I Want It All...

Training Over 35 Lifter
21

[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:

[quote]Dave Rogerson wrote:
I did a bunch of mobility and activation work. The mobility work consisted of various band distraction exercises working on the hip capsule and ankle joints. I also did various glute activation exercise and worked on the bottom position of my squat.

I always feel amazing after doing stuff like this. I could quite easily spend a couple of hours just doing various mobilizations and other such stuff. Actually, speaking of which, there are a few in the gym that seem to do just that and conveniently seem to forget about the hard work, but I digress.

The thing with this stuff is consistency. I’ve made massive inroads over the past couple of years on my mobility, but it really is a full-time job. Mobilizations like this sadly don’t last much after you have done them, if you create new range, you have to strengthen the musculature and tissues in that new range. [/quote]

You will get on like a house on fire with Alexus when she starts posting again. She’s really in to Olympic lifting and all the mobility and activation malarkey.

Please don’t take offence, but I was just wondering why you weigh yourself so often? Did you used to be overweight?

You’re really making me want to start snatching again.[/quote]

Hey Brett,

Nah, no offense taken my man and funny you mention it, I was once actually very, very obese. I think I ended up losing half my bodyweight, but that was years ago when I was a teenager. Anyway, the reason I am weighing myself so regularly at the moment is that I am dieting right now. I put on a few pounds over xmas and I need to lose them. At the end of August I was about 176lb / 80kg. I am a little prone to high blood pressure, so even though I am pretty lean as soon as I start to put weight on it starts to climb, there is also a lot of chronic health problems in my immediate family (diabetes, CHD, etc) and I am asthmatic. So, for health and vanity reasons I would like to stay below the 180lb mark.

I think my days of gracing the Mr Olympia with my presence are probably over…

…, and get snatching. She is a dark mistress: she is indeed very sweet and beautiful, yet fickle and blows hot and cold, and has the ability to get in your head and drive you insane. So be careful what you wish for.

22

Sundaay 27th PM:
went to a group exercise class that is a fusion of yoga, pilates, etc. Was good fun.

Monday 28th AM:

Band stuff + glute work

Power Snatch + Hang Power Snatch

40kg x 2
50kg x 2
60kg x 2
70kg x 1 + 1 (1 from the floor, 1 from the hnag)
75kg x 1 + 1
77.5kg x 1 + 1 x 2

Military Press supersetted with Bent Over Db Row, elbows abducted

worked up to
77.5kg x 4 x 5 (sets x reps)

22.5kg x 10 for each set of presses

23

PM

Power Clean + Power Jerk
worked up to
90Kg x 2 x 2 (just working on power jerk technique, felt mega quick on a couple of rep)

Bench Press, supersetted with Inc DB Row:

worked up to

117.5kg x 4 x 5 (sets x reps)

30kg Dbs x 10 for each set of bench

Just trying to get the hang of the power jerk, it all about dip and drive with this exercise, which i what I need to work on. The bench pres was tough today. I have to lift the bar off from a hook in a shitty position, so I have to do a half-press and pullover to get it in position. Generally this means I am pretty fatigued and out of position before I start my sets. Anyway, 5 x 5 on this next week.

24

Tuesday 29th AM

Snatch + Hang Snatch
40kg x 1 + 1
50kg x 1 + 1
60kg x 1 + 1
70kg x 1 + 1
80kg x 1 + 1
85kg x 1 + 1 x 2 sets
87.5kg x miss hang snatch 2 x
87.5kg x 1

4-count paused squats:
120kg x 3 x 3

I never feel great on Tuesday mornings and had set my goal at 85kg for the snatch exercise. Timing was a little off as I was thinking about the hang snatches before doing the actual first snatch. Anyway, did what I needed to do and wanted to do an extra set at 87.5kg too. Not much time this morning so I was rushed. I’d like to get up to 92.5kg on this in the next few weeks. Should be doable.

Paused squats felt great and I worked on sitting in the bottom and maintain good posture. I also noticed that my weight is a distributed a little wonky (I have nerve damage in my right leg), so the pauses allowed me to work on it.

25

4 ct pause squats sheesh! I have to do 2 count pause squats this morn, and totally agree about the posture and tightness, awesome work in here.

26

[quote]MattyXL wrote:
4 ct pause squats sheesh! I have to do 2 count pause squats this morn, and totally agree about the posture and tightness, awesome work in here.[/quote]

Thanks for the kind words Matty. I love paused squats. I did them a ton when I used to powerlift. I am using a long pause currently to work out a few kinks; mobility, posture and technique, which are problems for me at the minute and I know that when I do pause squats, my lifts shoot up because they allow me to trouble-shoot issues. They are also an awesome concentric strength builder.

27

PM:

Clean + Clean + Jerk
60 x 2 + 1
80 x 2 + 1
100 x 2 + 1
110kg x 2 + 1 x 2 sets
115kg x 2 + 1
117.5kg x 2 + 1

Clean Pull-down
110kg x 3
130kg x 3 x 3

Chinups

BW x 10
BW + 10kg x 10
BW + 20kg x 10
BW + 10kg x 10

Band Hypers
Blue band: 4 x 25

Cleans felt good today. Next week 120 will go, no way I am not making myself do at least 120kg on this next week.

28

[quote]Dave Rogerson wrote:

[quote]MattyXL wrote:
4 ct pause squats sheesh! I have to do 2 count pause squats this morn, and totally agree about the posture and tightness, awesome work in here.[/quote]

Thanks for the kind words Matty. I love paused squats. I did them a ton when I used to powerlift. I am using a long pause currently to work out a few kinks; mobility, posture and technique, which are problems for me at the minute and I know that when I do pause squats, my lifts shoot up because they allow me to trouble-shoot issues. They are also an awesome concentric strength builder.

[/quote]

This is exactly how I found them to be, while harder than regular squats, in a sense they were easier as I did not rush any cues and my form was pretty damn good because of it.

29

I also used to deadlift with a pause at the mid-shin, again, like paused squats they seem to work issues out in form. I found that with the paused DL, my ability to grind really improved and my posterior chain and ab strength really improved. I think that Mike programs these from time to time. If you get chance to do them, you will see what I mean. Using this technique I got my pull up over 260kg, that and band-work.

I’ve adopted similar strategies now with my weightlifting, for example, pausing on my snatches and cleans has allowed me work out form issues on my pull.

30

Wednesday 30th Jan,

Did some light / recovery work:
Paused Front Squats (3-count) 100kg 3 x 3
Sotts Press: 30kg x 8 x 3
Bunch of other stuff not really worth typing out.

Thursday 31st Jan
AM

Power Snatch + Hang Power Snatch:
40 x 1 + 1
50 x 1 + 1
60 x 1 + 1
70 x 1 + 1
75 x 1 + 1 x 2 sets
77.5kg x 1 + 1
80kg x 1 + 1 (PR)

Power Snatch
82.5kg x 1
85kg x 1
87.5kg x 1
90kg x 1 (equal all-time PR)

Military Press supersetted with Bent over DB Row:
50kg x 5
70kg x 5
80kg x 5
85kg x 5 (goal for today)
80kg x 5

DB Rows were done at 25kg for 8-10 in between each set of pressing.

Great morning so far. Really happy with the power snatches and just as happy with getting 85kg for 5 on the standing press. The 85kg was a 10 RPE though, so I may not be able to progress it next week. I will decide what I will do after I have benched today.

31

PM:

Power Clean + Power Jerk:
60,80,90, 100kg x 1

Power Clean:
110kg x 1
120kg x miss (caught too low and rode down)
120kg x miss(not enough height)

Bench Press:
60,80,100,110 kg x 5
125kg x 6 (contemplated 7 but decided not to, only needed 5 reps)
120kg x 6

Deadstop Db Rows:
worked up to 50kg x 15 reps

1arm Db Upright rows:
17.5kg, 20kg, 22.5kg x 10

Pretty good training day today. Happy with power snatch and presses. The 120 power clean is not there yet, I don’t quite have the hip drive. The pull itself is fine (as it should be, I am a natural deadlifter), I just couldn’t quite accelerate it up as I need to. It will go soon.

Interested to see how I fair tomorrow. My recovery is awesome at the minute, I feel like I can train all day every day, but usually when I have sessions like this the next day are not quite as good.

32

Friday 1/02/2013

Squats:
up to
135kg x 5
130kg x 5
125kg x 5

Snatch:
40, 50, 60, 70, 80kg x 1

Moved my feet in a little at the start which makes me move my feet out to receive the bar. Feels a but strange and definitely not as stable as with a wider stance, it may take me a little while to get used to this. Anyway, heavy session later on today.

33

PM

Frustrating one tonight, technique felt really off however I felt strong and the weights felt light in my hands. Days like this are a bit infuriating with weightlifting; the strength is clearly there but some alteration in position or precision compromises the lifts, making you miss when you can easily catch the bar.

Anyway,

Snatch:
worked up 85kg
90kg x 2 misses
90kg x 1
95kg x 2 misses
99kg x lots of misses

Some of the misses at 99 were so close it was agonizing. I kept missing the bar behind tonight, which generally indicates plenty of pulling strength, and on 2 of my misses I caught the bar and stood up to mid-point but the momentum forced me back, causing me to fall and smack my head on the wall behind. Anyway, tried to do this a few times tonight but it just wouldn’t go.

Clean and Jerk:
Up to 120kg x 1

These felt similarly dodgy. I called it a day at this point as I was getting too frustrated with how the weights felt.

Snatch Dead-pull from deficit:
worked up to 140kg x 3 with 2 pauses (shin and knee)

Band Hypers:
4x 15

Chinups:
BW x 8
12kg x 8
16kg x 8
22kg x 8

Curls: a few sets

Frustrated.

34

Sunday 3rd Feb:

Today was what I call a bargaining day; the kind of day where you bargain with yourself: just done one more set and then your done (repeat as many times as necessary till you finish your session).

Paused Snatch + Hang Snatch:
40,50,60,70,80kg x 1+ 1
85kg x miss,
85kg x 1+1
87.5kg x miss x 2
87.5kg x 1 + 1 (just remembered how to hang snatch, weirdly this felt great)
90kg x miss x 2 (missed the 1st lift 2 x and had a bit of an accident)
90kg x 1 + 1 (PR): FUGLy rep

Paused Cleans:
60 x 2
80 x 2
100 x 2
110 x miss
110 x 2, stopped there

Front Squats:
60, 80, 100 x 3
110kg x 3
115kg x 3
120kg x 3

Snatch Pull-down / Chinese Pulls:

100kg x 3 x 3

Barbell Hip Thrusts:
110kg x 4 x 20 - 25

Dumbell Pullovers (2DBs together)
10kg (each arm) x 4 x 15

Today felt pretty bad despite the fact that I made a rep PR of sorts. Although I felt mentally fresh and ready to roll, I physically felt stiff, slow and technically poor. Contrast this to Friday where I felt strong and powerful but technically off. I sometimes feel stiff and sluggish the day after a day off but today was an indicator that I need to back off a little and get some quality reps in. I’ve had 2 sessions where I felt that my technique has regressed for the sack of loading, so for the next session of two I want to make sure that I am getting mostly quality work in and a bit more volume. If I feel OK, I may try for a PR but not at the expense of efficient movement.

Had a nasty rep on the Paused Snatches today. On my top weight I caught one of the reps forward and saved it, but when I brought the bar down to do the hang snatch, it crashed into my left quad. It took about 20 mins for the pain to subside. I actually made the next set (I have no idea how), but had to call it a day. It felt pretty bad on cleans and squats after that. I get the feeling I will have a nasty bruise over the next couple of days.

35

Monday 4th AM:

Power Snatch + Hang Power Snatch:
40,50,60,70 75kg x 1 + 1
80kg x 1 + 1 x 4 sets

Military Press:
worked up to
77.5kg 5 x 5 (last rep on the last set was a massive grinder)

supersetted with

Bent over DB Row:
22.5kg x 10 for each set of pressing.

Power snatches felt OK. Will keep things a little lighter for next couple of days on my weightlifts, I’ve got a couple of technical things I want to iron out before I start loading up again.

Power cleans and bench press later.

36

PM/ afternoon

Bench Press:
Worked up to
117.5kg x 4 x 5 (sets x reps)

Incline DB Row (supersetted with bench)
30 - 35kg for 10s

Pressdowns:
3 sets 20 reps

Power Cleans:
60,80,90kg x 2
100kg x 2
110kg x 1, 1
90kg x 2
100kg x 2

Trained a little earlier than normal (during a lunch break, not after work) and my shoulders were pretty smashed and still very fatigued from the morning. There was no way I would have made 5 x 5 on bench today so I shut it down after 4 sets. Power cleans were OK but I had to do them at the end and I was pretty fatigued and tired by this point.

37

Tuesday:

Got to work really late due to a downpour of snow and did not have time to do my training. Probably a good thing really as I thought about at least doing something this morning nd maybe splitting my exercises up over Tues/Wed (Wednesday is a light / recovery day for me). So I started to warm up and noticed that felt pretty crappy. A good indicator for me is that if I cant warm up and get loose, that I probably need to take a day off. Shakira said that hips don’t lie and for me its true. I am not sure whether its some form of neural tightness or excess inflammation but when my hips are locked in and wont ease off when I warm up, its probably best I don’t do much.

So,as soon as I lifted the bar I knew that I was not really ready to train today, so I did a bunch of light snatches and figured out where my snatch had been going a little wrong. For me, if my start position is too far back, it causes all manner of problems (which is what had been happening the past few sessions).

There would have been a time where taking an unplanned day off would have made me so mad and frustrated, but I think as I am getting older I can accept when I need to chill. It was probably the kiss of death when I said I felt that i was recovering really well. Lol.

38

[quote]Dave Rogerson wrote:
There would have been a time where taking an unplanned day off would have made me so mad and frustrated, but I think as I am getting older I can accept when I need to chill. [/quote]

Nice.

Cool stuff on the paused squats and deads…I’m not man enough to try it yet, but someday.

39

You should try them Sen, they are real strength builders. Weirdly, I find that they build strength and speed. Because of the isometric components, they build rate of force development if you lift as explosively as you can, but because of the pauses, you have to control posture a ton and learn to feel heavy weight. So, you get a ton of intramuscular tension too.

Really underestimated and underutilized.

40

Thursday 7th

Am:
Power Snatch + hang power snatch:

40, 50, 60, 70, 75kg x 1+1
80kg x 1 + 1 x 2 sets
82.5kg x 1 + 1 (PR) x 3 sets

Military Press:
worked up to
87.5kg x 3,
supersetted with DB Row
22.5 - 25kg x 10

Bench Press:
worked up to

130kg x 3

1 arm DB Row:
up to 50kg x 20

PM:
Power Cleans:
up to
110kg x 5 x 1 (sets x reps)

Tues and Wed were a right off. Thought I would give 87.5kg a whirl on the military press. I knew I would only get 3 after last week, but hoped to sneak out 4. I was pretty fatigued when I benched today and was a little disappointed with how heavy 130 felt, but still, I have no spotter and the weights generally felt heavy.

Power cleans were pretty good today. I am trying to get some reps in on my weightlifting so I wont be maxing out much (at least thats the plan). Tomorrow I will smash out a ton of singles, hope to get 12 reps + on 85% + weights for Snatch and Clean and Jerk.

I have squats to look forward to in the morning.

Joy.