Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
I am teh strong!
Really good day today, added weight to everything and no misses, felt full of energy. Torn callous now partly healed but still feckin sore, hence snatches from floor instead of usual snatch combo which is harder on the hands.
4 sets of 5 OHS with bar, 3 sets of 3 drop snatches
Snatch: warmup sets, 2@41 x 6
Drop snatches: warmup sets, 2@44 x 3
Front squats: 5@35 x 2 to warm up for cleans
Cleans: 2@35, 2@40, 2@45, 2@50, 2@55, 2@57 x 3
Back squat: 3@45, 2@55, 1@60, 1@65 x 3
Possibly shouldn't have done those heavy cleans but I'd entirely forgotten about my dodgy quad last week. It was fine, anyway, so I think that was just a freak thing. I did take it very easy on the back squats though, seems best to ramp back up to squats gradually.
Here's the last set of cleans:
Was fairly happy with these although I could probably still do with better extension and keeping the bar closer. As always!
Roy was in, his physio said he was OK to start cleaning again, so that's what he was doing. I have some videos but my interwebs are being slow so I'll try to stick those up again later.
According to the scale in the ladies in the Hercs I am now 63kg, 1kg down on last week. Yarr!
4 sets of 5 OHS with bar, 3 sets of 3 drop snatches
Snatch: warmup sets, 2@41 x 6
Drop snatches: warmup sets, 2@44 x 3
Front squats: 5@35 x 2 to warm up for cleans
Cleans: 2@35, 2@40, 2@45, 2@50, 2@55, 2@57 x 3
Back squat: 3@45, 2@55, 1@60, 1@65 x 3
Possibly shouldn't have done those heavy cleans but I'd entirely forgotten about my dodgy quad last week. It was fine, anyway, so I think that was just a freak thing. I did take it very easy on the back squats though, seems best to ramp back up to squats gradually.
Here's the last set of cleans:
Was fairly happy with these although I could probably still do with better extension and keeping the bar closer. As always!
Roy was in, his physio said he was OK to start cleaning again, so that's what he was doing. I have some videos but my interwebs are being slow so I'll try to stick those up again later.
According to the scale in the ladies in the Hercs I am now 63kg, 1kg down on last week. Yarr!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Valentine's Day Massacre
Somebody acquired a crazy Russian overreaching programme and of course like crazy people we all did it. Myself, Gillian, Barry, Sami, Cathal, The Butcher and the ever-taciturn Jimmy convened at 11am Saturday morning to get it done.
The day was split into 4 45 minute sessions with 30 minute breaks between. Session 1 was power snatches and clean pulls, session 2 snatch and power clean, session 3 snatch pulls and C+J, session 4 squat. For almost every exercise the idea was to work up to a max for the day, then drop down to 80% of that and do doubles until the allotted time for the exercise ran out.
In deference to my torn callous and dodgy quad, I just rack jerked for session 3 and sat out the squats (I did some glute ham raises and band external rotations instead, then ate my sandwich while everyone else squatted. Hardcore).
Session 1:
Bit of warmup stuff, some overhead squats with the bar.
Power snatch: 3@25, 3@30, 1@35, 37, miss@39, 39, 40, 41 (new PR), 42, miss@43, 43, 2@35 x 5 sets
Clean pulls: 2@45, 2@50, 2@52, 2@54, 2@56, 2@58, 2@60, 2@62, 2@64 x 3.
Session 2:
Overhead squats and drop snatches to warm up
Snatch: 2@30, 1@35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, miss@47 x 4 (last two very close), 2@36
Power clean: 45, 47, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 2@48, 2@49 x 3
Session 3:
Jerk skill work to warm up (dips, catches, split jerks)
Rack jerk: 2@40 x 2, 1@45, 1@50, 54, 57, 60, 62, 54, 65, 66, 67, miss@68, 2@55 x 2.
3 sets of GHR supersestted with 2 sets of band external rotations.
I'm really glad I did this, torn callous and all. I hit a 3kg PR on power snatch, and a 5kg PR on power cleans (I was pretty shocked I was able to do 60 actually, god knows what I can full clean - I've never gone to a max on cleans with jerks being my limiting factor at the moment on C+Js). The really nice thing was the rack jerk PR though - jerks were feeling very very strong. The grim mood I was in on Friday has lifted and I've felt energized since doing this.
The only low point for me was the inability to get 47kg on the snatch, it's a bit silly not to be able to do this (have done 48 before). It's a combination of the training I've been doing lately not being conducive to max effort snatching, and a few technique factors - starting position of feet and bar and timing the pull. I really need to work on these over the next few weeks. All snatch ancillary work is getting much stronger so chances are it will come together at some point and all of a sudden there'll be a decent jump in it.
I haven't trained since Saturday in order to let the callous heal and get a bit of recovery in but I'll be in tomorrow (Tuesday) and back to the normal routine.
Kudos to Barry on his 138kg C+J, Gill on her 51kg snatch, Cathal on his mid-traps and thanks to Sami for letting us invade his gym. And muchos gracias to Harry and Jimmy for the coaching and the help lowering the bar on the max effort rack jerks.
Video of the day, courtesy of Barry:
http://vimeo.com/3226169
The day was split into 4 45 minute sessions with 30 minute breaks between. Session 1 was power snatches and clean pulls, session 2 snatch and power clean, session 3 snatch pulls and C+J, session 4 squat. For almost every exercise the idea was to work up to a max for the day, then drop down to 80% of that and do doubles until the allotted time for the exercise ran out.
In deference to my torn callous and dodgy quad, I just rack jerked for session 3 and sat out the squats (I did some glute ham raises and band external rotations instead, then ate my sandwich while everyone else squatted. Hardcore).
Session 1:
Bit of warmup stuff, some overhead squats with the bar.
Power snatch: 3@25, 3@30, 1@35, 37, miss@39, 39, 40, 41 (new PR), 42, miss@43, 43, 2@35 x 5 sets
Clean pulls: 2@45, 2@50, 2@52, 2@54, 2@56, 2@58, 2@60, 2@62, 2@64 x 3.
Session 2:
Overhead squats and drop snatches to warm up
Snatch: 2@30, 1@35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, miss@47 x 4 (last two very close), 2@36
Power clean: 45, 47, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 2@48, 2@49 x 3
Session 3:
Jerk skill work to warm up (dips, catches, split jerks)
Rack jerk: 2@40 x 2, 1@45, 1@50, 54, 57, 60, 62, 54, 65, 66, 67, miss@68, 2@55 x 2.
3 sets of GHR supersestted with 2 sets of band external rotations.
I'm really glad I did this, torn callous and all. I hit a 3kg PR on power snatch, and a 5kg PR on power cleans (I was pretty shocked I was able to do 60 actually, god knows what I can full clean - I've never gone to a max on cleans with jerks being my limiting factor at the moment on C+Js). The really nice thing was the rack jerk PR though - jerks were feeling very very strong. The grim mood I was in on Friday has lifted and I've felt energized since doing this.
The only low point for me was the inability to get 47kg on the snatch, it's a bit silly not to be able to do this (have done 48 before). It's a combination of the training I've been doing lately not being conducive to max effort snatching, and a few technique factors - starting position of feet and bar and timing the pull. I really need to work on these over the next few weeks. All snatch ancillary work is getting much stronger so chances are it will come together at some point and all of a sudden there'll be a decent jump in it.
I haven't trained since Saturday in order to let the callous heal and get a bit of recovery in but I'll be in tomorrow (Tuesday) and back to the normal routine.
Kudos to Barry on his 138kg C+J, Gill on her 51kg snatch, Cathal on his mid-traps and thanks to Sami for letting us invade his gym. And muchos gracias to Harry and Jimmy for the coaching and the help lowering the bar on the max effort rack jerks.
Video of the day, courtesy of Barry:
http://vimeo.com/3226169
Friday, February 13, 2009
A nice big cup of toughen the fuck up
Wednesday - took it easy, iced the dodgy quad, munched Ibuprofen.
Thursday - leg felt OK, did a few very light overhead squats, caught up on the assistance work.
Today - decided to do some work on hang power snatches and jerks, and leave squatting type stuff out for now. Had a decent session of hang power snatches, then tore a callous. Jerks were a bit pants, maybe a result of the torn callous but that's no excuse for lack of focus. Grr.
Dynamic warmup and foam rolling, glute activation
Overhead squats: 5@bar x 4 (moving grip inwards)
Drop snatch: 3@bar, 3@25 x 2, 3@30
Hang power snatch: 3@30, 2@32.5, 3@35, 3@37.5 x 5
Jerk dips, jerk catches, split jerks, and some experimental front squats all with 25kg
Jerks: 2@35, 2@40, 2@45, 2@50, 1@54, 1@58, 1@61 x 5 and 2 misses
Assistance:
Step-ups and scap pushups
Some static stretching and a little bit more foam rolling to finish.
Frankly, I am sick of training in a bloody building site and I'm sick of injuries and stuff going wrong. This has been a very frustrating week.
Thursday - leg felt OK, did a few very light overhead squats, caught up on the assistance work.
Today - decided to do some work on hang power snatches and jerks, and leave squatting type stuff out for now. Had a decent session of hang power snatches, then tore a callous. Jerks were a bit pants, maybe a result of the torn callous but that's no excuse for lack of focus. Grr.
Dynamic warmup and foam rolling, glute activation
Overhead squats: 5@bar x 4 (moving grip inwards)
Drop snatch: 3@bar, 3@25 x 2, 3@30
Hang power snatch: 3@30, 2@32.5, 3@35, 3@37.5 x 5
Jerk dips, jerk catches, split jerks, and some experimental front squats all with 25kg
Jerks: 2@35, 2@40, 2@45, 2@50, 1@54, 1@58, 1@61 x 5 and 2 misses
Assistance:
Step-ups and scap pushups
Some static stretching and a little bit more foam rolling to finish.
Frankly, I am sick of training in a bloody building site and I'm sick of injuries and stuff going wrong. This has been a very frustrating week.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Sycophants in the Abattoir
Short dynamic warmup
OHS: 5@bar x 3
Drop snatch (with power snatch to get bar to shoulders): 3@bar, 3@25 x 2, 3@28, 3@30
Snatch combo (HPS + PS + S): 30, 33, 36, 39 x 3
Heavy drop snatch from rack: 2@35, 2@39 x 2, 2@42 x 3
Power clean + 3 Front Squat: 2 sets with 30
Clean: 2@35, 2@40, 2@45, 2@50, 2@55 x 4
Back squat: 3@55, 3@60, 2@70, 2@79, 2@76 x 3
And then on the fifth heavy set of squats my right vastus medialis seemed to cramp and tear slightly. Arsebiscuits. Not too sore but can feel something wrong walking up stairs etc. Lots of icing and Ibuprofen today. Hopefully I will still be able to do some power work and jerks while this is healing :(
OHS: 5@bar x 3
Drop snatch (with power snatch to get bar to shoulders): 3@bar, 3@25 x 2, 3@28, 3@30
Snatch combo (HPS + PS + S): 30, 33, 36, 39 x 3
Heavy drop snatch from rack: 2@35, 2@39 x 2, 2@42 x 3
Power clean + 3 Front Squat: 2 sets with 30
Clean: 2@35, 2@40, 2@45, 2@50, 2@55 x 4
Back squat: 3@55, 3@60, 2@70, 2@79, 2@76 x 3
And then on the fifth heavy set of squats my right vastus medialis seemed to cramp and tear slightly. Arsebiscuits. Not too sore but can feel something wrong walking up stairs etc. Lots of icing and Ibuprofen today. Hopefully I will still be able to do some power work and jerks while this is healing :(
Monday, February 9, 2009
Fromage et Jambon
An example of my diet for the past week. Yes, that is a quarter of a wheel of cheese being toasted under an iron. It is called raclette. Yum.
Here is an example of today's diet. Meh.
Here is an example of today's diet. Meh.
Away and back again
I've just been away for a week's high altitude work-capacity training (aka skiing). Happily, I managed to return with all limbs intact, but sadly I missed the Munster Open while I was away. Plus, I've been living on mostly ham, cheese and various bread products so now I've got to wean myself off those and back onto a proper diet :)
Friday 30th January
The last session before I headed was Friday 30th January. The Butcher has just produced a new programme for me so we did the second session from that (not a full week's training because we tested maxes at the start of the week). We've been doing a lot of work on snatching and jerking to get my technique up to scratch. Now The Butcher has expressed a modicum of satisfaction with these lifts but thinks the cleans could use a bit of work, so the new template includes a day of doing double cleans.
Snatch warmup - overhead squats and drop snatches to 32.5kg
Snatch: 2@35, 2@37.5, 2@40 x 6 (83% of best snatch)
Clean warmup - power cleans and front squats with 40kg
Clean: 2@40, 2@45, 2@50, 2@55 x 3 (84% of best clean)
Back squats: 3@60, 3@70, 3@80 x 6
Looking back on this now that's quite a tough session for me volume wise but I got through it well, energy was good. A video of the cleans is below. These look fairly OK but I need to work on setting up better and keeping the bar closer throughout the pull.
Sunday 8th January
Just a very easy session to get back into the swing of lifting after the week off. Did a good warmup, usual snatch warmup (overhead squats and drop snatches), then did the HPS + PS + S combo up to 3 sets with 35kg. Clean and jerked to 3 singles with 50kg, finished with some ab work and stretching and called it a day. Gym is closed on Monday the 9th so back to it on Tuesday for 3 good hard weeks training. Yay!
Friday 30th January
The last session before I headed was Friday 30th January. The Butcher has just produced a new programme for me so we did the second session from that (not a full week's training because we tested maxes at the start of the week). We've been doing a lot of work on snatching and jerking to get my technique up to scratch. Now The Butcher has expressed a modicum of satisfaction with these lifts but thinks the cleans could use a bit of work, so the new template includes a day of doing double cleans.
Snatch warmup - overhead squats and drop snatches to 32.5kg
Snatch: 2@35, 2@37.5, 2@40 x 6 (83% of best snatch)
Clean warmup - power cleans and front squats with 40kg
Clean: 2@40, 2@45, 2@50, 2@55 x 3 (84% of best clean)
Back squats: 3@60, 3@70, 3@80 x 6
Looking back on this now that's quite a tough session for me volume wise but I got through it well, energy was good. A video of the cleans is below. These look fairly OK but I need to work on setting up better and keeping the bar closer throughout the pull.
Sunday 8th January
Just a very easy session to get back into the swing of lifting after the week off. Did a good warmup, usual snatch warmup (overhead squats and drop snatches), then did the HPS + PS + S combo up to 3 sets with 35kg. Clean and jerked to 3 singles with 50kg, finished with some ab work and stretching and called it a day. Gym is closed on Monday the 9th so back to it on Tuesday for 3 good hard weeks training. Yay!
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