Hey Friends!

February!  Whoa – that’s just crazy talk.  Thanks to the coaches/members that made up our super fun Airbandz team – VERY cool that so much money was able to be raised for the Northern Cancer Foundation.  I love being even a small piece of the local community up here – and being able to contribute where we can.

Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.

-Og Mandino

We’re heading into the second half of the Squat Clean cycle – things should be getting a little heavier, but we want to ensure you’re moving well.  Ask your coach for feedback if you aren’t sure about how you can improve your lifts, but keeping certain things in mind are always helpful:

  • The shortest distance between two points is a straight line – Our bodies make for things in the way (knees, arms, chests, etc.) but keeping that bar close and moving your body in a way that encourages it to stay close is worth keeping in mind
    • This can often be achieved by starting with the bar slightly away from you (over the knuckle of the big toe isn’t a bad landmark) and then sweeping it in once it’s above the knees.
    • As the bar is above your knees, transitioning your weight into your heels and keeping your chest high will help with finishing.
    • Finish your finish – Think about shrugging your hips, not just bashing them into the bar – this should encourage an upward bar path, versus a forward bar path
    • Lift your feet and hammer those elbows forward – Stay tight and stand it up! :)

Humour me if the above is a review of what you already know – it never hurts to go over the fundamental movements.

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WARM UP

Clean Warm Up
2 Rounds:
10 dislocates + weighted dislocates
10 hops + 10 Tuck jumps
10 russian KB swings (snappy hips!)

Context – Practice

STRENGTH

Lift the bar from the ground, to the front rack position (where the bar sits when you Front Squat).

This assumes you will pass through a squat (to catch the bar in a squat), though ask your coach if this is congruent with your goals or current placement in the progression.


6 X 2

8 of 14 (same weight as Friday – approximately 85-90% of max, 6 sets of 2 reps, “across,” same weight for each set)

SUPER SET

Half Kneeling Single Arm Dumbbell/Kettlbell Press
kneeling in a lunge position Press a single dumbbell or kettlebell overhead with the opposite arm as the forward leg. So if I’m lunging forward with my left leg, my right knee is down and I’m pressing with my right arm.

6 X 4

METCON

Stomp
For time
10-8-6-4-2 Thrusters (Performance: 115lb / Athletic: 75lb / Health: 55) OR Dumbbell Thruster (Performance: 45lb / Athletic: 30lb* / Health: 20;b)
50-40-30-20-10 Double Unders

*Women’s “As Prescribed” weights and reps (Rx)
Scaling Guide: 4 – 10 minutes. Scale up to 135/93lbs for an additional challenge


Keep the elbows up, and maintain a good ‘rack’ position throughout the thruster. If you struggle with squat cleans, plan on doing a power clean then a thruster. Be extra careful to keep those elbows away from the knees (otherwise slamming your elbow onto your knee and possibly injuring your wrist). If you can’t get any double unders or you struggle with doing more than 1-2 reps, scale to doing 4 singles then a double under attempt every 5th rep. Count this as 5 reps.

OPTIONAL CASH OUT

Cash Out – PostChain+Core #1
5 Rounds:
15 Kettlebell swings
10 Toes to bar

COOL DOWN

General Cool Down
Foam Roll – Quads, IT bands, Adductors, T-Spine
Stretch – Calves, Forearms, Hamstrings
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