haha! I was sick a month ago or so and I had the exact reaction. I e-mailed someone to say “No it’s actually really good! It explains why I suck!!” =D And they were like “what the hell is the matter with you??”
I hope you feel better soon. It still sucks to be sick. Rest is right!
I can do drop snatches with the clean grip but I still don’t think I could squat jerk. For some reason I find the drop snatches easier that way. I’ve never tried but it just looks so hard! Watching Kendrick Farris do them at the Arnold made me cringe.
[quote]alexus wrote:
thanks debra. i think they weight flies up faster and the whole process looks a bit easier when my hips aren’t so low… but the bar path does seem to be better when i keep them low. feels like i’m making a bunch of extra work for myself, but guess that is what i’m supposed to aim to do…
i think i need to work on lowering my pitch. i’m sure the bar would move better if i had more RAWR! and less rrrrrrrp![/quote]
I’m getting mighty confused by this hips business. I read “shoulders above hips, hips above knees” and also “keep your back as upright as possible”, which obviously drop the hips!
I don’t know what to believe now. I think I’m going to just do what Carl says and stick with that. Being ‘coached’ by several different people on the OL forum all with conflicting opinions is never going to work.
Read a great article by Greg Everett? you linked to somewhere, about the ideal ‘start’ position. It was really good, basically everything in a straight line (head, arms, bar) as viewed from the side. So this is what I’m going to aim for.
I think I’m going to stop reading about the snatch, it’s doing me more harm than good.
Get well soon! My body does the same thing - I feel tired and not in the mood to train a day or two before I come down with something. Body always knows before brain, it seems. Nonetheless, your lifts look really good to me - just keep working it (once you’re well again).
my sickness seems to have receded after having taken yesterday off and gotten a lot of sleep pretty stoked, actually, since it is autumn / fall here and pretty much everyone is coming down with something - and i haven’t gotten properly sick yet!
FarmerBrett - I really enjoyed the Everett article - it made a lot of sense to me He says that you want the bar over your midfoot (or further back if you can manage it without taking your kneecaps off), your shoulders vertically above the bar, and your back as upright as possible. Whether your hips are above or below your knees depends on levers (e.g., the difference between the length of the femur and the length of the tibia). You (lucky bastard) have better weightlifting levers than Carl. Or me. Or Tony. It puts me in a squat position (my hips below my knees) but looks like you aren’t forced to go that deep for an upright back.
I think I’m going to just do what Carl says and stick with that. Being ‘coached’ by several different people on the OL forum all with conflicting opinions is never going to work.
Carl knows his shit. He has helped me a great deal
I think it is profitable to get feedback more widely from the OL forum, though. It is about getting to know the people (e.g., some are learning, some are coaching etc). I’m actually surprised at how much consensus I’m finding over there at the end of the day.
You won’t look like Carl 'cause your levers are different, though. I aim to look more like him one day
I think I’m going to stop reading about the snatch, it’s doing me more harm than good.
Yeah. Paralysis by analysis. I’m pretty guilty of that…
felt lethargic and wasn’t sure if it was worth going to the gym…
ended up having a TERRIFIC session
usual EVA / softball warmup and snatch bar work / 20kg work…
SNATCH:
25kg triple - 1, 0, 1, 1 landed hard on my ass. not quite sure why. oh well.
30kg 1, 1, in fairly quick succession
32.5kg 1, 1 - easy!
35kg - 1, 1, 0 wuss!!!, 1, 0, 1
nice
discovered some better music to get pumped to and getting the hang of RAWR!!!
SNATCH POSITION / SPEED WORK:
some snatch pulls, some knee paused, some hang snatches working on speed. nice.
FRONT SQUAT 5x5:
I owed this to yesterday. for the future: if i’m well enough to snatch i’m well enough to suck it up and do my squats.
warmup 20kg 1x5, 25kg 1x3
30kg 1x5 (previously this was my 5x5 weight). felt easy. well, as easy as it is possible for squats to feel, i reckon.
32.5kg 4x5. good. felt it in my legs and abs where i’m supposed to. last set was a bit soft, but whatever. 5x5 at this weight next time.
ABS:
15kg 2x 60 seconds
17.5kg 1x 60 seconds
just to see if i could:
20kg 1x60 seconds. PB yay!!! will try 3x 60 seconds at 20kg next time. then i’ll have to steal the 25’s off the leg press heh!
Glad you’re feeling better over there! I think I tend to recover faster from illnesses, or fight them off before they can really take hold, probably because of all the veggies in my diet!
Wearing Vibrams to work - I’m really liking mine too.
I noticed you working on your GHR’s up there a couple of posts ago. Me too. And they sooo kick my butt. But I know they’re good stuff, no matter how lame they look right now!
[quote]alexus wrote:
You (lucky bastard) have better weightlifting levers than Carl. Or me. Or Tony. It puts me in a squat position (my hips below my knees) but looks like you aren’t forced to go that deep for an upright back.
[/quote]
Well FINALLY!!! It’s about time being a ‘short arse’ had some benefits!
What’s the music you’ve found? I’m learning that the music that works for me when PLing doesn’t really do it for me when I’m snatching.
it is an album my friend gave to me a few years back, now. Baxter (DJ, I think) and the album is B2B. Can’t find any of it on youtube except for this one song:
I think it is about methamphetamine flashback, truth be told.
ok. first time i got 35kg with the guys there. hard to be a bit social and get in the zone with my i-pod at the same time. trying to be more aggressive / faster.
SNATCH PULLS (floor to extension):
did some. up to 35kg. not sure about these… think i might be better just going from floor to the hang. then once i’m confident build up speed and hopefully finishing the pull will happen all by itself. dunno.
FRONT SQUATS (8x3ish):
warm up 15kg 1x5, 20kg 1x3, 25kg 1x3, 30kg 1x3
might try 10 instead of 5kg increases with warm up next time
work sets:
35kg 1x3 (last time did 8x3 at this weight)
35kg 1x5 (yay! now i KNOW i can do it for 5 - will get to this on my 5x5 day soon)
37.5kg attempt 1x3 but missed the first rep. lost balance backwards. bit demoralized so did 35kg for 1x3. then did 37.3kg for 6x3.
next time 8x3 at 37.5kg.
was going to do back extensions but didn’t. spent quite a while on the snatch pulls…
squats are feeling comfortable. most comfortable they have ever felt. feeling a little fussy about my stance width etc but going to try not to over think it. my biggest enemy seems to be myself. my lack of confidence in what i am capable of doing. it is time to push myself with putting the weights up. the movement feels comfortable and like the muscles are working like they are supposed to. coming up to deload in a week or so (joints might get a bit cranky)… but have made some good progress this month and hope to do the same next month.
i feel like i’m just starting to find a part of myself that is confident and capable. just starting… hopefully it will grow.
[quote]alexus wrote:
i feel like i’m just starting to find a part of myself that is confident and capable. just starting… hopefully it will grow.
[/quote]
What a beautiful statement. Isn’t it funny how a sport can help one achieve this? I don’t know whether it’s the perseverance and eventual, although often small, successes? Or if getting stronger makes one feel mentally stronger and, thus, more confident? The psychology of this really interests me.
i have ouroboro to thank for that. with what she said to you over on your log. i have found something in the weights room…
i’m a very shy and self conscious person and my usual strategy is to avoid and hide. thought i was far too self conscious to join the gym. thought i was far too self conscious to start a log over here. and now look at me. posting vids of myself for you all. working in with random gym grunter. training in a room full of fit and athletic guys with myself literally taking center stage on the platform. i’m more confident now than i’ve ever been. more comfortable in my skin / body.
so i have found something in the weights room… but for me (since i’m such a noob) it is mostly that i’ve come to realize that there is something there to be found.
as someone said to me over on the Oly Forum ‘the weights won’t lift themselves’. one day i really will RAWR!!! i’ve got it in me somewhere. pretty sure.
right on alexus!!! I’m jammin out to your squat song ha ha! makes me want to do the charleston with my glowsticks!! word!
i’m so glad squats are getting confyish for you-- they are such a great friend to have! They will treat you well
On the outta gym side I’m a quiet hider too, but in the last few years the personal accomplishment that no body else see but me in the gym has really helped carry over into my normal life. an oomph of confidence and just happiness,seems like you’ve gotten that too!
and my god is it difficult for me to workout with partners or more then myself–props to you for being able to do that! and you did well!failed then got that 37.5
Alexus, it’s awesome you’re getting so much out of this. I know just how you feel! =D I think snatches and squats have magical powers I look back at myself a couple of years ago and I was a different person so it thrills me to hear you’re feeling that too. I’m still pretty shy at times but yet I’m fairly assertive now.
I think I’ve always had that in me but now I wear it and allow it. One day if I’m feeling brave I’ll go into more detail in my log of where I’ve come but it’s really a life changing sort of thing.
nourish it well and there should be no reason it doesn’t grow.
you will discover you can use this power in other spheres of your life.
much good to come from this.
pretty stoked, actually, since it is autumn / fall here and pretty much everyone is coming down with something - and i haven’t gotten properly sick yet!
right on alexus!!! I’m jammin out to your squat song ha ha! 
I look back at myself a couple of years ago and I was a different person so it thrills me to hear you’re feeling that too. I’m still pretty shy at times but yet I’m fairly assertive now.