Olympic Weightlifting: Cuban Method

[crackyflipside]

Monday, July 11, 2011
First Session
Power snatch: 50 x 3r / 60 x 3r x 4 [0.870 tons / 15 lifts][60% 4/3]
Front squat: 90 x 3r / 110 x 3r x 4 [1.590 tons / 15 lifts][70% 4/3]

Quick session today. Going to be doing three sessions today; first was this weightlifting, second will be some running, and third will be the other weightlifting session.

[crackyflipside]

Monday, July 11, 2011
Second Session
Running:
400m 2:15 / rest 2:15
800m 4:36 / rest 4:36
400m 2:00 / rest 2:00
800m 5:17 / rest 5:17
400m 3:18

Doing some running three times a week to try to lose some extra fat I got taking up space on my body. Did these runs thinking it was just 400m runs, didn't know about the 800m. That made things interesting. On the third 800 my quads cramped up so damn bad and it ruined my pace. In the future I'm just going to stick with sprints at the most 400m.

Third Session
Power snatch: 50 x 2r x 2
Snatch: 60 x 3r x 2 / 70 x 3r / 75 x 3r / 80 x 1r x 2 / 80 x 2r [1.315 tons / 20 lifts][80% 3/2]
Power clean + power jerk: 85 x (1+1r)2r x 2 / 90 x (1+1r)2r / 95 x 1+1r x 3 [1.610 tons / 18 lifts][80% 3/1]
Triceps extension: 10 x 10r x 2 / 20 x 10r / 25 x 10r

Was very surprised how well the session felt even after all the running in the second session. This makes me very optimistic for adding running into the program. Coach told me not to do the squats for the third session and added them to tomorrow's workload.

[Liftamulti]

In and subbed. I like how you set it up with tons, percentages, etc and comparing the weeks.

[crackyflipside]

Wednesday, July 13, 2011
First Session
Muscle snatch: 50 x 3r / 60 x 4r x 3 [0.870 tons / 15 lifts][60% 3/4]
Power clean + push press: 70 x (1+1r)3r / 85 x (1+1r)3r x 3 [1.950 tons / 24 lifts][70% 3/3]

No session on Tuesday because the running on Monday left me pretty much a cripple. My calves are still tight and in pain from it. Couldn't do squats this session either because of it. Running hurts like hell, haha. So no running today but I'll be back on them on Friday.

[crackyflipside]

Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Second Session
Power snatch: 50 x 3r
Snatch: 50 x 3r / 60 x 3r x 2 / 70 x 3r / 75 x 2r x 2 / 80 x 1r x 2 / 85 x 1r [1.265 tons / 19 lifts][85% 1]
Clean and jerk: 85 x (1+1r)2r x 2 / 90 x (1+1r)2r / 95 x 1+1r x 3[1.610 tons / 18 lifts][80% 3/1]
Back squat: 110 x 2r / 120 x 2r / 150 x 1r / 150 x 2r x 2 [1.210 tons / 9 lifts][90% 3/2]

Still kind of feeling the effects of the running, I couldn't hit a 90kg snatch after three missed attempts. The clean and jerks went through pretty routine, I might ask my coach to increase the weight on these. The working weight of squats on the second set my glute felt funny so I only did a single instead of the double. The other two sets were doubles, though.

[crackyflipside]

Friday, July 15, 2011
First Session
Front squat: 70 x 3r / 110 x 3r / 130 x 3r / 140 x 1r / 150 x 1r [1.220 tons / 11 lifts][95% 1]

Coach just told me to front squat heavy this session, didn't really give specifics. The 150 was a hell of a grind but still made it up.

[crackyflipside]

Friday, July 15, 2011
Second Session
Sprints: 100m x 5

I really underestimated how hard these would be on my body. Ended up puking for a bit after and it completely screwed up the third session. I'll be on vacation for a week catching some sun, I'll see you guys after.

[Psychol0gist]

what made u stop john broz method?

[crackyflipside]

what made u stop john broz method?

I found a coach around me that is really well qualified so following that now.

[Torrtrefireto]

Nice lifting in here man. Always cool to see different methodologies


Have you ever considered making a tutorial about kinovea? I've been fiddling with it but nothing ever comes out as pretty as your videos

[crackyflipside]

Have you ever considered making a tutorial about kinovea? I've been fiddling with it but nothing ever comes out as pretty as your videos

I don't have a ton of experience with Kinovea, just keep playing with it and you'll figure it out.

Monday, July 25, 2011
First Session
Muscle snatch: 50 x 3r
Power snatch: 50 x 3r x 3 [0.600 tons / 12 lifts][50% 3/3]
Clean: 50 x 3r / 70 x 3r x 3 [0.780 tons / 12 lifts][60% 3/3]

This session was just to get my body warmed up for the second session after a week of laziness.

[Liftamulti]

Have you ever considered making a tutorial about kinovea? I've been fiddling with it but nothing ever comes out as pretty as your videos

I use kinovea; the trick is to get the right angle and the right distance.

[crackyflipside]

Monday, July 25, 2011
Second Session
Back squat: 60 x 3r / 100 x 3r / 125 x 3r / 140 x 2r x 3 [1.695 tons / 15 lifts][80% 3/2]
Power snatch: 60 x 3r x 2 / 70 x 3r x 2 [0.780 tons / 12 lifts][70% 2/3]
Low hang power clean: 80 x 3r / 90 x 2r / 100 x 1r x 3 [0.720 tons / 8 lifts][80% 3/1]
Hypers: bw x 10r x 3

Was supposed to go 5% heavier in the power snatch but I was just so damn slow I could barely manage my last working weight. The back squats were also supposed to be 10% higher but the weight already felt pretty tough after the week break from heavy weights, I get this little tweak in my left glute near the hip when the weight gets rough.

[crackyflipside]

I've realized the modern Russian method / the Cuban method has two phases of squatting. The beginning phase is where high volume stuff happens from 70-80%. For back squat the highest rep range is 6 reps/set and for front squats it is 4 reps/set. A funny thing is there is no such thing as 5 reps/set. When I asked my coach why there wasn't, all he said was he was not the one that did the research and wrote the program, he just follows what it says and occasionally adjusts the numbers if athlete is performing below or above average. The second phase of squatting is going heavy 85-95% 3-4 days a week 1-3 reps/set. The other days in between are 70-80%, mostly keeping to the lower range for 2-4 reps/set. This phase continues all the way to getting ready to peak for a competition.

[slowman41]

pretty interesting.

maybe something to do with prilepen's table?

[Pokarface]

CrackyFlip, I gotta say it, this thread is full of

[crackyflipside]

pretty interesting.

maybe something to do with prilepen's table?

I don't know. He says he has this notebook at his house that he's coached from since the late nineties but I've never gotten to see it just parts he writes down in sections if an athlete goes to train somewhere else for a while. I probably wouldn't understand it anyways. They don't write the names of the exercises in the books, all the exercises are given a number, I know snatch is numbered 1 but clean and jerk is numbered 80 (I think), but apparently all the athletes are taught to read it this way. One workout could look like this in the book:

1: 50 2/3 60/3 70/3 75/3 80 3/2
80: 60 2/2 75/2 80 2/1 85 3/1
45: 60/3 70/3 80/3 90 3/2

CrackyFlip, I gotta say it, this thread is full of

[img]http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn89/Jackpot1325/SoMuchWin.jpg[/img

I try.

[crackyflipside]

Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Power snatch: 50 x 3r x 2 / 60 x 3r x 3 [0.840 tons / 15 lifts][60% 3/3]
Behind the neck jerk: 60 x 2r / 80 x 2r / 100 x 2r x 3 [0.880 tons / 10 lifts][80% 3/2]
Band front squat: 70+g x 2r / 100+g x 2r / 120+g x 2r x 4 [1.300 tons / 12 lifts][75%+g 4/2]
Crunches (abs): bw x 15r x 3

I know you're thinking 'WTF, are band squats in the Cuban program?' Short answer: No. Long answer: they work for me and I can use them without adjusting the prescribed weight of the program (assuming it's <80-85%) and not affecting my recovery since they overload quads which recover hella fast anyways. I'm going to try to be more consistent with the core work during training and do abs at my house and then the hypers at the gym. At the end of every session I'm supposed to be doing hypers 10r x 3 with weight and abs 20r x 3, just been too lazy to do it.

[adoboandryce]

nice consistency going on, man. also i hate abs.

so if i'm interpreting it right, the beginning squat phase is for muscle-building, and the later phase is to keep your increased strength working?

and when you're a few weeks out from a meet, how does your squatting frequency change?

[crackyflipside]

nice consistency going on, man. also i hate abs.

so if i'm interpreting it right, the beginning squat phase is for muscle-building, and the later phase is to keep your increased strength working?

and when you're a few weeks out from a meet, how does your squatting frequency change?

The beginning phase is more to condition you to get ready for working relatively high volume with 90% weights. Squats end one or two days before competition. This last competition, 5 days out, the workout had this for squats--

Back squat: 60% x 2r / 70% x 2r / 80% x 2r / 85% x 2r / 90% x 2r x 3

3 days out it was up to 90% 1r x 3

[Pokarface]

CrackyFlip, I gotta say it, this thread is full of

I try.

And you're doing a great job, that's why I'm saying there is just so much epicness in this log
=-D

[crackyflipside]

Wednesday, July 27, 2011
First Session
Back squat: 60 x 3r / 100 x 3r / 125 x 2r / 152 x 2r x 3 [1.642 tons / 14 lifts][90% 3/2]
Snatch press: b x 10r / 40 x 8r / 45 x 8r x 2 / 45 x 5r / 45 x 2r / 45 x 1r

A little rushed today, squats went really easy. As you can tell on the last set of presses I started to wimp out. Anyways still a good squat session.

[crackyflipside]

Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Second Session
Snatch : 50 x 3r / 60 x 1r x 5 [0.450 tons / 8 lifts]
Power clean + push press: 70 x (1+1r)2r x 2 / 80 x (1+1r)2r x 2 / 90 (1+1r)2r x 3 [1.140 tons / 14 lifts][85% 3/2]
Snatch pull: 70 x 3r x 5 [1.050 tons / 15 lifts][70% 5/3]
Hypers: bw x 10r x 3

The twinge in my hip bugged me again during snatch, coach told me to go to power clean and push press. After did some snatch pulls and the twinge kind of went away. I suspect it's glute tightness.

[adoboandryce]

how many training sessions do you have per week?

[crackyflipside]

how many training sessions do you have per week?

Depends but it's usually 2/day m,w,f and 1/day tu,sa. 8 training sessions a week. Sometimes he'll give additional work for Thursday and Sunday so it can be up to 10/wk. The next higher level of training frequency would be 3/day m,w,f and 1/day tu, sa with those same rules on th,su.

[adoboandryce]

Depends but it's usually 2/day m,w,f and 1/day tu,sa. 8 training sessions a week. Sometimes he'll give additional work for Thursday and Sunday so it can be up to 10/wk. The next higher level of training frequency would be 3/day m,w,f and 1/day tu, sa with those same rules on th,su.

wow that's dedication. on a side note, do you have a day job? lol

and i would probably suspect tight glutes. gotta mob it up with those stretches, foam rolls, and lacrosse balls i guess.

[crackyflipside]

wow that's dedication. on a side note, do you have a day job? lol

and i would probably suspect tight glutes. gotta mob it up with those stretches, foam rolls, and lacrosse balls i guess.

Going to start a job in two weeks, double sessions probably gotta be much closer together (~2 hrs rest between sessions) . The glute was feeling much better today.

Friday, July 29, 2011
Muscle snatch: 50 x 3r x 2 / 60 x 3r / 70 x 2r x 3 [0.900 tons / 15 lifts][70% 3/2]
Clean and jerk: 70 x (1+1r)2r x 2 / 85 x (1+1r)2r / 100 x 1+1r x 2 / 105 x 1r / 110 x 1r [1.515 tons / 18 lifts][90% 1]
Hypers: 50 x 10r x 3

Couldn't do morning session because work on a project for school... a group project. I really hate group projects. Did really good on muscle snatches today, I think this is a volume pr with that weight. I was talking with the coach about the speed of reps in the lifts, he told me that the reason you go fast with the lighter weights is to build confidence. When you do the reps slow, it makes it easier to miss because you start thinking too much about it and not just performing the movement. Clean and jerk was a little tough. Coach told me my legs were strong but it's my back that's wimping out so he's banishing me to do weighted hypers for a while.

[crackyflipside]

Monday, August 1, 2011
First Session
Power snatch: 50 x 3r x 2 / 60 x 3r / 70 x 3r x 3 [1.110 tons / 18 lifts][70% 3/3]
Power clean + push press: 70 x (1+1r)2r / 80 x (1+1r)2r / 90 x (1+1r)2r / 100 x 1+1r x 3 [1.560 tons / 18 lifts][80% 3/1]
Hypers: bw x 10r x 3

Got a little sick so missed Saturday's session. Power snatches went awesome, same thing with the push presses. Felt very good today. Been stretching that area that has been bugging me and it has been helping a ton, didn't feel the twinge at all this session.

[adoboandryce]

do you do mobility work daily? just wondering if you follow kelly starrett's MWOD's and what you thought about it.

also a 100 push press is pretty legit, man. i always feel that the hardest part of doing push presses for reps is setting the bar back down on your shoulders between reps. kinda wish i had jerk blocks haha.

[crackyflipside]

do you do mobility work daily? just wondering if you follow kelly starrett's MWOD's and what you thought about it.

also a 100 push press is pretty legit, man. i always feel that the hardest part of doing push presses for reps is setting the bar back down on your shoulders between reps. kinda wish i had jerk blocks haha.

No, just stretching and foam rolling every night before bed. We don't bring the bar back to shoulders for most of the lifts, the only time we do are reps with btn jerk, jerk from rack, or light weight pressing.

Monday, August 1, 2011
Second Session
Snatch: 50 x 3r x 2 / 60 x 3r / 70 x 3r x 2 / 75 x 3r [1.125 tons / 18 lifts][75% 3]
Back squat: 60 x 3r / 100 x 3r / 140 x 1r x 3 [0.900 tons / 9 lifts][85% 3/1]
Hypers: 50 x 10r x 3

Snatches started out feeling good but got worse the further along into the session. Squats sucked, but still got work in.