Max effort day.
Was feeling like absolute crap last night. Baby E has a cold, is constipated, teething and pretty much downright miserable. Unfortunately I caught her cold. (Luckily I'm neither teething nor constipated.) That said, my performance today was a lot better than it could have been.
Snatch - 40kg (PR!!!!!!!!!)
Clean + Jerk - 50kg (Awful).
Jerks felt soooo heavy today. Not really sure what was up with that.
Knock on wood, it looks like I may be reaching my lower set of weight goals for this competition. If you'll remember, 5 long weeks ago, my coach asked if I had specific goals for the competition. At the time, my PRs were 29 snatch / 45 c+j. I was completely new to the lifts, so I had no idea how far I could go in 2.5 months. I said that lifting 40 snatch / 55 c+j on competition day would make me feel proud... and lifting 50 / 65 would make me feel like a badass. So, looking at my progress, I think I have a decent chance of reaching my conservative goals on competition day. Here's hoping...
Friday, October 12, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
This Blog is Boring.
When I started this blog I thought I'd write about a bunch of stuff, not just make it a training log. But the last several posts have been all about training, training training. So now for a big treat I will bore you even further with a post about what I eat.
Shortly after beginning this weightlifting program, I ended my ~6 year career as a vegetarian. I did this for a couple reasons. I'll probably write more about it later, but the main reason is health.
Remember these lovely bruises? That was only the tip of the iceberg. I would have big purple welts on my shoulders after clean days. And upper thigh bruises from snatch pulls. Basically, it was time for some more iron in my diet. I had a choice: I could eat sixty cups of spinach a day and try to make it up with vegetarian-sourced supplements. Or I could stop listening to my whiny bleeding animal-loving heart and just eat some GD beef already.
My significant other, also a former vegetarian, went full-fledged paleo when he started the Whole Life Challenge. I (briefly) tried dropping all grains out of my diet as well, but honestly it made me feel awful. So I'm down to 1 or 2 servings of grain a day. There's no way I'm giving up dairy.
Here's an example of how I eat on a lifting day. The times are all approximate and this really varies from day to day.
6:30am :: Oatmeal with a handful of "stuff" thrown in (banana, coconut flakes, walnuts, dates, mango, etc.). 1 cup of coffee with teaspoon of coconut oil.
8:15am :: Lifting session. GRAAARRR! (that is my roar). I drink cold water and hot peppermint tea during the session.
9:30am :: Shake made with scoop of protein powder, frozen banana, pumpkin puree, coconut water.
11:00am :: Lunch. Bowl of beef chili (recipe based on this one) except I add beans and top with soft goat cheese...mmmm
1:30pm :: A snack. A peach, a carrot, some hummus.
4:00pm :: Hungry again, but it's not really time for dinner. Mixed green salad with 1/2 avocado, handful of grapes, olive oil & vinegar. Handful of almonds.
6:30pm :: Now it's dinner time but I'm not that hungry. Tuna fish. Green salad. Bottle of beer.
9:00pm :: Hot cocoa with heavy whipping cream, cinnamon, sweetened with a tbsp of maple syrup.
I don't measure anything. I eat as much as I like. I'm probably not eating enough because most nights I wake up around 2am feeling very hungry. This is totally new for me since beginning weightlifting. It's nuts. Lifting doesn't really feel like that much work at the time. I'm doing it 3 hours a week along with one CrossFit WOD. I stuff myself with food.
My husband has dropped over 35lb since he started eating and exercising this way. I am starting to see my stomach muscles! I will never go back to hours of running and counting calories.
Shortly after beginning this weightlifting program, I ended my ~6 year career as a vegetarian. I did this for a couple reasons. I'll probably write more about it later, but the main reason is health.
Remember these lovely bruises? That was only the tip of the iceberg. I would have big purple welts on my shoulders after clean days. And upper thigh bruises from snatch pulls. Basically, it was time for some more iron in my diet. I had a choice: I could eat sixty cups of spinach a day and try to make it up with vegetarian-sourced supplements. Or I could stop listening to my whiny bleeding animal-loving heart and just eat some GD beef already.
My significant other, also a former vegetarian, went full-fledged paleo when he started the Whole Life Challenge. I (briefly) tried dropping all grains out of my diet as well, but honestly it made me feel awful. So I'm down to 1 or 2 servings of grain a day. There's no way I'm giving up dairy.
Here's an example of how I eat on a lifting day. The times are all approximate and this really varies from day to day.
6:30am :: Oatmeal with a handful of "stuff" thrown in (banana, coconut flakes, walnuts, dates, mango, etc.). 1 cup of coffee with teaspoon of coconut oil.
8:15am :: Lifting session. GRAAARRR! (that is my roar). I drink cold water and hot peppermint tea during the session.
9:30am :: Shake made with scoop of protein powder, frozen banana, pumpkin puree, coconut water.
11:00am :: Lunch. Bowl of beef chili (recipe based on this one) except I add beans and top with soft goat cheese...mmmm
1:30pm :: A snack. A peach, a carrot, some hummus.
4:00pm :: Hungry again, but it's not really time for dinner. Mixed green salad with 1/2 avocado, handful of grapes, olive oil & vinegar. Handful of almonds.
6:30pm :: Now it's dinner time but I'm not that hungry. Tuna fish. Green salad. Bottle of beer.
9:00pm :: Hot cocoa with heavy whipping cream, cinnamon, sweetened with a tbsp of maple syrup.
I don't measure anything. I eat as much as I like. I'm probably not eating enough because most nights I wake up around 2am feeling very hungry. This is totally new for me since beginning weightlifting. It's nuts. Lifting doesn't really feel like that much work at the time. I'm doing it 3 hours a week along with one CrossFit WOD. I stuff myself with food.
My husband has dropped over 35lb since he started eating and exercising this way. I am starting to see my stomach muscles! I will never go back to hours of running and counting calories.
Training Week 6, Day 2
Clean + jerk - heavy single (52kg)
Front squats - (climbing) - 5 sets of 3 - (Up to 54kg) new PR!
Front squats - (climbing) - 5 sets of 3 - (Up to 54kg) new PR!
Snatch push presses - (climbing) - 3 sets of 3 - (Up to 31kg)
C+J deadlifts - (climbing) - 2 sets of 2 - (Up to 80kg) new PR!
Today Neil told me I need to forget about the percentages when doing my lifts. So, instead of trying to calculate 80% of my current front squat PR, I was supposed to just warm up, find a weight that feels difficult and then do climbing sets, adding on weight each time. This is a little tricky for me since I'm not sure what my max is on several lifts.
For example, the PR I had written on the board for front squats was 46kg. Last week I worked up to 45kg. This week I started at 45kg and went up to 54kg, a new PR. It's different working by "feel" instead of just a prescribed percentage. But it was nice putting new PRs up for both my front squats and deadlifts.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Training Week 6, Day 1
Snatch ladder. Here's a thrilling video of me going from 25 to 37kg.
I sent this video to Neil since he wasn't there today. And, apparently I am an idiot because I was supposed to do the THREE POSITION snatch, working up to heavy and THEN the full snatch for the last 2 lifts. Whoopsie daisy.
I also did 5 sets of 3 back squats, working up to 55kg.
By that time, everyone was done, so I didn't fit in my snatch balances or snatch pulls.
Also, snatchity snatch snatch snatch.
I sent this video to Neil since he wasn't there today. And, apparently I am an idiot because I was supposed to do the THREE POSITION snatch, working up to heavy and THEN the full snatch for the last 2 lifts. Whoopsie daisy.
I also did 5 sets of 3 back squats, working up to 55kg.
By that time, everyone was done, so I didn't fit in my snatch balances or snatch pulls.
Also, snatchity snatch snatch snatch.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Training Week 5, Day 3
I HAVE A LIFT PARTNER I HAVE A LIFT PARTNER!
Her name is Nadia and she's not a boy. :) We're going to lift together Sundays and Fridays.
She's on a starting strength program, but said she'd follow my lead, so we did max effort day today. Also Neil watched/coached us instead of lifting, which I really appreciate.
Snatch - 38kg (hit my current PR, failed at attempts of 39 and 40kg)
C+J - 53kg (new PR)
Clean + jerks felt good today. Settling my weight back on my heels and thrusting my head under in the jerk really helps to make the bar go up and not forward.
Her name is Nadia and she's not a boy. :) We're going to lift together Sundays and Fridays.
She's on a starting strength program, but said she'd follow my lead, so we did max effort day today. Also Neil watched/coached us instead of lifting, which I really appreciate.
Snatch - 38kg (hit my current PR, failed at attempts of 39 and 40kg)
C+J - 53kg (new PR)
Clean + jerks felt good today. Settling my weight back on my heels and thrusting my head under in the jerk really helps to make the bar go up and not forward.
Training Week 5, Day 2
Writing this a little late. This was Wednesday's lift day. This week is not going so well.
Clean & Jerk, heavy single (48kg)
Front squat - 5 sets of 3 (went up to 50kg)
Clean & Jerk, heavy single (48kg)
Front squat - 5 sets of 3 (went up to 50kg)
Overhead squat - 3 sets of 2 (went up to 35kg)
Clean deadlift - 3 sets of 2 (went up to 55kg)
Clean deadlift - 3 sets of 2 (went up to 55kg)
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Training Week 5, Day 1
We moved to a new apartment over the weekend. I'm going to blame my crappy day on all the energy I spent moving boxes.
Snatch Heavy Single: 35 kg. And it felt HEAVY.
Clean + Jerk Heavy Single: 45 kg. And it felt HEAVY.
Both lifts 70% x 3
I took some video of myself and noticed that my snatch starting position is way off. My shoulders are supposed to be over the bar, not 4 inches back. I've been trying to keep my weight on my heels, which meant my shifting my hips and but back further, pulling my shoulders inches behind the bar. Then, the bar swings out and back as I clear my knees. I'll try to fix this on my next snatch day.
Snatch Heavy Single: 35 kg. And it felt HEAVY.
Clean + Jerk Heavy Single: 45 kg. And it felt HEAVY.
Both lifts 70% x 3
I took some video of myself and noticed that my snatch starting position is way off. My shoulders are supposed to be over the bar, not 4 inches back. I've been trying to keep my weight on my heels, which meant my shifting my hips and but back further, pulling my shoulders inches behind the bar. Then, the bar swings out and back as I clear my knees. I'll try to fix this on my next snatch day.
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