Thursday, April 26, 2012

Long cycle clean and press


( 54 long cycle clean and presses for my 54th birthday,with the 20kg. My goal for 55 was to do the same with the 24 kg but it was not to be. Same goal for next year though)

I just refuse to believe I can't press overhead without pain. I don't care if I only use the 16 kg I want to be able to train my press. Since I've instituted a new group of correctives for my tight forearm and elbow flexors the shoulder has been behaving very nicely and staying in it's damn home, the socket.

AND the scapula has been moving around correctly and not glue'ing itself to my rib cage causing havoc with every left side upper body move so I put the bell overhead again today. The workout schedule is taking shape so well and I'm choosing the moves that I love the most AND am actually able to train and give me the effects I am after.
Whether its volume with the 24 kg snatch preparing me for the snatch test, or max vo2 snatch training giving me speed and power and met conditioning I literally can't get anywhere else to my clubbell work that lets me maintain some hypertrophy in my triceps, pecs and shoulders without them getting wrecked the program, MY program is finally settling in.

Plus I'm always trying to add new moves, such as the arm bar ,which it looks like I can do again AND is also helping stabilize the shoulders. As I undo restrictions and add mobility, restore damaged tissue and re pattern my asymmetrical patterns the body is slowly coming into the goal: square,plumb, and neutral.

VERY freakin' slow, but trendline is the only thing that matters to me, not speed. If I'm going in the right directions i'm happy, Otherwise I have to change things. How slowly I go is irrelevant.

1 pm
One arm swing
16 kg x 5/5/5 x3


Long cycle clean and press
16 kg x 5/5
20 kg x 5/5 x 5 sets

didn't get any video as one of our camera's broke and I ended up without one but the goal was to get it done with NO clunking or mal position of the shoulder( regardless of technique) and that got accomplished

what it ended up looking like was a very 'tempo' like clean and press. pretty much the equivalent of a 'touch and go' bench press.But I got almost 100 % no clunks with this technique and that is very encouraging. I let go of the need to go heavy when I realized how much Love doing this move,especially long cycle, regardless of the load.

I also used a thumbs up arm position for the clean as I tend to bend the elbow and flex the forearm more during cleans than even  snatches or swings, and this contributes to my shoulder issues. For me, tight forearms and elbow flexors, jacked up shoulder.

Most modern GS guys use this thumbs up technique during their long cycle clean and jerk with no elbow problems and it actually feels better on my elbows but my seriouly hyperextend.

Rack Walks
16 kg 200 ft per set per arm x 6 sets 1200 ft

when the knee and ankles are "in" this is easy. otherwise it's torture. today it was easy.:))

DB laterals

12 lbs x 15 reps x 4 sets


Floor KB Extensions
16 kg x 15 x 4 sets

this rocks! On back, kb on floor exactly behind head. Pause then flex the bell up to lockout. GREAT long head work and it felt fine on shoulders. YES!

band rear delts
red x 20 x sets

these are necessary. Glenn is back and it's so good to have my training partner back in full swing. Just not the same training alone. I can do it, but I don't like it.:))

datsit.
Sisu/ NeverQuit

2 comments:

Fireman Tom said...

Rif,
great work on the high rep clean and presses!
You mention the "thumbs forward" clean grip which some GS guys do. Hyper-extention can be an issue, but you can try turning your hand in at about 15 degrees, which will protest your bicep from hyper-extention better, and will use more brachialis and brachoradialis.
Tom

Mark Reifkind said...

Tom

thanks for the comment. Note that the video was from last year before my left shoulder went wonky . I actually don't want the brachialis or radiobrachialis more involved as this makes my shoulder worse. I fI hinge properly I don't feel anything in the elbows at all. thanks for the tips though they are always welcome and hope all is well with you and your training.

195 x 1 x 11 , 20 kg swings 5 x 8/8, floor pushups 35, 25

  Not great sleep and a bit sore ( no aspirin for last three days) so all in all it was a strong day . Just definitely not 'fresh'  ...