Wednesday, June 19th

A barbell-intensive Wednesday. Starting our day with a Snatch complex. This will lead us into an all-barbell conditioning piece, "Bartender".

A.

STRENGTH:

On the 2:00 x 5 Sets: 1 Hang Power Snatch 2 Power Snatches 3 Overhead Squats Set 1 - 60% Set 2 - 65% Set 3-5 - Build to a heavy complex for the day.

Inside this complex, we are looking to hold onto the bar throughout. If we must drop the bar from overhead between snatches, let's quickly reset onto the bar.

B.

METCON:

“Bartender”

10 Minute AMRAP: 12 Deadlifts 9 Overhead Squats 6 Hang Power Snatches *Rx Barbell – (115/85)

In "Bartender" we have a test of barbell stamina.

Traditionally, we will couple the barbell with a gymnastic or "monostructural" movement such as a bike or a row. But today, we are going directly at the barbell for the full 10 minutes. What this will require, is diligent pacing on our part as each movement does impact the others.

Above all, we'll need to exercise patience in the earlier rounds. This is a weight that we are confident in cycling for large sets early, and that can be a blessing and a curse. If we come out too aggressively, our round times can literally double in this workout.

Stimulus wise, we are looking for a moderate weight, and one that we feel confident we could hang power snatch or overhead squat for 15 reps unbroken when fresh if we were to go for it.

On all three movements, although this sounds a little "obvious", let's remind ourselves of midline stabilization here. When we breathe and relax, our torso moves. Slightly, but it "translates", placing demand on the smaller muscle groups surrounding our spinal structure. If we have such movement (often just do to not actively thinking about it), these muscles can become over taxed. And what results is what is known as the "back pump". Where the lower back, or a portion of the back, feels like lactic acid just got stuck in there. And this "pump" can shut us down, leaving us unable to squat and sometimes hinge. It leaves us after some time, but it feels like significant cramping sensation in the lower back. This is very common when we combine deadlifts with a weighted squat. Focus throughout all three movements on what we are doing with our abdominals. Breathe at the top of each rep, but brace during movement.

On the deadlifts, athletes may find 1-2 breaks helpful. In any event, breaking after the 11 reps to establish a snatch grip width sets us up well to finish our 12th in position for a hang power snatch or a hang squat snatch (starting our next OHS).

On these overhead squats, we likely do not want to break these reps up. By the time we are challenged on this movement, we are likely well past halfway, with only a couple of repetitions to finish the set. With our next movement in mind (hang power snatch), we are not looking to excessively snatch the barbell outside of that final six reps.

On the final six hang power snatches to complete the round, we may find success in a single break here. Although we may be able to complete a handful of sets unbroken, let's place ourselves in minute 7 of the workout. If we believe we will be breaking up the six reps there, it may be best to break from the start, and focus on smooth and quick transitions between say 3-3.

It may be difficult to grab round times here, but we can make a mental note as to where we are at the five minute mark (halfway point) to gauge our pacing at the finish of the workout.