Keep It Simple, Stupid, Training 2/Week and Power Clean Question

Serving on active duty with the US Army has meant I’ve come across the KISS principle in its guises. KISS, or Keep it Simple Stupid (or Shithead depending on the speaker), really applies for strength and conditioning too.

A bit about me, 5’6", 183 lbs, with a max Bench of 222.5 lbs, max squat of 292.5 lbs, deadlift of 405 lbs, power clean of 202.5 lbs, and press of 170 lbs. Been running 5/3/1 since November 2015, of late (1 year plus) using the Template for a Noncompetitive Powerlifter from 5/3/1 for Powerlifting. Goals are simple: get strong with good conditioning to withstand the rigors of military service and ensure a good quality of life when I’m on civvy street with grey pubes.

Having read and applied principles from the various 5/3/1 books, to include 5/3/1 Forever and several articles (to include Taxpayer and Balance) on 2x/week training for the past two years. I’ve gone and redesigned my 5/3/1 Template for my next duty station that entails 10 days per month of ‘no gym’ environments.

I’ve found going after PRs on the 3x3 weeks and 5/3/1 weeks played by ear (and using Joker Sets if I have an exceptionally good day on those weeks) and just doing 5s on 3x5 weeks works best for me.

Assistance work is predominantly bodyweight and kettlebell based, I don’t major in the minors here. Conditioning is running and foot marching based with a steady diet of kettlebell ballistics mixed in. I’ve got no queries here.

My 2x lift days are this:

Day One:

Jumps and Throws
Bench 5/3/1
Power Clean (See Below)
Deadlift 5/3/1

Day Two:

Jumps and Throws
Press 5/3/1
Weighted Chins (Optional)
Squat 5/3/1

My plan is to try to come off of those 10 days in the field rotations (driving/walking around the desert grading units during training rotations) at the start of a 3x5 week or if it happens to be on a 5/3/1 week play it by ear.

My plan for the power clean is this (based on what I’ve seen in 5/3/1 Forever and around here at times):

3x3 Week do 5x5/3/1 @ 3 reps at a 75% Training Max (I’ve even considered 70% TM)
3x5 Week do 5x3 FSL
5/3/1 Week do TM x 10 anyway I can.

Just curious if that’s the right sort of way to approach using the power clean on a 2x/week schedule. Was there something I missed?

When training two days/week, we always ditch the power clean. With how we train and with time restrictions given to the athletes (as well as adherence to the different physical demands including jumping, running, S.P.P. work) we simply don’t have time to do it. Hell, we don’t even do it when we do have time.

I’m not saying it’s a bad lift; I think it’s a great lift. But at this time and how we train/how I program, it’s not necessary to use. 99% of strength coaches love this lift and think it’s the best thing ever; that has not been my experience. Because of this, I have given no time to finding the right balance in a 2 day/week program. My best advice is to understand the total program and how each and every piece comes together; in other words, don’t just put stuff in without understanding it’s effect on every part of the program.