Squats, Snatches, Cleans, and Jerks: Max's Journey to Weightlifting Victory

[thehoff]

17yo, 5'9, 170lbs and bulking. Been training since January 2017. Ran the SSLP last year from August to October and again from December to January. Did PNP2 and PNP3 from January to March. Starting the journey as a competitive Weightlifter and eager to share my progress with the rest of the SS community. Currently doing the Olympic Lifting Hybrid Texas method from PPST3 with 2 changes - I do Hi Bar Squats and Push Presses instead of Low Bar and Press (personal preference and push presses have done wonders for my jerk). First weightlifting meet is the California State Games on July 13, Junior Men (20 and under) in the 85kg weight class. Best numbers as of now are (1RM's):
300lb Low Bar Squat
215lb Bench Press
320lb Deadlift
145lb Press
195lb Power Clean
135lb Snatch
205lb Clean&Jerk
Haven't tested my Hi Bar squat or Push Press but my e1RM's are 265lbs (hi bar squat) and 185lbs (push press).

[thehoff]

Thursday - May 24 2018 (ID Part 1, Week 3):

Snatch: 120, 125, 130, 135, 140 (PR!!), 145 (BIG PR!), 150X, 150X, 150X

Clean&Jerk: 185, 190, 195, 200, 205X, 205, 210X, 210X, 210X (failed clean recovery on all misses)

Front Squat: 205x3x3 (All sets @RPE10)

[thehoff]

Saturday - May 26 2018

Lifted today after being on my feet all day helping out at a track meet. A bit tired, sunburnt, and underfed, but went into this session strong.

Squat: 275x1, 275x1 (was RPE10 and a 7 second single so backed down weight), Failed 265 (will repeat 5x1 with this weight next week - RPE10 sets at 275 fatigued me too much), 225x1x2 (just to get the volume in)

Push Press: 175x1x5. No problems here, all singles went up relatively quickly and I probably could have done this with a good bit more weight.

Deadlift: 275x5. I've found that 1 set of deadlifts 1x/week has never been enough for me and doesn't drain me the way it did when I was on LP (even a near-maximal set like these were). I stalled out quickly on these on LP and again on PNP so once this cycle is over, I'll probably increase volume with lighter sets. The last rep was a grinder.

[thehoff]

Monday - May 28, 2018

Memorial day lifting sesh!

E2MOM Snatch: 120x2, 120x2 2X (means I failed the second rep), 120x2 2X, 120x2, 120x2 1X (failed 1st), 120x2, 120x2 2X, 120x2X (failed both)

E2MOM Clean and Jerk: 180, 180, 180, 180, 180, 180X (Clean), 180X (Jerk - this was strange since I normally never fail jerks), 180, 180, 180, 180, 180, 180X (Clean), 180X (Clean), 180 (veeeery slight press-out because bar hit chin)

Good Oly VD Session. I'm going to add weight to the clean and jerk next week since I made more than 10 reps, and probably keep the snatch weight the same until I make 4 doubles at 120.

[thehoff]

Tuesday - May 29, 2018

Volume Day Part 2.

Squat: 215x5x5 - No problems here. No sets @10.

Push Press: 150x5, 5, 5, 5 (5X), 5. Twisted my bad ankle loading up my second-to-last warm up so was a bit more conservative with my leg drive. RIP My clavicles. Missed the last rep on the 4th set but I think it was due to not resting enough - I'll move up to 155 next week.

Chin Ups: Bodyweight x8, 7, 6. My arms get the best pump on these.

Been eating lots of food to help recovery. Belt is 1 notch tighter (up from the last notch to the second-to-last, it's a Pioneer Fit 4inx13mm Medium Belt).

[thehoff]

Hi guys, had a very long last few days that included driving from SoCal to Vegas and back for family reasons. Wasn't able to update my training log as a result. Anyways,

Thursday - May 31, 2018

Intensity Day Part 1.

Snatch: 140, 145X, 145X, 145, 150X (x3). Bad. Could not pull myself under 150 (as in they were Snatch pulls).

Clean&Jerk: 195, 200, 205, 210X (x3). Worse than Snatches. Basically clean pulls. Mentally and physically drained.

Front Squat: 210X, 165x2x3. Tried 210 for 3 and dropped it once I hit the bottom of the first rep. Saw stars on subsequent sets.

Extremely long day. Underfed. Lifted at midnight. Sat for over 12 hours that day and had not eaten a significant meal since the morning. Way too tired for a productive session especially on a Texas Method Intensity Day.

Saturday - June 2, 2018

Intensity Day Part 2.

Squat - 265x1x5. Grinded on all reps&loved it.

Push Press - 180x1x5. EZ.

Deadlift - 280x5. Smooth. First rep&last rep were same speed.

To my relief, a much better session than Thursday.

[thehoff]

Monday - June 4, 2018

Volume Day Part 1.

Snatch: 120x4x2, 125x4x2. Narrowed my grip from the middle of the outer knurling to just outside the rings. MASSIVE improvement and a perfect snatch session. These felt like a complete joke.

Clean&Jerk: 185, 185, 185, 185X (Clean), 185X (Clean), 185X (Clean), 185, 185, 185X (Clean), 185X (Clean), 185X (Clean), 185, 185, 185X (clean), 185.

When I lose tightness in my legs catching the clean, I always fail it (i.e. when I drop too low). Need to work on more of a bounce out of the bottom of the clean. We'll see how much my new snatch grip gets me on Thursday's session. Going to retry 185 for C&J next week.

[thehoff]

Tuesday - June 5, 2018

Volume Day Part 2.

Squat - 220x5x5

Push Press - 155x3x5, 1x4 (failed 1st but got rest), 1x3 (failed 4th rep&dropped).

Chins - Bodyweight x 8, 8, 6

Good workout except push presses were brutal. Going to stay at this weight and retry next week - that'll be the last 5x5 week anyways.

[thehoff]

Thursday - June 7, 2018

Intensity Day Part 1.

Snatch - 140, 145, 150 (PR!), 155 (BIG PR!!), 160x3 fails. Almost got it on the last one but left arm caved.

Clean&Jerk - 195, 200, 205, 210 (PR!), 215x3 fails. Failed the jerk on the first try - forgot to put clamps on and as I hit the jerk, my left side slightly dipped and I tried recovering with the back leg. The weights started sliding off and my arm unlocked slightly before I could recover. Had to drop it or I would have fallen off the platform. Couldn't recover from the clean on the other two fails.

Front Squat - 210x3x3. Easier than 205x3x3 a few weeks ago.

Good workout with PR's. Lots of coffee beforehand (probably too much). Anyways, RPE was lower on heavier front squats so I'm definitely improving. Texas Method sucks....said who?

[thehoff]

Saturday - June 9, 2018

Intensity Day Part 2.

Squat - 270x1, FAIL 270. Decided I'd rather keep the weight instead of back down and did low bar. 270x3 singles low bar. I really liked the way these felt, might keep doing them.

Push Press - 185x2 fails, 185x1. RPE is way too difficult to judge on these, either you get them easily or you fail them miserably.

Deadlift - 285x5. No problems thankfully.

Bad workout. Went in the morning and hadn't eaten much beforehand. Really disappointed. Going to retry 185 for push presses next week and I might switch to low bar squats exclusively, who knows.