Maheravealy open

A great evening at Sean's place. After 5 weeks back, I decided to try out a max session to see where I am.
Snatch 40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 55; 60; 62; 65x; 65; 67.5x; 67.5 new pb
Clean and Jerk 40x3; 50x2; 60; 65; 70; 75; 80; 85; 87.5x
Total 152.5. Sean 62.5+85=147.5. Just managed to pip Sean this time but his clean and jerk was a little under par.

Very pleased with progress to date especially with 67.5 snatch, only 10 under competition pb from last year.

Front squat up a 60x3
Military press up to a single with 65.

'B' Training day2

Rack Jerk
42x3; 47x3; 52x3; 57x3; 62x3; 67x3; 72; 77. I really hate this exercise. Feeling quite weak overhead today. Dont know how the hell I am going to match/beat Sean on Friday.

Back Squat up to a new pb of 90.

Military press up to 60.

Some light bodybuilding. Now 2 days rest before lifting with Sean on Friday evening. Feeling less positive now because every lift this week has been difficult but will give it everything and treat it like a competition

Tue 'B' session day 1

I completed my snatches and snatch balance in 3 phases today. A 15 minute break between phase 1 and phase and then a 1 hour break before phase 3 with some power cleans thrown in. Total lifts are:

Snatch 40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 40x3; 45x3; 50; 52; 55; 57; 60x; 50; 52; 55; 55x; 55; 57; 60; 62x; 40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 52x3; 55; 57.

Snatch Balance42x3; 47x3; 52; 40x5; 45x3; 40x3; 45. Not too many of these as it is a new exercise for me.

Power Clean 40x3; 50x3; 60x3; 62; 65; 67; 70; 72; 75; 62x3; 65x3; 67x3.

All in all, quite pleased with today's work. Tomorrow the session finishes with rack jerk, back squat and maybe some deadlift and press.

X mas day

Clean and jerk. Not feeling the best today so I only did some token lifts

Several good sets of light front squat and press

Christmas eve snatch

Snatch 40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 40x3; 45x3; 50; 52; 55; 57; 60; 62; 67x; 67x.

Snatches reasonable today although, as usual, technnique breaks down a bit when weights get heavy. 60 and 62.5 were very smooth so I decided to go up 5 for an unofficial irish masters snatch record. First time was close.




Snatch Balance 40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 55x3; 60; 40x3; 45x3; 50x3.

Probably no more weights today. Will do clean and jerk in the morning and finish session during the today inbetween meals and a few drinks.

Thurs

A bit of light bodybuilding today. Next olympic lifting maybe Friday evening. Weight is now under control. Down from 85 to 83.5kg.

tue/wed mixed bag

Tue
Snatch
Got a decent hint on internet regarding 1st pull in the snatch and it threw me completely. 40x3; 45x3; 50x3. These felt ungainly, uncomfortable and unrefined. I started again trying to concentrate on lower hips and head up more. 40x3; 45x3; 50; 52; 55; 57; 60. The 60 was ugly and I had to save it. 40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 52; 55; 57x; 57.

Snatch Balance
42x3; 47x3; 52x3; 57x; 57 60; 40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 52; 55.

Power Clean 40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 55x3; 60x3; 65x3; 70; 72; 60x3x5; 65; 67; 70; 72; 75

Wed
Rack Jerk
40x3; 50x3; 60x3; 65; 70; 75; 80; 85; 40x3; 50x3; 60x3; 65x3.

Back Squat 42x3; 47x3; 52x3; 57x3; 62x3; 67x3; 72; 75; 40x3; 42x3; 45x3; 47x3; 50x3
Military Press 42x3; 47x3; 52x3; 57x3; 62; 40x10; 42x10; 45x5; 47x5; 50x4
Deadlift 82x3; 95x3; 105x3; 115x3; 125; 145; 150.

Monday clean up

This is a rest day lifting wise but not a rest day weightlifting prep day.

Made a tonne of pictures for the gym today and a few early xmas presents for both Sean and colin's gym.

The gym is starting to look a bit more homely with plenty of lifting pictures and plenty of colour.

Started the process of cleaning up the gym today. There is a bit of dampness which I need to eradicate.

Any lifters welcome to lift here although probably well out of the way for most people.

Sunday

A bit of light bodybuilding. Rest now until Tuesday.

4 weeks into lifting return and I feel alive again. Can't wait to compete again.

Early thoughts
A tad frustrated that the technique is still dodgy. I have put so much effort recently into trying to improve but I will get there. Lokking forward to lifting with Sean next week.

Seriously considering affiliating to go lift. The difficulty for me is that the majority of lifters are a good distance from me. Lifting likely to take place in Portadwon and Belfast. I feel that I live in the sticks. Maybe I can find a way to do something in the new year.

Sat . A session part 2(a)

Clean and jerk
Decided initially not to do Sean's 'wave' system because this lift takes so much out of me. Gym very cold. Feeling stiff after yesterday's snatch session. Hard to get started.

40x3; 50x3; 60x2; 70.

70 was so horrible that I decided to start again and build up slowly. Jerks feeling very sluggish. 2nd wave.

42; 47; 52; 57; 62; 67; 72; 77; 82*. Pleased with this but hard. Total 65+82=147

Clean 85; 87*; 90*. New current pb in clean. Surprised but delighted to clean 90 at this stage. Trying to get a bit closer to Sean and move towards 100 clean.

Final session after 3pm. Press, squats and maybe deadlift. videos to follow





Part 2
Military press up to 65. Just missed 67.
Front Sqay up to 70x3; 75x1; 80x1; 85x1
Deadlift up to 100x5; 105; 110; 115; 120.

A Session part 1 Sat

Snatch
40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 40x3; 45x3; 50; 52; 55; 57; 60x; 60; 62x; 62; 65x; 65

57 felt so heavy tongith because I was sore but decided to go for everything. 65 felt like a deadlift but still got under it. Trying so hard to improve technique. A bit better but still alot of improvement to be made. First pull is a bit better but dont really feel the 2nd pull.

Snatch Balance
40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 55; 60; 40x3. No energy left so that was it for the night. Tomorrow is clean and jerk etc.

65 tonight equals the master irish snatch record for my age. Yes, a very modest lfit but i have to start somewhere. I dont think it will take too long b4 i am snatching 80+

Enjoying the competition and banter with Sean at the moment. Hopefully I can push him over xmas. His clean and jerk is currently much strobger than me so i might need 67 snatch to push him.

No pain, yes gain

Wednesday B training 1a

Power clean. Because of recent back scare, I decided to concentrate on good technique and lighter weights. Up to 67x3

Rack Jerk up to 80.

Day 3 of stricter diet. Therese writes down my food including treats for the day and I can't deviate from this. Problem is that she brought me home currant scones and pringles today but I refuse to eat them. Can't deviate from my plan. Even a crumb of a scone will send me into compete freefall

I must make the 85kg class for feb

tuesday B training day 1

Big relief

Extremely worried aboutthe back today but delighted to get through this training unscathed

Snatch 40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 40x3; 45x3; 50; 55; 60; 40x3; 45x3; 50; 52; 55; 57.

Snatch Bal 40x3; 45x3; 50; 40x3; 42x3; 45x3; 47x; 47
Back Squat 40x3; 42x3; 45x3; 47x3; 50x3; 52x3; 55x3; 60; 40x3; 42x3. Very light but legs are so weak and tender that I have to be patient and build up slowly.

Military Press up to 60kg

Tomorrow is power clean, rack jerk

sunday

Clean jerk 40x3; 50x3; 60x2; 65; 70; 75; 80. Clean 85. Delighted to clean 85. Caught it so well that it felt comfortable.
Cleans 40x3; 50x3; 60x3; 65x3; 70; 72. I tweaked the back during the 72 pull. Even with better technique, I probably rushed this a bit. Hopefully not serious.

Decided to press on a bit.

press up to 55x3 and 60x1
Front squats , very light work and a few power jerk.

Sat weekend session 1

Main lifting due on Sunday but felt like doing snatches tonight.

Snatch 40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 40x3; 45x3; 50; 52; 55; 57; 60; 62.5; 40x3; 45x3; 50x3; 52x3.

A great wee snatch session. Stricter technique. Surprised to get 62.5. Easy enough to pull into the bottom position but a hell of a battle getting up because of the weak legs.

Tomorrow will be clean and jerk. Going to stick to squat clean even though I havent even got 80 yet since i came back. the key for me tomorrow is squats. I bought a 2nd knee bandage today. not taking any chances. I have so much strength to gain in my legs that i expect regular gains over the next month