9/27 - 10-2

Crappy week of training. Super low motivation for some reason ...

10-2-10
Squat - 245, 275, 305, 325, 335m
Push Press - 140x5, 165x5, 185x5(PR)

9-30-10
2 hours of boxing with a couple of buddies.

9-28-10
Jerk - 230, 245mx4 then got it, 255 missed 4 or 5 times

9-27-10
Front Squat - 135x3, 185x2, 225, 255, 280 1 x 5

9-21-10

Jerk - 215lb 3 x 5
Back Squat - 240lb 5x5

Both were doable, but good work. Got more in the tank for next time.

See video clips of today's workout on 10-9-10 post.

Training 9-20-10

4 days off due to being in the hospital for the arrival of my first born son. Welcome Troy! The road to beastliness has begun for him!

2pm:

Snatch max - 85lbx3, 115x2, 135, 155, 170 m x 3 (92%)
Clean & Jerk max - 155x2, 180, 200, 220, 235, 245, 255mx4

10pm:

Front Squat - 5 singles at 95% to Max ... planned to go 275, 295, 300, 285, 285 but instead ... 135x2, 185, 215, 245, 275 (95%), 295 (5lb PR), 300M, 285M, 265 (91%), 265

Not too stellar of a day. Didn't get my back off sets in on the O-lifts. I was happy that at I at least attempted a PR 4 times. Felt pretty strong in the afternoon but just couldn't put the lifts together. Need to land on my flipping heels!!!

And was planning on doing muscle snatches and 2x2 C&J in PM session, but that didn't happen. I was also supposed to do 5 FS singles above 95% but couldn't hack it after I worked up to a PR and then failed when I should have definitely had 300 or 305. Then failed at 285 and had to drop to 91% for the last two singles. Legs felt like lead with weak hip drive. Once again didn't have much umph during a 10pm workout. Might just be time to cut those out and keep my workouts earlier.

9-15-10

Front Squat

205x3, 225x3, 252.5x3 (+7.5lb PR), 275x3 (+ 30lb PR)

Was planning on hitting 252.5x3 (which is 115k and 5k more then last week) which would be a PR and stop there. But that felt so easy!! I had to go heavier. 275 was tough but doable, none of them were a grind limit lift. That should mean I have at least a 300lb Front Squat. Sweet!! Can't wait to hit that and just keep climbing right past it.

I worked 5 hours of overtime and got little sleep. Headache. Tired. Squeezed in a squat workout anyways. Mid back popped with reasonably sharp pain in the old usual spot on second rep at 225. Kept going anyways. I would have in the past stopped there and not continued to squat because I wouldn't want to risk an injury. However I was inspired after reading through all of the articles found on the Average Broz Gym Q&A section: http://www.averagebroz.com/ABG/Q_%26_A/Q_%26_A.html I HIGHLY recommend it.

There is some FANTASTIC stuff here. And from what I can tell their approach seems similar to Cal Strength's approach. Here are my highlights:

Makes me realize I'm a little girl ... http://www.averagebroz.com/ABG/Q_%26_A/Entries/2010/5/30_injuries.html

Bring on the Dark Times!!! http://www.averagebroz.com/ABG/Q_%26_A/Entries/2010/5/28_Central_nervous_system.html

I've got some work ahead of us. Time to toughen up. http://www.averagebroz.com/ABG/Q_%26_A/Entries/2010/5/24_training_tired_and_sore.html

Some great stuff here. Its helped me find motivation over the last few days. I'm coming to understand that I have a long ways to go to gain the mental toughness of a champion lifter. But I'm on the road. Not that I think I'll become a champion. But I want to become a beast and want to gain the toughness of a champion. I squatted yesterday and today whereas I think normally I would have skipped out on doing any work altogether. However I cut out the competitive lifts. I know this is unacceptable. I wussed out and use the excuse of being sore, tired, headache, feeling lethargic/slow/nonexplosive, and not having enough time. I need to toughen up, ignore all that and simply get the work done!

I am also now beginning to understand the importance of not ramping myself up physiologically/psychologically for an adrenaline dump on a regular basis when doing heavy lifts. Sure it helps you hit a heavier lift right then and there. But I've read Pendlay and others who say that it ends up having a negative effect overall. And I'm seeing that they are right in that it takes a toll on your CNS system which when done regularly (like I have been) will negatively effect your lifting later in the same workout, during a second workout later that day, and/or the following day. I think if you are only lifting 3 times a week you can get away with regularly using adrenaline dumps. But lifting 6 days a week and its going to wear on you. I'm wondering how much of that is playing a part in why I'm wussing out on workouts. I think its mostly a mental toughness thing I need to develop. But hopefully by not putting myself in a excited state to lift I'll help keep my body ready to go after a heavy lift again and again and again in the future. But yeah mostly I need to toughen up and train through the dark times.

Baby should be here within the next two days or so I'd guess. It'll be very interesting to see how it interrupts my training. Looks like I'm going to have some added 'rest'. Which really means I won't be able to lift because I imagine I'll be too busy and will end up getting not much sleep at all. I'm hoping to be able to supplement my sleep with regular naps to keep me going. I'm thinking at the very least for the first month when things will be toughest I want to at least keep squatting 5 days a week. Hopefully I have the time to Sn and C&J lots too and can get enough sleep to recover. Hopefully its not as much of an issue as I think it might be, but obviously the priority has to go to caring for my son. I'm making good progress right now and I think I have some quality PR's ahead of me in the near future, so I just want to not take 2 steps backwards if at all possible.

Lots of rambling today. Good to sometimes think out loud.

9-14-10

Back Squat - 235lb 5x5

9-13-10

Afternoon:

Snatch - 75lbx2, 95x2, 115x2, 135, 155, 170, 180m x 2, 125 2 x 6

Later that night:

Clean and Jerk - 115x2, 155x2, 175, 200, 220, 230, 240 m x 2
Front Squat - 185x2, 205, 235 1 x 10
Push Press - 165 3 x 5
Back Extensions - 45lb 2 x 10

Squat, Pullup 9-11-10

Back Squat - 95x3, 135x3, 185x2, 225, 250, 275, 300, 315, 335 (had a spotter put his hands on my chest squeezed but didn't lift .. so can't count it as a new PR)
Weighted Chins - 7, 7, 7

I was supposed to hit 300 today. Felt real strong so went for a new 1 RM. And this is full depth whereas I'm thinking for my last PR of 330 while my hips were under parallel, I wasn't as deep as I should be. My torso is also staying more vertical then it used to when doing heavy back squats. So getting lower, and more vertical and stronger ... I'll take it.

AM @ CSA, PM @ home 9-10-10

Jerrod, Dan and I had a great time at an AM session with Donny at California Strength.

Snatch - 40x3, 50x2, 60, 70, 77.5, 82.5mx3, 65 2x3
Clean & Jerk - 50x2, 70x2, 80, 90, 100m, 100, 105mx2, 80x2, 85x2, 90x2
Back Squat - 70x2, 90x2, 110, 120, 130, 120 2x2
Straight Legged Deadlift - 70x5, 80x5, 90 5x2

PM:

Snatch - 65lbx2, 95x2, 115x2, 135, 155, 165mx2

Moving slow and feeling beat up tonight. Weak sauce.

Training 9-9-10

Jerk - 210lb (80%) - 3 x 2, 225lb (85%) 2 x 2, 235lb (90%) 1 x 5
High Hang Power Clean x 2 + Clean - 165lb 1 x 10

Missed 1 Jerk on 3rd attempt at 235 due to a brain fart, then immediately hit a successful jerk.

Did one HHPC with 185lb (which is 75% of 250lb) and realized it was too heavy for me, so dropped it down to 165lb. This was a good weight. Heavy but doable.

At CSA 9-8-10

Snatch - 20 in 20 minutes - 55k
Clean & Jerk - 30kx2, 40x2, 60x2, 70x2, 80, 85, 90, 95, 97.5, 100
Front Squat - 90x3, 100x3, 110x3
Baxk Extenions 2 x 10

My cousin Jerrod and I were at California Strength today. A private session with Donny. Soo much fun!

Worked on receiving the Snatch nice and deep. About halfway through the workout it finally clicked and started hitting some deep snatches. Donnys says about 100 more of those and I might actually start hitting some heavy snatches that way.

Training 9-7-10

3 Position Snatch (High Hang, Above Knee, Floor) + 2 OHS - 35k 1 x 8
High Hang Power Clean x 2+ Clean - 70k 1 x 5
Back Squat - 230 5x5

Training 9-6-10

Snatch - 135, 145, 155, 165, 175m, 120lb 2 x 6
Clean & Jerk - 185, 205, 230, 185 2x3

Sn, C&J 9-4-10

Snatch - 95x2, 115x2, 135, 145, 155, 165, 175mx2, 175, 187.5mx2 (PR attempts)
Clean & Jerk - 135x2, 155, 185, 205, 225, 245m, 245

Very little time to train today. Was tired from diggin and chopping out a stump in the back yard. Ugghh



On the 1st attempt at 245 I come up on my toes on my right foot when receiving the clean. The video on 8-28-10 from 2:00-2:30 shows multiple examples of this as well. I've noticed it is a common fault with my clean. What is causing this? What cue will address it?

Training 9-1-10

Hit this workout on Thursday morning after working all night (I consider this wednesday's workout) at the work gym so no video and didn't have a lot of time or the program notes so did this.

Snatch on the minute - 95x2, 115x2, 135, 145, 155m, 155, 165
Clean & Jerk - 165, 185, 205, 225, 235 m the jerk
Front Squat - 3x3 225
Push Press - 3x5 155

Missed workout on Thursday due to court, shift bid and lack of sleep. Will try for a max day Friday.

Its been a rougher week. Sleep hasn't been good and been busy. I'm thinking that training 6 days a week is a bit unrealistic with working graveyards and the resulting regular crappy sleep combined with the business of life. 5 days a week seems to be doable. Can we adjust the training to make it a 5 day a week program? Also I'd like to discuss your thoughts on those inevitable times when I do miss a training session if you have any guidelines on whether I should add anything to the following workout or just continue on with the program as written?