T Nation

Power Cleans, Smolov Jr. and Specialization Training

Olympic Lifting
#1

Hey guys I’d like your opinions on this.

I’ve grown to love the clean & press but more so just cleans and front squats.

Do you think Smolov Jr could work for the clean?

I’d be doing this http://www.catalystathletics.com/exercises/exercise.php?exerciseID=59 and that would count as the first rep, but once standing up and just continue the rest of the set with front squats. I’m not sure what to call that. Clean and Squat?

For those unaware of Smolov Jr:
Monday: 6 x 6 (70%)
Wednesday: 7 x 5 (75%)
Friday: 8 x 4 (80%)
Saturday: 10 x 3 (85%)

You add the smallest increment onto that same load every week for 3 weeks.

Now on top on this, from a bodybuilding/aesthetic side a things, I’d like to bring up my back and shoulder width.

This is the program I had in mind:

Monday

  1. Power Clean & Squat â?? 6 x 1/6 (70%)
  2. Clean Pull â?? 3 x 3
  3. Chins â?? 3 sets weighted, 3 sets body weight. Max reps
  4. DB Lateral Raise â?? 3 x 12, 3 x 25+
  5. DB Hang Swing â?? 5 x 20+

Wednesday

  1. Incline BB Press â?? 3 x 5-8
  2. Dips â?? 3 sets weighted, 2 sets body weight. Max reps
  3. DB Fly + BB/DB Curl â?? 3 x 10-12
  4. Skull Crushers â?? 3 x 10-12

Thursday

  1. Power Clean & Squat â?? 7 x 1/5 (75%)
  2. Snatch Clean Pull â?? 3 x 3
  3. Pull-ups â?? 6 x max reps with body weight
  4. WG Up-right Row â?? 3 x 12
  5. Delt Tri-set (rear, lateral, rear) â?? 3 x max reps

Saturday

  1. Power Clean & Squat â?? 8 x 4 (80%)
  2. Hyper Extension â?? 3 x 12
  3. Chins â?? 6 x max reps with body weight
  4. Military Press â?? 3 x 12-15
  5. Incline DB L-Lateral Raise - 3 x 15-20
  6. Cobra Face Pull â?? 5 x 20+

Thoughts?

Too much going on?

#2

I can’t comment on the smolov program, having never tried it before, but I record that exercise as follows:
Clean + Front Squat - 6(sets) X 1+6(repetitions - the first being the # of cleans and the 2nd being the # of front squats).

#3

On Smolov: Seems like a lot of reps, unless your technique is VERY solid already I think it’s questionable.
If you want to get a lot of reps in I’d recommend Dan John’s Big 21, have done it myself and though you won’t be doing anything but the three main lifts (Clean and Press, Snatch, Power Clean and Jerk), you don’t need to.

A thrower posted this template a while back, at the time I thought it looked like a good way of combining oly/power stuff, if you feel you need to. I tried and have given up, I think focus is underrated.

“Monday: Snatch 3x3,2,1,1, Back Squat 5x5, back squat squat assistance (glutes/hams/lowerback)
Tuesday: Clean 3x3,2,1,1, Push Press 5x5, Weighted Chins 5x5 (vertical push/pull assistance)
Thursday Snatch 3x3,2,1,1, Front Squat 5x5, front squat assistance (quads/abs)
Friday: Clean 3x3,2,1,1, Bench Press 5x5, Bent Rows 5x5, horizontal push/pull assistance)”

Easily modifiable and you get all major lifts in. You can add all sorts of pulls or even do snatch/clean complexes (If anybody has seen this before, or this is yours, say so. I’d give credit but I simply don’t remember). The only thing I would change is adding some sort of periodization.

#4

I think you have a bit too much work with the Smolov Jr program. You can do the Smolov Jr program like that, though, shouldn’t be too much of a problem. However, I would definitely take out the pulls, especially if you mean to do them from the floor.

I did Smolov Jr with FS and it went pretty well, but I ditched any pulls, minimized cleans, and did do some pull-ups/chins most days.

Just be flexible with the rest of your program, so that if you’re feeling beat down from the squatting, you don’t make it worse with the back work.