12 MAR 10

Warrior Gym, 2100.

Warmup: Standard

Practice: 3 x 3 Cleans
These are full cleans. Focus on your form and technique. It won't hurt to watch some videos and do some visualization prior to each set. Some key points:
1. The first "pull" is a deadlift to get the bar off the ground and above your knees, into a position that your hips can do the work. Your feet should be in a "jumping position", or inside/under your hips so that you can generate force against the ground.
2. The second "pull" begins with you "scooping" your knees under the bar by bending them again. This should keep the bar centered over the middle of your foot. Keep your arms straight as you get tall (a more upright/vertical position with your chest) and the bar will steadily rise up your thighs. At the ideal position (this is different for everyone and something you have to feel, but usually about 2/3 up the thigh) jump the barbell as high as you can. This is the most critical component and you can practice this by doing hang cleans. If you don't use your hips you will not get any power transferred to the bar and will quickly plateau in terms of weight lifted. If you bend your arms early, you will not transfer the full amount of energy generated from your hips into the bar. As you jump the bar upwards, shrug your shoulders at the top to get that last extra inch of energy transferred to the bar. Keep the bar in as straight of a line as possible, close to your body.
3. The third "pull" involves you physically pulling yourself under the bar as quickly and violently as possible. In order to receive the bar properly, your feet will transition into a "landing" position, which is more stable, a bit wider than what you started with, and should be the exact same position you do your front squats in. Push your butt back and down to get into the bottom position quicker. Focus on ripping your elbows around the bar quickly so that the bar stays close to your body as you receive it and it will also put you in a more solid position. Stand the bar up by driving through your heels and pulling up with your elbows.
Rinse and repeat.
Hopefully this helped and didn't just confuse the crap out of you. If it confused you, watch the videos on the main page.

Train: "Cindy"
As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 20 Minutes of:
5 x Pullup
10 x Pushup
15 x Air Squat

This is a longer time domain than what we're used to, but it's good to work the ol' aerobic pathway every now and again. We'll most likely have to do this outside for the evening class due to volume in the gym lately. If doing this on your own, try to occupy by force a pullup bar and stake your claim for the entire twenty minutes.
1. Pullups are from full extension to chin over the bar. Kip, fart, scream, jump, do whatever you need to get up there.
2. Pushups are chin, chest, and thigh touch the ground at the same time to full extension. Go to your knees if you have to in order to keep up the intensity, but same rules apply. Try to go at least ten rounds if you can before dropping to your knees.
3. Air squats are crease of the hip below the knee to full hip extension at the top.
Anybody got 20 rounds or more in them?

Post: Stretch and roll. Your body will thank you for it.

Write weights, number of rounds, and types of pullups and pushups in comments.