Today was hard, third day in a row heavy training for me. Nobody else seemed to be in terribly good form either, apart from the Butcher, who derived his usual amusement from our plight.
Thursday 12th March
OHS, drop snatches
Snatch Combo: 30, 35, 39, 42 x 3 (86% of best snatch)
Snatch balance: 2@35, 2@40, 2@45, 2@48, 2@50 x 3
Quick clean warmup
Cleans: 2@40, 2@45, 2@50, 2@54, 2@57, 2@59 x 4
Back squat: 2@50, 2@60, 2@70, 2@78, 2@84 x 5
New snatch combo PR there. The snatches on the combo weren't the best I've ever done but on those it's basically a case of getting under it somehow. Progressed the weight on the snatch balance/heavy drop snatch thingies. Also progressed on the clean doubles. Jumping back a bit on most of the second reps but didn't miss any. Will try to do these with better form next week.
Day off tomorrow. Huzzah!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Backwards to success
Wednesday 11th March
Warmup, some overhead squats with the bar
Jerk dips, jerk catches, split jerks and front squats with bar and 25kg
C+J: 2@35, 40, 45, 50, 54, 57, 60 x 4 (92% of best C+J)
Hang power snatch: 3@25, 3@30, 3@35, 3@39 x 5 (79.5% of best snatch, yes this is silly)
Front squat: 2@45, 2@55, 2@62, 2@67 x 3 (85%)
Jerk supports: 105, 115 x 5 for 5 seconds each
Leg curls: 6@55, 6@65 x 4
Good day again today. Did things backwards because I wanted to get a run at my heavy C+Js while fresh for a change. Working again on controlling the dip on the jerks and getting full extension on the cleans. Got all the reps in with no pressouts so happy with that.
Hang power snatches and all the rest good and strong too.
Warmup, some overhead squats with the bar
Jerk dips, jerk catches, split jerks and front squats with bar and 25kg
C+J: 2@35, 40, 45, 50, 54, 57, 60 x 4 (92% of best C+J)
Hang power snatch: 3@25, 3@30, 3@35, 3@39 x 5 (79.5% of best snatch, yes this is silly)
Front squat: 2@45, 2@55, 2@62, 2@67 x 3 (85%)
Jerk supports: 105, 115 x 5 for 5 seconds each
Leg curls: 6@55, 6@65 x 4
Good day again today. Did things backwards because I wanted to get a run at my heavy C+Js while fresh for a change. Working again on controlling the dip on the jerks and getting full extension on the cleans. Got all the reps in with no pressouts so happy with that.
Hang power snatches and all the rest good and strong too.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Cure for Callouses?
Due to my callous tear a few weeks ago I've been looking for better callous management solutions, apart from the usual thorough washing of chalk off the hands and moisturising. I've been using emery boards on them but my callouses eat those things in a week (I have monster callouses that seem to develop overnight). However, the other day I came upon the foot file - this is essentially a metal file on one side and a thing like an extremely fine cheese grater on the other. It's brilliant!
Tuesday 10th March
Dynamic warmup, light overhead squats and drop snatches
Snatch: 2@34, 1@37, 40, 40, 43, 46 x 4, miss@46 x 2
Jerk warmup
Rack jerks (one behind, one in front): 35 x 2, 40, 45, 49, 52 x 5
Back Squats: 4@50, 2@60, 2@70, 2@80, 2@82 x 5
Abs superset: 3 L chins and plank complex for 3 sets
Nice and sharp today after my day off. A bit annoyed with missing the last 2 snatches, but the first 4 were decent and felt easy considering the weight's only 3kg below my best snatch. The first miss I just lacked extension/focus, the second one I probably overcompensated a bit - I jumped back slightly and ended up losing it forward although there was lots of height on it. Think I probably extended back and threw the head back. Moral of the story is to extend hard but under control, I suppose. Like the way the dip and drive on the jerk have to be. Hmm.
Jerks were quite solid and squats were easy.
Tuesday 10th March
Dynamic warmup, light overhead squats and drop snatches
Snatch: 2@34, 1@37, 40, 40, 43, 46 x 4, miss@46 x 2
Jerk warmup
Rack jerks (one behind, one in front): 35 x 2, 40, 45, 49, 52 x 5
Back Squats: 4@50, 2@60, 2@70, 2@80, 2@82 x 5
Abs superset: 3 L chins and plank complex for 3 sets
Nice and sharp today after my day off. A bit annoyed with missing the last 2 snatches, but the first 4 were decent and felt easy considering the weight's only 3kg below my best snatch. The first miss I just lacked extension/focus, the second one I probably overcompensated a bit - I jumped back slightly and ended up losing it forward although there was lots of height on it. Think I probably extended back and threw the head back. Moral of the story is to extend hard but under control, I suppose. Like the way the dip and drive on the jerk have to be. Hmm.
Jerks were quite solid and squats were easy.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Sunday's Solitary Superb Snatches
Sunday 8th March
Dynamic warmup, overhead squats, drop snatches
Snatch: 2@34, 2@37.5, 2@40, 2@42.5 x 6
Jerk warmup
Rack jerk: 2@35, 2@40, 45, 50, 54, 58, 62, 62, 62, miss@62, 2@50 x 3
Front squat: 3@45, 3@52.5, 3@60 x 3
Jerk supports: 100kg, 110kg, 120kg x 3
Another good day. Snatches felt sharper, speed under the bar was great and felt very solid receiving the bar as well (hurrah for heavy drop snatches).
The rack jerks were decent as well although really not feeling sharp like the snatches did. Did some stretching on the shoulders to help me drop into the right bottom position, and drilling it between reps which seemed to help. Also focusing on keeping elbows up and controlling the dip, yet having an explosive drive. Got 3 good reps with 62 which is decent after a week of not jerking heavy, but missed the 4th and just felt knackered at that stage so I dropped back to 50 for 3 doubles to get a bit more volume in. Spent this session wishing our jerk boxes had arrived :)
Dynamic warmup, overhead squats, drop snatches
Snatch: 2@34, 2@37.5, 2@40, 2@42.5 x 6
Jerk warmup
Rack jerk: 2@35, 2@40, 45, 50, 54, 58, 62, 62, 62, miss@62, 2@50 x 3
Front squat: 3@45, 3@52.5, 3@60 x 3
Jerk supports: 100kg, 110kg, 120kg x 3
Another good day. Snatches felt sharper, speed under the bar was great and felt very solid receiving the bar as well (hurrah for heavy drop snatches).
The rack jerks were decent as well although really not feeling sharp like the snatches did. Did some stretching on the shoulders to help me drop into the right bottom position, and drilling it between reps which seemed to help. Also focusing on keeping elbows up and controlling the dip, yet having an explosive drive. Got 3 good reps with 62 which is decent after a week of not jerking heavy, but missed the 4th and just felt knackered at that stage so I dropped back to 50 for 3 doubles to get a bit more volume in. Spent this session wishing our jerk boxes had arrived :)
Saturday, March 7, 2009
2009 - a training odyssey
Saturday 7th March
Back to proper heavy training again, though The Butcher said I could snatch/clean normally but to take it fairly easy on the squats until Monday. At least, that what I'm claiming I heard :)
Warmup, overhead squats, light drop snatches
Snatch combo: 30, 34, 37, 39, 41 x 3
Jerk skill work/shoulder flexibility (waiting for squat stands...)
Heavy drop snatch: 2@35, 2@39, 3@42, 2@45, 2@48 x 3
Clean warmup
Cleans: 2@45, 2@49, 2@52, 2@55, 2@58 x 4
Back squats: 3@50, 3@60, 3@70 x 6
Step ups: 8@40 x 3
Leg curls: 6@55, 6@60 x 3
This took bloody ages, was at it about 2 hours including my warmup at the start. It is no wonder I am never in the mood for ancillary exercises after my main sessions... still it's all done for the week now except jerk supports which I forgot to do the other night.
Not feeling particularly sharp today, but the snatches and cleans were fairly heavy and I got through them OK. Clean doubles were not as tough as last time I did those with 58, recovering was a lot easier so I'd say my leg strength is coming back thanks to the light week. On the other hand I'm finding I'm not getting the bounce out of the bottom at all on the second rep of the doubles and am basically just having to power out of rock bottom. OTOH these are close to 90% cleans, or at least 90% of what I've been allowed to clean, so perhaps some breakdown in technique isn't unexpected.
Back to proper heavy training again, though The Butcher said I could snatch/clean normally but to take it fairly easy on the squats until Monday. At least, that what I'm claiming I heard :)
Warmup, overhead squats, light drop snatches
Snatch combo: 30, 34, 37, 39, 41 x 3
Jerk skill work/shoulder flexibility (waiting for squat stands...)
Heavy drop snatch: 2@35, 2@39, 3@42, 2@45, 2@48 x 3
Clean warmup
Cleans: 2@45, 2@49, 2@52, 2@55, 2@58 x 4
Back squats: 3@50, 3@60, 3@70 x 6
Step ups: 8@40 x 3
Leg curls: 6@55, 6@60 x 3
This took bloody ages, was at it about 2 hours including my warmup at the start. It is no wonder I am never in the mood for ancillary exercises after my main sessions... still it's all done for the week now except jerk supports which I forgot to do the other night.
Not feeling particularly sharp today, but the snatches and cleans were fairly heavy and I got through them OK. Clean doubles were not as tough as last time I did those with 58, recovering was a lot easier so I'd say my leg strength is coming back thanks to the light week. On the other hand I'm finding I'm not getting the bounce out of the bottom at all on the second rep of the doubles and am basically just having to power out of rock bottom. OTOH these are close to 90% cleans, or at least 90% of what I've been allowed to clean, so perhaps some breakdown in technique isn't unexpected.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Backoff Week Blues
Monday 2nd March
OHS and drop snatches
Snatch combo: 30, 35, 37 x 3
Heavy drop snatches: 2@35, 2@38, 2@41, 2@44 x 3
Jerk warmup
Rack jerk: 2@40 x 2, 45, 51, 54 x 5
All easy enough. Knackered after the weekend.
Wednesday 4th March
OHS and DS
Snatch: 2@30, 2@33, 2@35, 38, 40 x 5 singles
Jerk warmup
Rack jerks (one behind and one in front): 30, 35, 40, 45, 48 x 4
Front squats: 5@30, 3@45, 2@55 x 6
Push presses: 5@40, 5@45, 5@48 x 3
Again a nice easy session. Snatches felt light, actually overpulled one and ended up on my arse...
Thursday 5th March
OHS and DS
Snatch: 2@33, 2@36, 2@38 x 4
C+J warmup
C+J; 2@35, 40, 44, 48, 52 x 3
Back squat: 5@50, 2@60, 2@70 x 3
Bit of a mess today, usually seems to happen in middle of light week.
Friday 6th March
OHS and DS
Hang Power Snatch: 3@35 x 5
Front squat and jerk: 1+2@35 x 2, 40, 45, 50 x 5
Front squat: 2@55, 2@60, 2@65 x 3
Auxiliary stuff: scap circuit, ab work, 4 sets of inverted rows
Good day today, power snatches were getting away from me slightly. First couple of 50kg jerks weren't caught too well but some stretching of the shoulders helped a lot.
Back to heavy stuff from tomorrow. Got to do my auxiliary hamstring work, jerk supports and stepups.
OHS and drop snatches
Snatch combo: 30, 35, 37 x 3
Heavy drop snatches: 2@35, 2@38, 2@41, 2@44 x 3
Jerk warmup
Rack jerk: 2@40 x 2, 45, 51, 54 x 5
All easy enough. Knackered after the weekend.
Wednesday 4th March
OHS and DS
Snatch: 2@30, 2@33, 2@35, 38, 40 x 5 singles
Jerk warmup
Rack jerks (one behind and one in front): 30, 35, 40, 45, 48 x 4
Front squats: 5@30, 3@45, 2@55 x 6
Push presses: 5@40, 5@45, 5@48 x 3
Again a nice easy session. Snatches felt light, actually overpulled one and ended up on my arse...
Thursday 5th March
OHS and DS
Snatch: 2@33, 2@36, 2@38 x 4
C+J warmup
C+J; 2@35, 40, 44, 48, 52 x 3
Back squat: 5@50, 2@60, 2@70 x 3
Bit of a mess today, usually seems to happen in middle of light week.
Friday 6th March
OHS and DS
Hang Power Snatch: 3@35 x 5
Front squat and jerk: 1+2@35 x 2, 40, 45, 50 x 5
Front squat: 2@55, 2@60, 2@65 x 3
Auxiliary stuff: scap circuit, ab work, 4 sets of inverted rows
Good day today, power snatches were getting away from me slightly. First couple of 50kg jerks weren't caught too well but some stretching of the shoulders helped a lot.
Back to heavy stuff from tomorrow. Got to do my auxiliary hamstring work, jerk supports and stepups.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Spring Fever
Friday 27th of February
Back from 3 days away without access to the gym. I usually don't feel very sharp first workout back so it was important to get into the gym and do a little bit just in order to be on form for the weekend's training. I snatched singles up to to 43kg and C+Jed to 54kg.
Saturday 28th of February
Went down to Whites of Wexford with the Hercs crew and various of the Limerick lads to do a weekend's high volume stress training in their High Performance Gym (aka marquee) and get cryotherapy sessions. We did 4 sessions of about an hour each. The format of most of them involved doing a particular exercise to a max and then using the remaining time in the 30 minute block to drop to 80% of the best lift achieved and do doubles for volume. Pulls and presses weren't done to maxes.
I've omitted all the usual warmup stuff but it was done where needed.
Session 1:
Power snatch: 30, 33, 36, 38, 40, 43, missed 46, 2@35 x 8 sets
Clean pulls: 3@45, 3@55, 3@65 x 6
Push press: 5@35 x 4
All easy enough. Power snatch max that day well down on my best, which is 46. Might have done better going 42, 44, 46... next time.
Session 2:
Snatch: 2@33, 1@36, 39, 41, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 2@40 x 2
Back squat: 5@40, 3@60, 3@50, 2@60, 65, 75, 80, 85, 80 (misload), 90, 92
New snatch personal best of 49kg - w00t! Nice to get, I haven't been able to snatch over 46 since last December, probably due to the volume I've been doing. If I can do 49 on a day when I've been training hard for weeks and am not tapered I can likely do more on a good day. I seem to be getting better at heavy attempts again despite lacking a bit of sharpness - this is the 5th time I've maxed on either snatch or power snatch in the last 3 weeks so I'm getting back in the groove of it again.
We did a cryo session at this point, I just did 3 minutes.
Session 3:
Warmup for C+J
C+J: 2@35, 40, 45, 50, 54, 58, 60, missed 63, 63, missed 66 (jerk), missed 66 (jerk), 2@50 x 3
Snatch pulls: 3@45, 3@50 x 6
Hard session, didn't feel warm or sharp after the cryo, break was very short between it and training. We shouldn't have done it this way. 66 is a personal best clean, which is nice, but shame I didn't get the jerks. I was letting the elbows drop and driving the bar forward both times, got to work on that.
Session 4:
Power clean: 2@40, 44, 48, 51, 54 (got pushed down to full clean depth), 2@40 x 4
Back squat: 3@50, 2@60, 70, 75, 80, 64, 68, 90, 2@72 x 8
Not very strong on either of those.
More cryo after this session, I did 4 minutes.
Sunday 1st of March
Woke up sore despite the cryo, so the first session was pretty tough.
Session 1:
Power snatch: 2@25, 2@30, 35, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, missed 43, 2@39 x 8
Power clean:3@30, 3@35, 40, 45, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 (got driven down to clean depth), 2@45 x 8
I misloaded the bar for my power snatch doubles, ought to have been 34. Oops. Lots of time for volume this session since my max weights weren't up to much.
Session 2:
Snatch: 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, missed 45 due to brainfart, 45, 47, missed 49 x 3
Front squat: 5@20, 3@40, 2@50, 60, 65, 69, 72, 75, 77, 79, missed 80, 2@64 x 7
The first two misses with 49 were very close, I actually had the second one locked out in a good position then someone said something to me and I lost it :) Fairly good snatching for a day when I know I definitely wasn't at my best brute-strength wise. Getting much better at heavy snatch attempts again.
The 79kg front squat is a new PB by one kilo, but it was very tough.
At the end of the day we did 2 sessions of cryo with about 1.5 hours gap between.
Back from 3 days away without access to the gym. I usually don't feel very sharp first workout back so it was important to get into the gym and do a little bit just in order to be on form for the weekend's training. I snatched singles up to to 43kg and C+Jed to 54kg.
Saturday 28th of February
Went down to Whites of Wexford with the Hercs crew and various of the Limerick lads to do a weekend's high volume stress training in their High Performance Gym (aka marquee) and get cryotherapy sessions. We did 4 sessions of about an hour each. The format of most of them involved doing a particular exercise to a max and then using the remaining time in the 30 minute block to drop to 80% of the best lift achieved and do doubles for volume. Pulls and presses weren't done to maxes.
I've omitted all the usual warmup stuff but it was done where needed.
Session 1:
Power snatch: 30, 33, 36, 38, 40, 43, missed 46, 2@35 x 8 sets
Clean pulls: 3@45, 3@55, 3@65 x 6
Push press: 5@35 x 4
All easy enough. Power snatch max that day well down on my best, which is 46. Might have done better going 42, 44, 46... next time.
Session 2:
Snatch: 2@33, 1@36, 39, 41, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 2@40 x 2
Back squat: 5@40, 3@60, 3@50, 2@60, 65, 75, 80, 85, 80 (misload), 90, 92
New snatch personal best of 49kg - w00t! Nice to get, I haven't been able to snatch over 46 since last December, probably due to the volume I've been doing. If I can do 49 on a day when I've been training hard for weeks and am not tapered I can likely do more on a good day. I seem to be getting better at heavy attempts again despite lacking a bit of sharpness - this is the 5th time I've maxed on either snatch or power snatch in the last 3 weeks so I'm getting back in the groove of it again.
We did a cryo session at this point, I just did 3 minutes.
Session 3:
Warmup for C+J
C+J: 2@35, 40, 45, 50, 54, 58, 60, missed 63, 63, missed 66 (jerk), missed 66 (jerk), 2@50 x 3
Snatch pulls: 3@45, 3@50 x 6
Hard session, didn't feel warm or sharp after the cryo, break was very short between it and training. We shouldn't have done it this way. 66 is a personal best clean, which is nice, but shame I didn't get the jerks. I was letting the elbows drop and driving the bar forward both times, got to work on that.
Session 4:
Power clean: 2@40, 44, 48, 51, 54 (got pushed down to full clean depth), 2@40 x 4
Back squat: 3@50, 2@60, 70, 75, 80, 64, 68, 90, 2@72 x 8
Not very strong on either of those.
More cryo after this session, I did 4 minutes.
Sunday 1st of March
Woke up sore despite the cryo, so the first session was pretty tough.
Session 1:
Power snatch: 2@25, 2@30, 35, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, missed 43, 2@39 x 8
Power clean:3@30, 3@35, 40, 45, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 (got driven down to clean depth), 2@45 x 8
I misloaded the bar for my power snatch doubles, ought to have been 34. Oops. Lots of time for volume this session since my max weights weren't up to much.
Session 2:
Snatch: 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, missed 45 due to brainfart, 45, 47, missed 49 x 3
Front squat: 5@20, 3@40, 2@50, 60, 65, 69, 72, 75, 77, 79, missed 80, 2@64 x 7
The first two misses with 49 were very close, I actually had the second one locked out in a good position then someone said something to me and I lost it :) Fairly good snatching for a day when I know I definitely wasn't at my best brute-strength wise. Getting much better at heavy snatch attempts again.
The 79kg front squat is a new PB by one kilo, but it was very tough.
At the end of the day we did 2 sessions of cryo with about 1.5 hours gap between.
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