Crossfit Armoury - August 9, 2017: Speciality class: Olympic Lifting; Oly Max Testing

Wednesday; August 9, 2017 @ Crossfit Armoury - West

Coach:  Amie J.

Thoughts:  
Amie is the second of the subsitue coach that will be teaching us for the month of August.  She had coach us before for crossfit.  Although, the ever elusive bag of rubber bands that is used for warming up is missing; Amie had changed it up a bit for the warm-up.
She had us perform some lunges, with opposite elbow to floor; while the other arm is reaching for the sky.  We alternated sides as we work our way thru the 50 feet.   On the way back, we had our feet planted on the ground and walked our hands forward until we were in a plank position, there we would do the cobra pose, switching up to a downward dog pose, followed by the inch worm until our feet meet our hand.  We repeated these series of movements for 5 sets.

We grabbed some light rubber bands and wrapped them around our knees; ensuring we bend them slightly and then shuffle our feet side to side for about 20 steps; then repeat the in the opposite direction.  Yup, reminds me of the movement that Physio had me doing, to activate those hips muscles.

Next warm-up, using those same bands were to hold them forward, hip height (imagine that you have hand-cuffs on); pull the band outwards and hold for 5 seconds.   Take the same stand, bring them to a front rack position (where you can still see over the band) - hold for 5 seconds; next move the band above eyebrow level and hold for 5 seconds.   Now repeat these three movements for 2 more sets.

We moved to the wooden dowel to practice (as Coach Amie demoed it) the empty bar daily warm-up.  

Snatch:
Using the empty barbell, we did some quick drills with the Tall Snatches.  You could start with an empty barbell, and then slowly add weight for each set as we worked thru the tall Snatches.  I worked thru each set adding 20 lbs, so it was empty barbell, 65, and then 85 lbs.

After that was completed, start working on your 1 RM Snatch.

My previous 1 RM snatch was 135 lb.   I slowly started building up, not really using the suggested Oly Max Test guide.    Since I've already had the 85 lb from the Tall Snatch; did one at that weight, and then use the following:  95, 105, 125, 135.
The 135 lb went up fairly easy.   Decided not be greedy and added 10 lbs.   It tooked me 3 tries before I got it.   I think I spent too much time in my head on the first one, even though I got under it... I aborted.   It was similar on the second try, resting about 3 minutes before starting.   Coach Amie came by and gave me some suggestions.   My third try, it went up.  I wish I had a video, but I don't.
I tried to goto 150 (just 2x 2.5 lb more) but I aborted it after my pull to my hip. 
Again, it's in my head...  I spend way too much time there.    

I decided I would be happy with the 145 lb Snatch, 10 lb PR.    

Not bad considering I've only been working on these lifts for 4 weeks.

Clean and Jerk:
Well, I know what I'm doing wrong with this movement.  Again, if you viewed my video from Sunday's class; you would  see exactly where I'm failing.

I started off with 135 lb, and power cleaned  and then followed by a split jerk.
I kept adding 20 lb each time.  I even power clean 175 lb.     Gawd..  Once I hit 195, I started to do my squat clean.  Coach gave me some suggestion about ensuring my arms/elbows are higher on the transitions.   I had them low and that would become a safety issues if my elbows hit my knee and then with heavy weights; wreck my wrist.   I need my wrists for work.    Another valid reason to ensure those are up.  She also suggested that I speed up that transition and ensure I stay with the bar, not just let it flow.  Another area she notice is that I'm not having the barbell land across my shoulder pads, it's a bit too forward.   (Hmm, where have I heard this before).   I'm also having issues when the bar hits the shoulder, it's actually crashing on to them. Which is not good as it, pulls me forward and then everything out of alignment.

I tried again, and made some modifications to my stance.  Still need to do more work on this.  I managed to hit 205 lb, tying my old PR.   

Other areas which I do notice and later, consulted with the other lifters who watched was that it appears to them that I'm "muscling" the bar up.   Sophie (who was new, but she definitely lifts) pointed that out.  She was sitting in front of me.  The others were to the side.    I also showed them a video from Sunday; and Terrance said, "that's exactly what your lift looked liked today!!"   
Yup, as I told him; I didn't feel it brushing my hip. 

Lots of great suggestions, including Terry who suggested that I do a lot more Hang Cleans, to get use to and build up on that movement.   Once the barbell with weights is on my shoulder, getting it above my head is not the issue.

Although, Coach did mention after I told her that my right rear leg goes flat, as opposed to being on my balls of the feet on the split jerk; she said that it was because I was too short on my front split.  I need to go a bit longer.   

Just for giggles, I tried hitting a PR of 207 lb (just 2x 1 lb plates).   But I just couldn't get it.  

Clean & Jerk attempt:  207 lb, failed.
If you removed the small black plate at the end;
it was 205 lb and was successful.

I need to work on that barbell travel.  It was also pointed out that my initial speed from ground to above knee is perfect, but the speed from the knee to hip is slow, or about the same speed as from ground to knee. This needs to speed up, this is where the explosive power is.  Will do some more research (YouTube, ask coach to review my video, more practice).

So NO PR on the Clean And Jerk.  More work is needed here.


Accessory/Homework:
Snatch:
Coach Amie suggested that I work on doing some drop snatches.  Using as much weight as I want.  This will help with me feeling a bit more comfortable getting underneath the bar.    And since I don't have to worry about the other movement of bringing the bar up; it will save some of my energy.    

Clean and Jerk:
- work on my landing with the split jerk, maybe land with feet farther apart (forward).
- work on lifting my elbows up higher to the front rack position
- work on following thru with the transition to ensure the barbell land across the shoulder cap.
- work on some hang cleans, especially building on the explosive power between the knee to the hip.   I think my issue is that I'm not pulling the bar/let it ride along the leg upwards to the hip that is my main issue.  

That's it for today; will resume Olympic lifting hopefully in a week or two.

Until next time, remember to keep your training consistent!!