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I've decided to try the tactical strength challenge in April 2017. For those who don't know it involves a three attempt max deadlift, max bodyweight pullups and a 5 min kb snatch test. Rite know I'm running a strength endurance template with kb snatches, assisted pullups and 2 hand swings to build specific endurance. Come January I'm going back to max strength. Any thoughts on how to set my cluster up to prepare for the tsc. Thanks

Have you ever seen or read any of Tom Phillips's material on preparing for the TSC? He was in the original cadre of RKCs and among the early TSC studs. He's a powerlifter who trained Westside, which took care of his deadlift, and he kept weighted pull-ups in as an accessory. I don't think he trained snatch much directly, because his technique was already spot-on (he's an RKC!), so he just kept in good all-around condition and figured he could tough his way through the five min of snatches.

The take away here is basically just keep on chugging with your all around fitness work (if you want to do TSC and keep working with TB), and you will be ready for something like TSC. Certainly, keep DL and WPU in your cluster. I would try to get some snatches with a KB one size heavier than your test KB into two of your MS days each week. You don't have to do massive volume. Some regular 3-5x5 with a heavier KB will make a big difference for you handle your test bell. I make massive progress on on my snatches with the 55 and 70 by doing regular snatches with the 88 for a few months. Try to work your test bell into your HIC drills.

Of course, if you want to go all-out on the DL, a specialized powerlifting program would be the way to go. If you want to get a solidly good DL (while doing so with all your attributes), stick with TB.

Another thing to remember as you get into KB snatches is to take good care of your hands!

Run a TSC specific phase a couple months out:

Consider something specialized, like this:

Operator w Deadlift (DL 3 x week) followed by SE circuits containing only KB Snatch + pullups as a finisher.

So just 3 exercises, 3 x week for 6-8 weeks before competition.

Your session might look like this:

Deadlift Work
DL 3 x 3-5 (Operator style)

Finisher
(SE Circuits/Alpha)
Snatches
Pull-ups

Or break the workouts up, do strength and SE on alternating days. Or do weighted pull-ups instead and do them as part of Operator alongside your deadlifts, save snatches for SE by themselves;

A = Operator w/ Deadlift + weighted pull-up done 3 x week.
B = Snatches done SE style 3 x week