Going Overhead and the End of Power Cleans

[/caption] First of all, thank you everyone for reading and commenting on my blog! It’s so awesome to know that people actually visit the blog and care to see what I’m up to! Super cool. Friday, I worked on pressing. I did something a little different. Instead of the traditional starting position, I set the guards on the power cage at my forehead and pushed from there. The goal was to get the same range of motion I would have in a handstand push-up. There is no momentum to be found when the bar descends onto the guards for the next rep, so it’s very much like doing a strict rep. I started at 95 lb., then 100 lb., 105 lb., 110 lb., and finished my last set at 115 lb. I missed the fifth rep, but I was very happy with the work overall. My upper-body strength is definitely increasing. I am working with a tender back right now, which only bothers me when I put weight overhead. I have paid close attention to stretching, foam rolling and lots of work on the lacrosse ball (ugh!). It feels stronger every day, but the single most important thing for me is to be healthy and functional. I won’t jeapordize that for anything. I followed the presses with a 1K row at about 80 percent effort and finished with 3:48. Rowing is feeling great. I finished with 2 x 10 triceps extensions, and 2 x 10 deltoid flies. Saturday I rested and hit the stretching and rolling hard. Sunday was Oly day, and skills. Fortunately I can pull medium to heavy weight and my back is fine. I worked on power cleans and snatches. It might be the last day I get to do power cleans as Mike says we’re bagging them indefinitely and I am only allowed to squat clean. I worked up to 145 lb. on the cleans and 95 lb. on the snatches. I finished with HSPUs and pistols. The pistols are definitely better when I’m really warm. I need to hold a 15-lb. dumbbell when I do my left leg, which frustrates me a bit, but all good things take time. There was a time when a pistol was inconceivable to me. The kipping HSPUs are getting stronger and stronger. It’s all in the kip. When I time it correctly, it’s effortless! I just have to keep working. I finished the day playing around with free-standing HSPUs which I attempted to get into from a head-stand with a kip. Almost had a couple of reps! Next week! Mike’s Note: Power cleans are banned. (photo by Sandra Benz)

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