Do any of you lift (do the olympic lifts) at a gym without bumper plates?
Starting in September I will no longer have access to the gym with bumper plates and will be working out solely for 6-12 months at the 24 hour fitness 5 minutes from me.
They have 2 squat racks luckily and it’s one that never gets packed.
I’m guessing I have a few options, but looking to see what others have done.
Option 1 - Make strength a true priority for now. Just keep technique intact by using weights on the classic lifts I know I can lower and hit any day any time no matter how I’m feeling. (currently 155 snatch, 190 c&J)
Option 2 - Use Option 1, but incorporate some true assistance exercises since I cant add weight to the Classic lifts. So incorporate Front squats, clean/snatch pulls, overhead squat, jerks from the squat cage (instead of blocks).
Option 3 - Get strong as fuck and just use the barbell for basic technique work for the olympic lifts so you don’t completely forget them.
I do some shitty cleans and I do jerks from time to time. In my experience (with heavier cleans at least) you just have to limit the sets and weights because you have to account for the wear and tear your joints will have catching the bar instead of dropping it. Hopefully someone else can chime in as well.
Hopefully man. I think I might be better served just using the bar for technique work or never going over 135 for either lift and just putting all my focus back on strength. Since it’ll be the fall/winter time, I think it might finally be time to really get after some strength goals.
NOTES: Hit a Back Squat PR, brought back Pendlay Rows, was flying on dips, bb curls are nice, and have never done so many overhead squats. My upper-back and core DEFINITELY feel it. Went home and napped for 1 hour and then ate a big bowl of chicken and potatoes and a salad that contained spinach, avocado, tomato and cucumber!!
WORKOUT DURATION: 58 minutes → Going to start adding this section to keep myself accountable. More work in less time dammit!!
I think I want to go back to only using 45’s, 25’s, and 10’s. I was making tremendous progress and the 1 thing I’ve never done that would be good for me is to push the reps sometimes.
All types of reps ranges, sets and angles man. I feel like back work is something you have to figure out yourself. I know some guys who train back heavy and twice a week, some that train light and once a week, etc. I like going really heavy on rows sometimes, and going super high rep on them other times. It really is (to me) one of those exercises you really have to experiment with to find the best combination.
Going forward I’m only going to use 45’s, 25’s, 10’s (Thanks @flipcollar) and start pushing the reps and sets. I do agree that a person should OWN the weight before moving up in weight. What better way to do that than increase the volume!
JERK FROM RACK
185x2
185x2
205x1
205x1
205x1
185x2
185x2
CLEAN PULL
225x5
225x5
225x5
NOTES: Decided to focus on the clean & jerk today in their separate parts. After this meet my training and goals are actually about to shift pretty dramatically because of life changes.
They feel fine man lol. I mean I can feel them, but not like the DOMS I use to get. I think all the snatching (overhead squat) and cleans (front squat) have strengthened my abs pretty well where I don’t get that soreness anymore. I’ll be starting to add those decline weighted situps soon enough those. Those ALWAYS get me sore as shit lol.
So I’ve been thinking about this for a quite a while. But after this meet in 3.5 weeks I’m going to change how I train.
I’m about to shift my focus into becoming a CIO of a company. Obtaining all the technical, business, financial, and managerial skills that I will need to make it happen. This will take HUGE amount of investment of time and energy over the course of the next 5 years. I will be challenging myself to get to that position without an MBA. So basically it’s all on me to make this happen. My wife will probably do law school next year,so we will both be very busy and busting our asses for the next 3-5 years to set us up for long term success.
With this being the case it’s made me REALLY think long and hard about what do I want out of working out. I think if I’m being honest with myself it is basically to be “strong” enough for myself. I want to get to a level of strength that I can basically MAINTAIN for decades. I definitely don’t want to make the same mistake I did before and that was to stop lifting all together. I will NEVER make that mistake again.
That’s awesome man. Congrats on setting a good steep goal and and knowing what it’s going to take to get there. That is very admirable.
I think putting that at the forefront of your priorities is a very wise decision. The iron game is an addicting one and can take over other aspects of your life if you aren’t careful. That’s no excuse to get fat, but no need to chase extreme size or strength as that obviously takes significant time investment with training and nutritional focus.
Thanks man appreciate that! You know I think training finally gave me that boost of confidence that I know I can become a CIO. I’ve learned how to set short terms goals and long term goals and how to get after it. I’ve learned how to use “blocks” to work on something specific. I’ve even learned how to adapt on the fly when life comes at you. It’s definitely showed me how to prioritize. I think there is a lot of skills I’ve learned by just training that will transfer over to the business world quite well!!!
Once this meet is over, I’m thinking I’m going to transition to a split like this so I don’t have to think anymore. Well see once I’m done with the meet and then see where my head is at. I might even go really basic. I need to be able to finish my within an 1 hour start to end. That will be my goal. Lots of super-setting!
DAY 1(Volume Squat, Intensity OHP, Volume BB Rows)
Back Squat
Overhead Press
BB Row
Chin Ups, Dips, Leg Raises
DAY 2(Moderate Squat, Volume Bench Press, Intensity Deadlift)
SNATCH
155x2
155x2
175x1
175x1 185x1 (Fuckin PR!!! Hit my first Big Goal!) 185x1 (Did it again!) 185x1 (Did it again!)
155x3
SNATCH PULL
205x5
205x5
205x5
NOTES: Great session!!! Hit my first big goal of a 185 Snatch! Snatches felt so snappy today. Olympic lifting is tough. Technique is such a big thing. If you are even 1cm off you can throw off the whole lift. The 185 felt so easy, and I think because my technique was so dialed in.
