Back In the Saddle
I've been offline for the last month or so. Have some personal issues I've been working through plus the stress and responsibility of opening a new business have kept me very busy. However, I've realized that I've missed blogging/writing and actually feel disconnected from my blogging community, who have been a big support to me. Sorry for not posting for awhile--my goal is now to post three times per week or so, basically around my training sessions at a minimum until I get this business where I want it.
Speaking of training...
It was not going well due to being so sick. That messed me up bad. Even 4 weeks later, I still have a cough. My plan to put on some muscle has changed. That week didn't work out for me--my body wasn't ready for it. Plus, I realized time was running out for my weightlifting timeline. So I'm now training for a meet--the Moorestown Open, on April 26th/27th.
I also got a reality check while I was sick and after reading Rif's blog--in which he stated he loves to train just to train--I used to feel that way about weightlifting. Now I don't. For the first time in my life, I actually need a meet date to organize my training around, otherwise, I just feel lost. I think part of it is that although I love weightlifting, I realize that I can't do it forever, and I now don't want to do it forever. Although I'm enjoying this process, I'm actually looking forward to the day when I don't have to monitor everything as closely as I do now. And I'm looking forward to the day when I can get the KBs back out and go to town on them, instead of using them for GPP work.
Back to the meet: I originally set a program that had me training each lift or some variation of it 4 times per week. Now I've switched that program to another which has me training each lift or some variation of it 4 times per week...However, I've had to build in a "speed" day, similar to a Westside template, because my coordination is off. In the past, this has been the best way to regain my coordination. My technique has been off on both the snatch and the clean. Yesterday, I got back in my groove. My clean felt the best it has in probably 10 years or so--no lie.
Here's what the program looks like as of yesterday:
Day 1, Saturday: Speed/Technique: O-lifts--50-70%, 2's, 60s rest
Day 2, Sunday: Strength: Assistance work, 3-5s, possibly some RM work with some backdown sets
Day 3, Tuesday: Speed/Technique: O-lifts--70-90%, singles, 60-90s rest
Day 4, Thursday: Strength: Assistance work, 3-5s, possibly some RM work with some backdown sets
Monday and Wednesday will most likely be some R-Phase/I-Phase and some light KB GPP. My elbows, especially my left one, have been bothering me since I got sick (weird--and I don't know why) and the KB work seems to help. I will also have to boost my calories. Right now I'm at about 3600 per day. I think I'm going to have to ramp up close to 5000 based on past experience. Better put some extra money aside for the increased food bill.
I realized that I have been using the same weights in my training for the last 8 years or so, and I just couldn't handle doing that training for this meet. So, I'm training off the numbers I want to hit in the meet--140kg in the Snatch, and 170kg in the Clean and Jerk. I've been under 140kg before, but couldn't hold it, and I've cleaned 170kg before, and jerked it from the rack. Right now, I'm moving better than I ever have, I'm faster than I was at age 27, and my strength is coming back so fast that I expect to beat all previous PRs by the end of 2008, so why not train this way? If/When I hit 140/170 I will qualify for the American Open in December and 2009 Nationals. And this is all part of my plan.
Yesterday's training:
A. P. Snatch from floor: 50%/2 x12, 60s rest. 70kg/2 x12
This was challenging to get my technique back. It returned around set #9. Better late than never. It still wasn't perfect, but it was much better than it had been.
B. P. Clean from floor: 50%/2 x10, 60s rest. 90kg/2 x10
A little heavier than 50% but I didn't feel like messing with the "change" on the bar, so I just slid a 10kg on each side. These were so much better than they have been. Found the correct bar path and my timing between the first and second pull also returned. The weight felt almost effortless. This will be very fun to watch improve...
C. BSQ: 50%/2 x5; 110kg/2 x5
Left elbow was giving me some problems and the knees were not that happy here. Not pain, just a little discomfort.
D. Push Press, 50% of Jerk/2 x5; 90kg
Couldn't get these moving--right knee wasn't happy and neither was the left elbow. Decided to quit after first set. Don't want to re-enforce pain during this important movement pattern. Decided to move on to elbow "damage control."
E. Pressing Snatch Balance, 40kg/5 x3
These felt like just what the doctor ordered. Reduced left elbow pain and right knee soreness disappeared. The knee soreness (bilateral) was most likely due to squatting on a freshly broken toe. The body is so smart, it moves away from pain. Did this on Wednesday and the squat was not what it should've been. Live and learn some more, I guess.
I've been offline for the last month or so. Have some personal issues I've been working through plus the stress and responsibility of opening a new business have kept me very busy. However, I've realized that I've missed blogging/writing and actually feel disconnected from my blogging community, who have been a big support to me. Sorry for not posting for awhile--my goal is now to post three times per week or so, basically around my training sessions at a minimum until I get this business where I want it.
Speaking of training...
It was not going well due to being so sick. That messed me up bad. Even 4 weeks later, I still have a cough. My plan to put on some muscle has changed. That week didn't work out for me--my body wasn't ready for it. Plus, I realized time was running out for my weightlifting timeline. So I'm now training for a meet--the Moorestown Open, on April 26th/27th.
I also got a reality check while I was sick and after reading Rif's blog--in which he stated he loves to train just to train--I used to feel that way about weightlifting. Now I don't. For the first time in my life, I actually need a meet date to organize my training around, otherwise, I just feel lost. I think part of it is that although I love weightlifting, I realize that I can't do it forever, and I now don't want to do it forever. Although I'm enjoying this process, I'm actually looking forward to the day when I don't have to monitor everything as closely as I do now. And I'm looking forward to the day when I can get the KBs back out and go to town on them, instead of using them for GPP work.
Back to the meet: I originally set a program that had me training each lift or some variation of it 4 times per week. Now I've switched that program to another which has me training each lift or some variation of it 4 times per week...However, I've had to build in a "speed" day, similar to a Westside template, because my coordination is off. In the past, this has been the best way to regain my coordination. My technique has been off on both the snatch and the clean. Yesterday, I got back in my groove. My clean felt the best it has in probably 10 years or so--no lie.
Here's what the program looks like as of yesterday:
Day 1, Saturday: Speed/Technique: O-lifts--50-70%, 2's, 60s rest
Day 2, Sunday: Strength: Assistance work, 3-5s, possibly some RM work with some backdown sets
Day 3, Tuesday: Speed/Technique: O-lifts--70-90%, singles, 60-90s rest
Day 4, Thursday: Strength: Assistance work, 3-5s, possibly some RM work with some backdown sets
Monday and Wednesday will most likely be some R-Phase/I-Phase and some light KB GPP. My elbows, especially my left one, have been bothering me since I got sick (weird--and I don't know why) and the KB work seems to help. I will also have to boost my calories. Right now I'm at about 3600 per day. I think I'm going to have to ramp up close to 5000 based on past experience. Better put some extra money aside for the increased food bill.
I realized that I have been using the same weights in my training for the last 8 years or so, and I just couldn't handle doing that training for this meet. So, I'm training off the numbers I want to hit in the meet--140kg in the Snatch, and 170kg in the Clean and Jerk. I've been under 140kg before, but couldn't hold it, and I've cleaned 170kg before, and jerked it from the rack. Right now, I'm moving better than I ever have, I'm faster than I was at age 27, and my strength is coming back so fast that I expect to beat all previous PRs by the end of 2008, so why not train this way? If/When I hit 140/170 I will qualify for the American Open in December and 2009 Nationals. And this is all part of my plan.
Yesterday's training:
A. P. Snatch from floor: 50%/2 x12, 60s rest. 70kg/2 x12
This was challenging to get my technique back. It returned around set #9. Better late than never. It still wasn't perfect, but it was much better than it had been.
B. P. Clean from floor: 50%/2 x10, 60s rest. 90kg/2 x10
A little heavier than 50% but I didn't feel like messing with the "change" on the bar, so I just slid a 10kg on each side. These were so much better than they have been. Found the correct bar path and my timing between the first and second pull also returned. The weight felt almost effortless. This will be very fun to watch improve...
C. BSQ: 50%/2 x5; 110kg/2 x5
Left elbow was giving me some problems and the knees were not that happy here. Not pain, just a little discomfort.
D. Push Press, 50% of Jerk/2 x5; 90kg
Couldn't get these moving--right knee wasn't happy and neither was the left elbow. Decided to quit after first set. Don't want to re-enforce pain during this important movement pattern. Decided to move on to elbow "damage control."
E. Pressing Snatch Balance, 40kg/5 x3
These felt like just what the doctor ordered. Reduced left elbow pain and right knee soreness disappeared. The knee soreness (bilateral) was most likely due to squatting on a freshly broken toe. The body is so smart, it moves away from pain. Did this on Wednesday and the squat was not what it should've been. Live and learn some more, I guess.
posted by Geoff Neupert at
12:18 PM
3 Comments:
glad to have you back. I've missed your blogging.and while I do love to train more than I like to compete I used to feel exactly like you: I HAD to have a meet scheduled in order to make myself do what I needed to do in order to make progress. Real progress where the weights get heavier.
didnt matter if the meet was a year off I was ALWAYS training for a meet.
WHen I had to retire from competition this had to change until I realized I could approach training for my paltry pr's in much the same way; which actually helped more than I imagine.
good luck and hope your health catches back up fast, LOTS of people around here are getting sick and staying that way way too long. Some nasty bugs going around.
talk to you soon.
rif
Nice to see you back in bloggsville! Being sick sucks..big time!
Glad to see back in the swing of things (no pun intended)!
Good to be back, fellas.
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