What to expect from the Oly Program

Diesel Dale
Diesel Dale

The Oly program begins on Monday October, 7th. We have mapped out the programming for all 6 weeks. Many Oly programs are designed for an individual athlete and not for a group varying in experience and ability levels. Some of you need to work more on technique then you need to be moving a lot of weight. Then others of you need to be working on your power and speed recruitment. This might require a variation in percentages and that is something that we can address on a person by person basis.

Greg Everett is a well respected Olympic lifting coach, he is the owner of Catalyst Athletics. We have been primarily using his book for guidance on programming our Oly program. There are a few important points he makes that are important to understand.

“Intensity needs to be varied during given training periods to allow both for burdening and recovery. Generally we see 2-3 genuinely heavy days each week, with 2-3 somewhat days. These days will alternate during the week to allow partial recovery between the heaviest training sessions. This does notย  mean that the lighter days are not challenging–in the athletes current state of recovery following a heavy training, these reduced intensity days can actually be very challenging”.

The percentages that we use during the Oly cycle are not to be ignored. There are a purpose for the percentages. We will only be using percentages for the snatch, clean, jerk, and the oly specific accessory lifts (snatch balance, clean pull, etc). Lifts such as the back squat, front squat, press, push press, etc. will most often be maximal effort and will be on heavy days.

That being said, we want you guys to understand percentages:
60-70%- Technique work, speed work
70-80% Technique work, speed work, hypertrophy, power development, strength development at higher reps
80-85%- Power development, Strength Development (medium reps)
85-100%- Strength Development (not good for gaining speed or power)

I cannot think of one of you that wouldnโ€™t benefit from technique work. And speed and power are NOT the same thing as strength. Remember, the snatch is the โ€œworldโ€™s fastest liftโ€ without hitting the proper positions and the speed and power behind it, you will be stunting your numbers.

Concerning reps we will be keeping with a 1-3 rep scheme on heavy days and on lighter days with the traditional lifts. This probably does not come as a surprise when concerning gaining strength, shorter reps means heavier sets. However, a 1-3 rep scheme is the most beneficial for building speed and power as well. Greg explains:

“Maximal loads do not allow maximal speed or power, those qualities are trained in this rep range with somewhat lighter weights and the neurological freshness with which they can be performed when reps are kept low (maximal power levels are generally seen in the 70-85% range).”

Point being donโ€™t scaled up and do maximal effort on speed/power days. You will not be doing yourself any good.

On lighter days when the goal is to produce power and speed the sets will be in the 8-12 range with percentages between 70-85%. Heavier days will have sets in the 3-5 range with percentages between 80-100%. Rest between sets on the lighter days should be 1-2 minutes, on the heavier days rest should be between 2-3 minutes.

Weeks A
Monday

  • Strength Development- Clean and Jerk (full clean)
  • Clean Pull
  • Back Squat
  • Heavy Metcon

Tuesday

  • Speed and Power- Snatch
  • Technical work
  • Accessory Work
  • Interval based Metcon- Gymnatics/Running/Rowing/Weightlifting

Wednesday

  • Strength development/Technical
  • Press
  • Push-press
  • 2 or 3 Position clean
  • Front squat
  • Couplet or Triplet with heavy loading

Friday

  • Speed and Power Development-Clean and Jerk (power position)
  • Accessory Snatch lifts
  • Monostructural intervals

Saturday

  • Max Out Both Lifts

Weeks B
Monday

  • Strength Development- Snatch (full)
  • Snatch Pull
  • Back Squat
  • Heavy Metcon

Tuesday

  • Speed and Power- Clean and Jerk
  • Technical work
  • Accessory Work
  • Interval based Metcon- Gymnatics/Running/Rowing/Weightlifting

Wednesday

  • Strength development/Technical
  • Snatch Grip Press
  • Snatch Grip Push-press
  • 2 or 3 Snatch clean
  • Front squat
  • Couplet or Triplet with heavy loading

Friday

  • Speed and Power Development-Power Snatch
  • Split Jerk/Push-jerk strength and technique work
  • Mono-structural intervals

Saturday

  • Max Out Both Lifts

Weeks A and B alternate. This is what we feel will be the most effective way to be able to get enough work in without overloading the joints. Wednesday will be a little bit of a break from throwing weight around and it will focus on developing shoulder strength. Each week movements will change, but the basis of the program will remain the same.

Warm Up
Row 500
Run 400

Skill
Spend 10 minutes working on Muscle Up transitions, efficiency or mobility.

Strength โ€“ 25 minutes
Work up to a 1RM Back Squat

Open WOD 11.4
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
60 Bar-facing burpees
30 Overhead squats (120 / 90)
10 Muscle-ups

34 Comments

  • Adam

    10/01/2013 @ 7:11 pm

    Back Squat: 275#, 20# PR

  • Adam

    10/01/2013 @ 7:11 pm

    Back Squat: 275#, 20# PR

  • KA

    10/01/2013 @ 6:32 pm

    Warm-up: done

    Back squat: 195, 10# PR. Should have had 200#.

    Wod: 90 reps Rx; had 2:45 left. Have to work on getting mups!

  • KA

    10/01/2013 @ 6:32 pm

    Warm-up: done

    Back squat: 195, 10# PR. Should have had 200#.

    Wod: 90 reps Rx; had 2:45 left. Have to work on getting mups!

  • Bish

    10/01/2013 @ 1:19 pm

    395 back squat, under PR, still testing the back out.. WOD 139 RX
    I want to squat like Dale when I grow up

  • Bish

    10/01/2013 @ 1:19 pm

    395 back squat, under PR, still testing the back out.. WOD 139 RX
    I want to squat like Dale when I grow up

  • Sergio Rene Hichos

    10/01/2013 @ 2:51 am

    375 PR!!!

  • Sergio Rene Hichos

    10/01/2013 @ 2:51 am

    375 PR!!!

  • Dale

    10/01/2013 @ 2:22 am

    450 bs, 25 lb pr

  • Dale

    10/01/2013 @ 2:22 am

    450 bs, 25 lb pr

  • Andrea

    10/01/2013 @ 12:16 am

    285 backsquat

    99rx for wod… Which I am pretty happy about!! I may have done a couple of dances..

    Not at all obnoxious

  • Andrea

    10/01/2013 @ 12:16 am

    285 backsquat

    99rx for wod… Which I am pretty happy about!! I may have done a couple of dances..

    Not at all obnoxious

  • Em

    09/30/2013 @ 8:09 pm

    Squat: 255# – 30# PR but Haley would say that I wasn’t trying hard enought before ๐Ÿ˜›

    WOD: 90 RX – MUPs are reallllly hard to do when tired…

  • Em

    09/30/2013 @ 8:09 pm

    Squat: 255# – 30# PR but Haley would say that I wasn’t trying hard enought before ๐Ÿ˜›

    WOD: 90 RX – MUPs are reallllly hard to do when tired…

  • goose

    09/30/2013 @ 7:33 pm

    380 – 15#PR. didn’t eat at all this am and felt very sluggish after going HAM at Calli’s wedding this weekend so I’ll definitely take it but think I have more in the tank. May try again on Friday and see what I can put up. This WOD is somewhat what DeDonno would say “wheelhouse” so did some other bull-ish instead with Pat P and then Haley made me run sprints again.

    • Shamwow

      09/30/2013 @ 10:38 pm

      Milk ‘n Cookies are paying off!

      • Dale

        10/01/2013 @ 2:20 am

        Child please, milk and cookies are for little boys. Goose is on his grown man status crushin donuts left and right

  • goose

    09/30/2013 @ 7:33 pm

    380 – 15#PR. didn’t eat at all this am and felt very sluggish after going HAM at Calli’s wedding this weekend so I’ll definitely take it but think I have more in the tank. May try again on Friday and see what I can put up. This WOD is somewhat what DeDonno would say “wheelhouse” so did some other bull-ish instead with Pat P and then Haley made me run sprints again.

    • Shamwow

      09/30/2013 @ 10:38 pm

      Milk ‘n Cookies are paying off!

      • Dale

        10/01/2013 @ 2:20 am

        Child please, milk and cookies are for little boys. Goose is on his grown man status crushin donuts left and right

  • Julie

    09/30/2013 @ 5:53 pm

    Squat up to 185 today, but got 200×1 last week!
    WOD 104rx. PR got 91 last time

  • Julie

    09/30/2013 @ 5:53 pm

    Squat up to 185 today, but got 200×1 last week!
    WOD 104rx. PR got 91 last time

  • Alec

    09/30/2013 @ 3:31 pm

    360 BS only a 5lb PR but I’ll take it, 108 reps on the metcon, couldn’t catch Dudley’s score. I had 90-something when this came up in 2011

  • Alec

    09/30/2013 @ 3:31 pm

    360 BS only a 5lb PR but I’ll take it, 108 reps on the metcon, couldn’t catch Dudley’s score. I had 90-something when this came up in 2011

  • Rachel 'Goose'

    09/30/2013 @ 3:04 pm

    Lil warm-up : “Squat Therapy: 4 Drills That Will Improve Your Squat”
    http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/squat-therapy-4-drills-will-improve-your-squat

  • Rachel 'Goose'

    09/30/2013 @ 3:04 pm

    Lil warm-up : “Squat Therapy: 4 Drills That Will Improve Your Squat”
    http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/squat-therapy-4-drills-will-improve-your-squat

  • Gillian

    09/30/2013 @ 2:25 pm

    Warm up: done
    Skill: worked on transitions from the floor without a band then strict ring pull ups with a false grip
    Back squat: 200# pr
    Wod: 94 with 65# ohs… Still having trouble with heavy loads overhead with the elbow

  • Gillian

    09/30/2013 @ 2:25 pm

    Warm up: done
    Skill: worked on transitions from the floor without a band then strict ring pull ups with a false grip
    Back squat: 200# pr
    Wod: 94 with 65# ohs… Still having trouble with heavy loads overhead with the elbow

  • Stafford

    09/30/2013 @ 1:17 pm

    Warmup done

    Skill : worked on strict pullups and ring dips. Feeling better about these but still need some work

    Back squat. failed 2 attempts @ 305 . Really wanted to hit this for a pr today. Just couldn’t get it this morning. Very frustrating

    Wod. 82 reps @ 115 OHS.

  • Stafford

    09/30/2013 @ 1:17 pm

    Warmup done

    Skill : worked on strict pullups and ring dips. Feeling better about these but still need some work

    Back squat. failed 2 attempts @ 305 . Really wanted to hit this for a pr today. Just couldn’t get it this morning. Very frustrating

    Wod. 82 reps @ 115 OHS.

  • Petra

    09/30/2013 @ 12:48 pm

    Back Squat: 175#. That’s 20# more than at the beginning of strength cycle, but same as an old PR. Odd.
    WOD: 91 reps @80#

  • Petra

    09/30/2013 @ 12:48 pm

    Back Squat: 175#. That’s 20# more than at the beginning of strength cycle, but same as an old PR. Odd.
    WOD: 91 reps @80#

  • Kara

    09/30/2013 @ 12:28 pm

    200# back squat (up 15# since start of strength cycle)
    Wod: 80 reps w/ 80# OHS. The burpees were slow ๐Ÿ™

  • Kara

    09/30/2013 @ 12:28 pm

    200# back squat (up 15# since start of strength cycle)
    Wod: 80 reps w/ 80# OHS. The burpees were slow ๐Ÿ™

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