It feels like a long time since we’ve had the opportunity to regularly hone our Olympic lifting skills. Part of that was COVID, part was a different programming directive.
Personally I am thrilled to be lifting more frequently again. The skills involved, the pairing of neurological and physiological demands elicited by the Olympic lifts, have no equal.
Nothing leaves my body feeling better than a good lifting day. And by good, I mean quality. Heavy loads moved because of technical efficiency. Not sloppy, near misses aimed at artificially inflating your personal records or ego-driven attempts to lift more than the person beside you. That’s just going to beat you up, train you in poor habits, stunt your skill development and, on a bad day, hurt you.
Go for quality. Go as heavy as technique permits. Find that weight that challenges you but allows you to execute with excellence. And stay there for 2, 3, 4 or even 5 working sets.
Warm up
2 rnds
1 min shoulder pass through
1 min plank
1 min hip swings
1 min side plank
1 min OS full body rock
Tech
Clean drops + jerk
(Front squat, end of pull, 1 inch above knee, full clean) 3 at each position plus 3 jerks after each clean position ( split both ways, then push jerk)
Review
Squat clean
Power clean
Push jerk
Split jerk
Then
Build weight
WOD
Clean and jerk
1-1-1-1-1
Cool down
Pass throughs
Arm raises
Dragon pose
Pigeon pose