Please help with my routine

[brah_of_iron]

I've been doing a hybrid powerlifting/oly lifting/strong man routine for the past month or 2, progress has been good but I want to switch to a strictly oly lifting routine because it's just so much fun.

I'm just gonna throw out a routine and you can tell me if I'm heading in the right direction or what I should do differently, and what order the exercises should be in for maximum gains. I have no idea what rep schemes I should use or percentages for different lifts. I also want to train at least 5 days a week.

Mon: Snatch work
Snatch grip oly pull 5x2 (thinking like 120% of my max full snatch?)
Hang Snatch 4x1 w/ 80% max
Full Snatch (should I max every week?)
OH Squat 3x5
Weighted chins - 3x5

Tues: OH work
M. Press - 3x3-5
Jerk - sets of 3?
Push Press - 3x5
Weighted dips - 3x5-10

Wed: Cleans
High Pulls - 3x5
O Pulls - 5-6x2 (again roughly 120% of clean max)
Hang Cleans - 5-7x1
Front Squats 3x5

Thurs: Plyo + snatch work + vertical pulls
Standing broad/one legged/box jumps + 15 yard sprints
Power Snatch
Full Snatch w/80ish%
OH Squat
Weighted chins
BTN pull ups

Fri: C&Js and front squat
O pulls 5x2
Power clean
C&J work up to max?
Front squats - 4-8x1
Incline Press - 3x5-12


So basically if you guys could help with what percentages I should use, what rep scheme, and if this routine is any good. If there's already a well known routine for an intermediate oly lifter I'd rather do that and follow it to a T. Thanks in advance

[madaozeki]

Post vids of your snatch and clean + jerk form to help us determine what your strengths and weaknesses are and what needs to be addressed. A program only makes sense in the context of your proficiency and experience.

Looking forward to helping

[brah_of_iron]

Luckily I have some videos handy, but both are from mid summer and I've improved my form.

Hang clean



Hang snatch



Since then I've worked on hip flexibility and can catch it lower in both exercises. Seems like I need to work on the speed under the bar. Max clean and jerk is around 240-250, max snatch 170.

[madaozeki]

Cool, thanks for posting!

A couple further questions:

1. Do you do all your lifts from the hang?
2. Are you interested in training the full lifts, the power versions, from the floor, hang, etc? ie. What's the goal here?

There are some major form issues going on here, but also you're doing a lot of things pretty well, so it shouldn't take too too long to fix the problems.

Don't suppose you have a vid of your lifts more recently, with closer-to-max weights?

[brah_of_iron]

1. I do either full or hang, I just only have videos of my hang ones. Truth is I do feel more comfortable from the hang (especially with snatch) and I seem to catch it lower.

2. I want to compete in oly lifting, I love the sport and want to get better at it.

Lol yea I've never had a coach, that's the result of teaching myself. I'd love to hear what things I should work on. The bar travelling toward my body slightly before the hip extension is a problem I'm assuming? No I have no other videos, but that hang clean was my max back in the summer (220lb)

[madaozeki]

1. I do either full or hang, I just only have videos of my hang ones. Truth is I do feel more comfortable from the hang (especially with snatch) and I seem to catch it lower.

2. I want to compete in oly lifting, I love the sport and want to get better at it.

Lol yea I've never had a coach, that's the result of teaching myself. I'd love to hear what things I should work on. The bar travelling toward my body slightly before the hip extension is a problem I'm assuming? No I have no other videos, but that hang clean was my max back in the summer (220lb)

Thanks for answering the questions

Since you want to compete in Oly lifting, you probably already know you'll have to start both lifts from the floor. It's illegal to lift from the hang in competition.

That being said, if you're more comfortable from the hang, you're probably going to need a fair bit of work on the 1st pull transitioning into the 2nd pull.

In case you're not familiar with the terminology:

1st Pull
Pulling the bar off the floor to about knee height, in a tight, controlled fashion

2nd Pull
When the bar passes the knees, your leverage improves a lot (which is why you like lifting from the hang!). This is where you accelerate and straighten up your whole body, and the bar moves in, or "scoops" towards the thighs.

Racking the bar
After you finish the 2nd pull, you move immediately to the receiving position. For a power version of the lift, your knees will be slightly bent. For a competition, or squat version of the lift, you'll receive the bar in a full squat.

Right now, you don't have a 1st pull, so that's a big deal!
Your 2nd pull is a bit manic. Your "hang" position is not ideal, actually, and as a result, you're kicking the bar WAAAY out front, which makes it awkward to receive.

Your position
Torso somewhat upright, knees forward, butt down, shoulders behind the bar

A better position
Torso more leaned over, with your shoulder slightly in front of the bar, knees straighter

The "better" position will give you more leverage when you start to explode, though it'll feel more awkward at the beginning. It'll also enable you to straighten up more fully, to "finish" the pull.

Here's a vid I posted yesterday for newbtime that could also apply to you:



As for a program, you're moving some decent weights, which is nice, but with your current form issues you've probably already hit a wall and nearly maxed out what you'll ever be able to lift that way.

In order for a program to be beneficial, you'll have to drop the weight to about 60-70% of what you're using now, and drill form until it's better. Once it's adequate, THEN you can get on a more specific program.

In the meantime, for the next several weeks, I'm going to recommend something like the following, which will enable you to improve form while also gaining strength. That way when you're eventually able to do the lifts well, you can apply that new strength immediately:

Monday
Technique work with the empty bar (see vid below)
Full Snatch - 40kg - 5 sets of 2
Overhead Squats (to work on your low snatch position) - 40kg - 5 sets of 3
Weighted chins - 5x5 heavy

Tuesday
Technique work with the empty bar
Full Clean - 60kg - 5 sets of 2
Front Squats (to work on your low clean position) - 60kg - 5 sets of 3
Overhead Press (standing) - 3x5
Weighted Dips - 5x5 heavy

Wednesday
Technique work with the empty bar (see vid below)
Full Snatch - 40kg - 5 sets of 2
Back Squat - 5x5 medium-heavy

Thursday
Technique work with the empty bar (see vid below)
Standing broad/one legged/box jumps + 15 yard sprints
Jerks from the rack - 60kg for 5 sets of 2
Weighted chins - 3x8 medium heavy

Friday
Technique work with the empty bar (see vid below)
Snatch - 40kg - 5 sets of 2
Full Clean - 60kg - 5 sets of 2
Front Squats (to work on your low clean position) - 60kg - 5 sets of 3
Incline Press - 5x5

I removed all "power" versions of the lifts, all lifts from the hang, and all pulls. Right now the focus should be on getting the full lifts down, and any of those other things will just get in the way of that. There is a time and place for those lifts for some lifters, but not for you just now.

Also, I removed the push press for now, since it may interfere with your progress learning the jerk.

Finally, note that the overhead and front squats are very very light for now. I haven't seen your low positions, but I'm assuming they're not wonderful, so you can take this opportunity to really squat deep, and stretch out that bottom position, building strength there.

This routine should be good for several weeks. You can add a bit of weight every week if you feel sharp. The goal is to build speed and technique on the O-lifts for now, NOT to see how much you can lift. That'll come later.

Please start a log and take vids early and often. Much better to stay on track right from the beginning.

Here's a vid of empty bar work that you can use to warm up for every single workout. Note that it does include lifts from the hang until you're warm:

[brah_of_iron]

Damn thanks a lot! Exactly what I needed!
I'll have a log up by tomorrow's workout with a vid of my full snatch for more input, I'll put the link in here.

And I also saw your new blog so I'll be checkin it out for more tips.
Thanks again, much appreciated.

[madaozeki]

Damn thanks a lot! Exactly what I needed!
I'll have a log up by tomorrow's workout with a vid of my full snatch for more input, I'll put the link in here.

And I also saw your new blog so I'll be checkin it out for more tips.
Thanks again, much appreciated.

Cool, no problem!

Looking forward to the vids. That's really the fastest way to improve without a coach training with you.

[brah_of_iron]

Here's the journal link:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...#post408892141

[madaozeki]

Here's the journal link:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...#post408892141

Cool, just subbed, will comment after bath-time!