The Final Clean & Press Challenge

2013-12-16

By DVRT Master Instructor, Steve Di Tomaso

Week 4 – The Ultimate Sandbag Training Clean and Press

Power is what makes us athletic. It affords us the ability to move with grace and fluidity. While that’s great there is a more important reason to train power. As we age muscular power is the first attribute that we lose, and one of the most important. Aging leads to significant losses in muscle mass, strength, and the ability to independently perform activities of daily living (such as walking, climbing stairs, standing from a seated position, and simple lifting tasks). While strength training does improve muscular strength it does not however translate into increasing the ability to perform activities of daily living however high velocity power training DOES.

Why the Ultimate Sandbag Training Clean and Press?

The Ultimate Sandbag Training Clean and Press is exemplifies what a healthy body should be able to do. It is the ultimate combination of pulling and pushing movements. It requires excellent body awareness, precision, mobility, strength, and power.

The Technique

The first phase of the Ultimate Sandbag Training Clean and Press is consistent with the USB Clean to Fist. It should be familiar now, but here is a quick review.

Phase 1

Place the Ultimate Sandbag (USB) on your feet with the broad side facing you

Grab the Clean handles and ready your back (tighten and flatten it to ready yourself)

Perform the high pull. Drive up thru the heels, pull the USB toward the chest as you attempt to pull the handles apart.

As the USB reaches its highest point drop and squeeze your elbows to your sides and catch the USB on your fists.

Phase 2

With the USB balanced on your fists drop into a mini squat

Drive back up through your feet like you are going to leap off of the ground

As you reach full extension with your legs transfer that power thru a tight core into the USB with your fists and press it up overhead

The finished position will see you with your elbows locked and the USB over the crown of your head (Your joints should be stacked one over top another)

Day 1 – Ultimate Sandbag Training-Building the Pattern (Total – 50 Reps)

Start with a Power or Strength Bag that you had been using during week 1 of the program on the USB Clean to Fist. Take 60 seconds rest between sets.

1×10 reps: 2 reps USB Deadlift, 2 reps USB High Pull, 6 reps USB Clean to Fist

2×10 reps: USB Clean to Fist

2×10 reps: USB Push Press

Ultimate Sandbag Clean and Press work done right at Envision Fitness

Day 2 – Ultimate Sandbag Training-Putting it Together (Total – 50 Reps)

Focus on refining your USB Clean and Press Form. Use a moderate load in a Power or Strength Bag for Pressing movements.

Take 60 seconds rest between all sets.

1×10 reps: USB Clean to Fist

1×10 reps: USB Thruster

1×10 reps: USB Push Press

4×5 reps: USB Clean and Press

Day 3: Ultimate Sandbag Training Clean and Press Ladder

The focus will be building capacity while cementing the Clean and Press pattern. Take 60 seconds rest between sets with 10 repetitions, and 90 seconds rest for sets with 5 repetitions)

1×5 reps ea: USB Staggered Clean to Fist (Strength Bag – Light)

1×5 reps ea: USB Staggered Push Press (Strength Bag – Light)

1×5 reps: USB Clean and Press (Strength Bag – Heavy)

1×5 reps ea: USB Staggered Push Press (Strength Bag – Light)

1×5 reps ea: USB Staggered Clean to Fist (Strength Bag – Light)

Make sure to properly rest and recover from the training!

Time to dial back the volume and refine technique. Focus on form to kill your challenge day.

1x5reps: USB Clean to Fist (Strength Bag – Medium) – 60 sec rest

1×5 reps: USB Push Press (Strength Bag – Medium) – 60 sec rest

1×5 reps: USB Clean to Fist (Strength Bag – Heavy) – 90 sec rest

1×5 reps: USB Push Press (Strength Bag – Heavy) – 60 sec rest

2×5 reps: USB Clean and Press (Strength Bag – Heavy) – 90 sec rest

Day 5 – Ultimate Sandbag Training Clean and Press Challenge (Total – You tell me)

This week’s challenge has been building since you started the USB Clean Challenge in Week 1. Today’s test will give you the insight you need to know whether you are ready to take on the DVRT Level 1 Certification USB Clean and Press Challenge.

The suggested load for this week’s challenge will be based off the standards set forth for the USB Clean and Press Challenge for a Level 1 Certification.

*note: If you have not spent time already practicing with that load this will not be the first day to try it. You will want to go through the 4 week program again and progress load higher than your last go thru. Record your repetitions and ADD them UP!

Warm Up (take as much rest as you need between sets)

1×5 reps: USB Clean to Fist

1×5 reps: USB Push Press

1×5 reps: USB Clean and Press

CHALLENGE TIME:

Josh Henkin practicing what he preaches

Pro Tip: Don’t use all of your energy in the first minute. Tired or not try and stop with 15 sec left on the clock to recover for the next minute. You’ll thank me later when you get down to the last minute or two

Minute 1: Perform 10+ USB Clean to Fist

Minute 2: Perform 10+ Push Press

Minute 3-5: Perform 8+ Clean and Press/min

How did you do??

39 reps or less – Great job. You are on your way, but need more practice with the technique and/or improved conditioning before considering the DVRT Level 1 Certification challenge. Take a week off and repeat Week 1 Thru 4. Expect a big performance boost your next go round.

40-49 reps – You are close. Keep going! Let’s dial it back to Week 3 next week and finish the last 2 weeks even stronger.

50-59 reps – You are ready to test and complete with success!

60+ reps – You are a BEAST. Go up a weight class and see how you perform!

For Reference. Here are the DVRT Level 1 Certification Standards for the USB Clean and Press Challenge:

Until next time! Train Right, Steve.

Steve Di Tomaso is a DVRT Master Instructor and owner of Envision Fitness.

To learn more check out envisionfitness.ca or facebook.com/envisionfitness

The Final Clean & Press Challenge is a post from: Ultimate Sandbag Training System

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