Workout of the Day

Snatch
3-3-3-1-1

AMRAP in 12 minutes:
5 Any way ground to overhead- 70% of 1rm clean and jerk
10 Push Ups
15 GHD Back Extensions

Note: any way overhead means literally any way you can get the friggen bar over your head. Snatch, clean and jerk, thruster, etc.

Yesterday's article was a pretty interesting piece. To some up the article, the author explained how scaling workouts to a strength bias is pointless because it limits our power output. So the author is saying that power cannot occur at near maximal loads (1rm). Now that is a little confusing to me. I understand that physics says that power occurs around 30% speed and at around 50% of our 1rm, but why can't it occur at 75%? Take this scenario: Athlete A and B have a 1rm clean of 300lbs. (ya there both JACKED). Athlete A and B both can produce about the same power at 50% of this 1rm. Lets say both can do 150lbs. 30 reps in 1:30 minutes. Pretty powerful dudes. Now according to this theory, power is going to be severely blunted at near maximum loads. Athlete A can do 3 reps of 75% of his 1rm in :30 seconds, while athlete B can do the same weight and reps in :25 seconds. Who's more powerful? Athlete B, clearly. This is an interesting scenario because it is very possible that a situation like this can occur. He technically wouldn't be stronger than athlete A because there 1rm is the same, but the fact that he can push around the same weight faster makes him more powerful. The one thing that really changed the way I viewed the article was when the author talked about training being done at 50% of 1rm. If you increase weight at 50% of 1rm then odds are you your 1rm will increase. Can't really argue must there. However, I do not think training at 50% of it is the most productive way to do increase one's 1rm. The body needs the stress of near maximal loads in order to increase in power and strength. One last thing I enjoyed about the article was the formula for scaling. Good in theory, but far from a perfect system. I can tell you this first hand because I know a lot of people who are not strong enough to hit a 190lbs. thruster but can slam a 3-4 minute fran. This is a common case where an athlete has got a ton of power, but strength does not match, thus leaving this formula imperfect. Even more common, a vice versa scenario where strength outweighs power output. It can happen because I used to be that way! Overall, I think the article is an awesome read, the scaling formula is good but does not apply in most scenarios. Time to train the kiddies. BReeZe!


Stay classy,

Coach A.