Friday’s WOD 2/15/13

Buy In:

Push/Split Jerk

Technique

WOD:

5 Rounds

3 – Hang Power Clean

3 – Push Jerk

Increase load after each set.  This WOD is intended to be for LOAD, not for time.

Cash-Out:

Rest

We are starting to see some stagnant progress on the press, and many other strength lifts.  So to keep things fresh, we will switch up the exercises periodically .  Today we are going to perform the push-jerk/split jerk.   Use this time to practice the push jerk and split jerk.  Increase the load if you feel comfortable.

For the workout we are going to perform a WOD not for time, but for load.  We will perform 5 rounds of the couplet – Hang Power Cleans and Push Jerk.  Start light on the first set.  Perform 3 hang power cleans.  On the third rep, hold the bar in the rack position and perform three push or split jerks.

Since todays workout is for heavy lifts and technique, I want the emphasis to be on technique, and proper set-up.

Hang Power Clean – The hang power clean starts in the hang position, which is a position where the athlete is standing tall and the barbell is held in the hands with arms fully extended.  The feet start in the power position, which is feet directly under the hips.  This position is also known as the jumping position.  The athlete will get into the athletic position, which looks like a person standing in a huddle with their hands on their knees.   To initiate this movement, the athlete will send the butt back and slightly bend the knees keeping the chest up.  Once the bar is at the mid-low thighs, the athlete will “jump” (keeping the arms long and straight, the athlete will open the hips, knees and ankles and violently shrug upward as if trying to touch the top of the head to the ceiling).  As soon as the athlete reaches apex, the bar will remain close to the body and travel upward.  The athlete will then pull themselves under the barbell and catch it in the front rack position. The front rack position is when the barbell is across the shoulders, hands (sometimes just fingertips) on the barbell, and elbows parallel to the ground. The feet will move from the power (jumping) position to a wider landing positing (feet under shoulders).

Push/Split Jerk – From the hang power clean, the athlete will stand and replace the feet under the hips (the power/jumping position).  The elbows will move from the parallel to the ground position to a slightly down and just in front of the bar position.  (This is the method we teach, however there are different methods which teach keeping the elbows up).  To initiate the movement the athlete will dip by bending the knees.  It is important that this dip keeps the torso vertical.  When viewed from the side, the shoulder joint, hip joint and ankle should stay in line with each other.  If the shoulder joint dips forward or if the hips dip forward, we will not have a good transfer of power.  From the dip the athlete will aggressively “jump”, extending the hips, knees, and ankles.  The jump should drive the barbell upward.  As the barbell leaves the chest, the athlete will drop underneath and catch the barbell overhead with arms fully extended.   In the push jerk, the feet will land in the landing positing (which is similar to the land of the power clean position, which is shoulder width apart).  In the split jerk, the feet will land in a split position.  The split position is just a lunge without your knee touching the ground.  The lunge should place the front foot about a foot to a foot and a half forward and the rear foot about 2 feet back. (or… the front knee over the front ankle and the rear knee under the hip when the knee is placed on the ground).

The split jerk is usually better for most people as it will allow the athlete to keep a vertical torso position in a lower position than the push jerk.

 Results