Sunday's serendipity

I was supposed to have a very light session on Friday, but my legs were fried after the game of tag rugby and training on Thursday and the previous few weeks, so all I did was go to a friend's gym and do some box jumps and bench press. I have done neither of these exercises in a long time so it was fun, although the box jumps take it out of your legs more than I remember. I am going to Holland for a training camp with Tom Bruijnen for 8 days so I want to be as fresh as possible for this.

I watched the Lions test on Saturday and it was very frustrating watching the South Africans play their territory game, simply content to wait for the Lions to make a mistake. Watching any athlete play within themselves is very frustrating, and I know that the Lions and the Springboks can both improve. It would mean a great deal to world rugby if the Lions could win the next test and set up a grandstand finish. Here is an athlete who did not go within herself on the biggest stage:



Here is a weightlifter who lifted outrageously beyond what anyone else in his weight class could and performed under pressure. Hopefully the Lions will do the same:

Monday's medicine

I had a great workout today and I upped the ante again. My Snatch was ok as were my Cleans; I was certainly feeling stronger. I am still not feeling super sharp or fast yet, but I think this reflects the volume training. Here is what I did today:

A good warm up with slightly different stretches and pre-habs.

1. Snatch: Work up to 95kg for 4 x sets of 2--I missed the second rep of the second set, but I sorted it out in my last two sets. The second rep felt very hard, not from a speed or strength point of view, but rather how the supporting muscles and back lock was hard to double. There is a video below of my fourth double of 95. This was 2kg higher than I have done before, so I was satisfied.

2. Power & Squat Clean: Work up to 118kg for 3 sets of 2--This was 3kg more than I have done before. I did these before the Snatch Pulls so that I could keep as fresh as possible and keep them snappy. There is a video of my second set below. Please leave any comments that you may think helpful.

3. Snatch Pull: Work up to 110kg for 3 sets of 2--I was trying to get these faster than usual.

4. Back Squat: Work up to 160kg for 3 sets of 2--This is 5kg heavier than last time and I was happy with how they felt. I have gotten this double once before but only when I was completely fresh and for one set only.

Here is teh video so any constructive criticism would be more than appreciated.


Here are two videos that show how beautiful sport can be, irregardless of what form it may come in. The first is the French playing rugby as only they can--Ireland seem the be the butt of many of these sublime moments! The second needs no introduction.

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: