passovers
5 Whirly-birds (each side)
5 OHS
5 Pressing Snatch Balance
5 Sots Press
Burgener Warm-Up

Snatch:
65lbsx10x1

Just worked on putting all the pulls together and landing solid with bar over COM, and total body tense, but balanced.

12min:
KB swings-45lb bell
Jump-Rope- 150 single skips

I just swung the bell between 75-25 times, put it down and did 150 single skips, then continued. I focused on preventing the bell from swinging up at the end of the arch and being tense then relaxed, Hardstyle.

The 45lbs bell is awesome for these workouts. As a former CrossFitter, I did not see the value of the 45lbs bell, since it was not used in the named WODs. However, for the Hardstyle Programs the 45lbs bell is the perfect weight for most of us to use. In fact, per Pavel, if your bench is under 200lbs, use a 35lbs bell, if it is 200-300 use a 45lbs and if over 300, then use a 53lbs bell.

Pull-Ups/Get-Ups

Olift Warm-Up:
PVC Pipe:
5 Passovers
5 Whirly Birds (each side)
5 OHS
5 Sots Press
5 Heaving Snatch Balance
5 Passovers in squat position
Burgener Warm-Up
3 Position Power Snatch-Working on hitting the power position and "punching" the bar straight up from the power position.
Empty Bar:
3 Position Power snatchx2
10 Hang Snatches

This took about 10min. The purpose was to slowly move through the various positions of the snatch. This was all done to work the positions, get my body used to feeling each position and prime my nervous system. It was not meant to be taxing at all.

5min Pull-Up Pyramid (Deadhangs)
1,2,3,4,5,6
1,2,3,4,5
1,2,3,3-hit 5min.
Total: 45

5min Get-Ups 45lbs KB

Snatch Work

Halting Snatch Deadlift
135x3
155x3
175x3
185x3
195x3 (100% Snatch)

Power Snatch:
135x1
145x1
155x1
165x1
175x1x4 (No misses with Power Snatch)

Snatch:
175xF
155x1
165x1x2

A lot of volume today. I really should have stopped after the power snatches. The workout was not very focused, but I had fun. The halting snatch DL were to work on the first pull. I tried to focus on only moving the knees and keeping the back angle constant.

Power snatches were a continuation, working the first and second pull. The final few snatches were just to get a few bringing it all together.

30 Jan 10 are the IL Weightlifting Championships. That is my next meet, 6 weeks away. Right now, my goal sets are 80/85/90kg in the Snatch and 105/110/115 in the Clean and Jerk. There is going to be a "CrossFit" division too.

Program Minimum #1

PM Workout #1

12min:
45lbs KB Swings (until form breaks)
Single Unders-JR

The PM is a great program. I went up the 45lbs bell today. It is harder then the 35lbs used last time. I did a mix of 2-handed and 1 handed swings. I have not done single unders in awhile, it took a little bit to get the rythm back after focusing on DUs.

Anyone interested in the Program Minimum, Dan John has a great "sticky" on the forum at Dave Draper's website. Go to Dan John's webpage, then follow the "Q&A Forum" link at the top right corner.

Quick METCON

AMRAP in 10min

5 Deadhang Pull-ups
10 Ring Push-Ups
15 Double Unders

7 in 10:19.

Snatch Balance

In lbs:
45x1
95x1
115x1
135x1
155x1
175x1
185x1
195x1
205x1-did not hit the bottom all the way, stood up and had to walk forward to save it.
215x1-Did not get the bottom, rocky
215x1-Received it well and rode it to the bottom. This is the heaviest I have snatch balance/OHS.

New name. I am just moving on from the concept of "elite" fitness. I am not really sure what that term means anyway.

KB Snatch "Cindy"

For time:

50 45lbs KB Snatch
10 Rounds:
5 Pull-ups (kipping)
10 Push-ups
15 Squats
50 45lbs KB Snatches

13:15

The snatches were 15,15,10,10 then 10,10,10,10,5,5 but the bell did not hit the ground. I just paced through the "Cindy".

Did this one in March with the 53lb bell in 13:35.

Snatch Training

Worked up to 175lbs. Goal was to hit 4 without a miss. I did about 9 total, made only about half of them. I missed them both forward and backwards.

KB Swings, GHD Sit-ups

4 Rounds for time:

50 45lbs KB Swings (hardstyle)
20 GHD Sit-ups

10:40

"A strong midsection does not make us athletic, a strong midsection lets us do the lifts that make us athletic" -Dan John (paraphase)

Front Squat

Front Squat (In lbs)
45x3
135x3
195x3
235x3
265x3
280x3
290x3

Goal set was 290lbsx3. BW 173 pre-lift.

Calling everyone out!

Okay, what are everyone's top 3 training goals for 2010? Be specific. You can not say "increase work capacity" or "qualify for the games". State how you will test and evaluate those things.

Increase work capacity: Name a CF bench mark and set a time. (Note mine is the SSST 200 reps in 10min and 100 DUs)

Strength: Deadlift 500lbs (mine, snatch 100kg)

Qualify for the games: How will you do it? First, have no chinks in the armor, so...be able to do 40 kipping pull-ups, be able to do 5 MUs, be able to do..whatever. Everyone should realize that the first step in doing well in the sport of CrossFit is to be able to do all the potential exercises in CrossFit. Having a sub 2min Fran does you no good if you can not do double-unders.

So, name those goals. Note, I did this a few weeks ago and OPT put it up on his blog today. If you guys blog, put those goals front and center. Cheers.

Strength- HSPU, Pull-Ups, GUs

Pavel's Pyramid's
3 Rounds:

Full ROM HSPU on parallettes: 1,2,3
Weighted Pull-Ups BW+2 Pood: 1,2,3

The second and third round of HSPU felt pretty good.

5min Get-Ups 1 Pood KB

Snatch, Clean and Jerk

In lbs

Snatch

95x1
115x1
135x1
145x1
155x1
165x1
175xMissed, went forward in the hole
175x1

Warmed up with Snatch. I did power snatches, each time dropping lower to catch the weight, the 175s were full snatches.

Clean and Jerk
155x1
185xM-Was not solid in the catch, off balance
185x1
205x1
215x1
225x1
235x1
240x1-May have pushed out the jerk
240x1 Solid jerk

240lbs is the most I have clean and jerked. All in all, I am happy with today, but I did not feel super strong. Today weight 173lbs.

Snatch

In lbs:

Snatch Balance warm-ups:
45x1
95x1
115x1
135x1
155x1

Snatch:
95x1
115x1
135x1
155x1
165x1
175x1
175x1
175xF Got under it, but the bar went forward
175x1
175xF-Again, miss forward
175x1
175xF-Missed forward
175x1

The goal of this session was 175lbs 4x1 without a miss. The misses forward mean I am bring the weight away from my COM on the second pull. I need to stay at this weight and work on hitting the power position, pulling the bar straight up in the second pull and getting solid in the catch. A senior WL watched me the other day and said I am jumpining forward, this is not doubt to compensate for not pulling the bar straight up.

The take home for me, stay at 175lbs for next session, work on getting the bar straight up. All in all I snatch 175lbs 5x out of 8 attempts.

Training Template

I am trying to change the name of my blog. I want it to just reflect my training for what my current goals are.

I am still giving serious thought on how to move my training forward. After doing some hard thinking about how much effort I can and want to devote to training, I have come to the following conclusions. First, I do not think CA WODs will be the best choice for me. The volume and time commitment are too much for me and my life. The progressively overload template I put out a few days ago is something new and is an actual plan. However, do I need to change my current plan?

While on one hand my programming may seem random,doing whatever I feel like, on another it is based on an actual plan. Mixing of short, fast metcons and mid range metcons (using highly functional movement) and olifting alternating between working either in my zone of no miss or doing heavy singles. Every workout has a goal time/set/load. More importantly, I have been progressing on this plan. This template fits my life great and by following it, I have hit a snatch of 195lbs and a clean and jerk of 235lbs. Should I be changing something that works?

Dan John is one of my favorite coaches. He seems to truely understand how to train and balance training with life. He has a new website: www.danjohn.org. I added it to my "coach" list. I have spent some time on his new blog and I keep seeing the following.."if it is not broke, why fix it?", "the Paredo Principle: 80% of results, come from 20% of your effort". I have always done well with short, focused training..why change it now?

Pull-Ups/Get-Ups

Deadhang Pull-ups:
3x(1,2,3,4,4,3,2,1)=60
6:36

A little slower then I thought it. Felt the last 10. All subsets have to be unbroken.

Get-Ups:
5min with a 45lbs KB

A good little strength workout.