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TSC Am I ready to train for Fall 2017 TSC?

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Sean M

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I am itching to give the TSC a try this fall (2017).

I am very close to attaining Simple (by time standard). I have been at 100 swings and 10 getups all at 32kg for a few weeks now, just working on compressing the rest time.

I have not trained snatches, but have practiced about once a week with 16kg, more recently starting 3/3 with 24kg on the minute.

I do not have a barbell, so I have no barbell deadlift experience. I recently stayed at a hotel where I did 10 reps at 75% bodyweight, but probably could've done 12 (it was after I did S&S, and I was barefoot on the fitness center carpet) - maybe 15 if fresh (?). Online calculators say that is a 1RM of 180-190; I'll call it a 1x bodyweight deadlift (200lb). I am aware that the approximate median DL for Novice Men in the Fall 2016 TSC is ~350lb, and top 10% is ~450.

Is this plan too ambitious for where I'm at?

July: Continue working S&S 4-5 days a week to achieve the time standard. One day a week (in place of S&S swings, or as a separate session), practice snatches starting with 3/side OTM @ 24kg. Continue GTG pull-ups. Buy a barbell and plates.

August: Begin deadlift training, continue practicing snatches, continue GTG pull-ups
  • Begin deadlift training. I like the idea of "Daily Dose Deadlift" in the a.m., continue S&S 3-4/week in the p.m.
  • Snatch: Not exactly sure how to get from 50-60 reps in 10 minutes to 100 in 5 minutes in a structured way. Help?
  • Pull-ups: Continue GTG.
September: Continue progressing in DL, continue snatch practice, begin structured pull-up training
  • Deadlift: Cycle 1 of 2 would be completed in early September with a new max. Cycle 2 would be based on the new max.
  • Snatch: Continue the plan (whatever it is)
  • Pull-up: One of the Fighter Pull-up Program cycles (based on my RM) during rest periods of DDL in the mornings (leaving 3-4 evenings for S&S), or doing FPP in the hour or so between getting home from work in the evening and later when I do S&S.
October: DL, snatch, and pull-up programs to culminate at TSC
  • Deadlift: DDL culminates with a 92% RM lift the Saturday before TSC. 75% Monday through Wednesday before TSC, then 50-60% Thursday and Friday. Right?
  • Snatch: Continue the plan (whatever it is). Is a 3:00 full-out test recommended prior to TSC as a benchmark? E.g. if one can do ~70 reps in 3:00, is that a good place to be to get the remaining 30 reps in the last 2:00?
  • Pull-up: Finish whatever program I'm on so the new RM attempt is at the TSC.
I'm not looking at TSC as a competition, but as something to participate in, to challenge myself, and to benchmark/baseline my future progress on.

Any input on the overall plan is appreciated - input on how to get to the 5:00 snatch test is especially welcome.
 
Yes, go for it! It's such a great learning experience, the prep and the event.

Don't worry about the DL numbers. Wherever weight you get to is fine... just be safe.

Good plan on the snatches... just start snatching and see how it goes. 3/side OTM @ 24kg sounds like a good way to start. Maybe follow up with some 5/side OTM @ 16kg to get more reps of the movement in your practice without too much strain to start with. Don't hesitate to ask for help with the snatch here -- as I was telling someone this morning, so few students get there that being able to coach the snatch is a rare opportunity! As for progressing the reps, you said, "Not exactly sure how to get from 50-60 reps in 10 minutes to 100 in 5 minutes in a structured way" -- does this mean you can do 50-60 reps with the 24kg in 10 min now? And, "Is a 3:00 full-out test recommended prior to TSC as a benchmark?"... Yes... If you can do 50-60 reps, just do as many as you can do in 5 min on any day that you're feeling strong and get a baseline. It's tough, but it's only 5 min, and you'll recover. (Hint: video yourself or have someone count for you... the counting gets hard under duress). It will tell you a lot about your weak links. But if you're entirely new to snatching, you'll want to work on it for a while before going for a max 5-min.

Look for Karen Smith's articles on the pull-up so that you're working the technique effectively from the beginning.

Just some ideas... hope that helps.
 
Yes, go for it! It's such a great learning experience, the prep and the event.

Don't worry about the DL numbers. Wherever weight you get to is fine... just be safe.

Good plan on the snatches... just start snatching and see how it goes. 3/side OTM @ 24kg sounds like a good way to start. Maybe follow up with some 5/side OTM @ 16kg to get more reps of the movement in your practice without too much strain to start with. Don't hesitate to ask for help with the snatch here -- as I was telling someone this morning, so few students get there that being able to coach the snatch is a rare opportunity! As for progressing the reps, you said, "Not exactly sure how to get from 50-60 reps in 10 minutes to 100 in 5 minutes in a structured way" -- does this mean you can do 50-60 reps with the 24kg in 10 min now? And, "Is a 3:00 full-out test recommended prior to TSC as a benchmark?"... Yes... If you can do 50-60 reps, just do as many as you can do in 5 min on any day that you're feeling strong and get a baseline. It's tough, but it's only 5 min, and you'll recover. (Hint: video yourself or have someone count for you... the counting gets hard under duress). It will tell you a lot about your weak links. But if you're entirely new to snatching, you'll want to work on it for a while before going for a max 5-min.

Look for Karen Smith's articles on the pull-up so that you're working the technique effectively from the beginning.

Just some ideas... hope that helps.
Thanks Anna!

For snatch, I can do 3/3 on the minute for 10 minutes with the 24. Done it twice on a non-S&S day (fresh). I could probably do 5-7 per side on the minute with the 16.

Found the TSC Prep article and will probably follow this snatch program for the weeks leading up to TSC (scheduling one week between apex of this and the TSC):
- Week 1: 7 min of 7/7
- Week 2: 7 min of 6/6
- Week 3: 7 min of 8/8
- Week 4: 7 min of 7/7
- Week 5: 5 min test
- Week 6: 7 min of 9/9
- Week 7: 7 min of 8/8
- Week 8: 7 min of 10/10
- Week 9: 7 min of 9/9
- Week 10: 5 min test
- Week 11: TSC, new PR!

All weeks with 2-3 days of 100 heavy (32kg) one-arm swings too.
 
For snatch, I can do 3/3 on the minute for 10 minutes with the 24.

That's good; so, you won't hurt yourself to give it a try. That plan looks good, but you'll want a baseline sooner than the week before, I would think. You could do a 5-min test with any weight -- even a 5-min max with the 16kg or 20kg would be useful information for you as far as your weak links. And it's partly a mental game... you gotta know what you're in for... a 5-min max snatch is just SO different than a few snatches OTM, or even S&S swings in 5 min.
 
I have never participated in TSC, but if one would be organized in my area I would definitely enroll to the event.

As far as I can tell it is a great way to challenge yourself while having great time with other like-minded people. Don't worry about specific numbers - the most important thing is to do your best and set the baseline :). Working to beat your previous numbers would be a fantastic journey.
 
Two things come to mind:

First, I would prepare to ease up on the S&S when starting to train the deadlift.

Second, some peaking practice should be good for the event.

In general I think it's a great idea to participate. Even if the time frame isn't ideal you still have plenty of it. The most important thing is to be consistent and break the records of this fall next spring.
 
Snatch: Not exactly sure how to get from 50-60 reps in 10 minutes to 100 in 5 minutes in a structured way. Help?

I would progress in a few different ways. If you're doing 3/3 OTM for 10 minutes, the first thing I'd try is lengthening your workout gradually to 20 minutes or more. That will give you the necessary volume, e.g., 3/3 OTM for 20:00 is 120 reps.
I have never participated in TSC, but if one would be organized in my area I would definitely enroll to the event.
If you have an SFG in your area, perhaps you can reach out to that person and see about getting a TSC started. Please PM me if I can help with this.

-S-
 
That plan looks good, but you'll want a baseline sooner than the week before, I would think. You could do a 5-min test with any weight -- even a 5-min max with the 16kg or 20kg would be useful information for you as far as your weak links. And it's partly a mental game... you gotta know what you're in for... a 5-min max snatch is just SO different than a few snatches OTM, or even S&S swings in 5 min.

Anna hit the nail on the HEAD. At our SFG I a member of Anna's team had never before attempted a 5 minute snatch test. Needless to say, he got nowhere near 100 snatches and chose not to stick around.

There is no way you can get to Point B if you have no idea where Point A is. A Snatch Test is a different animal, between now and the TSC you MUST try a few snatch tests. That is the only way you will know that your efforts are working and you will not be sailing in "uncharted waters." It won't be long before a 5 minute snatch test is just something that you do sometimes..no big deal.
 
Thanks for the input all!

My more detailed draft plan: TSC 2017 Training Plan

Basically it is the TSC Prep article format:
  • Deadlift: Easy Strength until 8 weeks out, then the Linear Peaking Cycle per the article
  • Snatch: 3/3 on the minute building to 20 minutes, then a baseline 5 min test, then starting with 4/4 for 7 minutes, building up to 10/10 in 7 in weekly increments, with 5 minute tests every few weeks
  • Pull-ups: GTG until September, then Fighter Pull-up 3RM program (weighted), then the 5RM program (unweighted) to peak at TSC
  • S&S throughout, scaling back to 2/week in the 8 weeks leading up to TSC
Through August, nothing is really changing from my current routine except my two days of swing practice (other than the three days of S&S) will be replaced by two Easy Strength deadlift days, one of which with snatch practice at the end.

Time to start shopping for an Olympic barbell set!

I see there is Novice and Open, which for men the only difference seems to be the weight for snatch (20kg vs 24kg). If I train 24kg snatches I should be really ready for 20kg at the TSC - but would I get bumped up to Open? What gets one bumped from Novice to Open?
 
I don't think any policy is in place to bump a person to a harder division.

-S-
 
So I failed to make the DL pulls yesterday per the plan. I wasn’t sure if I should re-attempt at lower the weight, or if a failed near-maximal load means no more attempts for the day. I moved on to swings and getups.

I worked up from 5 x 5 @ 190 (70%) in week 1, to 2 x 2 @ 255 (95%) in week 6 (last week). Yesterday was supposed to be 2,1,1 @ 265. Max going into week 1 was 270 (probably 275).

DL day 2 of each week is 5,3,2 between 70-90%. I’ve been doing 5 @ 75%, 3 @ 80%, and 2 @ 90%.

Should I re-attempt 2,1,1 @ 265 on Thursday, or keep it below 245 (90%)? Go by feel? I was really hoping to perhaps pull my old 1RM for a double, but 265 was stuck to the floor.

Granted, it was later in the evening (7pm) after sitting all day and not eating much/well that day. My 1RM was done mid-morning after a good breakfast. That will be the pattern for the TSC, so hopefully that’s all it was.

Next week will be a set of 10 at 50-60%, going into the TSC that weekend.
 
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