Week 2017.07.24

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Upcoming events:

  • 2017 Testify Barbell Bash Weightlifting Meet
    • Date: The 2nd annual Testify Barbell Bash will take place on Saturday, 09/23/17!
    • Location: Concordia High School (click here for map) - practice gym
    • Registration: Click here (registration is online only).
    • Registration Deadline: Registration ends on 09/16/17, and those who register by September 9 will receive a Barbell Bash shirt, so register soon to get that shirt!
  • 2017 USSF Fall Classic
    • Date: Saturday, 10/28/17
    • Location: Concordia High School (click here for map) - mezzanine and weight room
    • Registration: Click here (registration is online only).
    • Registration Deadline: The early registration discount deadline is 08/31/17, so register soon to save some dough.

Maddie reacquaints herself with the the clean-and-jerk after a hiatus of a few years. -- Bent arms in the clean are a major problem. Scholars have long suspected the "early arm bend" as the underlying cause of the fall of the Roman empire, and it is generally accepted that in societies where the early arm bend is prevalent, we also find that moral decay, sloth, and veganism run rampant. -- In addition to the above, bent arms in the clean cause an inefficient transfer of force from the lifter to the barbell - in effect, they act as a shock absorber. Maddie is a soccer player and would not dream of putting a pillow on top of her soccer shoe to cushion the blow that she delivers to the ball. In the same way, we don't want to cushion the "blow" that we deliver to the barbell when we jump it to our shoulders. -- So how do we fix this? Here are two cues that can help: 1. "Tighten the triceps." (this will help keep your elbows straight) 2. "Jump from your shoulders." -- It's probably worth noting that the second cue doesn't make a lot of sense biomechanically - at least at first glance. Remember that, in the clean, the arms are simply ropes or chains that hang from the shoulders, and ropes and chains do not bend or flex of their own volition. A clean, therefore, is simply a jump with the bar hanging from the shoulders. Thus we shorten "Jump with the bar hanging from the shoulders" to the much more manageable cue, "Jump from the shoulders," and it tends to work quite nicely. -- On the first rep of the clean-and-jerk (top), Maddie demonstrates an early arm bend (2nd frame). On the very next rep (bottom sequence), Maddie jumps with straight elbows (2nd frame, although a photo a split second later might admittedly be even more convincing). This is exactly what we want - nice adjustment, Maddie. -- If you have an early arm bend, try out one of these cues the next time you're warming up - it might solve the issue. Moral decay, sloth, and veganism will have to wait. -- #cleanandjerk #weightlifting #startingstrength #startingstrengthgym

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This Week's ConditioningOption 1Sled10-20 x 25 yds EMOM at a weight of your choiceEvery minute, push the sled 25 yards, i.e., if pushing the sled takes 20 seconds, then you have 40 seconds to rest. Perform 10-20 rounds.Option 28 rounds:4 tire flips50 yd sled push (25 yd down-back)Rest 1 minuteCompare to 2017.06.05.Option 34 rounds for time of:400m runRest 2 min between rounds.Compare to 2016.07.18.

Week 2017.07.17

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Upcoming events:

  • Cornhusker State Games Powerlifting Meet
      • Date: Saturday, 07/22/17
      • Location: Lincoln Christian High School, Lincoln, NE (click here for map)
      • Registration: Registration has closed for this event, but come on out and cheer on your fellow lifters!
    • 2017 Testify Barbell Bash Weightlifting Meet
      • Date: The 2nd annual Testify Barbell Bash will take place on Saturday, 09/23/17!
      • Location: Concordia High School (click here for map) - practice gym
      • Registration: Click here (registration is online only).
      • Registration Deadline: Registration ends on 09/16/17, and those who register by September 9 will receive a Barbell Bash shirt, so register soon to get that shirt!
    • 2017 USSF Fall Classic
      • Date: Saturday, 10/28/17
      • Location: Concordia High School (click here for map) - mezzanine and weight room
      • Registration: Click here (registration is online only).
      • Registration Deadline: The early registration discount deadline is 08/31/17, so register soon to save some dough.

This Week's ConditioningOption 1Sled Pyramid – 4, 5, or 6 tiersGo up and down a 4, 5, or 6 tier “sled pyramid” – rest as needed. The distance for each round is 80 m (a down-back on the 40m course). Rest as needed.For example, Bob does the following (4 tiers):Round 1: Empty sledRound 2: 25#Round 3: 50#Round 4: 75#Round 5: 50#Round 6: 25#Round 7: Empty sledOption 220 rounds:15 yd yoke carryRest 30 secondsOption 3For time:40 Squats40 HSPUs40 Burpees40 Sit-upsCompare to 2016.07.25.

Week 2017.07.10

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Upcoming events:

  • Cornhusker State Games Powerlifting Meet
      • Date: Saturday, 07/22/17
      • Location: Lincoln Christian High School, Lincoln, NE (click here for map)
      • Registration: Click here for online registration as well as more information.
      • Registration Deadline:  The deadline is 07/15/17.
    • 2017 Testify Barbell Bash Weightlifting Meet
      • Date: The 2nd annual Testify Barbell Bash will take place on Saturday, 09/23/17!
      • Location: Concordia High School (click here for map) - practice gym
      • Registration: Click here (registration is online only).
      • Registration Deadline: Registration ends on 09/16/17, and those who register by September 9 will receive a Barbell Bash shirt, so register soon to get that shirt!

    Getting in some work with the yoke and the sled! #strongman #strongwoman #superyoke #sleddrags #startingstrength #startingstrengthgym

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    This Week's ConditioningOption 1“Prowler Base+1”1. Load up a manageable weight.2. Sprint 40m at 85% intensity.3. Rest 30 sec.4. Repeat 5-15 times.Courtesy of “Death by Prowler” by Matt Reynolds and Stef Bradford (on Starting Strength).Option 210 rounds:25 yd yoke carryRest 1 minuteOption 37 min AMReAP of:5 Burpees10 Pull-ups15 Wall Ball Shots, 20#/14#Compare to 2016.07.21.

Week 2017.07.03 - July 4th reminder

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Reminder: We will be closed on Tuesday, July 4th, in honor of Independence Day.Upcoming events:

Week 2017.06.26

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Upcoming events:

This Week's ConditioningOption 1"Prowler Sprint Test"1. Load up a heavier weight.2. Time a 15 yards sprint at 100% intensity.3. Rest 30 seconds.4. Repeat sprint until times slows down 10%.5. Goal is to increase # of sprints under the time standard.Courtesy of Chad Smith ("Prowler Sprint Test") as well as "Death by Prowler" by Matt Reynolds and Stef Bradford (on Starting Strength).Option 25-10 rounds:10 sledgehammer strikes (5R, 5L)50 yd farmer carry (25 yd down-back)Rest 1 minuteCompare to 2017.05.22.Option 315-12-9-6-3 reps of:Power Cleans, 135#/95#Bar-facing BurpeesCompare to 2016.06.20.FinaleAccumulate 2:00 on your hands - handstand, HS walking, L-sit, dip support, ring dip support, etc.

Week 2017.06.19

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Upcoming events:

  • 2017 Testify Strongman Summer Showdown
    • Date: Saturday, 06/24/17 (the gym will be closed for regular training that day)
    • Location: Testify Strength & Conditioning (that's right, our home turf)
    • Registration: Click here for online registration as well as for more information.
    • Registration Deadline: Registration ends on 06/23/17.

This Week's ConditioningOption 1Sled10-20 x 25 yds EMOM at a weight of your choiceEvery minute, push the sled 25 yards, i.e., if pushing the sled takes 20 seconds, then you have 40 seconds to rest. Perform 10-20 rounds.Option 25-10 rounds of:30 sec ME tire flips30 sec restCompare to 2017.05.15.Option 33 rounds for time of:400m run50 squatsCompare to 2016.06.04.FinaleAccumulate 2:00 on your hands - handstand, HS walking, L-sit, dip support, ring dip support, etc.