4/27 - "Clean and Jerks"

Week two of Clean and Jerks.  Another good one and I feel like I'm getting better at the movements and stronger as well.  The technique is definitely helping with the strength.

4 sets 3x hang clean then 3x OHS (20/25/30/30kg)
4 sets 1x power clean then 3x clean and jerk (20.5/25.5/28/33kg)
3x2 clean pulls (50/55/65kg)
5x2 squat clean and jerk (33/38/40/42.5/45kg)

Hang cleans and OHS - this was good and Luke pointed out that I'm starting too straight in the hang cleans, I need to get my shoulders over the bar before exploding.  I think that this will help stop me from jumping backwards as well - the same motion will drive my energy upwards instead of back.  The OHS are feeling really good - holding the squat position at the bottom doesn't feel so hard though I need to stay engaged rather than fully sitting my butt down.

Power clean and clean and jerks - another good reiteration of the movements.  I tend to lose my high elbows on the power clean so something to focus on - especially getting them high and to the sides (like a scarecrow) instead of pointed behind me.  Clean and jerks felt good still just need to practice my 'jump' to get my feet in the right position but definitely feeling stronger.

Clean pulls - did 70kg deadlifts in the noon WOD which made the clean pulls feel a lot easier this go round - the 50kg bar actually felt light - so while Luke is having us do these movements so that the cleans feel lighter the deadlifts worked the same in this instance.  I was happy to get up to 65 and probably could have gone heavier with more time.  Still definite improvement on this one over the last week - and I feel it too - trying to tear my head off with the shoulder shrug.

Squat clean and jerks - though I sometimes forgot the squat portion or was a little off balance on the clean and jerks, overall this movement was starting to feel better.  As Kirst put it - it seems to look stronger watching the person than it feels to the person doing the movement.  Truth!  I matched my clean and jerk PR on this one (45kg) though last time I didn't actually clean it from the ground.  I probably could have gone higher in weight on this one but no need to push it - the movements are feeling better and giving me more confidence on the higher weights.

At one point Luke stopped us to talk about our breathing on the jerk portion of the movement and when I tried to think about it everything else fell apart.  It was actually quite amusing.  I think that I tend to have the breathing correct I just need to let it happen now.  A good reminder though.

I'm really loving these sessions - half way through now and already seeing a remarkable improvement.

Also, a huge thanks to Coach Kirst - I feel like I get a bit more than I give when I partner up on these sessions both because she's got a good eye for all the phases of the movement and can give me instant feedback and also because she's so solid in the movement that there isn't much feedback I can give/ don't have the trained eye to see any areas for improvement so thanks for helping me and I hope my cheering you on is enough in return!