Improve Your Barbell Cycling: Light to Moderate Weight

There will be a number movements throughout this program that have a specific tempo prescribed to assist in creating the desired dose response for the movement and training session. It will look similar to this: @3030 or @20X1 This means that the movement is meant to be done at a specific tempo or speed, instead of just as fast as possible. Tempo is always @ (eccentric)(point where direction changes)(concentric or 'the work' part of the lift)(other point where direction changes) X means as fast as possible Numbers mean seconds. Example: @3012 that’s 3 second eccentric (down), 0 second hold at bottom, 1 second concentric on the way up, 2-second hold at the top

Check out the quick video demo on taping your thumbs for the purpose of hook gripping the barbell. Coach’s Note: The hook grip allows for the athlete to maintain a safe and firm hold on the barbell, while helping save the forearms during high rep cycling. If not something you currently do, it will likely feel awkward and uncomfortable for the first week or two, but is absolutely necessary with cycling a barbell!

Control: Clean & Jerk (5min)

2 sets: 30 Second Alternating Scorpion with Pec Stretch 5/side Down Dog to Groiner with Thoracic Rotation Stretch 10 Alternating Cossack Squat with Plate Press 8 Kang Squats with Plate Coach’s Note: Today we will warm up both the clean & jerk and snatch before hitting our session 1 test! Both ‘Controls’ will be our staple warm-ups to get the body primed before hitting the barbell. Reminder to click on 'TIPS' for movement cues and video demos throughout the program!

Specific: Clean & Jerk (5min)

2 Sets: 8 Deadlifts 8 Clean Shrugs 8 Clean High Pulls 8 Alternating Front Rack Rotations into Push Press Coach’s Note: Use an empty barbell for both sets (or even a PVC). We can now start feeling a little weight while priming the core and firing the fast twitch muscles before we hit our workload each day. During this warm-up, hold your hook grip with knuckles pointed down to the ground, this will help keep the BB close to the body at all times. If time permits, film yourself during a set and compare this to the demo athlete in the video, are we hitting the correct points of performance?

Control: Snatch (5min)

2 Sets: 10 Snatch Grip Dowel Pass Throughs 10 Snatch Grip Banded Dowel Deadlifts @TEMPO 2121 10 Explosive Prisoner Jump Squats 30 Second Supine Snatch Grip Overhead Barbell Stretch (Foam Roller) Coach’s Note: This will be our primer on all snatch days. It is important to always do these movements in their entirety. We have a mix of mobility and dynamic movements which will help us feel ‘barbell ready’ and help us avoid injury.

Specific: Snatch (5min)

2 Sets: 10 Snatch Deadlift 10 Snatch Shrugs 10 Snatch High Pulls 5 Behind the Neck Snatch Grip Push Press, Push Jerk (5 of Each) Coach’s Note: As we did with the cleans, we are breaking the snatch down into steps while preparing our muscles and joints to handle load safely. Reminder, knuckles down, bar close!

"Grisabel"

Control: Clean & Jerk (5min)

2 sets: 30 Second Alternating Scorpion with Pec Stretch 5/side Down Dog to Groiner with Thoracic Rotation Stretch 10 Alternating Cossack Squat with Plate Press 8 Kang Squats with Plate Coach’s Note: Today we begin our skill and technique work, specifically with the clean & jerk. Be sure to start making note of weight being used in each section, this will be helpful for making incremental adjustments in future sessions.

Specific: Clean & Jerk (5min)

2 Sets: 8 Deadlifts 8 Clean Shrugs 8 Clean High Pulls 8 Alternating Front Rack Rotations into Push Press Coach’s Note: Reminder to use an empty barbell for both sets (or even a PVC for first set if you wish).

Shoulder-to-Overhead (6min)

6 x 7

Power Clean ‘Ascent’ (6min)

20 Seconds ON/ 40 Seconds OFF for 4 Sets: Power Clean->Reset->Jerk Right into… 20 Seconds ON/ 40 Seconds OFF for 4 Sets: Power Clean->Jerk Out of Catch Right into... 20 Seconds ON/ 40 Seconds OFF for 4 Sets: Power Clean->Double Bounce Jerk Coach’s Note: 40% or less of 1RM clean and jerk (record weight used through all 4 sets-weight should stay consistent through all three variations). We are introducing 3 different variations of catching the clean and then jerking the barbell overhead. You will notice option 1 shows the most control but is the slowest, while option 2 is the quickest. Option 3, also quick, however, is often used to use barbell momentum when weight starts to get into the ‘moderate’ category. This is a great one to film so that we can check in on the difference between the three and how we are executing them!

Control: Snatch (5min)

2 Sets: 10 Snatch Grip Dowel Pass Throughs 10 Snatch Grip Banded Dowel Deadlifts @TEMPO 2121 10 Explosive Prisoner Jump Squats 30 Second Supine Snatch Grip Overhead Barbell Stretch (Foam Roller) Coach’s Note: Welcome to the first snatch technique day! Move through the two warm-up sections with intention, we want to start developing good habits including tight core, flat backs, and a close barbell path.

Specific: Snatch (5min)

2 Sets: 10 Snatch Deadlift 10 Snatch Shrugs 10 Snatch High Pulls 5 Behind the Neck Snatch Grip Push Press, Push Jerk (5 of Each)

Snatch Path ‘Ascent’ (8min)

8 x 5

4 Sets: 5-7 Power Snatches with CHEST CONTACT on Descent (2 SECOND descent from the lockout position to chest contact) *Rest 1 min between sets Coach’s Note: All 4 sets with empty bar, strictly technique. Cues are TUCK CHIN, followed by DRIVE ELBOWS STRAIGHT DOWN, as the barbell gets close to SKIMMING THE CHEST, allow the elbow to turn over (now facing the ceiling). It is common to see a disconnect when lowering the barbell from the top of the rep. The focus here is to keep the bar close on the way down, this will limit stress on the posterior chain. Note that if you can’t make physical contact with the chest/ribs, just get it as close as possible. You will notice the demo athlete “absorbing” the bar as it descends using ankle and knee movement, don’t worry too much about this today though, it will be the primary focus in following weeks.