NewWorldMan's Learning Olympic Lifting Log

Training Over 35 Lifter
81

[quote]Carl Darby wrote:
I used to be able to do that, attempt maxes in both snatch and C&J in the same day, 4 times a week. I could last 3 or 4 weeks before collapsing. Anymore, once a week in each lift is about all I can handle. Keep it up. This has worked well for me when I backed off in time.[/quote]

Carl,

I am following Michael Hartman’s 8 week contest prep. The first three weeks were volume work, these next 3 are maximal, then two weeks taper (3/x@ sub max) to the meet.

Being new, I’ve not maxed more than once/week while trying to ‘learn’ the lifts with lots of singles around 85%.

My snatch/cleans (full squat) are very low in comparison to my ‘slow’ lifts - so I suppose I’m not getting a maximal training effect from just the snatch/clean and that may lead to being able to train at max more often until those numbers start to go up.

I think I can handle 4x/week and multiple maxes for a short cycle. Most likely, I will go back to 3x/week and maxing only once. I really need to work on my jerk, at this point my clean seems to be way ahead of my jerk.

82

Snatch:
bar work
43/2
52/1
61/1
68/1
73/1
75/1
77/1
80/x,x,x

Clean & Jerk:
52/2+1
61/1
70/1
80/1
86/1
91/1
96/clean|missed the jerk recovery
98/clean|missed the jerk

Squat:
105/2
125/2
137/2

Snatch Pull:
70/2x2
Clean Pull:
84/2x2

weights converted from lbs to kilos to keep log easier to read/compare workouts.

Doc Hartman suggested dropping the second session (supposed to be 5x2@85% squat/5x2@90 snatch and clean pulls) for recovery due to my age.
I added a few squats and pulls to try to keep the volume up.

Day off tomorrow, back at it Thursday - could it be the elusive 80/100 will fall in 48 hours…

83

[quote]NewWorldMan wrote:

Day off tomorrow, back at it Thursday - could it be the elusive 80/100 will fall in 48 hours…[/quote]

Hope this turns out to be true.

84

[quote]Carl Darby wrote:

[quote]NewWorldMan wrote:

Day off tomorrow, back at it Thursday - could it be the elusive 80/100 will fall in 48 hours…[/quote]

Hope this turns out to be true.[/quote]
Saturday, I meant Saturday. Thursday is work up to 90-95%, then 80, 85, 90 again then front squat up to 2 RM.

85

Week 4 Day 3
Struggling with concentration/motivation tonight…
Snatch:
started w/bar work and worked up to 165lbs (94%) then 80,85,90%. Missed my second snatch @ 115 - DOH - actually threw it behind me!
The >80% lifts all felt good.

Clean & Jerk:
worked up to 195 and missed the jerk! Then, 175,185,and 195 (missed the last jerk again) - more mental than physical - busy day - distractions -etc.

Front Squat:
240/2
253/2

Re:the jerks → My plan was trying to have faster feet and drive under the bar. I ended up taking a long break between the 175 and 195 and lost my focus. I was able to grind through the clean, but the lack of focus and perhaps cooling down was my downfall. NEED TO HAVE MORE FOCUS/DISCIPLINE WHEN I WORKOUT!

86

“NEED TO HAVE MORE FOCUS/DISCIPLINE WHEN I WORKOUT!”

I agree. Because of the time between attempts in competition, I rarely take more than 2 minutes between attempts in training when I’m doing singles. In a competition, a high pull at a weight near my next attempt is enough to keep me warmed up when it takes longer. The quick succession of lifts keeps me focused and ready.

87

End of week 4/start of week 5 prep…
Saturday AM was feeling good and ready to have at it…
SNATCH: worked up to 77.5 and missed all three attempts; last make was the prior at 72.5. Pulling good, just not getting under - cracked my head on the first miss @ 77.5 - never done that before - I guess I’m now inaugurated into the company of many others who knock the noggin’…
CLEAN & JERK: did some bar work for the jerk to get the feet moving.
Worked up to 90 then cleaned 92.5 and 95 (missed both jerks).

MONDAY - feeling really good and finally back to the barbell club w/other lifters and a club coach!
SNATCH:I’ve been slowly tweaking my ‘approach’ weights (the ones in the 75–85% range) to try and find the sweet spot between being warmed up and worn out :smiley:
did a series @ 40 (after bar work) then a double @ 50
single @ 60
then 66,72.5, 77,5 (had been doing 65,70,75) - was told that my 77.5 was the best looking attempt this particular observer had seen me make!
SO…
81 went over and up well - took a moment to make sure I had it gathered in the bottom receiving position. Standing up with this is easy, the pulls have been good (according to others), I’ve just been a little slow getting under and a little soft catching.

81 is a snatch PR for me! -
Missed 83 - almost lost it behind me - club coach said I lopped it.
Back down to 60,64,68,72, and 75 - all felt good and fast.

CLEAN & JERK:
50,60,75,87.5 all good
96 - good clean - missed the jerk
101 - good clean - missed the jerk (not even a good jerk attempt - psychological?)
Back down to 75,80,85, 90 - the 85 and 90 jerks were finally solid (this may need to be the weight range I need to rep out the jerks to get my confidence/technique back)

BACK SQUAT (tired, so this is where it took some will power)
110/1 (warm up)
140/2
145/2
150/2
155/1

Maybe I can get 82.5 and finally jerk 100 or greater this week. Not sure how the fatigue will accumulate during this second ‘maximal’ week.

No injuries and still eager to get back at it tomorrow - so far, so good…

Thanks Doc Hartman!

/promise some videos soon.

88

Hit a PR on the snatch last night - let’s see what tonight has in store:
SNATCH:
bar work
95(lbs)/multi-position snatches
115/1
135/1
150/1
160/1
165/x
170/1
175/x
CLEAN AND JERK:
115/1+2
135
155
175
190
200
210/ clean + jerk miss
did some remedial jerk doubles from the rack with 135.

Vids of the snatch misses and a couple jerks - please offer feedback:

89

end of week 5: days 3 & 4

Thursday:
Snatch - worked up to 93% of Monday’s new PR max.
Clean and Jerk - worked up to 93% of training max.
Front Squat - did doubles up to a PR double @ 119kg

Saturday AM:
Snatch - warm up sequence, then worked up to to misses @ 96%, also missed one and made one @ 93% on the way up.
Clean and Jerk: did 1+2 @ 52% then singles up to 95% - jerks were soft/pressout on the last two so I stopped.

Maybe I’m not doing enough reps on my max days, but I only seem to be mentally stressed and not physically stressed from these last two weeks.

Let’s see what week 6 brings - I know I had a GREAT workout Monday this week and then so-so the rest of the week.

90

First, congratulations on the 81kg pr snatch. You will be pushing me before too long. On the videos, it mostly looks pretty good, but it seems sluggish after the second pull. You may be bending your elbows prematurely, (the second snatch video seemed to show this, but not the others) you may be hanging on to the pull too long, or you may not be aggressive enough pulling under. same with the jerk, looks like you just need to be more aggressive pushing under, maybe push your chest and shoulders forward. At least that’s what I see. Keep working hard, its coming along.

91

[quote]Carl Darby wrote:
First, congratulations on the 81kg pr snatch. You will be pushing me before too long. On the videos, it mostly looks pretty good, but it seems sluggish after the second pull. You may be bending your elbows prematurely, (the second snatch video seemed to show this, but not the others) you may be hanging on to the pull too long, or you may not be aggressive enough pulling under. same with the jerk, looks like you just need to be more aggressive pushing under, maybe push your chest and shoulders forward. At least that’s what I see. Keep working hard, its coming along.[/quote]
Thanks Carl! I believe I am tentative with the jerk due to some residual pain in my left shoulder that leaves me reluctant to let go and really drive under and lock the arms out ( I am slowly convincing myself that this is the issue).
As to the snatch, I’ve struggle with finishing the pull when I focus on ‘getting under’ - seems I cheat the pull - more practice I suppose - at least that’s my plan.

Thanks again for the feedback.

Perhaps if I lost 10/15 lbs I MIGHT be a little faster!

92

Day 6 Week 3
did 3 minutes on a bike to warm up the knees. I’ve noticed that my hips get good and loose with leg swings and bar work, but my knees seem to take longer or need more work to get warmed up/loose. So I figured I’d try the bike and see how they feel.

SNATCH(77,80,82,85):
bar work (rdl, hang, squat/push press)
95(lbs)/3
115
135
140
145
150
155
CLEAN & JERK(77,80,82-85%):
bar/3 hang and jerks
115
135
155
165
175
185
SQUAT (80% for 4 singles)
225
260
295/1,1,1,1
will post vids of the last two snatches and last two clean/jerks later…maybe.

93

Very cool vids! I think Oly lifting is the greatest and wish I could do it. You have incredible flexibility. But Oly lifting demands it.

94

[quote]kpsnap wrote:
Very cool vids! I think Oly lifting is the greatest and wish I could do it. You have incredible flexibility. But Oly lifting demands it.[/quote]

Thanks! I’m 6’3" and I’ll be 40 next month, the comment on flexibility is appreciated.
Now if I could just get under the bar faster…

It is a great sport and I’m am disappointed that I didn’t start sooner than 39.

Is there a reason why you say, “wish I could do it”? If you are serious, I am sure you(we) could find a club with a coach not too far from you. As well, Glenn Pendlay - he posts here occasionally, has an excellent video series introducing the snatch and the clean on the Cal Strength Academy site.

NWM

95

Week 6 end:
Snatch:
warm ups with bar and 95lbs
115
135
150
160
170
175
180/x,x,x

The 175 was strong and fast - psyched myself out of the last three PR attempts?

Clean & Jerk:
115 for warm ups
135
155
175
190
200
210 (plan was to work up to 95% on cnj)
Front Squat:
232
242
257

Feeling good…

96

[quote]NewWorldMan wrote:

[quote]kpsnap wrote:
Very cool vids! I think Oly lifting is the greatest and wish I could do it. You have incredible flexibility. But Oly lifting demands it.[/quote]

Thanks! I’m 6’3" and I’ll be 40 next month, the comment on flexibility is appreciated.
Now if I could just get under the bar faster…

It is a great sport and I’m am disappointed that I didn’t start sooner than 39.

Is there a reason why you say, “wish I could do it”? If you are serious, I am sure you(we) could find a club with a coach not too far from you. As well, Glenn Pendlay - he posts here occasionally, has an excellent video series introducing the snatch and the clean on the Cal Strength Academy site.

NWM[/quote]

I actually started lifting doing Oly C&J and got pretty good on the form. Never was able to handle much weight because I’ve never trained anywhere I could drop weights. Then I moved into powerlifting. Really love that. Long story short: tore my shoulder up last spring and doubt that I’ll be able to do C&J or snatch (which I have wanted to learn) because it’s so shoulder intensive. I hope I’m wrong.

Nice work!

97

[quote]NewWorldMan wrote:
Week 6 end:
Snatch:
warm ups with bar and 95lbs
115
135
150
160
170
175
180/x,x,x

The 175 was strong and fast - psyched myself out of the last three PR attempts?

Clean & Jerk:
115 for warm ups
135
155
175
190
200
210 (plan was to work up to 95% on cnj)
Front Squat:
232
242
257

Feeling good… [/quote]

Sho 'nuff easy to get freaked out on a number. I’ve done it/do it. mine’s 170 for snatch - but I have no training and I suck too.

98

[quote]DaCharmingAlbino wrote:

[quote]NewWorldMan wrote:

The 175 was strong and fast - psyched myself out of the last three PR attempts?

[/quote]

Sho 'nuff easy to get freaked out on a number. I’ve done it/do it. mine’s 170 for snatch - but I have no training and I suck too.[/quote]

So, the only difference we have is that I have access to training! :o)

I actually had a guy load the bar for me on one heavy attempt and I stood where I couldn’t see what was loaded (total). Unfortunately, he put way more on the bar than I was capable of - but at least I didn’t worry about the number on the bar!

99

week 7 day 1
Feeling good coming off the ‘maximal’ weeks…
Did a few minutes on a bike to warm up the knees.

SNATCH:
bar work from multi-positions and drop snatches
95(lbs)/2
115/2
135
140
145
150
155
160

CLEAN & JERK:
bar work
115/1+2
135
155
175
185
190
195
( I realized I missed a rep @ 165 - oh well, all the jerks felt crisp and sharp!)

SQUAT:
225
295
330/1,1,1,1

100

Week 7 Day 2

Pretty much by the book…
bike and leg swings to warm up knees and hips.

POWER SNATCH:
Bar work
2 progressive warm up sets
then
4x2@70%
POWER CLEAN & JERK:
bar work
2 progressive warm up sets
then
4x1+2@70%
RDL:
5 sets of 3 @ 205lbs