I had five days off training for the first time since I started weightlifting 18 months ago. I did not stretch, or train in any shape or form; the only things I did were: eat lots of great food; have lots of epsom salt baths; sleep a lot and generally just be happy with my family. Although I felt stiff and lacking fluidity with my lifting today, I felt rested and fresh. Job done over Christmas I suppose.
Cathal Byrd and Peter Stewart were training in Hercs today with myself and the usual crew. It was nice having the lads to compete with and the different atmosphere was welcome. I arrived late after getting crucified in traffic, so I forgoed my usual warm up with the prehab and flexibility and just had ten minutes with the bar to warm myself up accordingly. Both Pete and Cathal Snatched 105kg so I knew I would have to get that--don't you just thrive on the competitive spirit also? I did three doubles with 50, one with 70 and then did singles with 80, 90, 100 and I missed 105 first time around, but I got it the second time. My lifting felt rusty and lacking in any small amount of finesse that I possess on occasion. 100 and 105 felt sloppy so I left it there with the Snatch. My strength felt fine, but today was to get me into to the groove so that I can go hell for leather in London where myself and a few of the lads will be training in the first week in January.
I then moved onto the Clean and Jerk and worked up to singles with 110, 120 and 130. Again, the weights were muscled up and I felt stiff technically and physically. I left it there, content for the day. This is to be expected after taking 5 days off to sleep as much as humanly possibe, I suppose. I finished off the session with four triples in the Back Squat with 150kg that felt far heavier than they should have. I have a lot of squatting to do. My 165/180 squat figures are nowhere near I need them to be for the lifts I want to be getting in the next six months. It is great to have such a glaring weakness to work on, though. Speaking of weaknesses, myself, Cathal and Harry spent 45 minutes at least stretching with Alex again--her technique is really starting to improve!-- and the days off did not help with the flexibility work! I felt the better for it afterwards though. We focused mainly on the hip flexors, the glute meds, the hips in general and the hamstrings. Painful, but beautiful.
Alex and Emmett have agreed to co-author a guest article on their methods for improving flexibility which should be great and I am looking forward to posting it. That is all for today. I am training tomorrow and I will do some flexibility on New Year's eve and then take a day off before heading to London for five days of sweet sweet maximal lifting just for the fun of it. Bring it on!
Tuesday 29 December 2009
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2 comments:
Hi Barry, I have been reading your blog for the past 2 months already. Just like to say you are doing a fantastic job with the blog and congrats with your training progress.
I like the posts with John Broz and Jim Schmitz especially. Can't wait to see what Alex and Emmett have to offer.
How often are you training now?
Thank you for the kind words. Over the last month I was preparing for competitions and then recovering from them, so I was training three times a week. But all October and November, I mainly trained five days a week and four the odd time, but sometimes I would do shorter squat sessions in those days also. I will continue to train five days a week when I get back into my routine after the Christmas holidays. Good luck with your own training.
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