Wednesday’s wrangling with the mind

Our session was at eleven this morning and when I woke up, training was not the body wanted to hear. I took a good twenty minutes to get myself somewhat loose with short stints on the rower, the cross trainer and some bar work.

Snatch triples up to 75% --I worked up to a triple with 85kg. These were all very rough and had little speed to talk of, but I had to get them and I did.
Snatch doubles—I made a double with 90kg and moved up to 95kg. I only got my first rep in the two sets; it was very difficult to maintain form and it required more focus than I had, so I moved back to 90kg for another few doubles. It got to the stage where my mind was telling me not to go under the bar because I could not make it. Chick has been training us to ignore our perceived limits, and although most of the Snatches were rough, they were training my mind because I made them in spite of the doubts.

Power Clean and 3 Jerks—I worked up to a set with 100kg

Power Clean and Jerk—I went up to 110 for a routine lift. At 114kg I shut down and missed an easy Power clean. I went straight back to get a Squat Clean and Jerk and I did around four or five more reps with this. My shoulder girdle was throbbing at this stage because of all the overhead lifting, but thankfully I had Chick, Byrdie and Murph spurring me on. Cathal was able to maintain his form with 118kg and 114kg , but my lifts were not as pretty. The atmosphere in the gym was vital in getting my final lifts because we were all sore and tired. The lads and Chick kept me going when before I would not have been able to continue. This is one of the reasons why training in this kind of atmosphere lifts one’s performance: you go beyond what you can push yourself to do and others help carry you along.

That was that. Eight sessions in six days were over. I learned so much over here from a technical standpoint as well as the kind of atmosphere that people can thrive in. The most important thing I learned off Chick was that the mind and the ego are there to be transcended. When you lift perfectly and technique falls down with two kilos added, it is the mind that fails, not the body. I have to learn how to rise above emotions, doubts and moments of fatigue. Coming here has set me on the right path. Here is a video of the day’s training, so as always, leave a comment if you have any.