Grace under fire

Grace: 30 Clean & Jerks (135/95lb) for time. (4:00 flat! at 55lbs)

I don't remember having done a clean & jerk before and after watching a bunch of OLY (Olympic) c&j videos on YouTube, I was more confused about the difference between a clean & jerk and a clean & press. Especially since the Rx was 95lbs - I have trouble cleaning more than 55 pounds (and pretty much can't clean more than 65).

This is why I love my gym: I didn't feel stupid for asking the head trainer, which is good, because it saved me what could have been a lot of misery. A clean and press is when, after you clean and get the bar in the rack position, you dip a little to give yourself momentum to push (press) the bar over your head. In a clean and jerk, once the bar is cleaned into the rack position, you dip and move yourself under the bar (so you end in a half overhead squat).

I was a little nervous about weight setting up my bar - I'd only done 50lbs last week on push presses, but I was feeling good so I set it up at 55lbs since I just had to get through 30. Turns out they are definitely easier than a press - I could have done at least 60lbs, if not 65! I know for next time now...

There were a bunch of bars of varying weight set up for others in the room, so after everyone was done I went around and tried some out... first 65 (no problem to clean!) then 75lbs... and then 85lbs! I cleaned it too!

Tomorrow's workout is a doozy - two separate 1,000m rows with a bunch of squat cleans, lunges, and box jumps sandwiched in! Oh my!