Tsypkin Thursdays #2

Matt F asks, “How do you treat conditioning for lifters or people generally more interested in lifting?”

Minimal. Depending on the case, I would stick to 2-3 days a week at most, with no more than one session in excess of 5-6 minutes and no more than 10 (and that’s if you are in more of a GPP phase, far out from competition). I typically like to make up circuits out of assistance work the lifter would do anyway, such as back extensions, weighted sit-ups, pullups, dips, rope climbs, etc. Kettlebell and dumbbell work is a good option as well, and occasionally I like the Prowler, but be careful – it can leave you wrecked for the next day’s training. Same goes for strongman type stuff.

Rick R asks, “Why would someone be able to do a hang power clean with a given weight, but struggle to do a power clean from the floor with the same weight?”

To put it simply: the closer the bar gets to the floor, the more complex the pull becomes. In the hang position, the lifter does not have to worry about what is perhaps the most complex part of the lift – the gradual, controlled backwards movement of the knees as the bar passes them. With the hang variation, even an inexperienced lifter can fairly easily keep the bar close and moving towards their center of mass, stay on their heels, and finish aggressively at the top with the bar where it’s supposed to be.

“It’s only a game. Why you heff to be mad?”

Kenneth M asks, “What are some good drills for improving speed under the bar?”

Snatches/cleans from the hip and high hang. Snatches/cleans from the high blocks. No hook grip/no foot movement snatches (you can do cleans with this exercise too but I don’t think it’s nearly as effective). Anything that a) minimizes time between the initiation of the pull and the finish and b) teaches you to move smoothly and immediately under the bar.

Donovan Ford: Snatch Pull + Snatch from high blocks

I’d like to take this opportunity to address what I feel is a common mistake: the snatch balance, which is a very useful exercise for other things, will NOT make you faster under the bar in the snatch! It may increase your comfort in going under the bar, and it may help make you stronger in the jerk, but going under a bar which is moving from your back to overhead is in no way the same as going under a bar which is going from the floor to overhead.  If you want to get faster in the snatch, you have to snatch.

Brendan W asks, “What are your go-to assistance exercises for increasing shoulder stability?”

Push press, rows, pullups, band facepulls and pull-aparts, planks, Sotts press, snatches and clean & jerks.

Jacob Tsypkin is a CrossFit and weightlifting coach, the co-owner of CrossFit Monterey and the Monterey Bay Barbell Club in Monterey, CA. He is available for weightlifting seminars and gives excellent hugs imo.