Dan John Inspired Workout

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I am NOT an Olympic Lifter so don't cry over my shitty power clean technique.

The mere fact that you are about to be ripping weights off the ground and throwing it overhead counts BIG time.

Check this Vid, Kids....

After you warm up, get a light weight on the bar, for me, I stayed at 135 lbs.

Perform the following reps: 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 8, 5, 3, 2

Rest periods were 1 minute maximum, on the lower rep sets I rested 30 seconds.

This workout busted me up REAL Nice 🙂

Back in the day, the test of a Man's Strength was how much weight he was able to rip off the ground and lock out overhead. Today, the question is always "How much can you Bench?"

BOTH are great movements, but if I'm looking for all around strength and power you can NOT beat ripping objects off the ground and pressing them overhead.

You can even try an ALL OVERHEAD workout, where you hit 5 - 10 reps of a clean and press with countless objects: stones, sandbags, 1 kettlebell, double kettlebells, barbell, swiss bar, log bar, dumbbell, 2 dumbbells, anvil, etc.

Coach Ethan Reeve had a similar workout as he trained for wrestling through college and become a 2 time all American. You can hear all about his past and present methods that have influenced me as well as how other greats have influenced me.

Click HERE to see what I mean.

Peace!

--Z--

Jack Up Your I Pod and Get Yourself JACKED UP!!

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12 Responses

  1. This looks BRUTAL!! I’m going to include this in a few of my clients’ training in a couple weeks 🙂

    Picked up Beast Strength- Day 1 was awesome!! Sore as shit, can’t wait for workout 2 tomorrow!!!

    Keep killin’ it! Gotta make it to the Underground soon!!!!

  2. bergknappe says:

    Excellent workout Z!

    Btw: your technique isn’t shitty. Your pull is good for a non-O-lifter. Keep up the good work, your eyes are firing, you inspire with your workouts and your passion for training!

    Congrats,

    dominik

  3. Hey man – great vid. I’m a BIG fan of C&Ps. Something I like to do, too, is when I’m doing 1-arm DB C&P is to alternate arms every rep. A rep left, a rep right, and repeat for desired reps. This kinda thing is KICK ASS for not only building strength & power, but builds some MONSTER work capacity as well. Awesome stuff, dude!

    (PS – Also dug the Rocky V soundtrack in the background… 😉

    Wiggy
    http://www.workingclasscardioworkout.com
    http://www.workingclassfitness.com

  4. Walter Dorey says:

    Zach,

    Love it!

    “O” lifts and the assistance lifts totally rock.

    The more you do those powerclean and presses/push presses, the better you will get at them.

    I remember as a kid I wanted to do OH presses and would just take the bar from the ground and power clean it with no formal instruction on how to do it.

    Never got hurt, and years down the road learned the technique from an Olympic lifter. With time, patience and a lot of practice you will be rocking the weights on that lift.

    I know a lot of people squeal about how technical the “O” lifts are, but I always say if a person considers themselves even somewhat of an athlete, they can’t be very athletic if they can’t learn the “O” lifts.

    I go in today to see my surgeon. Lookin’ forard to getting the nod to start training again. Haven’t been able to do anything as doc was afraid of possible blood clots from surg bustin’ lose and jackin’ me up.

    All I could do is walk, because I was not to elevate my heart rate. That and keep my leg elevated as much as possible.

    But when I get the go-ahead today, I will be incorporating the “O” lifts right from the get-go in my training.

    Gotta grease-the-groove and re-connect the old synapses. Will start off with PVC and work up to 22lb. bar and probably the 45 “O” bar. Then from there I will slowly work my way back up over time.

    So your 135 lb. power cleans, at this point is waaay ahead of me!

    So Zach, maybe I will catch up and pass you? Ha ha! Go easy on me…

    Hey, I need the challenge to get me back in the game.

    Keep crankin” it bruddah!

    Walter on the come-back-trail

  5. Walter Dorey says:

    Oh, by the way, Zach,

    You are totally right, Dan John’s stuff is great. Bought his book on your recommend, “Never Let Go”

    Excellent book.

    Been reading his stuff for years. Great teacher.

    Thanks again,

    Walter

  6. Michael M says:

    Awesome workout. How long where your rest periods (1 minute, 2, …)?

  7. Michael M says:

    oh, my bad, 30sec and a minutes rests. Man, if you are getting worked using 135lb then this must be a brutal workout.

  8. Blaine Gilbert says:

    Love the O Lifts

    Anything that forces you to dig deep.

    You hit it on the head in the email, there are people who go through the motions and there are the select few who take to the next level. Some of the people at the next level might not be the absolut strongest but they replace it with intensity and heart.
    I see this all the time when new people start our program. They think that just because they have big max numbers they can conquer the world but their work capacity sucks, and so in 5 to 10 minutes the kids half their size and strength are kicking their a$$

    Keep Rocking It

    Blaine

  9. What’s up big dawg?!

    Hope you’re ready for you big 34!!

    Well since you put up that great workout I decided to do a version of it too and put it up on youtube.

    Big ups homie! Enjoy that Bday man…it’s on a Friday too!?

    Shoooot!

    Peace.

  10. Dude….I did it today while listening to the new Slipknot on the Ipod…..Barely got the 10 out…..I was shakin like Tiger Woods when he found out how much dough he’s gonna shovel over to his chick…..

    Killed it…..Then did some heavy one arm chest….I love the iron….

    Make It Bleed

    JL

  11. Tommy Butler says:

    Great Vid!!! I am a fan of the clean and press, and now I have a new way to do it.

  12. Man that looks insane!! What a great video. Can’t wait to see more.

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