Week 2021.07.19

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This Week’s Conditioning

Option 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” (on Starting Strength).

Compare to 2021.05.17.

Option 2
5 rounds:
10 cal bike
1 min rest
4 sandbag-over-bars
1 min rest

Set the yoke crossmember at 35/33, and the weight is 150#/75#.

Compare to 2021.04.26.

Option 3
Outdoors:
5-10 rounds:
10 sledgehammer strikes (5R, 5L)
50 yd farmer carry (25 yd down-back)
Rest 1 minute

Indoors:
5-10 rounds:
10 sledgehammer strikes (5R, 5L)
100 ft farmer carry (50 ft down-back)
Rest 1 minute

Compare to 2021.03.29.

Option 4
1. 5 yoke carries @ 30 yd (15 yd downback) – work up to heaviest carry
2. 5 rounds of 5 reps on the axle “clean and press away” – work up to heavy set of 5

Compare to 2021.03.22.

Knee Sleeves: What, Why, Where, and When!

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Knee sleeve 2.JPG

What on earth are knee sleeves, and why might you want to wear them? Let’s chat.

What is a knee sleeve?

A knee sleeve is a sleeve . . . that goes on your knee. They are generally made of neoprene, and they should fit quite snugly. A reasonable approach is to make sure that they are snug, but not so snug that you need someone else to help you put them on. If they’re so tight that you need to take them off between sets, I’d recommend something a little less snug.

Why might you want knee sleeves?

The main reason is if you have the highly specific medical condition known as “cranky knees.” Now, if you have achy knees when you squat (and we’re generally talking about the squat here), there may be some technical considerations to examine as well as some programming considerations, and your coach can help you with that. Nonetheless, to put it simply, knee sleeves simply help your knees feel better. They provide some warmth and some compression, and without getting into the weeds here, both of those factors generally make your knees more comfortable. It’s a nice, warm hug for your knees. One of our coaches, Mike, once accused me years ago of holding out on him because I evidently hadn’t suggested knee sleeves until a year or so into his training. Once he put them on, it was love at first squat.

Knee sleeve 1.JPG

Where can you get knee sleeves?

You can find some at your local sporting goods store, but your best bet is this thing they’ve developed called the internet, which they have on computers now. The usual suspects - Amazon, Rogue, etc. - will have a host of options, which brings us to . . .

What should you get?

5 mm and 7 mm are both common thicknesses, and having used both, I’d recommend the 7 mm option. There are a ton of companies that make them - some of the more popular ones are brands like Rehband, SBD, STrong (Mark Bell), Stoic, and Rogue. 

There’s a big price range from about $35-$45 for a pair of sleeves to $35-$45 for a single sleeve (which reflects the prices of the brands listed above). The biggest difference seems to be simple longevity - the cheap ones tend to wear out and tear within a couple of years, whereas the pricier ones typically last quite a bit longer - to the point that I’d probably say you’ll spend less money in the long run by going with the more expensive pairs. Of course, your mileage may vary. 

When do you use knee sleeves?

The short answer is - squats and Olympic lifting. You’ll appreciate them for squatting, and you’ll appreciate them for the Olympic lifts because of the squatting involved in both snatching and cleaning (there is probably some benefit for the impact of landing as well). 

What about using them on the press and bench press? Go ahead if you’d like - they won’t help, but they won’t hurt either. 

The deadlift gets a little more discussion. In the deadlift, the knee doesn’t go through a large range of motion (as opposed to the knee’s longer ROM in the squat), so if your knees ache while squatting, but they feel fine while deadlifting, I’d recommend not wearing sleeves. The thickness of the sleeve - while not huge - is still one more thing you have to deal with when trying to keep the bar close on the pull, so if you don’t need them, don’t use them. But if your knees also ache on the deadlift, and you find that the sleeves help, then go right ahead.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better!

Week 2021.07.12

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This Week’s Conditioning

Option 1
“Prowler Base”
1. Load up a manageable weight.
2. Sprint 40m at 85% intensity.
3. Rest until breathing and heart rate slow down. (45 sec – 2 min)
4. Repeat 5-15 times.

Courtesy of “Death by Prowler” (on Starting Strength).

Compare to 2021.05.10.

Option 2
Bike/Row for 9 rounds:
1 min on
1 min off

Record distance for each round.

Compare to 2021.04.19.

Option 3
Outdoors:
10 rounds:
25 yd yoke carry
Rest 1 minute

Indoors:
10 rounds:
30 yd yoke carry (15 yd down-back)
Rest 1 minute

Compare to 2021.03.22.

Option 4
10 x 50 ft farmer carry
Each carry is 25 ft down and 25 ft back and is for time. Rest 1 minute between carries.

Women: 97# per handle (80# of plates)
Men: 137# per handle (120# of plates)
(Note: Each handle weighs 17#.)

Compare to 2021.03.15.

Wrist Wraps: What, Why, When, and How!

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Wrist wrap pair.JPG

If you’re new to lifting, you might have seen these things called wrist wraps, but you might not be sure what purpose they actually serve, so let’s chat.

What are wrist wraps?

Your basic wrist wrap consists of a thumb loop at one end, the elastic body of the wrap, and a hook-and-loop closure system (i.e., Velcro). Countless manufacturers sell wrist wraps with this basic structure - some common ones include Harbinger, SBD, Rogue, Schiek, and the list goes on. A very popular length of wrap is 18”, but you can find plenty of wraps that are both shorter or longer than this (longer is fine, but for most lifters, I wouldn’t recommend anything shorter than 18”). Some manufacturers (e.g., SBD) also make variations of their wraps that are either more rigid or more flexible depending on the lifter’s preference.

Why might I use wrist wraps?

You use wrists wraps when your wrists are in compression, i.e., when you’re pushing on something - not when you’re pulling on something. A wrap gives support to your wrist by acting as an external skeleton for your wrist - you can think of it as a cast or a lifting belt for your wrist. Since the wrap is wrapped around your wrist, it lends support to your wrist and makes it very difficult for the wrist to be in positions of extreme extension (i.e., positions where you wrist is bent very far backward). Lifts that benefit from wrists wraps include all the pressing movements (press, bench press, close grip bench, etc.), snatches, jerks, cleans (this is a gray area as you need your wrists to be in extension to rack a clean), and the squat for those who wrap their thumbs around the bar and have their wrists in extension. Even if you don’t normally use a wrist wrap, it’s probably a good idea to use one if you are dealing with and training through a wrist injury.

When might I use wrist wraps?

A reasonable approach is to treat your wrist wraps the same way you treat your belt - put the wraps on for your last warm-up set, and then use them for all of your work sets as well. With some experience under your belt (under your wraps?), you may decide to put them on earlier than your last warm-up, and that’s fine as well.

How do I use wrist wraps?

  1. Place your thumb through the thumb loop so that the wrap drapes over the back of your wrist (see the photo sequence at the end of this article).

  2. Position the body of the wrap so that it lies half on your forearm and half on your hand.

  3. Apply tension and wrap the length of the wrap around your wrist until you reach the end of the wrap.

  4. Close off the wrap by attaching it to itself using the Velcro strap.

  5. Remove the thumb loop from your thumb (it is simply there to keep the wrap from spinning in place while you apply the wrap, so you no longer need it).

A wrist wrap worn too low on the arm . . . don’t do this.

A wrist wrap worn too low on the arm . . . don’t do this.

Remember: this is not a forearm wrap or a hand wrap - it’s a wrist wrap, so be sure to pay attention to Step 2. If you position the wrap too low, it’s simply a forearm warmer, and if it’s too high, it’s just a weird glove. In effect, the wrap should almost lock those two sections of your arm together (i.e., the forearm and the hand), and to do so, it has to straddle both sections of your arm. If you put the wrap on correctly, it will make it harder to extend your wrist (i.e., bend it backwards), which means the wrap is doing its job of support.

Quick re-wrap solution - pinch the thumb loop between your thumb and index finger and use that setup to anchor the beginning of the wrap in place while you re-tighten the wrap.

Quick re-wrap solution - pinch the thumb loop between your thumb and index finger and use that setup to anchor the beginning of the wrap in place while you re-tighten the wrap.

The wrap should be very snug - not so tight that you start losing circulation in your hand, but pretty darn tight. It needs to be tight so it can provide support. You will always loosen or perhaps even remove the wraps between sets. If you only loosen the wrap between sets, you don’t need to re-insert your thumb in the thumb loop - a quicker solution is to simply pinch the thumb loop between your thumb and index finger and use that setup to anchor the beginning of the wrap in place while you re-tighten the wrap.

That pretty much wraps it up!

Step 1: Place your thumb through the thumb loop so that the wrap drapes over the back of your wrist.

Step 1: Place your thumb through the thumb loop so that the wrap drapes over the back of your wrist.

Step 2: Position the body of the wrap so that it lies half on your forearm and half on your hand.

Step 2: Position the body of the wrap so that it lies half on your forearm and half on your hand.

Step 3: Apply tension and wrap the length of the wrap around your wrist until you reach the end of the wrap.

Step 3: Apply tension and wrap the length of the wrap around your wrist until you reach the end of the wrap.

Step 4: Close off the wrap by attaching it to itself using the Velcro strap.

Step 4: Close off the wrap by attaching it to itself using the Velcro strap.

Step 5: Remove the thumb loop from your thumb (it is simply there to keep the wrap from spinning in place while you apply the wrap, so you no longer need it).

Step 5: Remove the thumb loop from your thumb (it is simply there to keep the wrap from spinning in place while you apply the wrap, so you no longer need it).

Week 2021.07.05

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Reminders:

  • In observance of Independence Day, we will be open for training from 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 5th, but we will be closed for the afternoon and evening that day.

  • We will be closed for training on Saturday, July 10th, as we are hosting IronFest III that day.

This Week’s Conditioning

Option 1
Sled
Outdoors:
10-20 x 25 yds EMOM at a weight of your choice

Every 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.

Indoors:
10-20 x 100 ft EMOM at a weight of your choice

Every minute, push the sled 100 feet, i.e., if pushing the sled takes 20 seconds, then you have 40 seconds to rest. Perform 10-20 rounds.

Compare to 2021.05.03.

Option 2
Bike/row:
3 rounds of:
8 x 20 sec on/40 sec off
Rest 3 min between rounds
Score = lowest distance

Compare to 2021.04.12.

Option 3
Outdoors:
5-10 rounds:
10 sledgehammer strikes (5R, 5L)
50 yd farmer carry (25 yd down-back)
Rest 1 minute

Indoors:
5-10 rounds:
10 sledgehammer strikes (5R, 5L)
100 ft farmer carry (50 ft down-back)
Rest 1 minute

Compare to 2021.03.15.

Option 4
10 x 50 ft yoke carry
Each carry is 25 feet down and 25 feet back and is for time. Rest 1 minute between carries.

Compare to 2021.03.08.

The Jerk: Landing Positions

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We’ve covered the three landing positions for both the snatch and the clean in past articles, and not surprisingly, there are also three landing positions for the jerk. Again, each has its own advantages, so let’s briefly cover them:

Jonny performs a power jerk..

Jonny performs a power jerk..

Power Jerk
Landing Position: Partial squat
Advantage: The power jerk is the simplest to learn as your feet do not travel far from their original position. Your feet don’t move very much as they barely leave the ground and then immediately land in a squat-width stance. You receive the bar overhead with your hips and legs in a partial-depth squat position. Due to its simplicity, the power jerk often serves as an intermediate step on the way to learning either the squat jerk or the split jerk.

Note: If your feet never leave the ground during this movement, many coaches will call this a push jerk to distinguish it from a power jerk (but some coaches use the terms interchangeably).

Jonny performs a squat jerk.

Jonny performs a squat jerk.

Squat Jerk
Landing Position: Squat (i.e., full-depth squat)
Advantage: Of the three landing positions, the squat jerk allows lifters to drop the farthest under the bar, which means the bar doesn’t have to be lifted as high before locking it out overhead. With this in mind, there is great potential with the squat jerk, but this potential is tempered by two drawbacks - first, the lifter needs excellent flexibility to achieve what is essentially a narrow-grip overhead squat position in the receiving position for this jerk, and second, the lifter has relatively little stability from front-to-back due to the lack of a split (see the split jerk below), so the squat jerk is extremely unforgiving of jerks that are slightly forward or backward.

Jonny performs a split jerk.

Jonny performs a split jerk.

Split Jerk
Landing Position: Split stance
Advantage: The split jerk allows the lifter to drop further under the bar than the power jerk without requiring the ability to drop into the squat jerk position, and due to the front-to-back split, the split jerk is more stable. For this reason, the split jerk is - by far - the most commonly executed jerk in training and competition.