Fast Hips Every Rep - Training Progression: Week 5, Day 3

Power Clean + Press
5 Sets of 1 P.Cl. + 5 Press

Power Snatch + Behind the Neck Snatch Grip Push Press + Overhead Squat
1 Set of 3 P.Sn. + 3 B.N.Sn.G.P.Pr. + 3 Oh.S. @ 60%
3 Sets of 3 P.Sn. + 3 B.N.Sn.G.P.Pr. + 3 Oh.S. @ 70%

Power Clean + Front Squat + Jerk
1 Set of 3 P.Cl. + 3 F.S. + 2 Jr. @ 60%
3 Sets of 3 P.Cl. + 3 F.S. + 2 Jr. @ 70%

RDL
4 Sets of 4 Reps @ 90%

Back Squat
1 Set of 4 Reps @ 60%
1 Set of 4 Reps @ 70%
1 Set of 4 Reps @ 80%
1 Set of 3 Reps @ 85%
1 Set of 4 Reps @ 80%
1 Set of 2 Reps @ 85%

Daily Volume: 135
Weekly Volume: 358

There were two big take aways from today's training.  The first takeaway is that I need to increase the speed of my hips EVERY rep.  I am able to do this from time to time, but I need to get more consistent at getting faster.

R.A. Roman describes in The Training of the Weightlifter, that in the "final acceleration" of bringing your hips into the bar, you create "optimal conditions for the maximum application of force to the barbell and its subsequent vertical elevation." (Roman, 7).  If this portion of the pull isn't fast enough or is too long, then the weight you can snatch and clean & jerk will be limited once you get heavy enough because your ability to maximally apply force is lost. The final part of the "explosion" should be lightning fast.  When I mean lightning fast, it should be 0.15-0.25 seconds in the snatch and 0.1-0.2 in the clean (Roman, 8).

At this point, this is the next focus area I need to work on in order to make the next big jump.  I'm up for the challenge!

The second takeaway was tweaking my squat stance and position.  I brought my feet in slightly to the same width as my starting position in the clean.  Doing this felt more comfortable at the bottom and made it easier for me to drive up with more speed.  When I front squat, I will have a wider stance that will be the same width as my receiving position in the clean.

While the squat has transferability to the overall strength and ability to clean, the torso position of the back squat has more direct transferability to the pull, while the front squat has more direct transferability to driving out of the bottom of the clean.

To finish the session, I did a couple sets of 8 reps of banded squats with just the bar to work on my squat technique.  It was awkward feeling at first, but really seemed to help with being in the right positions when at the bottom and driving up.

Looking forward to a double training session tomorrow!