I ended up having a decent session today, despite a ropy opening and a general sense of fatigue. Cathal had his last heavyish session before competing on Thursday and myself and Cillian enjoyed having him around. I was still unable to Snatch properly, so I performed Hang Snatches again. I warmed up with a few minutes on the foam roller and the glute pre hab with one set of wall slides thrown in for good measure. Cathal Snatched 105kg and ground out a tough 140kg which was great considering he is still relatively fatigued.
Hang Snatches--1x3@40, 40, 50 1x2@60, 70 1x1@ 80, 90, 95, 100, 105--I missed this due to not locking my back properly. I then got it for a shaky success.
Clean and Jerk--1x1@70, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 136--I got this with a slight pressout with the left elbow. My mind was not focused for 140 and I did not even go through with the pull.
Back Squat--1x3@110,130 1x1@140, 150, 160, 170, 176, 182--I missed this for a new pb--it is currently 180kg which is quite humbling. I did not have enough in me to get through the sticking point today.
Jimmy Jennings kindly helped me out by giving my right hip area a massage. My right hip flexor has been cramping up and it feels like there is a lot of muscle ension around the area and also in my left hip. Have a look at the video below and leave any constructive criticism you can think of.
Saturday 10 October 2009
Thursday 8 October 2009
Thursday's tactile learning environment
I had an enjoyable session this evening and I was working on a few things I mentioned in yesterday's post. I warmed up with some bodyweight squats, my glute pre hab and some bar work. My scooping point was still bruised, so I performed Hang Snatches from below the knee again.
Hang Snatch from below the knee--1x3@40, 40, 50 1x2@60, 70, 80, 90, 95
1x2@100, 103--I got the first rep with this twice but I could not get the second rep. I was trying to extend up as much as possible and I tried to keep my wrists relaxed and flexible, which really allowed me to sit in the bottom position of the Snatch in order to get my balance. I have never been able to do this before.
Jerk from behind the neck--1x2@70, 70, 90, 110, 120, 130--I missed the second rep and got both the next time. 1x1@140, 150--I missed 150 twice. The first time it was because I dipped forward, the second time I just lacked enough punch.
Power Cleans--1x2@80, 80, 90, 100,110, 115--The second rep on my last set was caught below parallel as the video below shows.
Clean Deadlift--1x2@120, 130, 140, 150, 150--I was trying to keep my back flat, but my upper back arch was not as tight as I wanted it to be, which was a bit annoying. I wanted to go a little heavier, but there is no point unless I get it right with 150. I have to leave the ego at the door.
That was it. Have a look at the video and let me know what you think.
Hang Snatch from below the knee--1x3@40, 40, 50 1x2@60, 70, 80, 90, 95
1x2@100, 103--I got the first rep with this twice but I could not get the second rep. I was trying to extend up as much as possible and I tried to keep my wrists relaxed and flexible, which really allowed me to sit in the bottom position of the Snatch in order to get my balance. I have never been able to do this before.
Jerk from behind the neck--1x2@70, 70, 90, 110, 120, 130--I missed the second rep and got both the next time. 1x1@140, 150--I missed 150 twice. The first time it was because I dipped forward, the second time I just lacked enough punch.
Power Cleans--1x2@80, 80, 90, 100,110, 115--The second rep on my last set was caught below parallel as the video below shows.
Clean Deadlift--1x2@120, 130, 140, 150, 150--I was trying to keep my back flat, but my upper back arch was not as tight as I wanted it to be, which was a bit annoying. I wanted to go a little heavier, but there is no point unless I get it right with 150. I have to leave the ego at the door.
That was it. Have a look at the video and let me know what you think.
Wednesday 7 October 2009
Tuesday's tips from Wayne
I had another enjoyable session training with Zag and Wayne. I was relatively fresh and happy to see how things went for the day.
My scoop point was still sore, so instead of Power Snatches I did Hang Power Snatches. I worked up to 4 or 5 singles with 90 and then another 4 or 5 singles with 80. Wayne was trying to get me to stay over the bar more and get rid of a habit I have gotten into of initiating the pull too early which causes me to swing the bar out and back again. This was the way I learned the pulls from Harry also, but habits have a habit of forming.
Another thing I noticed from watching Wayne lift last week was that when he finishes his pull getting under the bar, his wrists tend to stay very relaxed and he seems to flip the bar over. My wrists are far more tense and tighter which causes the arms to tighten up also. I tried to flip the bar over with the wrists and it felt great because the bar was back in position better and my arms were more relaxed. Have a look at Wayne's Snatch and maybe you can see what I mean and write down what you think of the idea:
Here is one of his lifts from Saturday and see if you can spot the same thing from a different angle. Look at his turnover of the bar:
I also did some Clean and Jerks and worked up to 3 singles with 110. I was working on a quicker extension and quicker catch in the Clean. In the Jerk I also tried that more relaxed wrist feel, but it is something that I need to try more before I can judge it properly. I finished off the session with a Front Squat double with 140 and a single with 150kg.
My scoop point was still sore, so instead of Power Snatches I did Hang Power Snatches. I worked up to 4 or 5 singles with 90 and then another 4 or 5 singles with 80. Wayne was trying to get me to stay over the bar more and get rid of a habit I have gotten into of initiating the pull too early which causes me to swing the bar out and back again. This was the way I learned the pulls from Harry also, but habits have a habit of forming.
Another thing I noticed from watching Wayne lift last week was that when he finishes his pull getting under the bar, his wrists tend to stay very relaxed and he seems to flip the bar over. My wrists are far more tense and tighter which causes the arms to tighten up also. I tried to flip the bar over with the wrists and it felt great because the bar was back in position better and my arms were more relaxed. Have a look at Wayne's Snatch and maybe you can see what I mean and write down what you think of the idea:
Here is one of his lifts from Saturday and see if you can spot the same thing from a different angle. Look at his turnover of the bar:
I also did some Clean and Jerks and worked up to 3 singles with 110. I was working on a quicker extension and quicker catch in the Clean. In the Jerk I also tried that more relaxed wrist feel, but it is something that I need to try more before I can judge it properly. I finished off the session with a Front Squat double with 140 and a single with 150kg.
Tuesday 6 October 2009
Monday's medicine
Here is a short video of some of the other lifts that I have from Saturday. Unfortunately, I only have a few lifts because I was helping the Leinster ladies with the Clean and Jerk portion of their lifts because Sami was warming up.
I had my usual training session on Monday. My scooping point for the Snatch was sore from Saturday--which meant that I had changed it slightly because I was not staying over the bar long enough in my eargerness to initiate the pull. This meant that I performed Hang Snatches from below the knee. This forced me to stay over the bar better and as such, get my natural scooping point. I worked up to singles with 100, 103 and 105, which I missed forst and then got.
I then went onto Power Cleans and I went up to singles with 115 and 120, which I only Squat Cleaned. They felt good though and I was focusing on getting as quick a catch as possible. I was supposed to do a Power Clean and Squat Clean combination, but I was happy to take some of the volume out for this session.
I worked up to a double with 150 in the Back Squat and I left it at that. Ten minutes of stretching and I was done. I enjoyed the session and I am already looking forward to the run up to the Northern Ireland Open in five and a half weeks. Here is a short video of some of my lifts in this session.
I had my usual training session on Monday. My scooping point for the Snatch was sore from Saturday--which meant that I had changed it slightly because I was not staying over the bar long enough in my eargerness to initiate the pull. This meant that I performed Hang Snatches from below the knee. This forced me to stay over the bar better and as such, get my natural scooping point. I worked up to singles with 100, 103 and 105, which I missed forst and then got.
I then went onto Power Cleans and I went up to singles with 115 and 120, which I only Squat Cleaned. They felt good though and I was focusing on getting as quick a catch as possible. I was supposed to do a Power Clean and Squat Clean combination, but I was happy to take some of the volume out for this session.
I worked up to a double with 150 in the Back Squat and I left it at that. Ten minutes of stretching and I was done. I enjoyed the session and I am already looking forward to the run up to the Northern Ireland Open in five and a half weeks. Here is a short video of some of my lifts in this session.
Monday 5 October 2009
Saturday's stout team performance
The National Club Competition was according to some spectators and lifters, the most exciting weightlifting competition in years. It went down to the final lift of the competition to decide who won and then four hours later, there was a dramatic plot twist after the competition finished when it was discovered that an officiating mistake had taken place: one more kilo was actually needed for the win.
The competition
I brought my scales along with me and I was under 95kg the night before and I was 94kg that morning so I was able to have a light breakfast of some salmon with some lemon juice. I weighed in at 93.6kg and this was very comfortable as I simply restricted my water the previous day after over-hydrating the three days before it.
In our team, Wayne lifted first in the 69's and after missing his opener with 95kg, he nailed it and then 98kg quite easily and started looking like he had just woken up. He then Jerked 120, 125 and 127 for a gutsy performance considering he had trained around seven or eight times in the last five weeks for this competition. For team UL, Cathal lifted and made his opener of 105kg on his last attempt. The word fresh was not in his vocabulary that day because he is gearing up for the U 23's in Poland. He Jerked 135 in his opener and his knee was bothering him with 140 so he left it there, saving himself for two weeks' time.
The Herc's girls then duelled with the Leinster ladies and all six lifters did extremely well with the Herc's girls just about winning out. Sami and Murph lifted in the 85's then for the Herc's and UL teams respectively. Due to an issue with his back, Sami could only train once that week and he lifted 95/118 making his second attempts both times. Murph has had a knee injury since Scotland and he got 93/117kg. UL were 14 points ahead in the team event and I was lifting against Eamonn in the final session at around half four. My heart had been racing since 11 that morning so it felt great to be able to start my warm up and relax.
My warm up went fine. The body had been primed to lift for hours so there was no stiffness or any other kinks that needed to be worked out. After 25 minutes, my final warm ups were 97 and 102kg. I was feeling good for my opener with 105kg which went smoothly, but it was not as fast as I would have wanted. Eamonn had lifted 99kg so I needed to scrape back as many points as I could. I then went up to 110kg for my second attempt and I pulled it strongly, but had to take a few steps forward to lock it in. I felt very confident for my third attempt of 113kg, but I missed it. It was high enough, but slightly out in front and I lacked that last inch of finish in my pull to get the bar into position. This was annoying, but I started focusing on the Clean and Jerks and if I found myself thinking about the Snatch, I gave myself a mental slap on the side of the head to keep focused on what was ahead of me.
I felt very fast in the Clean and Jerk and all my warm ups were good except for 120kg which I under pulled. My last lift in the back room was 128kg and I nailed it. I opened up with 135kg and it was smooth and assured. Eamonn then lifted 137kg, so Harry went to 139 to counter. I Cleaned it nicely, but pressed out the Jerk. This was very silly, because the weight was fine, I was simply not fast enough with my drive and lockout in the Jerk. I was obviously focusing on my third and final lift. Eamonn then Cleaned 139 and missed the Jerk. Harry was told we needed for 141kg for the win in the Club Championship, so take it we did. This was the last lift of the day and I had around five lads coming in to give me advice. The club had not won this title in 30 years. Harry booted them out and got me ready. I took the full minute and lifted off with around five seconds to go. I Cleaned it, and then Jerked the hell out of it and lost my head with a few others for around a minute. I had never lifted under those circumstances before and the relief was far more prevelant than anything else.
Later that night we found out that an official had put Sami down for Clean and Jerking 120, when he lifted 118. I would have needed 142kg for the win. One sinclair point was the difference. Gutting. We are all human though; the official responsible appologised later and although it still rankled, it is not the end of the world. I had lifted one kilo more than my best previous total and I weighed in 3.5kg lighter, so although I did not lift what I wanted, I was content. The lads in the UL team did really well to win their third team title in a row. Next years competition will be all the more exciting for this.
A video will follow of some of the lifts later today.
The competition
I brought my scales along with me and I was under 95kg the night before and I was 94kg that morning so I was able to have a light breakfast of some salmon with some lemon juice. I weighed in at 93.6kg and this was very comfortable as I simply restricted my water the previous day after over-hydrating the three days before it.
In our team, Wayne lifted first in the 69's and after missing his opener with 95kg, he nailed it and then 98kg quite easily and started looking like he had just woken up. He then Jerked 120, 125 and 127 for a gutsy performance considering he had trained around seven or eight times in the last five weeks for this competition. For team UL, Cathal lifted and made his opener of 105kg on his last attempt. The word fresh was not in his vocabulary that day because he is gearing up for the U 23's in Poland. He Jerked 135 in his opener and his knee was bothering him with 140 so he left it there, saving himself for two weeks' time.
The Herc's girls then duelled with the Leinster ladies and all six lifters did extremely well with the Herc's girls just about winning out. Sami and Murph lifted in the 85's then for the Herc's and UL teams respectively. Due to an issue with his back, Sami could only train once that week and he lifted 95/118 making his second attempts both times. Murph has had a knee injury since Scotland and he got 93/117kg. UL were 14 points ahead in the team event and I was lifting against Eamonn in the final session at around half four. My heart had been racing since 11 that morning so it felt great to be able to start my warm up and relax.
My warm up went fine. The body had been primed to lift for hours so there was no stiffness or any other kinks that needed to be worked out. After 25 minutes, my final warm ups were 97 and 102kg. I was feeling good for my opener with 105kg which went smoothly, but it was not as fast as I would have wanted. Eamonn had lifted 99kg so I needed to scrape back as many points as I could. I then went up to 110kg for my second attempt and I pulled it strongly, but had to take a few steps forward to lock it in. I felt very confident for my third attempt of 113kg, but I missed it. It was high enough, but slightly out in front and I lacked that last inch of finish in my pull to get the bar into position. This was annoying, but I started focusing on the Clean and Jerks and if I found myself thinking about the Snatch, I gave myself a mental slap on the side of the head to keep focused on what was ahead of me.
I felt very fast in the Clean and Jerk and all my warm ups were good except for 120kg which I under pulled. My last lift in the back room was 128kg and I nailed it. I opened up with 135kg and it was smooth and assured. Eamonn then lifted 137kg, so Harry went to 139 to counter. I Cleaned it nicely, but pressed out the Jerk. This was very silly, because the weight was fine, I was simply not fast enough with my drive and lockout in the Jerk. I was obviously focusing on my third and final lift. Eamonn then Cleaned 139 and missed the Jerk. Harry was told we needed for 141kg for the win in the Club Championship, so take it we did. This was the last lift of the day and I had around five lads coming in to give me advice. The club had not won this title in 30 years. Harry booted them out and got me ready. I took the full minute and lifted off with around five seconds to go. I Cleaned it, and then Jerked the hell out of it and lost my head with a few others for around a minute. I had never lifted under those circumstances before and the relief was far more prevelant than anything else.
Later that night we found out that an official had put Sami down for Clean and Jerking 120, when he lifted 118. I would have needed 142kg for the win. One sinclair point was the difference. Gutting. We are all human though; the official responsible appologised later and although it still rankled, it is not the end of the world. I had lifted one kilo more than my best previous total and I weighed in 3.5kg lighter, so although I did not lift what I wanted, I was content. The lads in the UL team did really well to win their third team title in a row. Next years competition will be all the more exciting for this.
A video will follow of some of the lifts later today.
Thursday 1 October 2009
Thursday's trembling in anticipation
I was raring to go for my session today and I enjoyed it. It feels great to have this much energy and not feel wrecked all the time. This morning I weighed in at 94.8kg, so I can afford to eat well tomorrow, while staying sensible, which is great. For the last three days I have been drinking two or three times the amount of water I usually would--around nine or ten litres or so. I will cut my water drastically tomorrow and because I am hyper-hydrated, I will not be dehydrated for the weigh in on Saturday morning. Because I have been eating quite cleanly over the last five weeks--I got 29.9 mm in my four site skin fold test today--this means I can continue to eat sensibly tomorrow and not have to worry about making weight.
I warmed up with my glute pre-hab and some Miyake Pulls and got stuck into the workout. Here is what I did:
Snatch--1x3@40, 40, 40 1x2@60, 70 1x1@80, 90, 95, 100--I missed this the first time due to idiocy. I got it easily the second rep. I felt very quick and this may have been a result of not training so much this week, but I also think it is due to seeing how fast Wayne was on Monday. It is great seeing a lifter extend fully while still whipping himself under the bar as fast as he does.
Clean and Jerk--1x1@80, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120--I left it at that and 120kg turned out to be my best Clean and Jerk. I tried getting my pelvis more neutral--Harry commented on this in my last post--and this helped me stay on my heels in the Jerk Dip. This should help me Jerk the bar straight over the head rather than out front--I can be guilty of this at times.
I left it at that and I really enjoyed the session. I have laods of energy for Saaturday, so hopefully I can bring it on the day; if not, I will just have to gert on with it I suppose. Either way, I will be training on Monday.
I will leave you with two videos. The first is Aaron Small who got what appears to be an easy looking 105kg in the Snatch with a close miss with 107.5kg. Hopefully we will see this and more in Cork on Saturday.
Here is a video of the great Pablo Lara in the training hall with his team and in this video you see him Power Cleaning 190kg as a 76kg lifter!
I warmed up with my glute pre-hab and some Miyake Pulls and got stuck into the workout. Here is what I did:
Snatch--1x3@40, 40, 40 1x2@60, 70 1x1@80, 90, 95, 100--I missed this the first time due to idiocy. I got it easily the second rep. I felt very quick and this may have been a result of not training so much this week, but I also think it is due to seeing how fast Wayne was on Monday. It is great seeing a lifter extend fully while still whipping himself under the bar as fast as he does.
Clean and Jerk--1x1@80, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120--I left it at that and 120kg turned out to be my best Clean and Jerk. I tried getting my pelvis more neutral--Harry commented on this in my last post--and this helped me stay on my heels in the Jerk Dip. This should help me Jerk the bar straight over the head rather than out front--I can be guilty of this at times.
I left it at that and I really enjoyed the session. I have laods of energy for Saaturday, so hopefully I can bring it on the day; if not, I will just have to gert on with it I suppose. Either way, I will be training on Monday.
I will leave you with two videos. The first is Aaron Small who got what appears to be an easy looking 105kg in the Snatch with a close miss with 107.5kg. Hopefully we will see this and more in Cork on Saturday.
Here is a video of the great Pablo Lara in the training hall with his team and in this video you see him Power Cleaning 190kg as a 76kg lifter!
Monday 28 September 2009
Monday's momentum
I had enjoyable session with Zag and Wayne Healy today. Wayne is a 69kg lifter and he decided to compete in Cork; he has been training once a week for the last four or five weeks, and as you will see in the video below, his lifting is still quality. His best lifts as a 62kg lifter were 112/137.5kg and he competed in several World and European Championships in the early years of this decade.
I kept it light and fast today and everything went relatively smoothly. I did a glute prehab and some Miyake Pulls to warm up.
Power Snatch--1x2@40, 40, 50, 60, 70 1x1@80, 90, 95--This last lift was caught at parallel. The back felt fine although as the video shows, I still have a bit more to go.
Power Clean and Jerk--1x1@70, 80, 90, 100, 110
I did a few light sets of squats with 110kg to get some blood flowing and keep the legs active. I finished the session off with some hanging ab work and later that evening, I had an ART session which focused on my sore left elbow, my two wrists and my hips. All in all, I feel pretty good today.
Have a look at the video and leave any comments or feedback. There is a bonus feature to tonight's video with some guest lifting from Nat Callaghan over in Scotland, so leave him any feedback that you see fit.
I kept it light and fast today and everything went relatively smoothly. I did a glute prehab and some Miyake Pulls to warm up.
Power Snatch--1x2@40, 40, 50, 60, 70 1x1@80, 90, 95--This last lift was caught at parallel. The back felt fine although as the video shows, I still have a bit more to go.
Power Clean and Jerk--1x1@70, 80, 90, 100, 110
I did a few light sets of squats with 110kg to get some blood flowing and keep the legs active. I finished the session off with some hanging ab work and later that evening, I had an ART session which focused on my sore left elbow, my two wrists and my hips. All in all, I feel pretty good today.
Have a look at the video and leave any comments or feedback. There is a bonus feature to tonight's video with some guest lifting from Nat Callaghan over in Scotland, so leave him any feedback that you see fit.
Saturday 26 September 2009
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.
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.
Thursday 24 September 2009
Thursday's trouncing of the form book
It was a great session tonight. I had not planned on doing too much, but I was training with Zag and Cathal who is in Dublin for a few days. This gave me the little spur that I needed and I really enjoyed the session. Zag made six pb's tonight and had a huge session, despite it being his second of the day. I was lacking the sharpness and zip in my lifts, but I was able to keep my back locked much better again. Cathal also trained well and made an easy 105/133 without any misses. Zag ended up Snatching 98 and 100 for two pb's, as well as Power CLeaning and Power Jerking 110 and 115 for two mre pb's, and finished it all off with two more pb's of 162.5 and 165kg in the Back Squat. As you will see in the video, he has so much more in him it is not even funny. Here is what I did:
Warm up with glute pre-hab and Miyake Pulls, followed by getting my first pull right with a succession of lowered heights--Thanks for that Murph...
Snatch--1x2@50, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 100--I was not able for this last week, but I was able to get it today, no matter how slow and cumbersome my turnover of the bar was. I followed this with a single of 105 which I was happy to get and I attempted the first pull with 108, but my mind needed powers that were not there tonight in order to lift it.
Power Clean and Power Jerk--I really did not want to do what was on my program so I lifter with Zag.
1x1@60, 60, 80, 100, 110, 115, 120--miss Jerk, 120, 125--I cleaned it but missed the Power Jerk. I hav not Power Cleaned nicely in a while so it was great to get it.
I did some hanging ab work but otherwise left it at that. I really enjoyed the training session and the different environment definitely freshened things up. The sense of competition with Zag and Cathal also helped. My back angles are far from perfect, but the fact that it is improving ever so slightly in the last two sessions really encourages me, as does the fact that my weight is done to a mid 95kg.
Have a look at the video below and leave any comments that you think will help.
Warm up with glute pre-hab and Miyake Pulls, followed by getting my first pull right with a succession of lowered heights--Thanks for that Murph...
Snatch--1x2@50, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 100--I was not able for this last week, but I was able to get it today, no matter how slow and cumbersome my turnover of the bar was. I followed this with a single of 105 which I was happy to get and I attempted the first pull with 108, but my mind needed powers that were not there tonight in order to lift it.
Power Clean and Power Jerk--I really did not want to do what was on my program so I lifter with Zag.
1x1@60, 60, 80, 100, 110, 115, 120--miss Jerk, 120, 125--I cleaned it but missed the Power Jerk. I hav not Power Cleaned nicely in a while so it was great to get it.
I did some hanging ab work but otherwise left it at that. I really enjoyed the training session and the different environment definitely freshened things up. The sense of competition with Zag and Cathal also helped. My back angles are far from perfect, but the fact that it is improving ever so slightly in the last two sessions really encourages me, as does the fact that my weight is done to a mid 95kg.
Have a look at the video below and leave any comments that you think will help.
Wednesday 23 September 2009
Wednesday's withering cns
I arrived to training pretty tired tonight, but I ended up having a good session. I did not follow the session to the letter, but I got my top sets in. I warmed up with my glute and hip activation/ prehab and I performed the Miyake Pulls which Jim Scmitz showed me for 3 sets of 3 with 40kg. This is the same exercise Charlie Hamilton showed me except for there being a High Pull at the end. This helped me get my back locked in and activated those back muscles. I then did:
Power Snatch--1x3@40, 40 1x2@50, 60, 70, 80, 85, 90, 90--My last set was my best. I changed my first pull and also how I went about getting myself into position to initiate the first pull. You will see this in the video.
Clean grip RDL variation I learned in Amsterdam--I did this for three triples with 60kg to activate the lower and mid back muscles.
Clean and Jerk--1x1@60, 60, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 125, 125--My Jerk was ropy tonight and I pressed out the last few singles, but I was focusing on my back lock throughout the pull and it got better with each rep.
Front Squat--1x2@110, 130, 140, 150--I adjusted my grip so that it did not hurt my elbow and then it felt fine.
Have a look at the video. It is only the first step in improving my back lock, but it is a step forward. I will work on this tomorrow and Saturday.
Power Snatch--1x3@40, 40 1x2@50, 60, 70, 80, 85, 90, 90--My last set was my best. I changed my first pull and also how I went about getting myself into position to initiate the first pull. You will see this in the video.
Clean grip RDL variation I learned in Amsterdam--I did this for three triples with 60kg to activate the lower and mid back muscles.
Clean and Jerk--1x1@60, 60, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 125, 125--My Jerk was ropy tonight and I pressed out the last few singles, but I was focusing on my back lock throughout the pull and it got better with each rep.
Front Squat--1x2@110, 130, 140, 150--I adjusted my grip so that it did not hurt my elbow and then it felt fine.
Have a look at the video. It is only the first step in improving my back lock, but it is a step forward. I will work on this tomorrow and Saturday.
Tuesday 22 September 2009
Tuesday's tight hips
Thank you for your comments to my current predicament. I intend on applying most, if not all of your suggestions. I actually started with some of them today.
I did not have time to do my squats yesterday, so I got them in today. I worked up to three doubles with 160kg and I finished off my mini-session with 3 sets of ten reps with a tailored back extension exercise. My lower back was screaming at me even with these, so this is a sure sign that I need to do more of these. I did this few because I want to gradually work in the lower back work and the assistance exercises rather than force everything in on top of the program I am already performing. I also started up yoga again last week. I really enjoy taking yoga classes and it is also good for my flexibility, so it is an all-round winner I think.
I plan on including the Snatch RDL exercise into my warm up and also the modified Clean grip RDL exercise also. Both will be done with light weights and the intension is to activate the muscles and see if I can get them into the act for the classical lifts. I will perform the back extensions at the end of each session and gradually increase the workload rather than work all out straight away.
My hip height is something myself and Harry will look at tomorrow also as well as how I initiate the first pull. He might even try and wedge my back into shape.
Here is a video of a TED talk, which is an organisation that is trying to educate as many people as they can. They always get famous speakers to illustrate what they have learned themselves and it is Tony Robbins in this case. This video is inspiring, interesting and very relevant to weightlifting:
I did not have time to do my squats yesterday, so I got them in today. I worked up to three doubles with 160kg and I finished off my mini-session with 3 sets of ten reps with a tailored back extension exercise. My lower back was screaming at me even with these, so this is a sure sign that I need to do more of these. I did this few because I want to gradually work in the lower back work and the assistance exercises rather than force everything in on top of the program I am already performing. I also started up yoga again last week. I really enjoy taking yoga classes and it is also good for my flexibility, so it is an all-round winner I think.
I plan on including the Snatch RDL exercise into my warm up and also the modified Clean grip RDL exercise also. Both will be done with light weights and the intension is to activate the muscles and see if I can get them into the act for the classical lifts. I will perform the back extensions at the end of each session and gradually increase the workload rather than work all out straight away.
My hip height is something myself and Harry will look at tomorrow also as well as how I initiate the first pull. He might even try and wedge my back into shape.
Here is a video of a TED talk, which is an organisation that is trying to educate as many people as they can. They always get famous speakers to illustrate what they have learned themselves and it is Tony Robbins in this case. This video is inspiring, interesting and very relevant to weightlifting:
Monday 21 September 2009
Monday's maniacal quest to achieve a flat back
I trained well today and I inched up my lifts again. I am very frustrated about one aspect of my lifting in particular, but it is vitally important that I maintain my perspective and not go on a tirade.
I am still struggling to maintain a back lock in my Snatch and Clean. It is too easy to put it down to fatigue. This is not the case. I was able to maintain a flat back after my week's training in Amsterdam and also in my first week of my trip to California. I am no longer able to achieve this despite trying as hard as I can to flex my lats, my upper, lower and mid back. I am trying to widen my stance, shorten my stance, get my knees out more in the first pull. This is very frustrating, as my pull is not using optimal leverages because my back being not straight, does not transfer power from my hips, legs and lower back. Saying this will come in time is nonsense, as this was not how I got my back lock before. I got it from working hard and waking up the muscles in my back for the first time. I have included some videos and pictures in the video below which illustrate the conundrum. Any feedback you may have would be much appreciated. Here is way I did today:
Snatch--1x3@40, 40, 50 1x2@50, 60, 70, 80 1x1@90, 95, 100, 102.5, 105 for three singles. I got these singles in which was good considering it was the start of the week and I had the last two day's off.
Snatch Pull--3x3@115--Oh so frustrating with these as you will see in the video.
Power Clean and Squat Clean--1x2@70, 70, 90, 100, 110, 115 for three sets. On teh last set I squat cleaned both reps. My left elbow was bothering me on this.
So, another positive session but it is now high time I sorted out my problem as I am close to tearing my hair out. Have a look at the video and see if you can spot anything.
I am still struggling to maintain a back lock in my Snatch and Clean. It is too easy to put it down to fatigue. This is not the case. I was able to maintain a flat back after my week's training in Amsterdam and also in my first week of my trip to California. I am no longer able to achieve this despite trying as hard as I can to flex my lats, my upper, lower and mid back. I am trying to widen my stance, shorten my stance, get my knees out more in the first pull. This is very frustrating, as my pull is not using optimal leverages because my back being not straight, does not transfer power from my hips, legs and lower back. Saying this will come in time is nonsense, as this was not how I got my back lock before. I got it from working hard and waking up the muscles in my back for the first time. I have included some videos and pictures in the video below which illustrate the conundrum. Any feedback you may have would be much appreciated. Here is way I did today:
Snatch--1x3@40, 40, 50 1x2@50, 60, 70, 80 1x1@90, 95, 100, 102.5, 105 for three singles. I got these singles in which was good considering it was the start of the week and I had the last two day's off.
Snatch Pull--3x3@115--Oh so frustrating with these as you will see in the video.
Power Clean and Squat Clean--1x2@70, 70, 90, 100, 110, 115 for three sets. On teh last set I squat cleaned both reps. My left elbow was bothering me on this.
So, another positive session but it is now high time I sorted out my problem as I am close to tearing my hair out. Have a look at the video and see if you can spot anything.
Friday 18 September 2009
Friday's fencing with time
Today's session was grinding as I was tired by the end of the week and my legs were shouting at me because they are not used to all this work. I need a massage or at the very least a whole lot of foam rolling to try and get the legs as fresh as possible. I can also feel the areas around my hips getting more and more tension as the weeks go by, so I may have to try and squeeze in an ART appointment somewhere. I did my squats in the early afternoon and the rest of my session after work. Here is what I did:
Back Squats:1x5@60, 60, 80 1x3@80, 100, 120, 130, 140, 150, 150, 150--I was happy with these as I was only getting doubles with these at the start of the week. Over the next few weeks I have to start getting my squatting poundages up.
Later that day I only had less than an hour to finish my session so I left out the Snatch Pulls and kept the essentials in.
Snatch--I worked up to a single with 100, followed by a miss and then a success with 103 and then three misses with 105. My back lock was a bit better again, but I lacked the hip flexibility in the receiving position and I also lacked that bit of finish in the pull. I was happy enough because it was the end of the week and a bit better than before. I need to continue inching up with each session.
2 Front Squats and 1 Jerk--I only had fifteen minutes for these, so I worked up to three singles with 120kg. Last week I only got one of these so I was happy to get all three. They were tough because I was rushing and also because I had squatted earlier in the day. My final rep was the best because I got the rhythm right in the dip and exploded under the bar quicker to get a better lockout.
I have some videos that I shall put up tomorrow. Next week is massively important. Everything is getting that little bit sharper than it was, and my technique, mental focus, flexibility and power need to continue this return to form.
Back Squats:1x5@60, 60, 80 1x3@80, 100, 120, 130, 140, 150, 150, 150--I was happy with these as I was only getting doubles with these at the start of the week. Over the next few weeks I have to start getting my squatting poundages up.
Later that day I only had less than an hour to finish my session so I left out the Snatch Pulls and kept the essentials in.
Snatch--I worked up to a single with 100, followed by a miss and then a success with 103 and then three misses with 105. My back lock was a bit better again, but I lacked the hip flexibility in the receiving position and I also lacked that bit of finish in the pull. I was happy enough because it was the end of the week and a bit better than before. I need to continue inching up with each session.
2 Front Squats and 1 Jerk--I only had fifteen minutes for these, so I worked up to three singles with 120kg. Last week I only got one of these so I was happy to get all three. They were tough because I was rushing and also because I had squatted earlier in the day. My final rep was the best because I got the rhythm right in the dip and exploded under the bar quicker to get a better lockout.
I have some videos that I shall put up tomorrow. Next week is massively important. Everything is getting that little bit sharper than it was, and my technique, mental focus, flexibility and power need to continue this return to form.
Thursday's tensions
I split my session into two again and I managed to inch up my lifts again, while still getting my bodyweight down. At mid-day, I did my Clean deadlifts and the timing of my second session had to change so I ended up having to do a different session. I did the following:
Clean deadlift with a shrug--2x5@60 1x3@80, 100, 110 1x2@120, 130, 140, 150 for three doubles. I have included a set of these in the video. My back is getting flatter but my hips were rising a little too early. Let me know what you think.
Session 2:
Snatch--1x2@40, 40, 50, 50, 70, 80, 90, 95, 100--I failed on the second rep twice. I was not too unhally with these misses because I was rushing with little rest in between reps due to time constraints. I will get these next week.
I was supposed to do Jerk behind the neck and Power Cleans, but overhead lifting after seven is not allowed in the Hercs' gym, so I squatted instead. Because my left elbow is still sore, I performed Zombie squats.
Zombie Squats--1x2@70, 100, 110, 130, 140 1x1@150, 155--I failed this twice.
The session was frustrating because of the timing, but it was productive. Sami got a pb Snatch of 97kg which he made in a fatigued state and in his second session of the day. The numbers are going back up again, slowly but surely. Have a look at the video and let me know if you have any constructive criticism.
Clean deadlift with a shrug--2x5@60 1x3@80, 100, 110 1x2@120, 130, 140, 150 for three doubles. I have included a set of these in the video. My back is getting flatter but my hips were rising a little too early. Let me know what you think.
Session 2:
Snatch--1x2@40, 40, 50, 50, 70, 80, 90, 95, 100--I failed on the second rep twice. I was not too unhally with these misses because I was rushing with little rest in between reps due to time constraints. I will get these next week.
I was supposed to do Jerk behind the neck and Power Cleans, but overhead lifting after seven is not allowed in the Hercs' gym, so I squatted instead. Because my left elbow is still sore, I performed Zombie squats.
Zombie Squats--1x2@70, 100, 110, 130, 140 1x1@150, 155--I failed this twice.
The session was frustrating because of the timing, but it was productive. Sami got a pb Snatch of 97kg which he made in a fatigued state and in his second session of the day. The numbers are going back up again, slowly but surely. Have a look at the video and let me know if you have any constructive criticism.
Wednesday 16 September 2009
Wednesday's wobbly beginning followed by a stronger finish
I had a good workout this evening despite the fact that, upon arriving, I felt as worn out as a Muffin Top's waist band. I did my glute activation with a good few sets of Overhead Squats and I resisted resorting to caffeine to get something out of the session. It was great when Karen came along because I had someone to train with and I could annoy her rather than annoy myself. Here is what I did:
Power Snatch--2x3@40 1x2@50, 50, 60, 70, 80, 85 for four doubles. Last week I was only able for three doubles of 80 so I was happy with these. I was focusing on squeezing and locking that back into place and for some reason, my technique was better in the second rep every time. I think that this was the case because I had to rely on my technique for the second rep more than muscling it up. My third set is in the video so keep the constructive comments coming.
Clean and Jerk--1x2@60, 60 1x1@80, 90, 100, 110, 115, 115, 120, 120--I only did three singles with 110 last week and I was able to push the numbers up a bit again today. My Cleans felt fast but a bit sloppy and the jerks were the same. I was happy to get my singles in and hopefully they will go from strength to strength.
Front Squats--1x2@60, 110, 120, 130, 140, 145 for three doubles. These felt very tough but I was able to grind them out.
I ended up with a quick stretch and even though I felt as empty as the Irish weightlifting budget, I was happy with how the session went. Have a gander at the video and let me know if you spot anything glaring.
I will also leave this short video that seems to embody the advice that someone left me in my last post. Have a look at Aramnau's technique and how he stays on the outside edges of his feet at the beginning of the pull. let me know what you think:
Power Snatch--2x3@40 1x2@50, 50, 60, 70, 80, 85 for four doubles. Last week I was only able for three doubles of 80 so I was happy with these. I was focusing on squeezing and locking that back into place and for some reason, my technique was better in the second rep every time. I think that this was the case because I had to rely on my technique for the second rep more than muscling it up. My third set is in the video so keep the constructive comments coming.
Clean and Jerk--1x2@60, 60 1x1@80, 90, 100, 110, 115, 115, 120, 120--I only did three singles with 110 last week and I was able to push the numbers up a bit again today. My Cleans felt fast but a bit sloppy and the jerks were the same. I was happy to get my singles in and hopefully they will go from strength to strength.
Front Squats--1x2@60, 110, 120, 130, 140, 145 for three doubles. These felt very tough but I was able to grind them out.
I ended up with a quick stretch and even though I felt as empty as the Irish weightlifting budget, I was happy with how the session went. Have a gander at the video and let me know if you spot anything glaring.
I will also leave this short video that seems to embody the advice that someone left me in my last post. Have a look at Aramnau's technique and how he stays on the outside edges of his feet at the beginning of the pull. let me know what you think:
Monday 14 September 2009
Monday's man management
Training went well enough considering I was rusty from two days off and it was a Monday. Once again I did my squats seperately beforehand and my goal for today's training was to ignore where I was and want to be again, and simply to accept where I am and how I can improve each session, bit by bit. This was my epiphany today. it makes no difference where you were two months ago, two years ago, two weeks ago. Focus on where you are right now and what you can do to improve your performance today, inch by inch--queue in the Al Pacino speech from Any Given Sunday:
I Back Squatted today and last week I got one measly double with 150, so I aimed to get three doubles today, feeling that bit fresher than last week. Instead I got four doubles and although I was tempted to go a bit heavier and do a few more sets. But, I tried to keep my discipline and get my lifts up one step at a time. I aimed to do the same for my later session. Due to time constraints, I only had one hour to do the following, which limited my rest. Here is what I did:
Snatch--1x3@40, 40, 50 1x2@60 1x1@70, 80, 90, 95, 100, 100, 100--I missed the third rep because I lost my back arch. I made up for it with the fourth rep. I found these very tough and there was side to my brain telling me not to go under, but I had to get them. Last Monday I did three reps with 90, and in my last session on Friday I did two rep with 95 and two with 97. I need to up this again for my session on Wednesday.
Snatch Pull--3x2@110--My first set was not good, but when I took off my straps, I was able to grip the bar better and this allowed me to get my elbows around and my back far tighter. My first reps tended to be good, but my second reps, not as good.
Power Clean + Squat Clean--1x2@60, 60, 80, 90, 100, 110 for three doubles. I found these tough because my left elbow was still a bit sore from Friday's workout and the rack position was not the most comfortable. Once I got my elbows around faster, both movements went much smoother.
Here is a video of two of my Snatches. They are not pretty and my feet still are not moving, but they are better than they have been over the last three or four weeks. It is a start. By the end of this week, I want to be a closer to where I need to be technically and physically for the competition in Cork on October the 3rd. I weighed in this morning at 96.8kg, so my nutrition habits are paying off, slowly but surely. I have lost around two and a half kilograms of fat in the last three weeks. I need to get down to 96 or slightly lower by the week of the competition so I can make the 94kg class. Have a look at the videos and let me know if you have any points:
I Back Squatted today and last week I got one measly double with 150, so I aimed to get three doubles today, feeling that bit fresher than last week. Instead I got four doubles and although I was tempted to go a bit heavier and do a few more sets. But, I tried to keep my discipline and get my lifts up one step at a time. I aimed to do the same for my later session. Due to time constraints, I only had one hour to do the following, which limited my rest. Here is what I did:
Snatch--1x3@40, 40, 50 1x2@60 1x1@70, 80, 90, 95, 100, 100, 100--I missed the third rep because I lost my back arch. I made up for it with the fourth rep. I found these very tough and there was side to my brain telling me not to go under, but I had to get them. Last Monday I did three reps with 90, and in my last session on Friday I did two rep with 95 and two with 97. I need to up this again for my session on Wednesday.
Snatch Pull--3x2@110--My first set was not good, but when I took off my straps, I was able to grip the bar better and this allowed me to get my elbows around and my back far tighter. My first reps tended to be good, but my second reps, not as good.
Power Clean + Squat Clean--1x2@60, 60, 80, 90, 100, 110 for three doubles. I found these tough because my left elbow was still a bit sore from Friday's workout and the rack position was not the most comfortable. Once I got my elbows around faster, both movements went much smoother.
Here is a video of two of my Snatches. They are not pretty and my feet still are not moving, but they are better than they have been over the last three or four weeks. It is a start. By the end of this week, I want to be a closer to where I need to be technically and physically for the competition in Cork on October the 3rd. I weighed in this morning at 96.8kg, so my nutrition habits are paying off, slowly but surely. I have lost around two and a half kilograms of fat in the last three weeks. I need to get down to 96 or slightly lower by the week of the competition so I can make the 94kg class. Have a look at the videos and let me know if you have any points:
Friday 11 September 2009
Friday's fighting lifts
I split up my session again today, doing my squats in the morning and the rest of my session later in the day. I was feeling okay after yesterday's tough session and I wanted to push the weights up a little. Here is what I did:
Front Squat--2x5@60 1x3@ 80, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140 for three triples. These were tough enough, but I ground them out.
Later that day...
Snatch--2x3@40 1x2@50, 60, 70, 80 1x1@90, 95, 100--I missed this. My head was not capable of this on the day, so I went down to 90, back up to 95 again and then I went up to 97kg for two more singles. My back lock felt good and I think by next week I will be lifting a little higher again.
Snatch Pulls--3x2@105--These felt good and I really tried to get as much flexion as possible.
2 Front Squats + 1 Jerk--1x3@70, 70, 90, 100, 110, 120--After doing my squats earlier, my legs were pretty fried. I failed with 120 twice in the Jerk. I then reasoned that I was getting the bar high enough, but I was not getting into position to catch the bar properly. I sorted out my head for the third rep and I ground it out. I had to get pretty low in the catch and it was not pretty, but I got it. I left it there because I was feeling a bit of pain around my left elbow for the first time. I am not sure why this is the case, but over the last two weeks or so, I have felt it coming on. I will monitor this and make sure it does not get worse.
I will leave you with a link to an interview with an American weightlifting coach Glenn Pendlay. It is fascinating and correlates to some of the things Jim Schmitz and Charlie Hamilton told me in their interviews and in the gym. It is pretty long, but it is very interesting, so I would advise you to take the time to listen, particularly if you are a coach.
As an extra bonus feature, here is a video of Lu Yong, the 85kg class champion in Beijing. His lifting is exemplary, so enjoy:
Front Squat--2x5@60 1x3@ 80, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140 for three triples. These were tough enough, but I ground them out.
Later that day...
Snatch--2x3@40 1x2@50, 60, 70, 80 1x1@90, 95, 100--I missed this. My head was not capable of this on the day, so I went down to 90, back up to 95 again and then I went up to 97kg for two more singles. My back lock felt good and I think by next week I will be lifting a little higher again.
Snatch Pulls--3x2@105--These felt good and I really tried to get as much flexion as possible.
2 Front Squats + 1 Jerk--1x3@70, 70, 90, 100, 110, 120--After doing my squats earlier, my legs were pretty fried. I failed with 120 twice in the Jerk. I then reasoned that I was getting the bar high enough, but I was not getting into position to catch the bar properly. I sorted out my head for the third rep and I ground it out. I had to get pretty low in the catch and it was not pretty, but I got it. I left it there because I was feeling a bit of pain around my left elbow for the first time. I am not sure why this is the case, but over the last two weeks or so, I have felt it coming on. I will monitor this and make sure it does not get worse.
I will leave you with a link to an interview with an American weightlifting coach Glenn Pendlay. It is fascinating and correlates to some of the things Jim Schmitz and Charlie Hamilton told me in their interviews and in the gym. It is pretty long, but it is very interesting, so I would advise you to take the time to listen, particularly if you are a coach.
As an extra bonus feature, here is a video of Lu Yong, the 85kg class champion in Beijing. His lifting is exemplary, so enjoy:
Thursday 10 September 2009
Thursday's tipping point
Myself and Sami did an hour flexibility session yesterday and I felt a bit loser for it today, where I split my session into two parts. In a quick 30 minute session earlier, I did my Clean Deadlifts and worked up to two triples with 140kg and they were tougher than I thought they would be. I had to train a good bit later than usual this evening because Sami could not train before half seven, so I was really glad I did the pulls earlier in the day.
In the second session, I started with a lot of sets of Overhead Squats focusing on getting those knees out all the way from the top of the movement down to the bottom position. After this I did the following:
Snatch--1x2@ 40, 40, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 for three doubles. I was happy with these because although they are far lighter than I have done in the previous months, I was Snatching somewhat closely to the way I actually lift. I was able to keep my back locked and get comfortable in the bottom position.
Jerk behind the neck--1x2@ 70, 70, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130--I got two doubles with this and then missed the second rep on the third set. I did another set and just about got my double with a pressout. I needed to get my front foot out a bit more on this one.
Power Cleans--1x2@60, 80, 90, 100, 110 for three doubles. Again, I am starting to get back to my normal self with these and it felt good not struggling with such a light weight.
It was my first session in the last few weeks were I have been able to lift like myself. I have been focusing on getting a bit more sleep and the lighter training over the last two weeks has obviously helped. I am hoping for a good session tomorrow and that the two days off can revitalise me all the more so that next week I can start to lift to lift the way I can. Here is a short video that explains why I hate treadmills and why I advise anyone reading this to stay away from them:
In the second session, I started with a lot of sets of Overhead Squats focusing on getting those knees out all the way from the top of the movement down to the bottom position. After this I did the following:
Snatch--1x2@ 40, 40, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 for three doubles. I was happy with these because although they are far lighter than I have done in the previous months, I was Snatching somewhat closely to the way I actually lift. I was able to keep my back locked and get comfortable in the bottom position.
Jerk behind the neck--1x2@ 70, 70, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130--I got two doubles with this and then missed the second rep on the third set. I did another set and just about got my double with a pressout. I needed to get my front foot out a bit more on this one.
Power Cleans--1x2@60, 80, 90, 100, 110 for three doubles. Again, I am starting to get back to my normal self with these and it felt good not struggling with such a light weight.
It was my first session in the last few weeks were I have been able to lift like myself. I have been focusing on getting a bit more sleep and the lighter training over the last two weeks has obviously helped. I am hoping for a good session tomorrow and that the two days off can revitalise me all the more so that next week I can start to lift to lift the way I can. Here is a short video that explains why I hate treadmills and why I advise anyone reading this to stay away from them:
Tuesday 8 September 2009
Tuesday's tidy lifting--queue in Murph who says "NOT!" in a Borat accent
I trained today and yesterday also. I was predictably tired, but I wanted to get back into my routine, so that I will be as fresh as possible for the 3rd of October.
Yesterday I squatted in a short 30 minute session that was seperate from the rest of my training. I squatted up to a double with 150 and I then did a single and left it at that. Later that evening, after a good warm up with some flexibility, I Snatched up to ninety for five singles. I missed the first two because I was not switched on, but the rest were pertty straight forward. I then went onto a few sets of Snatch Pulls with 100 in which I focused on keeping a locked back. After this came the Power Clean followed by a squat Clean. I went up to a top set with 110 with tehese and that was that. Light--although it did not feel like it--and enjoyable.
Although I was tired yesterday, today's session was far harder. I started with Power Snatch doubles and I went up to three top sets with 80kg. They felt really heavy even though my Power Snatch pb is 100kg. Harry got me to tense my upper back in a slightly different way than before and it felt good. I then went onto Clean and Jerk singles up to 110kg. I missed the first attempt due to a lack of focus. I then got three hard, grinding singles. Harry made the point that I was in no way finishing my pull, so my last rep ended up being my best. I was supposed to Front Squat afterwards, but my left knee was bothering me for some unknown reason. It hurt a it when I tried some pulls so I left it there and did a bit of flexibility. I have a feeling it was a phantom pain that comes along every now and then and leaves just as mysteriously.
Here is a video of a legendary lifter who also happens to be Jim Schmitz's favourite ever lifter:
Yesterday I squatted in a short 30 minute session that was seperate from the rest of my training. I squatted up to a double with 150 and I then did a single and left it at that. Later that evening, after a good warm up with some flexibility, I Snatched up to ninety for five singles. I missed the first two because I was not switched on, but the rest were pertty straight forward. I then went onto a few sets of Snatch Pulls with 100 in which I focused on keeping a locked back. After this came the Power Clean followed by a squat Clean. I went up to a top set with 110 with tehese and that was that. Light--although it did not feel like it--and enjoyable.
Although I was tired yesterday, today's session was far harder. I started with Power Snatch doubles and I went up to three top sets with 80kg. They felt really heavy even though my Power Snatch pb is 100kg. Harry got me to tense my upper back in a slightly different way than before and it felt good. I then went onto Clean and Jerk singles up to 110kg. I missed the first attempt due to a lack of focus. I then got three hard, grinding singles. Harry made the point that I was in no way finishing my pull, so my last rep ended up being my best. I was supposed to Front Squat afterwards, but my left knee was bothering me for some unknown reason. It hurt a it when I tried some pulls so I left it there and did a bit of flexibility. I have a feeling it was a phantom pain that comes along every now and then and leaves just as mysteriously.
Here is a video of a legendary lifter who also happens to be Jim Schmitz's favourite ever lifter:
Monday 7 September 2009
Saturday’s Scottish showdown
Sami, myself and Cathal all got up at five in the morning so that we could make our flight over to Glasgow in time for the competition. I was feeling better than Wednesday and I was really looking forward to competing. I love the moments of doubt that you have to swallow down so that you are composed and relaxed enough to perform. I find that when I am nervous and even a bit jumpy, my nervous system is telling me that I am primed to go.
I weighed in at 97.5kg when I got up and for the competition, we weighed in at around twenty past nine in the morning. I had a banana and two pears with a bit of water for breakfast; I knew I would not be light enough for the 94kg class. I weighed in at 97.3kg; Sami weighed in at 85.4kg and wisely decided to leave trying to make weight as it was the total he was after, not the sinclair. Cathal weighed in at a light 73kg and Eamonn tipped a solid 88kg. Myself, Sami and Eamonn had to wait until around four to lift, so there was quite a bit of waiting around, but we were able to eat and drink without any undue worries.
Cathal lifted first, and after his 105kg opener in the Snatch, he decided that the knee that was bothering him was a bit much with his other competitions coming up. He decided to leave the rest of his Snatches, and to Power Clean and Power Jerk to his heart's content. Once his knees are not shouting at him, we will see some big lifts.
Sami then opened up with 92 in the Snatch, Squat Snatched 95 and then was startlingly close to 100kg that looked light and fast, but was not locked out. He Clean and Jerked a pb of 121 that looked very easy and then got under 125 but could not rack it properly.
Eamonn was not feeling it in the Snatch and got an easy opener with 93. He had 97 and 98 very high, but he could not quite lock them out. He Clean and Jerked 133 which looked nowhere near a limit lift and considering he has moved over to Edinburugh and his training has been severely interupted, he lifted well.
In the warm up room, my lifts were not feeling as fast and fluid as I would have liked. I was feeling fast, but the weights were falling down on me a bit and my feet were not reacting like they usually do. I had planned on opening up with 105kg, but after warming up with 97.5 and 100, I brought it down to 103. My first Snatch felt fast and comfortable, but my feet were doing weird things as you will see in the video. I had planned to lift 110 as my second attempt, but as I was not on my best form, I changed it to 108. This lift felt wrong in so many ways, but I got it. The video is gruesome viewing and shows that this and my next lift were about as attractive as a bulldog chewing a bee. My back was nowhere near locked; I was swing the bar outrageously; I needed to finish the pull; my feet were nowhere near where they needed to be and I had to do a Usain Bolt both times in order to retrieve the lifts. Basically, the way I learned to lift over the Summer was not in sight or sound. I think this was due to cns fatigue and my hips telling me to get back and improve on the flexibility I had in June.
My Clean and Jerks were pretty similar. Ugly, but brutally effective. My Cleans and Snatches would usually be my strong point, but on Saturday they were my weak points. My Jerk was the strongest it has ever been and that was quite satisfying. I warmed up with 110, 120 and 130. The Cleans never felt smooth, but I felt strong enough and the Jerks were sticking nicely. I opened with a nice 135kg that felt pretty basic. My hips were shooting up too early in the Clean and this changed my pulling trajectory. I was far too relaxed for my second attempt with 140 and I did not finish my pull. My feet also went off on a wander and all these factor meant I missed the weight. I sorted out my head for my third attempt and I got a Clean that was as ugly as sin, and a nice Jerk to follow. This was the first time I have Jerked this weight without a press out, so I was happy to get it.
Overall, I was happy with how I lifted, because I was as poor as I can be technically. My form was wincing to look at in the videos, but after how I felt in the week of, and before, the competition, I was happy for my 250 total which was a pb. I know I have a lot more speed, technique and power left to show and I am hoping the Club Championships in Cork will be the place to show it. We will see. I really enjoyed coming to this competition and it was great to get the ring rust out of the system. The video of our lifts is below, so any comments or pointers are welcome.
I weighed in at 97.5kg when I got up and for the competition, we weighed in at around twenty past nine in the morning. I had a banana and two pears with a bit of water for breakfast; I knew I would not be light enough for the 94kg class. I weighed in at 97.3kg; Sami weighed in at 85.4kg and wisely decided to leave trying to make weight as it was the total he was after, not the sinclair. Cathal weighed in at a light 73kg and Eamonn tipped a solid 88kg. Myself, Sami and Eamonn had to wait until around four to lift, so there was quite a bit of waiting around, but we were able to eat and drink without any undue worries.
Cathal lifted first, and after his 105kg opener in the Snatch, he decided that the knee that was bothering him was a bit much with his other competitions coming up. He decided to leave the rest of his Snatches, and to Power Clean and Power Jerk to his heart's content. Once his knees are not shouting at him, we will see some big lifts.
Sami then opened up with 92 in the Snatch, Squat Snatched 95 and then was startlingly close to 100kg that looked light and fast, but was not locked out. He Clean and Jerked a pb of 121 that looked very easy and then got under 125 but could not rack it properly.
Eamonn was not feeling it in the Snatch and got an easy opener with 93. He had 97 and 98 very high, but he could not quite lock them out. He Clean and Jerked 133 which looked nowhere near a limit lift and considering he has moved over to Edinburugh and his training has been severely interupted, he lifted well.
In the warm up room, my lifts were not feeling as fast and fluid as I would have liked. I was feeling fast, but the weights were falling down on me a bit and my feet were not reacting like they usually do. I had planned on opening up with 105kg, but after warming up with 97.5 and 100, I brought it down to 103. My first Snatch felt fast and comfortable, but my feet were doing weird things as you will see in the video. I had planned to lift 110 as my second attempt, but as I was not on my best form, I changed it to 108. This lift felt wrong in so many ways, but I got it. The video is gruesome viewing and shows that this and my next lift were about as attractive as a bulldog chewing a bee. My back was nowhere near locked; I was swing the bar outrageously; I needed to finish the pull; my feet were nowhere near where they needed to be and I had to do a Usain Bolt both times in order to retrieve the lifts. Basically, the way I learned to lift over the Summer was not in sight or sound. I think this was due to cns fatigue and my hips telling me to get back and improve on the flexibility I had in June.
My Clean and Jerks were pretty similar. Ugly, but brutally effective. My Cleans and Snatches would usually be my strong point, but on Saturday they were my weak points. My Jerk was the strongest it has ever been and that was quite satisfying. I warmed up with 110, 120 and 130. The Cleans never felt smooth, but I felt strong enough and the Jerks were sticking nicely. I opened with a nice 135kg that felt pretty basic. My hips were shooting up too early in the Clean and this changed my pulling trajectory. I was far too relaxed for my second attempt with 140 and I did not finish my pull. My feet also went off on a wander and all these factor meant I missed the weight. I sorted out my head for my third attempt and I got a Clean that was as ugly as sin, and a nice Jerk to follow. This was the first time I have Jerked this weight without a press out, so I was happy to get it.
Overall, I was happy with how I lifted, because I was as poor as I can be technically. My form was wincing to look at in the videos, but after how I felt in the week of, and before, the competition, I was happy for my 250 total which was a pb. I know I have a lot more speed, technique and power left to show and I am hoping the Club Championships in Cork will be the place to show it. We will see. I really enjoyed coming to this competition and it was great to get the ring rust out of the system. The video of our lifts is below, so any comments or pointers are welcome.
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