Shutting Down the blog.......

This is my last post. I'll no longer be posting my training on here.

Thank you to everyone who has followed it, I've enjoyed writing it and I have greatly appreciated your support.

Of course I would greatly appreciate your continued support on my new blog found here :)

"Baby needs new shoes....."

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - Shoulder Dislocates / Achilles Stretches / Quad Stretches / Squat Stretches / Shoulder & Wrist Stretch 2 x 10

Snatch High Pulls / Snatches / OH Squats / Power Cleans / Split Jerks 3 x 3

Session A
Power Snatches - 5 sets 3 reps - 40kgs 1 x 45kgs, 1 x 45kgs (PR)
Overhead Squat - 5 sets 3 reps - 22.5kgs
Pull for Clean - 5 sets 3 reps - 55kgs
Power Cleans - 5 sets 5 reps - 45kgs
Jerk from Racks - 5 sets 3 reps - 45kgs
Back Squat - 3 sets 5 reps - 55kgs
Hanging Leg Raises - 2 sets of 12

Stretches

Comments: Pretty much over the cold I had now and I'm feeling stronger and healthier. I felt stronger in a lot of these lifts today, but my form and flexibility still has a lot of catching up to do. Rome wasn't built in a day though.

We were using 10kg bumper plates for the first today - sorry I should really have put Hang in front of most of the exercise descriptions in previous sessions. I not sure if it made it easier or not pulling from the deck, but it sure does feel good to let the weight bounce from droppin' it.

Got to save up now for some shoes. Weights were going under my heels for the squats, and under my toes for the cleans.....it seems I don't know where to be putting my weight!!

Shuffle

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - Shoulder Dislocates / Achilles Stretches / Quad Stretches / Squat Stretches / Shoulder & Wrist Stretch 2 x 10

Snatch High Pulls / Snatches / OH Squats / Power Cleans / Split Jerks 3 x 3

Session C
Split Jerks from rack - 5 sets 3 reps - 45kgs
Power Snatch - 5 sets 3 reps - 30kgs
Overhead Squat - 5 sets 5 reps - 20kgs
Back Squats - 5 sets 5 reps - 45kgs
Standing Press - 5 sets 3 reps - 45kgs
Hanging Leg Raises - 2 sets of 12

Stretches

Comments: Had to do a bit of shuffling around this week.....Maurice wanted to go shopping yesterday!! He didn't even buy me anything nice :(

Cold seems to have cleared up and I felt better able for this session today. That said I struggled for speed and consistancy. My key learning point of the day was thinking not about lifting the weight in the Jerks but on getting me under it with a wider split. It felt so much lighter and faster when I approached it this way.

Over Head and Back Squats are still more about the stretch and it was killing me as I tried to get as low as I could for each rep. I've been doing my warm up a couple of times daily to aid my flexibility, but it is going to take a Herculean effort to keep doing it. I absolutely hate it, which usually means it is the thing I need most.

In the middle of the session today Maurice left to take a call. He told me it was the World Over 65 y/o record holder from N Ireland. He can C&J 132.5kgs and Snatch 97.5kgs at around 95kgs - not bad for a pensioner.

Flat Eric

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - Shoulder Dislocates / Achilles Stretches / Quad Stretches / Squat Stretches / Shoulder & Wrist Stretch 2 x 10

Snatch High Pulls / Snatches / OH Squats / Power Cleans 3 x 5

Session B
Power Clean - 5 sets 3 reps - 40kgs
Power Snatch - 5 sets 3 reps - 30kgs
Push Press - 5 sets 5 reps - 40kgs
Clean Deadlift (Fast) - 5 sets 5 reps - 80kgs
Smith Machine Press - 54321 reps - 47.5kgs
Hanging Leg Raises - set of 12

Stretches

Comments: Thanks for the comments guys. I am fortunate to have a coach so near to hand, and believe me I intend to soak up all I can from him. It is very like the DL experiment, only not so frequent. I've read that the Bulgarian W/L team do the same thing - finding a max for that day and then doing the work sets 5-20kgs lighter depending on their schedule.

Todays session was a bit flat and I needed lighter weights. Can't seem to shake this head cold and general lack of energy. The food intake has suffered a lot, but apparently I have put on 3lbs of muscle and no fat. I'm off food shopping in a bit and I'm going to clean it up and fill myself full of steak and eggs this week.

In complete contrast to the last session I felt that I started poorly and finshed stronger. There was no speed in any of the first 3 lifts - the last 2 felt easier for me.

I really need to get my arse in gear and do some flexibility stuff on my own. I've read some good stuff on the work I need to be doing and it just boils down to doing it a couple of times a day now.

Its a funny old game...

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - High Pulls/Snatches/OHS/Cleans/Jerks with the bar

Session A
Power Snatches - 6 sets 5 reps - 35kgs
Overhead Squat - 5 sets 5 reps - 20kgs
Pull for Clean - 5 sets 5 reps - 40kgs
Power Cleans - 5 sets 5 reps - 45kgs
Jerk from Racks - 5 sets 3 reps - 40kgs
Back Squat - 3 sets 5 reps - 50kgs
Hanging Leg Raises - 1 set close to failure

Stretches

Comments: Felt really good warming up, thought that I was all but over my cold and was feeling plenty strong. I was whipping the empty bar about and making that really satisfying SLAM with my feet on the snatches. It turned out to be a game of two halves, I felt like I could have gone heavier on the first 4 exercises but by the time I got to the Jerks I was going downhill. Endurance wasn't there today.

Saying that, overall it was a good session. Egged on by Maurice I was getting deeper and deeper on the OHSquats. He had me hold bottom position for a bit on the last rep of each set. It was agony for me but at the same time the bar felt lighter, like I had better control of it and better balance. Also on my Power Cleans I was focusing on trying to whip the elbows round. I found that the more aggressive I was in doing this the easier it felt.

Maurice's philosophy - with beginners anyway - is to lift with good form with a weight that you can handle on that day. This is why some of my weight selections may not be making sense. When my conditioning, technique and strength all start to catch up then the weight selections will fit. That's why I have the odd stand out weight like Pressing from my last session and then doing less this session on Jerks.

Third session

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - Snatches/Cleans/Jerks/Squats with the bar

Session C
Split Jerks from rack - 5 sets 3 reps - 42.5kgs
Power Snatch - 5 sets 3 reps - 30kgs
Overhead Squat - 5 sets 3 reps - 20kgs
Back Squats - 5 sets 5 reps - 50kgs
Standing Press - 5 sets 3 reps - 45kgs
Hanging Leg Raises - 2 sets of 12

Stretches

Comments: Still carrying a stinking cold. Every evening before training so far I haven't thought I'd make it, but I've felt better the next morning. We are still taking it easy on the intensity and zipping through the sessions so it hasn't been too tough.

Technique is still a work in progress obviously and it varies from OK to Bollocks. I haven't been of mind or body to practice on my own with a stick so far, but I expect it to get better along with my flexibility when I do start. I guess the best example of this today was the OH Squats. In the first few sets I was all over the place and not very deep. In the last few though I was getting down pretty deep with good balance and solid overhead. It was the first time I ever felt that I could handle more than just the bar.

Going back into a gym is funny as well. There is so much posing, gossiping and ridiculing of people's weight totals going on it's hilarious. I've promised Maurice though that'll I'll stop all that and concentrate on the training from now on ;)

Sickboy

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists

Warm Up - Snatches/Cleans/Jerks/Squats with the bar

Session B
Power Clean - 5 sets 3 reps - 40kgs
Power Snatch - 5 sets 3 reps - 32.5kgs
Push Press - 5 sets 5 reps - 42.5kgs
Clean Deadlift (Fast) - 5 sets 5 reps - 60kgs
Smith Machine Press - 54321 reps - 45kgs
Hanging Leg Raises - 2 sets of 12

Stretches

Comments: Over the weekend I thought I'd be doubtful for this session. Firstly I had my shoulder on ice for 2 days - it was the worst it has felt in months. Then I went downhill and felt really run down - think I have a bit of a virus. Fortunately I was feeling better on both accounts this morning and while it was an easy session I went through it better than I thought I would.

We alternated sets and exercises straight through again and I found that I wasn't huffing and puffing as much as the last session. All the weights are still within my limits but I have noticed that I can't move the bar that fast. Hopefully that will come as I go along, after all speed strength or power is one of the aspects Oly lifting trains.

I've got myself the ultimate training aid - a broomstick - and hopefully now I can get a bit of practice in between sessions.

So it begins.....

Mobility
Ankles, Knees, Hips, Shoulders and Wrists
(All the places you need for Oly Lifting; all the places I need work on!!)

Warm Up - Snatches/Cleans/Jerks/Squats with the bar

Session A
Power Snatches - 6 sets 5 reps - 35kgs
Overhead Squat - 5 sets 5 reps - 20kgs
Pull for Clean - 5 sets 5 reps - 40kgs
Power Cleans - 5 sets 5 reps - 45kgs
Jerk from Racks - 5 sets 3 reps - 40kgs
Back Squat - 3 sets 5 reps - 45kgs
Hanging Leg Raises - 1 set close to failure

Stretches

Comments: Started training proper with Maurice today. He gave me a print out with 3 sessions to do per week. This is to get me fit for lifting and I'll be on it for about a month. He wants me to be motoring through it and get some conditioning out of it too.

As far as the weights above go sometimes I worked up to that weight, others straight in and just left on because they were handy. It isn't about going as heavy as possible at this stage. Looking for some conditioning, finding my level and correcting gross technical errors I suppose. It was great to have Maurice there telling me rep for rep what was going well and what wasn't.

For now I'll only be doing some mobility/stretching and practicing lifts at home with a wooden dowel. At some point I'd like to throw in a little grip work, a few TGUs and some swings, snatches or sprints. That'll be down the road though and only if I feel it is necessary.

I have also cut back on the milk and decided to see how I get on with a sensible diet and 3 sessions per week. I honestly don't mind if I lose or put on a little - just as long as overall I lose fat and gain muscle. I still have the measurements I took when I was starting my hypertrophy stage, so it will be interesting to see what happens. I'd also liked to have done the Max Jones Quadrathlon to see what improvements I'd make. I might test my vertical and broad jump - but I'd be keeping those (small) figures to myself! ;)

I got some cracking resources yesterday off my good mate Paul - some dvds and a FANTASTIC book by Tommy Kono. Highly instructional and incredibly inspirational. I could get really into this weightlifting lark.

Schooled!!

Met up with yet another gentleman of a weightlifter today. At over 70 years old Morris has aged well. He looks in his 50's and lifts fast! He told me his knee was a little sore today, but he was stunned because "I never get any aches or pains". He also introduced me to his friend Duke who has DL'd 192.5kgs at 57kgs. He looked like he was 80!! I'm beginning to wonder if Olympic Weightlifting is the elixir of life.

Everyone I talked to told me that I was in very good hands - and I was. He took me through the Snatch and Clean, with hang and power variations. He even had me trying the split snatch and split clean. He lifted with me rep for rep, and all his lifts had more snap and power to them.

Not only can he lift, he can teach which is what I'm most interested in. After we did push presses, he told me a few things which helped ground me and made the lift feel more solid. I was fine on bench presses (just not enough weight for my liking). While I was there though I got him to take a look at me DLing. I did it the Pavel way - braced before going down, got tight, descended and lifted it when I got my hands on it. He told me to get down, make sure my back was flat, then brace and "you'll think this sounds silly, but pull yourself into the ground." It didn't sound silly at all, I do it for my overhead stuff, but I've never thought of applying it to the DL. I did a very comfortable double with 130kgs, felt it in the hamstrings more than I usually do. I was very impressed with just that tip alone.

It's obvious I can learn a lot from Morris. He doesn't have the facilities that the club in Belfast has, but I think that given my present circumstances he is my best option. I'll give it a go with him for a while and see how I get on. If it doesn't work out then the club in Belfast is always there. I've got to talk to him later, but if he tells me he can take me to a 100kgs C&J we're in business.

Edit: "100kgs? Oh, I should think so. " - he'll tell me anything I think, but I've got myself a coach. Start Friday morning :)

Oly Practice

Warm Up
OH Squats
Pumps
Halos
3 x 10

Barbell
Hang Power Snatch: 20 kgs x 5, 22.5 x 5, 25 x 5, 27.5 x 5, 30 x 5
Hang Power Clean:30 kgs x 5, 32.5 x 5, 35 x 5, 37.5 x 5, 37.5 x 5
Clean DL & Shrug: 37.5 kgs x 5, 40 x 5, 45 x 5, 50 x 5, 50 x 5
Push Press: 30 kgs x 5, 32.5 x 5, 35 x 5, 37.5 x 5, 40 x 5
Front Squat: 30 kgs x 5, 35 x 5, 37.5 x 5, 40 x 5, 42.5 x 5
OH Squat: 20kgs x 5, 20 x 5, 20 x 5

Stretches

Comments: Still in limbo with the coaching, but I shall get onto the N Ireland House of Sport tomorrow to get contact details of my local club for a chat. In the meantime it was a dry day overhere so I could get out back and practice a little bit. I'd really be dependant on the Great British weather if I tried to do any overhead stuff at home with a barbell.

Out of all the training resources I have my absolute favourite has always been Jimmy Schultz's Olympic Style Manual and DVD. So today I started into the first program detailed in that. I was using conservative weights and really trying for good form on each lift. I've got to say though that my form went from the sublime to the ridiculous....well maybe not sublime, but decent (though I really need a coach to check it was even that). Not from too much weight, in fact I generally found it to be a bit better when the weight got heavier. Overall it went quite well. I found it to be just about right for the amount of stress it accumulated on my wrists, also my shoulders were getting pretty tender from racking the barbell.

The program also calls for 3 sets of Bench Presses at the end. I was going to do some Half Get Ups as I have nowhere to bench. But the OHSs were terrible and I was getting a bit tired so I just decided to wrap it up there. I'll just do this routine until I get myself sorted with one coach or another.

I managed to put on 1lb this week. Not much of a return out of the 3 pints of milk I have upped my daily intake to. Still according to the BF percentage it is all muscle so I'll take that every week, all year long!! Plus I ate a 12" pizza by myself last night as a treat so I can't complain really. ;)