Thursday's tapering treasure

I had a fun session tonight. I played a game of tag rugby this evening beforehand and it is great to see my speed is the same as when I was playing rugby, even though I very rarely sprint now. I actually feel far more powerful coming out of a side step or accelerating through a gap or suddenly changing my angle of running. My speed off the mark feels like it has more power than actual timed speed. Weightlifting and the flexibility associated with it has really helped in this regard. The sprint endurance is not what it was but it is still far better than the random punters that play tag, so the volume training is obviously good in that regard also. Particularly the five reps squats, the triples in the Power Snatch, Power Jerk and the two Cleans and one Jerk. They get the lungs and the nervous system more than the actual muscle groups I find.

In tonight's session, I Snatched up to 80kg for four doubles and then Clean and Jerked up to 110 for a single. I really focused on a quick second pull with the shrug getting me under the bar quicker. With the Jerk I really worked on speed and getting through the window with the Jerk. I Front Squatted up to 120 for three doubles and did a small bit of flexibility and left it at that. I was really happy with tonight's session. Sami and Hugh lifted very well although they kept it light also. I am looking forward to next week's training camp where we will be training twice a day from the Monday to Friday. If anyone is around to train that has not heard about it, leave a comment.

Here is a video of Marc Huster. He has great technique in the Jerk and you have to love his celebrations. He knew he had lost to Dimas in the total, but he broke the Clean and Jerk world record anyway. What a hero. I can learn a lot from his focus and his never say die attitude.



Because I played rugby for so many years and I mentioned it this evening, here is a video of one of my favourite wingers ever. He was a genetic freak that hated to train. He was lazy and a poor team player. But he was an outrageous runner with the ball in hand and whenever I watched him play, he makes the game look simple and beautiful. These are all international class athletes or thereabouts he is playing against, but it looks like he is playing against a bunch of slow fifteen year olds. Here are some highlights: