Weightlifting Track: Clean Complex and Back Squat Strength
Friday, August 14, 2026 | CrossFit MYO, San Jose CA
What Makes This Session Effective
This session builds pulling endurance under fatigue before demanding heavy squat volume. The clean complex forces you to maintain positions when your grip and lungs scream to quit. Three sets at 60 to 70 percent sounds manageable until the low hang variation exposes every technical leak. Back squats at 75 to 80 percent for four sets of five will test your midline stability more than your legs. Stay tight, breathe between reps, and finish each complex like it’s your last.
The Protocol
| Movement | Sets & Reps | Target Load | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Deadlift + Hang Power Clean + Low Hang Power Clean + Push Press Complex | 3 sets | 60-70% 1RM | Keep the bar close through every transition; don’t let it drift forward |
| Back Squat | 4×5 | 75-80% 1RM | Drive shoulders into the bar first, then push the floor away |
Barbell Prep
Bar only:
6 Muscle cleans + 6 PP
5 Power cleans + 5 FS
4 Clean & jerks
Light weight 1-2rds: 3x Push Press 3x Front squat 3x Hang Clean + PJ 3x Clean + jerk
Score type: Not Scored
Clean DL + hang power clean + Low hang power clean + 2 push press
3X @60-70%
Score type: Load
Back Squats
4x5 @75-80%
Score type: Load
Full Session Breakdown
| Block | Duration | What You’ll Do |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Prep | 15 min | Bar only: muscle cleans, push press, front squats, clean & jerks. Then 1-2 light rounds of complexes. |
| Complex Work | 30 min | Clean DL + hang power clean + low hang power clean + 2 push press, 3 sets @ 60-70%. |
| Squat | 15 min | Back Squat 4x5 @ 75-80%, holding the same bar speed across all four sets. |
Total class time: approximately 60 minutes.
Movement Glossary
Clean Deadlift + Hang Power Clean + Low Hang Power Clean + Push Press Complex — A four-movement sequence performed without dropping the bar. You deadlift from the floor, then hit a hang power clean from mid-thigh, drop to a low hang power clean below the knee, and finish with two push presses. The cue that matters: keep the bar path vertical by staying over the bar longer in each pull.
Back Squat — A bilateral squat with the barbell racked across the upper traps. Descend until hip crease passes below the knee, then stand explosively. The cue that matters: drive your shoulders into the bar before your hips rise to prevent the chest from collapsing forward.
FAQs
Q: How should I pace the three rounds of the clean complex?
A: Treat each round as its own event. Rest two to three minutes between sets so grip and CNS recover. Don’t rush transitions — a sloppy low hang clean costs more energy than a deliberate one.
Q: My elbows drop on the push presses after the cleans. What’s the fix?
A: Reset your front rack between the low hang clean and the first press. Take a breath, punch elbows up, then press. Fatigue makes the rack position collapse; a conscious reset keeps the bar on the shoulders, not the wrists.
Q: The back squat percentages feel heavy for 4×5. Should I drop weight?
A: If your last rep of set two grinds longer than three seconds, drop 5 percent. This is accumulation work, not a grinder test. Quality reps build strength; missed reps build frustration.
Q: Can I split the complex into two parts if my grip fails?
A: No. The complex trains positional endurance under fatigue. If grip is the limiter, use straps for the deadlift portion only — keep the cleans and presses raw.
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