These past couple weeks I have been having fun doing jerk sprints with 2 x 24kg bells.  It’s a nice change of pace from the long sets with the 32kg’s and seems to be challenging in a different  way  - “less rack more jerk.”  I know, sounds like bad ad-copy for a new loneliness based beer .

I originally got the idea for jerk sprints after attending the AKC Classic in Las Vegas, NV last month.  By the way, If Mike Mahler invites you to eat with him at his favorite Indian restaurant in Vegas be prepared.   Here is what happens: T-levels go up (from hanging with Mike)…gastro-intestinal stress goes up (from healthy vegan dish)….probability of romantic activity with your girlfriend later that evening goes WAY down (from decreased attractiveness).  Conclusion -  high t-levels and being quarantined to the far side of the bed is a bad combination .

Anyway, while at the AKC classic, World Champion Ivan Denisov did 93 jerks in 3 min with the 24kg bells!  Everyone in attendance was impressed.  Thus, I decided this was something I wanted to try and thought would be a good training tool for a student I was conditioning for an MMA fight.

This past Tuesday, I did 83 jerks in 3 min with the 24kg’s.  I followed that with several one minute sprints.  As I mentioned above, this is a nice change from the slower paced sets with the 32kg’s.  It requires/develops a different type of conditioning and involves a different mind set.  Next week I want to shoot for 90 or above. 

On the other side of the continuum, I have been doing an exercise my friend Scott Helsley recommended that he heard about via a forum post from “Fireman” Tom Corrigan.  Tom suggested the following:

• Hold the rack for 20 seconds
• Lock the arms with the knees bent for 20 seconds
• Lock the arms with the knees locked for 20 seconds

I modified it slightly to hold the rack for 30 seconds and the top position with the legs locked for 30 seconds.  I did this to put more emphasis on holding/relaxing in the rack position which is a weak point for me.  This is much different than the sprints but I feel compliments them well.  This really isolates the two rest positions in the jerk and thus puts more emphasis on static strength, relaxed alignment and a patience mind set.

Ken