Another set back

I decided to teach my son the squat clean today. I was trying to do my training at the same but unfortunately rushed one of the cleans and sustained quite a painful injury in the lower back region. No lifting for at least a week unfortunatley.

Training with Sean Og

On friday I took the long and difficult road down to Og's for some training. Unfortunately coach was unable to lift because of lower back pain.

I felt very jaded and also had unusual left thigh strain. Lifting was quite poor and poundages low. This isn't a problem. Just a bad day but this confirms the enormous amount of training that I must do to get back to my best. Disappointed for Sean because he is hitting great form with a 90 c+j not far off.

Still had a great evening

Slow recovery of legs

Took my daughter to the gym today for an induction. She needs to drag her lazy arse down to the gym and do some cardio. I spent an hour on the machines.

Again later on my legs still havent recovered so I left it for that today. Hopefully, I will get in a great session with Sean on Friday. Sean is starting to make great progress and with extra training he will reap the benefits in competition this year and next


7pm - 4 mile walk with wife

School
Back to school tomorrow after summer break. We spend the day in the lecture theatre listening to crap about targets, deadlines, problem pupils etc etc. I simply close my eyes and meditate. I will go to work physically but not mentally. my mind will drift from my secret garden to weightlifting

Day 1

QWA WK dAY 1
I have decided to base this programme on current max lifts even though they are quite low. I intrnd to follow all the lifts and poundages on the prog but when I feel stronger go higher. I made some decent progress today so I would say I would need to evaluate things in a few weeks.
Snatch up to 52 for prog but lifted 55 57 60
Power clean Did all lifts/reps up to 65 but also did 70 75 80 82 85.
Rack Jerk All lifts up to reps with 65 but also 70 75 77 80 75 70
F Squat After doing 20kg x 1 rep I realised that my legs are still wasted. I will do these tomorrow when fresher.

the pain remains

Still aching all over after Saturday lifting. Weightlifting out of the question until tue or wed. The body will get used to this after a few weeks

Mike's gym 2pm
I hour random hill on treadmill

4pm 1.5 mile walk with daughter who is crapping herself about tomorrow's results

6pm 4 mile walk with wife

The day after

As expected, feeling very sore today. I had intended to do some conditioning today but that was out of the question.

I am now making out my 12 week plan based on maxes this week. I would expect some serious increases over the next 6 weeks as I am still quite far behind my best.

Movie
I have added my 1st movie. Not very exciting as it is my first and took ages. It simply includes most of the clean and jerk from yesterday. Next time I will add the best lifts from each exercise we do and I am sure that with practise, the quality will get better. Anyway, here is my first offering.

Saturday at North West Barbell Club

Sean and myself decided to adopt this name. We have been taking inspiration from ECB and all the blogs. Weightlifting in Ireland looks to be in a healthy state at the moment. The big positive for myself and sean lifting north and south is that we as masters lifters are treated with the same respect as others and always feel welcome at competitions. Reading the blogs from lifters such as Barry and Cathal have inspired me to get back to lifting again.

Today was all about finding out exactly where my strength is at after 6 months layoff so that I can work out percentages for a new programme to take me up to Ni Open on Nov 13th.

Snatch 20x3 40x3; 50x3; 55x2; 60 62x 62x 65. Pleased at this satge to get 65, not a big weight but considering how my body currently feels, a good start.

Clean and Jerk 20x3 40x3 50x2; 60x2 65 70 75 80 82.5 Clean 85 87.

Front Squats : light reps to get the legs used to this exercise again up to 85kg

Military press : plenty of reps up to 55 [well below my best of 77.5].


My aim is to get as close to my competition bests by November and then work from there. I will compete at the Herc's open and then work towards the Irish masters.
I missed out on the euro masters qualification last year on my last lift so hopefully I will qualify next year.

It was great to have Sean up again and we have a great day lifting. Sean had 55 snatch [has power for 65] and clean and jerked a solid 80.

I will alos spend a bit of time putting together short movies of our lifting and post them. All the blogs and movies really help with the motivation. Thanks to the lads down south who readily share training videos and blogs.

Video to follow

No pain no gain

Feeling very sore after previous 2 days exercise.

2.5 mile walk [am]

12pm. took wife to Mike's gym for 1 hour of light cardio

15 mins stair climber
40 random hill treadmill walk

grind

Did some conditioning today to re-introduce my muscles to exercise again. 6 months is a massive layoff. If I get back to strength, I cant let this happen again.

45 minutes light gym work

4 mile gentle walk [am]
3.5 mile gentle walk [pm]

Will lift again on Saturday. some squats for 1st time since feb. Once I establish where my current strength is, I will make out amaybe10 week prog to take me up to N.I's.

By the way Sean/Colin or anyone else are welcome to come up to Strabane on Sat

long way back

1st session in 6 months

After a brief 30 minute spell with Sean last week, I decided it was time to begin my comeback. Sean unfortunately cant make it tomorrow so I decided to make a start.

Snatch 40x3 45x3 50x3 52 55 57 60. My technique was very rusty with the body wondering what the hell I was doing. 60 felt like 80 but a decent start.
Power Cleans 40x3 50x3 60x3 65 67 70 72 75 77 80
Rack Jerk 40x3 50x3 60x3 65 70 75 80. Very tough. Strength very low and muscles finding lifting weights very alien but things will be ok after a few weeks

Goals
Compete in November at NI Open
Start a new programme after a few weeks when muscles become used to weightlifting again
See how close I can can get to last years competition bests and pb's
[comp 77+102 pb's 78+107.5]

Continue to build strength but also slim done a bit more. Maybe compete at 85 instead of 94.

the long road back

after 5 months off, it is time to start again. Did some lifting in Seans last week and found it difficult. Sean is staying on Wednesday so hopefully this will be the start of something good. Dont know how much lifting we will do but it will be a start.

Hopefully I will get some lifting with Colin over the next few months. The plan is to compete at the N.I's. This was a fabulous event last November. I would love to get into shape again and get back to full strength. Hopefully I will get a chance to train In the great new gym in Bray in the near future