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23 April 2008
Today was the first time I felt ready to not only trying the weight, but to a set of several. It may not seem like much, but was a good goal.
Sets of 10 Power Cleans with 135 lbs. is what I’m talking about. It's been a while since I've been there: sets of 135, 155, 185. Nothing like it to make you feel large and in charge. I used to do them all the time in high school, college and after, then at some point, I just stopped doing cleans. The power clean is in the top tier of essential lifts (dead, press, clean, snatch, squat) and without a good foundation of them one really doesn’t need to bother with lesser lifts.
135 for those who may have forgotten, is a 45 lb olympic bar loaded with 2 proper looking 45 lb plates. Anything less just seems a bit jr. varsity on a big bar. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not to say that sets of 85, 95, 105, 125, aren’t capable of giving a large man a great workout with good form, pauses and intensity; but there’s something special about that balanced shape created with the 45 lb plates. The 45s on the side look like the minimum compliment for the long, heavy, knurl-ridged olympic bar. It feels good to have them back.
It’s been a slow road back for me from sloth and injury — after 3 kids in a row, ankle and wrist surgeries on my right side, I have been taking 2 steps forward and 1 step back for years. But it has been progress and I am doing things with both my ankle and wrist that I thought I never would again.
I’ve been doing one hand cleans for some time now with the kettlebells — sets of multiples with the 53 lb, sets of 10 with 2 53s (one in each hand) at once, and sets of up to 10 with the 70. lb. So it stands to reason that a classic olympic bar power clean should be no problem, Right? Do the math. A 70 lb. in one hand with a KB ought to be about the same as 135 on a barbell with 2. Not so. I tried this a year ago with just 115 on the long bar and found out fast that the traps, hams and back were just not what they used to be. Especially the traps. I needed a smart route back.
I’ve been designing a fantastic new book, The Purposeful Primitive, for Marty Gallagher soon to be released from Dragon Door. As the title suggests, it is a book on getting back to basics and doing the essential elements of strength and health well. In it he has a great little section on the Progressive Pull Routine—a jump start way to build up overall strengthening with a strong focus on the back, as he puts it, “If you want to add slabs of muscle onto your posterior, get to pulling.”
The day’s drills are simple and mostly familiar, 2-3 sets each of 5 lifts in this order: Power Clean, High Pull, Deadlift, Stiff Leg Deadlift, Rows
I started light with his routine, made gains quickly, and am now at the bottom of his big man’s example chart:
Week Reps Power Clean High pull Deadlift Stiff leg deadlift Rows 1 9 135 185 300 185 145 2 9 145 195 310 195 155 3 6 165 215 340 215 175 4 6 175 225 350 225 185 5 3 195 245 370 245 205 6 3 205 255 380 255 215
The progressive pull technical procedures are simple to learn and difficult to master: the concentric portion of each exercise in the progressive pull routine should be explosive while the eccentric portion needs be slowed and lowered with care. Stay safe while weight training. The movements will also hit the glutes and hamstrings intensely. I recommend doing legs and back at opposite ends of the training week to allow the ‘spillover’ borderline muscles an opportunity to recover. This is a timeless routine, older than the hills, first popularized by international-level Olympic lifters back in the mid-sixties and brought to us via the pages of the Tommy Suggs-era Strength & Health. Everyone from rank beginner to elite athlete uses the same training template regardless current level or ability. A concentrated dose of progressive pulls will do you wonders for building the back muscles and creating pure power.
Say you used to be there, but you've got a bad back? We can fix that. Strengthening the core is the place to start, and don't think this routine will never be for you again.
Ready to get back to 135? Start very light. It's humbling and that's a good thing. If you're like me you have to slap yourself and remember you aren't 21 anymore. But here's the good news: with this routine, you’ll make gains fast, arrive at 135 quickly and your dusty old bar will feel proper with those 45s, and more, on the sides again.
UPDATE: Marty Wrote me to say: "wow-you are really given this a lot of thought and attention-excellent...remember technique is critical, particularly at the beginning stages...I find the power clean is EVERYTHING in that if the PCs are snappy and crisp then the rest of the workout falls into place effortlessly - on the otherhand if the PCs are rough and tough, slightly sloppy and off balance than WATCH OUT! If my PC's are rough, often I will lower the poundage in order to "enter into" the hi-pull dead phase with proper cleans under my belt..."
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