Saturday 30 May 2009

My First Meet

Had a really good day today. Lifting was bye-the-bye really and it was good just to be around people who are interested in the same thing as you. I didn't get nervous, I didn't get too bothered about wearing the most ridiculous leotard in the world, infact I'd say that my mind was as clear as it ever has been when it comes to lifting.

It went as follows:

Snatch
1st Attempt: 48kgs - good
2nd Attempt: 52kgs - good
3rd Attempt: 55kgs - missed

C&J
1st Attempt: 65kgs - missed
2nd Attempt: 65kgs - good
3rd Attempt: 68kgs - good

I didn't get a great warm up and I was really caught napping when it came to the C&Js but I guess thats the nature of the beast. I'd say that most people would hit their best lifts in a training environment. I put the 55kgs too far in front of me, but got very close to my PR on the day so no complaints here.

I had no warm up for the C&J and went in cold for it. I thought it was a good lift anyway but apparently there was a little press out. I nailed it 2nd time around easy enough, but my jerk is weak so I only went for 68kgs....with hindsight I think I was too conservative. Missing the first one really did me no favours in this respect. I got a lot of encouragement from the other guys and told to really "punch" up in the jerk. I took this to heart and the weight flew up.

All in all, I had an enjoyable day and a target now to shatter at my next attempt. I totalled 3kgs more than Maurice, so it was good not to have to him crowing all the way home :)

Maurice is off on his holidays this week for a fortnight so I'll be left to my own devices. I might just alternate Snatches and C&Js and finish off each day with KB swings. After seeing a pic of me in a green and white leotard its apparent there is some weight to shift now!! (Don't even ask to see the pic!!)

Thursday 28 May 2009

Wednesdays Session

Warm Up - Barbell complexes

Snatches - worked up to a pretty easy 47.5kgs
C&Js - worked up to a pretty easy 65kgs

I think these will be my starting weights tomorrow and hopefuly get me off to a solid start. My C&J has been a bit erratic and while I've lifted 10kgs more I could easily fail 3 at 70kgs on some days. So the plan is to start a good bit lower and then maybe take bigger jumps, we'll see on the day. But it is my first competition so I'm not holding out for PR's across the board, just want to enjoy the experience really.

I'm also wondering now if I might be able to duck out of wearing this singlet like you have been able to get away with so far Franklin. I'm sure that Maurice will be milling around with his camera and I don't know if the world is ready for me wearing one of Maurice's old singlets from yester-year. God knows what its like....it might even have a flap in the back like you'd see in those old westerns!! There has to be some unwritten rule about wearing another mans singlet anyway.

Saying that there is also a LOT of motivation to be had from a pic like that - because if it is really bad I'd work damn hard to look better the next time. Will let you guys know how I get on, and thanks for the support.

Tuesday 26 May 2009

Short and Sweet

20 mins session with the bar and some home made bumbers round at Maurice's garage - total weight was 27.5kgs. This was a skill practice session, I needed to be fast and precise. It was also to give me a few cues for when it comes around to the comp on saturday.

Power Cleans
Split Cleans
Split Jerks (without any dip)
Snatch Grip High Pulls / Split Snatches

I did plenty of sets of between 3-5 reps on each exercise and I was puffing like a train. I felt more aggressive/committed in each of the phases as I tried to get timing and technique down. Of course it is easy to do this with no weight, but I have another session tomorrow in which I'd like to show the same stuff.

Maurice has talked me out of shelling out a load of cash for gear which I am grateful. He said he'd lend me a singlet type thing too....I'm grateful but apprehensive!!

Monday 25 May 2009

Countdown

Sunday 24th May

Windmills - 16kgs 3 x 3 L/R
Snatches 16kgs - 15:15 for 20 rounds of 7 reps
140 reps in 10 mins

Friday 22nd May

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - Shoulder Dislocates / Achilles Stretches / Quad Stretches / Squat Stretches / Shoulder & Wrist Stretch 2 x 10


Session
Hang P Snatch - 3 x 5 @ 20, 2 x 3 @ 30, 2 @ 35kgs
Snatch - 3 x 1 @ 40, 4 x 1 @ 42.5, 3 x 1 @ 45, 2 x 1 @ 47.5kgs
Hang P Clean - 3 x 3 @ 50kgs
Clean & Jerk - 3 x 1 @ 50, 1 @ 55, 3 x 1 @ 60, 2 x 1 @ 65kgs

Comment: The idea here was to find an absolutely nailed on starting weight for the competition. No point going in there with a weight that you miss on and then spend the rest of your time fighting your thoughts and emotions as well as the weight. The snatch was around about where I thought it'd be but the C&J didn't go so well....that one will probably just come down to how the warm up goes on the day.

I still don't have any gear for it yet, so I need to get that sorted. It is going to be grim standing in front of a load of people in a singlet...ain't no practicing for that I guess :)

Yesterday I just wanted something easy but that focused on metcon. It has slipped and I now feel that I need to plug in a few weekly sessions.

Cheers for the words of support Martin.

Wednesday 20 May 2009

Competition Time

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - Shoulder Dislocates / Achilles Stretches / Quad Stretches / Squat Stretches / Shoulder & Wrist Stretch 2 x 10


Session
Hang P Snatch - 3 x 5 @ 20, 4 @ 30, 5 x 3 @ 40kgs
Snatch - 3 x 1 @ 40, 4 x 1 @ 42.5, 3 x 1 @ 45, 2 x 1 @ 47.5, 2 x 1 @ 52.5kgs (PR but missed 2nd)
Hang P Clean & Jerk - 5 x 2 @ 40, 3 x 1 @ 50kgs

Stretches

Comments: Competition in 10 days time that apparently I've been entered for. To be honest I'm more worried about how the hell I'm going to get some money together for shoes and a singlet than what I'll lift. When I first learned about it all sorts of excuses flew through my head as to why I couldn't do it. But then I just thought lets get the first one out of the way - there will never be a right time. We started talking about what each other expected to lift but then I just said to Maurice that I want to make 6 lifts, PRs etc can take care of itself. That took a bit of pressure off me.

So training has changed a little in preperation for this and today was all about the Snatch with a little bit of C&J volume at the end. Early on in the session I was power snatching, OH Squatting and squat snatching in an attempt to get better at squat snatch. On one ocassion though I accidently split snatched - I immediately did it again the next rep and it felt pretty good.

Maurice had me try these on my first session and I found them to be the most akward of movements. Today though they were all I did - prehaps the split cleans I do have a lot to do with this. I managed a PR of 52.5kgs in the snatch even though I was getting drained at that point. Heavy C&Js on Friday now I think and then probably taking it easy for a week.

Monday 11 May 2009

FMS OHS Result

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - Shoulder Dislocates / Achilles Stretches / Quad Stretches / Squat Stretches / Shoulder & Wrist Stretch 2 x 10


Session
M Press - 5 @ 30, 4 @ 40, 3 @ 45, 2 @ 50, 1 @ 55kgs
Push press - 5 @ 40, 4 @ 50, 3 @ 55, 2 @ 60, 2 x 1 @ 65kgs
Dips for Jerks - 5 x 3 working up to 75kgs
Split Jerks - 3 @ 50, 3 @ 55, 2 @ 60, 2 @ 65, 1 @ 70, 1 @ 75kgs (missed)
Deadlift - 5 @ 90, 3 @ 110, 3 @ 120, 2 @ 130, 2 @ 140, 1 @ 150kgs

Stretches

Comments: Felt good this session. Did a whole lot of work on the shoulders but far from feeling tired (as I write this) they feel great with no aches or pains. The only exercise to cause me any trouble today was the Dips for the Jerk. Dip, drive the weight up to around eye level and catch. Helps jerks and also getting used to catching weights in the clean (I think). I found they jarred my elbows a bit to start but I got into the spirit of the exercise and they were grand to finish.

Was rocking through the Jerks and really thought I'd nail 80kgs today. But when it came to the crunch the psychological switch was flipped and I missed 75 twice. There is no reason why I shouldn't be getting these weights but sometimes you just have to let the mind catch up with the idea of it.

Best deadlift in a while - man it felt heavy. But the form was good and I was feeling it a lot in the hamstrings.

Watched a Dan John video yesterday (cheers Paul) and was messing around trying some of the squat progressions to the Oly Lifts. After a few of these I tried an OHS without any heel lift - then I went into the doorway to try the FMS OHS test . Couldn't believe it when I did it!! This is a big step forward towards a squat snatch, I'll be practicing these light on my own now.

Friday 8 May 2009

Program Change

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - Shoulder Dislocates / Achilles Stretches / Quad Stretches / Squat Stretches / Shoulder & Wrist Stretch 2 x 10


Session
Hang Clean - 5 x 3 @ 30kgs (little or no back, emphasis on shrugging it up)
Power Clean - 3 x 3 @ 40, 3 x 2 @ 50, 3 x 1 @ 55kgs
Split Clean - 3 x 2 @ 55, 1 x 60, 3 x 1 @ 65, 1 @ 70kgs (PR)
F Squat - 3 x 3 @ 55, 2 x 2 @ 60kgs (missed set due to pain in adductor)

Stretches

Comments: Ate plenty yesterday and I certainly felt more energetic than Wednesday. I was feeling a lot more confident about my Split Cleans too. I think because it was a new movement I was worried about spliting under anything with a bit of weight. Today though I didn't think about it and just concentrated on pulling hard, shrugging it up and letting the split take care of itself. It was working well until a cramp/pull in my left adductor I picked up on Wednesday started to hurt. My focus seemed to switch back to the split then and I needed geeing up a bit to make the 70kgs which should have been pretty easy.

I soldiered on then through the F Squats as long as I could and ducked out of the last set of 2 keeping the weight fairly easy as well. I suspect I'll be icing my thigh now for a large portion of the weekend. Fingers crossed it's OK for Monday or Tuesday.

Wednesday 6 May 2009

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - Shoulder Dislocates / Achilles Stretches / Quad Stretches / Squat Stretches / Shoulder & Wrist Stretch 2 x 10


Session
Power Snatches (warm up)- 3 x 5 @ 30, 5 @ 35kgs
Snatches - 2 x 3 @ 40, 2 x 2 @ 45, 1 @ 47.5, 1 @ 50 (PR), 2 x 1 @ 52.5kgs (missed)
High Pulls (Machine) - 5 x 5 @ 40
Squats - 5 @ 50, 5 @ 60, 3 @ 80, 2@ 80, 1 @ 90, 1 @ 100 kgs (missed)
HLR - 2 x 10

Stretches

Comments: Felt good at the start of this session, but quickly got tired. The snatches seemed to take a lot out of me and I was a bit disappointed that I didn't extend that PR. It should be noted that it was still a power snatch, I hardly bend my knees at all when doing them. There's more there anyway.

I felt this tiredness then when I started squatting - struggled at 80 for 3, 90 wasn't too bad, and I wasn't at all surprized to not come out of the hole with the 100. Maurice got it though....

This week so far I have been eating nothing but meat, fruit and veg. So even though I'm not lifting too badly I still feel a bit drained when it comes to the heavy work.

Monday 4 May 2009

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - Shoulder Dislocates / Achilles Stretches / Quad Stretches / Squat Stretches / Shoulder & Wrist Stretch 2 x 10


Session
Front Squat - 5 @40, 5 @ 50, 5 @ 55, 3 @ 60, 2 @ 65kgs
RDL - 5 @ 50, 5 @ 70, 5 @ 80, 5 @ 90, 2 x 1 @ 110kgs
Incline Press - 5 @ 40, 5 @ 45, 5 @ 50, 5 @ 55, 3 @ 60, 2 @ 65kgs
Tricep Extensions - 5 x 5 @ 32kgs
HLR - 2 x 10

Stretches

Comments: Still not back into it proper, but that suited me today. Takes me a couple of days to get over a hangover these days. First time I'd tried to do F Squats with a barbell - form was pretty good and I didn't try to bust a gut. On the RDLs I used a clean grip for my 2 singles and it wasn't holding. I don't know why I didn't switch to a DL grip, because I'd have had a lot more in the tank.

After watching those guys on saturday I realise that I need to kick it up a gear now - I should be at least 50% stronger than I am now.

Sunday 3 May 2009

Saturday with the No-Necks


Maurice and I headed down to Garvagh on saturday to watch the deadlifting and what a thoroughly enjoyable exprience it was too. There were more entrants, audience, noise and energy than I expected. It was very well run as well but the only downside was that often there were 2 or 3 weight categories lifting at the same time. This meant that you didn't know who was in the lead or what each lift meant in terms of the competition. In fact I had to go to here today to make sense of what happened overall.

I had a special interest in two things here: what weight category would be lifting my best of 162.5kgs, and what would the guys my weight be lifting. I didn't have to wait long for the answer to my first question as the 69kgs boys broke through it and with the best of them lifting 190kgs!! In fact there were a couple of schoolboys who were close and the following 2 characters beat it:


Trevor Harvey weighed in at 66.5kgs with a 165kgs aged 67. He said to me later that he thought he had 170kgs in him but he was playing safe. He'd probably gotten another 2.5kgs by just taking off his jewellery!!


This is Gina Quin who took a look at my form and set me off on my strength odyssey a couple of months back. Gina weighed in at 76.3kgs and lifted 165kgs. A new ladies N Ireland record.

There were some good lifts on the day - Brain Irwin 350kgs at 144kgs; Geoff Faris (below) 320kgs at 102kgs. But lift of the day I thought was Randell "Rambo" Crookes 292.5kgs (N.I Record) at 88.6kgs. I got it on video but it is really poor quality and no sound. So there was my answer - I either need to drop 20kgs and improve by 30kgs or drop a few kgs and find 130kgs from somewhere. Hmmmm - this may take sometime!!

Friday 1 May 2009

End of the holiday

Last day of KB idleness before jumping back into again on Monday. I've got to say that I do feel pretty well rested....but I've got a wild weekend coming up. I hope I don't show up on Monday with the mother of all hangovers.

TGU 2 x 3/3 @ 16kgs
WM 2 x 3/3 @ 16kgs
CL/Press/FS 3 x 3/3 @ 16kgs

Sw 4 x 10/10 @ 16kgs

Maurice hurt his back yesterday, so he struggled a bit with some of these but reported it felt better by the time we finished. I think this week has highlighted some imbalances and weaknesses for him. He looked pretty tight in the shoulders and mid-section. For my part, my shoulders feel pretty great and I feel like I have more energy which was the main thing.

We are off to watch a Deadlifting competition tomorrow. I'm pretty interested to see what guys my weight are lifting. I've got a feeling I'm going to be inspired to get a lot stronger. Will report back on monday.