THIB'S TIP: Explosive Pull Continuous Ramp

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
21

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]cubuff2028 wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
The continuous ramp is a great feeling… even though the weight gets heavier and heavier you feel more and more explosive.

BTW, for the chinese pull do not just drop the chest down to the bar, you actually have to drop down with a fairly upright torso (bending the knees more that bending the torso) and use your traps to pull yourself down.[/quote]

I’m mildly annoyed that you introduced an idea this interesting during my deload week… I have to wait until Sunday night to try this. Question: i see the rationale behind the order of the exercises. Would you see any value to a variation in which you reverse the order? [/quote]

Yes actually I would. Chinese olympic lifters normally do their heavier pulls first, then the faster (hgher ones) afterwards. They are obviously getting results.

I personally have tried it… the positive is that after doing the heavier stuff, the faster/higher ones feel and are much more explosive… the negative is that you can’t use as much weight on the heavier lifts because you are not yet neurally activated. For example, I reached 190kg on low pulls when starting with them but reach 220kg when doing them last, and they are more explosive.[/quote]

exciting. in fact, there are very few things i get more excited about than trying out things like this. Do you think this indicates some sort of destructive psychological issue?

22

[quote]cubuff2028 wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]cubuff2028 wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
The continuous ramp is a great feeling… even though the weight gets heavier and heavier you feel more and more explosive.

BTW, for the chinese pull do not just drop the chest down to the bar, you actually have to drop down with a fairly upright torso (bending the knees more that bending the torso) and use your traps to pull yourself down.[/quote]

I’m mildly annoyed that you introduced an idea this interesting during my deload week… I have to wait until Sunday night to try this. Question: i see the rationale behind the order of the exercises. Would you see any value to a variation in which you reverse the order? [/quote]

Yes actually I would. Chinese olympic lifters normally do their heavier pulls first, then the faster (hgher ones) afterwards. They are obviously getting results.

I personally have tried it… the positive is that after doing the heavier stuff, the faster/higher ones feel and are much more explosive… the negative is that you can’t use as much weight on the heavier lifts because you are not yet neurally activated. For example, I reached 190kg on low pulls when starting with them but reach 220kg when doing them last, and they are more explosive.[/quote]

exciting. in fact, there are very few things i get more excited about than trying out things like this. Do you think this indicates some sort of destructive psychological issue? [/quote]

Most likely

23

CT, 200 kg is getting into elite snatch territory. I realize you didn’t actually snatch that weight, but still, that’s a darn good Chinese pull.

Do you find that these carry over well to actual snatch performance? Different people have different results with pulls carrying over to the actual lift so I’m curious about your experience.

24

[quote]MikeTheBear wrote:
CT, 200 kg is getting into elite snatch territory. I realize you didn’t actually snatch that weight, but still, that’s a darn good Chinese pull.

Do you find that these carry over well to actual snatch performance? Different people have different results with pulls carrying over to the actual lift so I’m curious about your experience.[/quote]

Actually it was 180, 200 was the low pulls.

I’m actually starting doing the competitive lifts again (working on mobility right now) so I cannot answer that question for sure. I feel that the chinese pull will have the most transfer since the structure is the same (you go down as soon as you launched the bar).

Now, my issue has always been my grip strength. My best snatch with straps was 142.5kg but my best without straps was 127.5… so I’m working hard on that too.

25

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]cubuff2028 wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]cubuff2028 wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
The continuous ramp is a great feeling… even though the weight gets heavier and heavier you feel more and more explosive.

BTW, for the chinese pull do not just drop the chest down to the bar, you actually have to drop down with a fairly upright torso (bending the knees more that bending the torso) and use your traps to pull yourself down.[/quote]

I’m mildly annoyed that you introduced an idea this interesting during my deload week… I have to wait until Sunday night to try this. Question: i see the rationale behind the order of the exercises. Would you see any value to a variation in which you reverse the order? [/quote]

Yes actually I would. Chinese olympic lifters normally do their heavier pulls first, then the faster (hgher ones) afterwards. They are obviously getting results.

I personally have tried it… the positive is that after doing the heavier stuff, the faster/higher ones feel and are much more explosive… the negative is that you can’t use as much weight on the heavier lifts because you are not yet neurally activated. For example, I reached 190kg on low pulls when starting with them but reach 220kg when doing them last, and they are more explosive.[/quote]

exciting. in fact, there are very few things i get more excited about than trying out things like this. Do you think this indicates some sort of destructive psychological issue? [/quote]

Most likely
[/quote]

sorry for the off topic post!

26

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]Mutsanah wrote:
Ah, interesting fact.

So maybe my recent adaptation is me becoming better at producing power quickly.

I also think the drained feeling from the floor is that I used to focus too much on the arms.

When you gave me the tip of relaxing arms with torso tight and explode thru hips, it helped me be much more efficient.

In fact, last week from the blocks I just surpassed my best pull from the floor; it was only 2lbs, but it felt more explosive.

Today will be my first WO with the 4 pulls, SGHP, SGCP, SGLP, CGLP then 3 sets SGHP, 1 from blocks then 3-4 from hang. Looking forward to it![/quote]

Let me know how it goes[/quote]

@CT:

I have to just say “wow”. That progressive ramping from the blocks reminds me of the progressive pull day I used to do with clean grip high pulls then low pulls then DL.

I learned a lot today from the WO and will continue to practice practice practice.

SGHP: 135x3, 155x2, 175x1, 195x1, 215x1, 235x1, 255x1, 270x1, 285x1, 300x1, 315x1
(At this point the bar was only coming to nipple line at chest with full extension so I moved on to Chinese high pull)
SGCP: 315x1, 325x1, 335x1
(These felt incredible. I now better understand the “3rd pull”, pulling yourself under the bar. That is some serious skill and bravery to “dive” under 150-200kgs and stand up with it. I think they feel more explosive since your head is moving more thru space. But, still, it’s an amazing feeling)
SGLP: 345x1, 355x1, 365x1
(These were coming to mid-abdomen and I could still explode thru hips)
CGLP: 375x1, 390x1, 405x1
(Just came to umbilicus but I knew they would set me up for a better last layer. They need to work as far as balance and hip explosion still)

SGCP: 275 x 1 from blocks then 3 from hang - 3 sets, 30 secs rest.
Awesome feeling from these. I almost felt like I could squat snatch that weight. My overhead supports are much higher than this, so with
coaching and proper technique, I feel like I could get this. The pump and MMC in the traps is phenomenal. I actually had to be careful not to strike my chin. I’ve never been this explosive with this high of a weight.

Thanks for this ramping progression - I look forward to continually perfecting my technique.

Cheers,
M

27

Mutsanah, that’s pretty damn impressive.

28

Would this work well for weightlifters using snatches or cleans instead of high pulls, alternating snatch and clean each workout?

For example:

  1. Power snatch or clean ramp
  2. Full snatch or clean, or Chinese pull ramp
  3. Low pull ramp

Then 3 sets at 80%.

29

[quote]tmsnow10 wrote:
Would this work well for weightlifters using snatches or cleans instead of high pulls, alternating snatch and clean each workout?

For example:

  1. Power snatch or clean ramp
  2. Full snatch or clean, or Chinese pull ramp
  3. Low pull ramp

Then 3 sets at 80%.[/quote]

Yeeeeess… but not exactly like that.

I would only use the power snatch/clean as a warm-up

Then go on to:

  1. Snatch (or clean & jerk)
  2. Chinese pull (snatch or clean grip)
  3. Low pull (snatch or clean grip)
  4. 3 sets of 2 reps of snatches or clean & jerks at 80%
  5. 3 sets of 2-3 reps of snatch or clean chinese pull from blocks at 80%

Actually that’s pretty much what I will do when I get back to the olympic lifts. Squats would be done on another day…

Something like:

Day 1. Snatch
Day 2. Clean & jerk
Day 3. Squats
Repeat (or take a day off)

The squat workout would look like this:

  1. Power snatch from blocks … 3 sets of 2 reps with 60-70% of snatch
  2. Power clean from blocks … 3 sets of 2 reps with 60-70% of clean
  3. Front squat ramp to max
  4. Back squat ramp to max
  5. 1/4 front squats from pins ramp to max
  6. Paused front (or back) squat 3 x 3-5 with 80%
30

Sounds good, thanks. The one issue is that I’ve hardly practiced high or Chinese pulls, my max is definitely less than my snatch/clean max. Would you drop the weight down after snatches/cleans and ramp back up, or maybe just practice the Chinese pull technique for now as a warmup or on an off day or something?

31

[quote]tmsnow10 wrote:
Sounds good, thanks. The one issue is that I’ve hardly practiced high or Chinese pulls, my max is definitely less than my snatch/clean max. Would you drop the weight down after snatches/cleans and ramp back up, or maybe just practice the Chinese pull technique for now as a warmup or on an off day or something?[/quote]

You could start the ramp with chinese pulls then snatched… ideally you want the chinese pull to be at least 20% stronger than your snatch. When you are stronger enough on them, switch the ramp order.

32

If I have ridiculously long arms, should I still shoot for mid-belly on low pulls?

33

[quote]shanetrain49 wrote:
If I have ridiculously long arms, should I still shoot for mid-belly on low pulls?[/quote]

Actually long arms help you pull higher on pulls, well mostly on high pulls. For low pulls the target should be the same for anybody. But really, as I mentioned, it’s not so much about the pulling height as it is about still being able to launch the weight up, not shrug and calves-raise it up!

34

Just hit a 170kg hugh pull above nipple line… can’t wait to see the pics

35

Damn, I can’t wait to see the pics too!

36

Nice…Man i have a long way to go Haha.Good stuff ct.

37

@CT:

I just got my Schiek leather straps today - looking forward to using them in next pulling session.

They need no conditioning - they are ready to use.

Thanks for the recommendation!

Cheers,
M

38

This morning I feel like I’ve been hit by 3 trucks!

Yesterday’s session was a video/photo shoot session which was a lot longer and had a lot more heavy volume than a normal workout… this morning I cannot fully close my hands and I feel drunk… ahhh… good ole nervous system crash!

39

3 trucks. i know that feeling.
so that’s cns crash. got it.
take lots of Plazma, and curcumin, and some Brain Candy, and dont forget extra helpings of MAG-10

40

[quote]domcib wrote:
3 trucks. i know that feeling.
so that’s cns crash. got it.
take lots of Plazma, and curcumin, and some Brain Candy, and dont forget extra helpings of MAG-10[/quote]

It’s 10:25am and I’m already on my 5th MAG-10 of the day!!!