Every 1 min for 7 mins: 3 Position Clean + Jerk

* We will start slow back on the barbell with a 3 position clean at about 50% of 1RM. Let’s familiarize ourselves with the power clean & jerk again, utilizing the 3 positions to dial in good technique. The ‘jerk’ can be a push jerk or split jerk. However, beginners may want to use a strict press (to develop overhead strength / awareness) or a push press.

3 positions:
1. pockets
2. above knee
3. floor

As many reps as possible in 15 mins of:

1 round of Strict Cindy

1 Clean & Jerk, 135/95 lbs

1 round of Strict Cindies

2 Clean & Jerks, 135/95 lbs

1 round of Strict Cindies

3 Clean & Jerks, 135/95 lbs

… Continue adding 1 rep each round to each movement until time expires.

WORKOUT BRIEF
DESCRIPTION
Climbing the ladder for 15 minutes to start off the week
We’ll alternate between bodyweight movements and a weightlifting movement for 15 minutes
The clean and jerks will climb by (1) rep each round, while “Strict Cindy” rounds stay fixed at 1
After the round of 3, you’ll complete 4-5-6-7….
Your score today is total reps completed
1 round of “Strict Cindy” has 30 reps

STRICT CINDY
1 Round of “Strict Cindy”:
5 Strict Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Air Squats
We alternate between an upper body pull, upper body push, and lower body push
Because we’re always switching muscle groups, you’ll be able to better maintain intensity without burning out
Within the workout, choose variations that allow you to complete the pull-ups and push-ups within 2 sets each

CLEAN AND JERKS
After cleaning the weight to the shoulders, you can either push press or push jerk the barbell overhead
Choose a weight here that you are confident in completing for 9+ reps unbroken when fresh

TEACHING
STRICT PULL-UPS
Elbows
Our focus today on all these movements will be the elbows. In the strict pull-up, keeping the elbows slightly in front of the body with a relatively vertical forearm will help engage the lats while keeping the movement as strict as possible. When the elbows move “back” behind the body, it is easier to lose the hollow body position and lose some help from the big lat muscles. It can help to think about pulling up and slightly away instead of pulling in towards the bar.

Movement Prep
10 Scap Pull-ups
10 Second Hollow Hold on Bar
1-3 Strict Pull-ups

PUSH-UPS
Elbows
In the push-up, we want the elbows to track back behind the body at a 45 degree angle off the torso. This position is safer and provides better leverage than an “elbows out” position where they flare to the sides. It can be helpful to view this as the same natural elbow position you would use during a run. At the top of each rep, let’s also ensure the elbows reach full extension to hit the range of motion standards.

Movement Prep
4 Push-up Negatives*
4 Push-ups

*Lower 3 Seconds Down + Use Leg Assistance to Get Back to the Top

AIR SQUATS
Elbows
The elbows can help keep your chest up in the air squat in a similar way that driving the elbows up keeps the chest up in the barbell front squat. Pressing the arms up and away from the body can provide a slight counterbalance, allowing for better mechanics. This can help prevent any rounding over or caving in of the upper body during the squat – which also makes it easier to breathe during the movement.

Movement Prep
5 Pausing Air Squats
5 Air Squats

POWER CLEAN AND JERKS
Elbows
We’ll break this movement up into its two parts. In the clean, we’re looking for 3 big things:

Elbows stay locked until the hips open
Elbows track close to the body instead of swinging forward
Elbows turnover quickly to get the weight to the front rack
In the jerk, we’re also looking for 3 big things:

Hard punch of the elbows to get the weight locked out quickly
Elbows completely locked out at the top
Elbows finish next to the ear to resemble a stacked “IoI” (two arms + head) position

Movement Prep
With Lighter Weight:
4 Deadlifts
4 High Pulls
4 Power Cleans
4 Should to Overhead
4 Power Clean and Jerks

MODIFICATIONS
STRICT PULL-UPS
Reduce Reps
Banded Strict Pull-ups
Ring Rows
Inverted Rows
Odd Object Rows (10)
Double Dumbbell Bent Over Rows (10)
Single Dumbbell Bent Over Rows (5 Each Side)
Barbell Bent Over Rows

PUSH-UPS
Reduce Reps
Elevate Hands (Box or Bench)

POWER CLEAN AND JERKS
Single Dumbbell Power Clean and Jerks (Each Side)
Odd Object Clean and Jerks (3x Reps)

PRACTICE ROUNDS
1 Round
With Lighter Weights:
3 Strict Pull-ups
6 Push-ups
9 Air Squats
6 Power Clean and Jerks

STRATEGY + WOD
GENERAL
In ascending rep scheme workouts like this, the real work doesn’t start until you reach the work that can’t be seen in the workout description
The work you can see in the description (through the round of 3) is essentially a buy-in for the work that follows
Hold a speed early on that you see yourself being able to maintain as the strict upper body movements start to fatigue and the clean and jerk reps climb higher

STRICT CINDY
The strict pull-ups and push-ups will be the most challenging bodyweight movements in this workout
They also interfere with the clean and jerks, as there is a pulling and pressing component to that movement
Break these movements up like you were completing 10 rounds for time
1-2 quick breaks on each can help you move faster in the long run

POWER CLEAN AND JERKS
Even though we climb in reps, the numbers stay fairly manageable throughout
It’s unlikely that anyone reaches double digit clean and jerks in this workout, so you’ll always have less than 10 reps to complete
Knowing you’re going to break up the upper body movements that follow in Strict Cindy, see if you can work through larger sets here
At the higher single digit reps, take a quick break at the half way point if needed