I have to say that I am enjoying my training more in the last few weeks than I have in the last several years. Training for Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting at the same time keeps me excited and not bored. It’s like a big puzzle that I am putting together daily.
I have a 15 week plan that I am sticking to about 70% of the time. I am giving myself room to go off the script when I feel good, and to take a day off if I am feeling wrecked. I believe that is the reason that this plan is working so well. I want to go heavy when I feel it. The reason is that my body is capable of such a high level, and right now I am way off that mark. My body is going to take weekly gains until I am at around 90% of that level, and then things will slow down. Then I will stick to my program even more, and that is when the real Grind starts.
Yesterday was probably the best training session that I have experienced in several years. Here is what I did:
Snatch from Box: 110k/242lbs x 3 reps (that’s a rep PR)
Back Squats: 256k/565lbs x 3reps (rep PR)
DL from Box bar below knee- 725lbs x 3reps (PR)
Bench to Chest Paused 365×1 (PR)
2 Board Bench- 425 x 1
Bench to chest Paused 370×1 (PR)
Here’s the video:
Now these are comeback PRs, not all-time of course. Notice how I benched 365, then did the 2 Board, then I PRed again with 370lbs. The 370lbs was easier than the 365lbs. The contrast training works for me like nothing else. I think the board pressing by itself is useless, but when you add the sets to the chest, it’s Gold.
One of the biggest challenges is the multi-rep Snatches. I fractured a cervical vertebrae in 2007, and my radial nerve in my left arm has been compromised ever since. Stabilizing the weight overhead is a real challenge after that first rep. I finally hit the 110k/3 after three times of missing the third rep. I just need more work with overhead strengthening, and some overhead endurance like Overhead walks.
This is the beauty of training Powerlifting with Olympic Weightlifting. There is always something to work on, and all the while you have to consider how one affects the other. I believe that more 5 lift meets should be promoted. Only then can we find out who the strongest athlete really is. The combination of strength, power, speed, mobility, and athletic awareness makes the complete strength athlete.
Come to the Bar Slamming Festival Aug. 30-31 in Statesville, NC if you want a 5 lift meet, just Oly, or just powerlifting. Basically it’s going to be all things jacked. There will even be a CrossFit section that is more Barbell in nature. Maybe next year, I will add the CrossFit element to my training and competition as well.
Check me out at the end of the month in Rhode Island at my Learn 2 Lift Seminar, to find out more go to www.MashElite.com/seminars. Mash Elite Summer Camp goes down in July, to find out more go to: http://www.mashelite.com/summer-camp/. Join the Attitude Nation Online Team at http://www.mashelite.com/join-the-online-team/.