You Know What Time It Is: Clean & Jerk Heavy Singles/1RM

Ever wonder what goes through the minds of high-level weightlifters when they're attempting a heavy (or even max effort) clean & jerk? Luckily for you at Arena Ready there are several of them you can ask firsthand -- I'm willing to bet they'll all give you a different answer. But I think one universal theme will appear (much like my universally nervous look in the background of most of these photos) -- they try not to overthink the lift, but rather to trust their technique and training up to that point, and let their body do what it already knows how to do.

From top to bottom: Hillary, Sarah, Amy, Lisa, Cassie, Kate

(I didn't have a photo of Kate competing at a meet readily available so instead here's a pic of her doing the worst jerk ever)

If you've been coming in consistently over the last eight weeks and making all of the Friday barbell days in particular, it's likely that you've set yourself up well for some heavy weights in today's workout.  In fact, you basically performed a variation of a weightlifting cycle woven into the background of (at times) a seemingly un-related CrossFit program.  But alas, the same squat volume maintenance, upper body push & support, lower body pull, speed work, GPP, and accessory exercises were used in a similar-ish fashion than we would for any of the above pictured athletes preparing for a weightlifting meet.  Specificity and exact prescription of percentages and movements may not have been explicit since we're NOT ACTUALLY preparing you for an Olympic weightlifting meet, but rather we're preparing you to lift some heavy weights in the gym, have fun doing so, and enjoying kicking ass in life thanks to being fit and strong. 

So, if you've been a model of consistency then you've earned the right to attempt some heavy lifts with that beautiful technique you've worked so hard to repeat over and over and over again every week.  Now, as the weights go up even more, let your body do what it already knows how to do.

Friday barbell therapy, giddy up!

WOD For 10-03-19:

Every 90 Seconds For 20 Rounds (30 Total Minutes):

ROUNDS 1-5: Light (55-65% of 1RM C&J)

Squat Clean + Front Squat + Jerk

ROUNDS 6-10: Moderate (65-75%)

Squat Clean + Jerk

ROUNDS 11-15: Heavy-ish (80-90% CLIMBING WITH NO MISSES ALLOWED)

Squat Clean + Jerk

ROUNDS 16-20: Heavy (90%+ CLIMBING WITH "2 MISS RULE" IN EFFECT)

Squat Clean + Jerk

*The "2 Miss Rule" = miss twice during Rounds 16-20 and you're DONE!

*Any style of jerk is allowed.