Getting that weight up off the floor and receiving it at the shoulders is one of my favorite lifts.  Nothing gets me warmed up, heart pounding and lungs working  better then some clean work.  There are lots of variations with this lift which include hangs, squats, low pulls, high pulls, bars, dumbbells, kettle bells, sand bags and medicine balls.  With that many options we could work on cleans all week and hardly have plenty of variety to get a full body workout in.  But let’s take a look at 5 ways to improve your barbell clean.

  1. Start with a good setup- squat down to the bar, keep a good lumbar curve to the back,  shoulders will be slightly in front of the bar, squat depth is with hip crease at the top of the knees.  Arms stay straight with the first pull, don’t try to jerk it off the floor with elbow bends. Your first move is to push with the legs, arms stay straight.
  2. Keep the bar close to the body- the shortest distance is to bring the bar straight up as close to the body as possible.  If you let the bar come out away from the body, you lose leverage on the bar and will have to use too much back to try to save the lift.  Practice trying to brush your shirt with the bar as you come up, keep the elbows high and outside “chicken wings” to help keep the bar close to your upper body.
  3. Hit the Power position- as the bar passes mid thigh you should pull the chest back and open the hips forward to generate tons of power to raise that bar to your catch position.  If you feel yourself coming up on your toes, you are in a good place.
  4. Rack the bar properly- at the top of the pull you will transition your grip from on top of the bar to under it and catch the weight with soft knees and get your elbows out in front of the bar and let it rest on your shoulders.  This is a quick turnover at the top and takes practice to make it smooth and work on wrist flexibility.
  5. Practice for perfection- even when you are using light weights, use these techniques to develop the muscle memory to perform these points without even thinking about it.  Don’t get sloppy just because the weight is light.  Work on hang cleans and squat cleans with light weight too so you have perfect form when it starts getting heavy.  Great form is also super efficient when you get into a workout.  Poor technique in a WOD will make you suffer even more, good technique will get you through more efficiently and “more safer”!

There are some opportunities this week on cleans so keep these points in mind, ask your coach for help too.  We are here to make you better.

WODs this week- Cleans/jump rope, SHOULDER PRESS, pullups/cleans, run/row/run, snatch/OH squats, situps/lunges/muscle ups, jump rope/hollow holds

SCHEDULE- MONDAY-FRIDY 5AM, 6AM, 4:30 PM, 5:30 PM SATURDAY AT 9AM WOD/OPEN GYM.

THANKSGIVING WEEK WE WILL HAVE THE REGULAR SCHEDULE MONDAY, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.  THURSDAY, THANKSGIVING, WE WILL HAVE A 5K RUN/WALK AT 8 AM, NO OTHER CLASSES THE REST OF THE WEEK.

PALEO RECIPE FOR THE WEE

Balsamic Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Instead of grilling the same chicken breast or burgers, try your hand at this easy balsamic pork tenderloin. It’s juicy and flavorful, and perfect with your favorite vegetable or salad.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Keto, Paleo
Keyword grill, pork
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 353 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pork tenderloin

Instructions

  1. Put all of the ingredients in a freezer bag and mix well, covering the pork. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
  2. When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium high heat. Grill the pork until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
  3. Serve with your favorite vegetables on the side.

SEE YOU AT THE GYM!!!

3,2,1 GO!!!

DEAN