Saturday's simplicity

I had a nice training session on Friday where I simply Snatched up to 80kg and Front Squatted up to 140kg for a nice and easy single. This workout was as much as an active recovery workout as it was a technical one. I was actually quite stiff from the previous day's workout and subsequent stretching and soft tissue work.

Today, I had two enjoyable sessions. I did a short power up session with James for around 45 minutes which was basically a warm up and a few Snatch doubles with 60kg. We had an hour break, for a quick bite to eat and an espresso. For the second session, Byrdie, Wayne, and Killer McNamara joined us, as did a Latvian 105kg lifter Alex, who Snatched 115kg quite easily and Clean and Jerked 140 like it was not there. It ended up being a productive session for everyone. I was able to up the intensity a little bit again as was Killer and James; Byrdie and Wayne were able to get the volume in that they needed. Here is what I did:

Snatch--1x2@40, 40, 60, 80, 90 1x1@95, 100, 105, 110--I missed this the first time and got it on the second attempt. It felt like my max on the day, so I knew to leave it there. I only have the miss on video and it felt like I swung back on it a bit rather than extended up. The video below shows this, but not the 110 attempt I made!

Clean and Jerk--I was feeling sharp with these and worked up to singles with 100, 110, 120, 125 and 130. Each lift felt sharper and I was feeling more like myself and getting used to lifting 90% weights again. I got up to 135kg and Cleaned it twice and missed the Jerk twice. This was very surprising as it did not feel particularly heavy; it felt like I was messing up my Jerk dip; that I was off balance and thus not putting my full power into the Jerks. Looking at the videos, it seems that my knees were not going out, but rather too far forward which almost had me leaning back as I was trying to get my back locked. This can be very easily fixed, so I am not worried.

Back Squat--I had to hurry with these due to life getting in the way of training, so I worked up to an easy double with 150 in the Back Squat and left it there.

I have Nationals this time next week. My training cycle was been disrupted due to my training camp in Amsterdam and change in grip and me being an idiot when I did the Russian squat cycle and tried to Snatch to max so that I was completely burnt out. However, I consider myself a platform lifter and I always lift better in competitions so I feel I can and should get small pr's in both lifts. I have the strength and technique to get 120/150 so I need to get used to lifting maximum weights now that I have been working on my technique for the last while. Bring it on! Have a look at the video and leave any constructive criticism you may have.

Squad session shenanigans

The weekend was a successful one for Irish weightlifitng. Not everyone was able to make it, but we still had around eighteen to twenty lifters show up and generally, everyone lifted well. Thanks again to all the coaches involved and all the people who organised the weekend.

Saturday morning had us start off with a talk on warming up and flexibility for weightlifting from Alex and afterwards, we did a short power up session to wake the body and the nervous system. I Snatched up to 70 for two singles and did some skill work with 60kg and the bar for the Jerk. We then had a break and after that, a talk with a lady from the Sports' Council on anti-doping measures and what to avoid in everyday over the counter medicines, psuedoephedrine being the main culprit. We then went into our second session of the day where everyone went to max. Zag got a 1kg pb with 102kg in the Snatch. Cillian hit several pb's with a 3kg jump in the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. Laura also hit a 1kg in the Jerk as did Murph with his lovely 122kg that did not look like a max at all. Everyone else generally lifted very well, including Kris Greene who is only lifting for the last month and has Power Snatched 85 and Clean and Jerked 112 weighing 71kg! Byrdie Snatched 115 again and narrowly missed 116 a few times. Here is what I did:

Snatch--2x2@50, 70 1x1@80, 90, 100, 105, 109, 113--as you will see in the video I had to go for quite a little run for this one. I then missed 115 twice and got 116kg for a 1kg pb. I missed 117 which was just a bit slow.

Clean and Jerk--Myself and Byrdie were rushing to fit time into our Clean and Jerks so we took big jumps and did not really have that much rest. I worked up to singles with 125, 133 and then 139. I then Cleaned 143 twice but missed the Jerk and I then failed to Clean 144 because although it was very high, I pulled back on it too much and ended up behind the bar. We had to leave it then because we had run out of time for the hall and had to leave.

Sunday morning had us lifting only once and I followed Byrdie with what he was doing generally. I was a little tight and fatigued from the previous day so I Snatched up to 105 and then missed 108. I got it on my second attempt but it was ugly and I was not feeling the Mae West so I left it there. Byrdie worked up to 110 and missed 112 a few times. I then worked up to an easy single with 120kg in the Clean and Jerk and I left it there. Alex then led a stretching session and I felt far better afterwards when it was coupled with some work on the cardboard roller.

Have a look at the video below. I did not get that many videos so apologies if people are not showing in it. Hopefully we will be able to have another squad session in the next few months because there was some great work done over the weekend.

Saturday's staple lifting

I had a great training session on Saturday. Friday's active recovery session set me up--I worked up to four singles in the Snatch with 80kg and three singles with 130 in the Front Squat--and I was raring to go the following day. After five minutes on the power plate and doing my back mobility drills, I started with my bar work for the Snatch. I am really trying to get the feel for what it is like actively keeping the bar close, and pulling myself under the bar. I am improving and getting more comfortable with the bar, and this helped so much with my Jerk technique that I hope it will do the same for my Snatch. Every time I lift with the wider grip it starts to feel more and more natural. The more comfortable I get, the more power I will be able to get out of my extension. There is no point worrying about my back, so I will continue to work on my back mobility, my overall flexibility and when I get to Amsterdam I will focus entirely on locking out my back. Here is what I did:

Snatch--1x2@40 for four doubles, 60 1x1@80, 90, 95, 97 for three singles. These got better all the time. The wider grip is really helping me in the catch and my feet are consistently getting out in the catch and I am keeping the bar closer than usual also. I need to improve on finishing my extension better, but I think that this will improve when the weights get heavier. My bottom catch position is feeling more accurate and comfortable than ever before.

Clean and Jerk--2x2@60 1x1@80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 127 for three singles. Again, I focused on exploding out of my second pull and this helped me get my feet out in the catch position. The weight was fine, but more importantly, my technique felt good and I felt comfortable in the catch position.



Back Squat--1x5@60, 100, 120, 140--These were not heavy at all, but I squatted with a wider stance than normal which made it seem tougher. This was the end of my first week of my 8 weeks leading into the Nationals and the Small Nations. A light week, and it has done wonders because I feel fresh and I have made some nice improvements in my technique. I have a long way to go, but the next seven weeks should be fun, so bring it on.

Saturday's slicing pain when getting stretched by Alex

I had another enjoyable training session today but I had to do a proper session because Harry was there. I worked on the things that are currently most important to me with my lifting:

1. Getting a flat back in my pull.
2. Improving my flexibility.
3. Getting my squat numbers up--This took a back seat over the last month because I wanted to have all available energy for the classical lifts.

I worked up to 90 in the Snatch for four singles and I focused on keeping my back flat. I simply need to remember to actively pull or curl the bar with my back the bar as well as pressing through the platform with the feet/heels. I also worked on getting more comfortable in the catch and stayed at the bottom for a few seconds each time to get more used to being there. Hopefully this can translate to me being more able to save lifts that are out of place. We'll see.

I worked on the Jerk from the rack, but my mojo was starting to go pretty rapidly so I stopped at 110. I am getting better at listening to my instinct, because I knew at the start of training when I was lifting 50kg that I was not that full of beans. Harry made me squat after and I'm glad he did. I did five triples with 140 which is usually very light, but felt damn heavy on the day.

As you will see in the video below, Cillian got a 5 kg pb in the Snatch and it did not look close to a limit lift. Alex is really improving with her natch and Laura has made a few subtle but effective changes in her technique also. Alex helped me stretch afterwards again, and it was very painful, but very worthwhile. It complimented the yoga session I did this morning beautifully and I can really feel my flexibility improving. My first set of overhead squats always feel relatively loose and I am gradually getting my feet wider in spacing.



As a bonus feature, here is a great video showing you how to make a foam roller that is actually better than the ones you can buy:

Saturday's slight progress

I had Friday off and my final heavy session before Cork today. All in all, I was reasonably happy with how it went. I have inched up another few kilos and I know, with two sessions and a lot of rest next week, I have a lot more in me. Cathal also lifted well, getting 107/136 and both lifts looked pretty routine. Roy and Cillian trained also and some of their lifts are included also. Roy is coming back from a series of long term hip and shoulder problems and Cillian is doing really well so far in his brief lifting career.

I warmed up with my glute prehab, some overhead squats and my Miyake Pulls to get my back locked in. Then I did the following:

Snatch--1x2@40, 40, 40, 60, 70, 80 1x1@90--I have no idea how, but I missed this twice. I obviously was not focusing properly. 90, 95, 100, 104, 107, 109--I missed 109 three times and they were all very narrow misses. I lacked that final finish of the pull to get the bar into the perfect position. My back was slightly better than Thursday, so once it keeps going in the direction, no matter how small the improvements are, I will be happy.

Clean and Jerk--1x1@60, 60, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 127, 132, 137--I could not get this today. My hips were rising way too fast in order for me to get any leverage for the pull and I was also a bit wrecked. I was very happy with my 127 and 132. They were far smoother than during the week when I was repping on 125.

All in all, I was happy with how today's lifting went. I would have been happier if I got 109/137, but you can't have it all your own way. The week before Scotland I was struggling to snatch 90 and I could not Jerk 122. I am really looking forward to Cork. Have a look at the video below and leave any comments that can help.



Here is a bonus video where the lifting is a slightly better standard. What a rivalry and let's hope it pushes both lifters to even greater heights.