My road to 206kg

[Mr_Rogers]

I decided to start a new log that isn't in the SS log section seen as I'm not doing SS. While I cut things short on SS it did give me the confidence that I can actually lift much heavier weights than I had been in my previous 10+ of pointless training. With that in mind, I'm taking a run at weightlifting with hopes of qualifying for Ontario provincials hopefully by 2014. Currently I've got a long way to go, but hey I gotta start somewhere and next year seemed really close. 206kg is the 2012 qualifying total for the 85kg class. It may obviously change by the time I'm close, but that's something I can't control.

I'm trying to work some things out with a local weightlifter (with 13+ years of experience) who qualified for the Canadian Nationals in Quebec. I think we're both optimistic that things will work out when he's back. So currently I'm coachless, have poor technique and lack knowledge. Should be...interesting :-)

For programming I'm fairly clueless, but I've been using Pendlay's beginner program as a template, but I've made a few tweaks and will have to make a few more to help address some glaring weaknesses (strength overhead and a serious lack of flexibility).

Roughly things look like this:

Snatch or Clean
Press or jerk
Back squat or front squat

I lift three days a week and I've been alternating snatch and cleans. The days I snatch I do standing OHP and on the days I clean I do a jerk movement. I back squat at the start and end of the week and front squat in the middle. I plan on adding in deadlifts (with a clean grip maybe? idk) at the end of the week so I can keep pulling "heavy". Not ideal, but I work 40 hours a week and have family and other commitments (honestly, who doesn't?). Recovery has always been an issue (mostly sleep related) so I'm hoping I can manage the three days a week.

Old log is here.

[Mr_Rogers]

Clean:
30kg x 2 (hang cleans from knee)
30 x 2
35 x 2
40 x 1, 1
45 x 1, 1
45 x 1, 1 (hang clean from knee)
45 x 1, 1
45 x 1, 1
45 x 1, 1
45 x 1, 1

I did a clean pull then lowered to the floor and cleaned from there. I had no explosion last night whatsoever. I was all over the place as far as what felt right and what didn't. As ugly as these were they can only improve.


Power jerk (behind neck):
20kg x 5
20 x 5
30 x 5
40 x 2
50 x 2 x 5

I may have done six working sets. The Mrs. and I got confused and I didn't feel like wasting time by rewinding the tape. This is where I realized I have some serious shoulder/back mobility issues. I couldn't get into a 1/4 squat with the weight overhead, it was more like a 1/8 squat. I knew it was bad but not that bad. Also my left foot kept floating back so I may switch these to a split jerk so I can get used to that movement...and work on mobility.


Front Squat:
20kg x 5
20 x 5
40 x 3
50 x 3
65 x 3 x 3


It's clear that I'm not 100% sure how to front squat (foot position, width, etc). Luckily Mark not only covers it in SS3rd, he has a video in the resources section.


Kettlebell swings:
10kg (I think) x 30 x 3


The Mrs. killed her workout. I fought through mine.

[Mr_Rogers]

From Rachel's log:

We might be able to figure out a few things. What are your best lifts in the following (if you've never maxed, that's fine. make a note of it):

Sn
Clean
Jerk
Clean and Jerk
Front Squat
Back Squat
Military Press
Push Press
Power Jerk

Sn --> 42.25
Clean --> 60
Jerk --> 50
Clean and Jerk --> never tried it
Front Squat --> 65
Back Squat --> 111
Military Press --> 51
Push Press --> 60
Power Jerk --> 50

I've never gone for a max at all. The SS lifts are just from linear progression so 3 sets of 5 reps. I got to 245lbs before I took some time off and I've been working on my squat form. Anything olympic lifting related was a weight I've done recently, but again never tested for a max, just found a place I could start progressing from. I'm currently learning a lot of the (olympic lift) movements so I'm starting with weights I'm comfortable with (right or wrong).

I had a couple of coaching sessions with a former lifter and we spent most of the time on the snatch, snatch variations and accessory exercises for it. I have some comfort level there and I know I'm not finishing the extension with my legs. I'm clueless on cleans, nothing feels right.

edit:

Years of training incorrectly has really limited my flexibility. I picked up Everett's book which has a chapter on improving flexibility I need to read ASAP.

[Rachel Crass]

It's probably good that you haven't tested for maxes in the quick lifts yet. Hold off on that until your technique and flexibility are a little more sound.

The good news is that you aren't at a point where you need to do a lot of heavy push presses and jerk work yet, which you said the impact upon lowering is uncomfortable/painful. Since you're still working the positions themselves, keep the weights light enough that you can control them on the way down with your arms and can gently bring them to rest on your shoulders/back. Once you become more comfortable hitting the positions time and time again, then we can revisit the bar-lowering impact issue.

Since you're already working with a coach, I'm hesitant to offer technique/training/programming advice beyond this though. In addition to the obvious stepping on his toes by hijacking his lifter issue, rarely is having an additional cook in the kitchen a good thing. Pick someone you trust, and go with that person.

[Mr_Rogers]

The one guy who gave me some private sessions moved away and didn't really cover programming and I won't hear from the other one until mid-late June when we'll discuss long-term goals, plan of attack, etc.

No coach yet so offer away :-D

[Rachel Crass]

The one guy who gave me some private sessions moved away and didn't really cover programming and I won't hear from the other one until mid-late June when we'll discuss long-term goals, plan of attack, etc.

No coach yet so offer away :-D

The preferred option: Find your passport and get yourself to Colorado, and I'll be happy to work with you one-on-one. There's a guest bedroom you (and your wife, if she's up for it. She's certainly invited.) could crash in for the week. No charge. Just buy me dinner once while you're here, and we'll call it even.

The other option: send me some video of your lifts and we can do the best we can with video analysis work. I'll pm you my e-mail address. (I'm sure I could search for your videos already posted online, but I can't be awesome ALL the time... It would ruin my rep as a hard ass. haha.)

[Kregna]

Interesting
When I first started reading your log I didn't realise you were so interested in weightlifting.

Good luck Mr Rogers. Will the missus be learning the lifts, also?

[Mr_Rogers]

The preferred option: Find your passport and get yourself to Colorado, and I'll be happy to work with you one-on-one. There's a guest bedroom you (and your wife, if she's up for it. She's certainly invited.) could crash in for the week. No charge. Just buy me dinner once while you're here, and we'll call it even.

Talked to the wife Saturday night about this option. I sent you an email to the account you PM'd me inquiring more :-)

Interesting
When I first started reading your log I didn't realise you were so interested in weightlifting.

Good luck Mr Rogers. Will the missus be learning the lifts, also?

I've been interested in weightlifting for quite awhile I just didn't know how/where to start. A lack of knowledge in the area (as well as on my part) was a large factor, thankfully some members here gave me the push I needed.

edit:

The Mrs. said she had no interest in them now, but that might change. I think she's hesitant due to a torn MCL (I think, I know something is torn) in her right knee and a dislocated shoulder (horseback riding accident) that she popped in that never really healed correctly. Currently she's doing the SS lifts minus the power cleans and for the most part doing them well. I did throw in Pendlay Rows on the days she doesn't deadlift as she can't do a chin-up/pull-up yet and we lack the necessary equipment for her to do assisted work.

[Mr_Rogers]

Snatch warm-up:
foam rolling, stretching, bar work

Snatch:
30kg x 1
30 x 1
35 x 1
35 x 1
40 x 1
40 x 1
42.5 x 1 (miss forward)
42.5 x 1
42.5 x 1
45 x 1 (miss behind)
45 x 1
45 x 1

Felt like I had absolutely no explosion yesterday, everything seemed like it was in slow motion. You'd think that on a weekend I'd be able to start lifting before 5, wasn't the case. Felt like I was going through the motions no matter how hard I tried. Had some decent reps and some not so decent reps. Struggled getting low (ie parallel and below) when catching the bar. Not sure if it's a foot position issue or mobility issue. Tended to catch the bar with the weight on towards the front of my foot. My hips and legs in general have felt really tight the last few days. The Mrs. did say that my arms were much further back (probably where they were supposed to be) when I did catch the bar though.


OHP:
45lbs x 5 x 2
65 x 5
85 x 3
100 x 2
115 x 5 x 3

The last set was a struggle, but they went up so I'll take it. I'm horrible at the hip movement though.


Squat:
45lbs x 5 x 2
115 x 5
145 x 3
165 x 2
185 x 5 x 3

Was a little inconsistent with depth yesterday. Noticed that the "high reps" (at or a little above parallel) I didn't get my knees forward as much as I needed to. On the reps I got better depth on my knees got out and forward.


Deadlift:
135lbs x 5
185 x 3
225 x 2
275 x 5

Been a couple of weeks since I've done any heavy pulling so picked a weight I knew I could do. I need to do heavy pulling at least once a week.



Pushed the Mrs. hard yesterday and she handled it well.


edit:

Also figure I'm roughly 100kg away from my goals lol

[Mr_Rogers]

Mrs. is out of town (with the bitches) doing open houses probably related to the up coming tree plant/spray season. I don't really know. It's just me, Maverick and Dash so things have been quiet :-)

Warm-up:
Elliptical 7:30 minutes (lost track of time watching the rest of the Devils/Rangers game)
Foam rolling
Burgener snatch warm-up (I assume there is a clean version? would have been smart)

Clean pull, Hang clean (2 + 1 = 1 rep):
30kg x 1 x 2
35 x 1 x 2
40 x 1 x 2
50 x 1 x 4
50 x 1 missed the clean >: (
50 x 1 hang clean only
50 x 1 clean

No idea what happened on the miss. I shouldn't say that. I was off balance when I received it going into the hole. The end result was me throwing the bar forward and falling on my ass. I'll upload the video tonight, but I suspect I'm jump shrugging...and I'm not even jumping right (ie not fully extending my legs). I'm pretty sure I'm not keeping my shoulders over the bar long enough.

Snatch grip press behind neck:
20kg x 5 x 2
29.5 x 5
34 x 5 x 3

Working on overhead strength. Figured out how to receive the bar after a rep without hitting something I shouldn't.


Front Squat:
20kg x 5 x 2
40 x 4
50 x 3
60 x 3
70 x 3 x 3

Watched Rip's front squat video and read the section in the 3rd edition again. Also marked out what 30 degrees should look like on my platform. I was not getting my feet that open. Doing as Rip instructed made these feel a lot different in a good way. The foot angle should make back squatting on Thursday interesting.


Assistance work:

Chinese rows 65lbs x 8 x 3
10kg KB swings 30 x 3
Ab wheel rollouts (from knees) x 10


I was a little disappointed with how clean pulls & hang cleans went. Widening my grip a bit seemed to have helped or at least it's preventing me from nailing my junk which I was not a fan of. Finished up strong though. Very happy with how front squats went, absolutely no knee pain. Tried some different things for warm-up and I liked it. Stretched out my legs and shoulders for a good 10-15 minutes last night before bed.