More Squat Snatch Progress

Tuesday February 3, 2009

I woke up this morning with a slight muscle pull on the lower left side of my back. I took a long hot bath and followed that up with a Chiropractic adjustment. I was fine until the early afternoon when my back started to ache when sitting at my desk at work. I popped two ibuprofen and that seemed to do the job and allowed me to train in the evening.

Evening Olympic Lifting Session:

Z-Health: Neural Warm-up Level 2 (Dynamic Joint Mobility Drills)

Snatch, Snatch Pull, OH Squat and Snatch Balance (kg):
20 x 5 x 5 OH Squat
30 x 2 x 3 Snatch + 2 x Snatch Balance
35 x 2 x 3 Snatch + 2 x Snatch Balance
40 x 3 x 3 Snatch + OH Squat + Snatch Balance
45 x 3 x 2 Snatch + OH Squat
50 x 3 x 2 Snatch + OH Squat
55 x 2 x 3 Snatch
60 x 3 x 2 Snatch (PR)
65 x 2 x 2 Snatch (PR) + 3 misses
50 x 1 x 3 Snatch
75 x 4 x 4 Snatch Pull

Romanian Deadlift (kg)
90 x 1 x 5
100x 2 x 5
110 x 2 x 5

Bar-only High Snatch Balance
20 x 1 x 5

All the extra OH squat and snatch balance work has paid dividends as my squat snatch really hit a groove. After doing my first snatch with 60kg for a PR, I repeated it five more times. Then I went for 65kg. Missed it by a little bit my first time, then hit and then missed it twice more. Wanting to end on a good note, my Coach had me drop back down to 50kg and these were almost effortless .. only two weeks ago, I couldn't consistently snatch 50kg.

As for the snatch pulls here are some key points I need to work on:

• The lift off and 2nd snatch pull position should be identical to that of the full snatch .. my hips were not back far enough during the snatch pulls
• The weight needs to be on the heels before starting the pull
• The hips should thrust upward not forward .. when done properly the hips will hit the bar
• The focus should be on full extension without using any arm pull at all. If done correctly, the elbows will bend due to the continued acceleration upward of the bar.
  

After the RDLs I did a set of bar only high snatch balances. Here the bar is held with the snatch grip at chest height with elbows bent and over the bar. Then one explodes down under the bar using the hips into a full squat while extending the arms to lockout. Even with the just the bar these must be done very explosively to under get quick enough .. there is no pressing with arms at all .. it is a drill to get comfortable dropping quickly under the bar.

One of the things I noticed was that I was very relaxed tonight. In particular, my arms were very loose (the coaching cue being " arms likes ropes") and for the first time my right elbow was not sore during or after the session. In all this was probably the best session to date .. I know I can continue to build on it.

Weight: 183 lbs
Total Volume: 14200 lbs

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Diet and Nutrition:

Goal: 182 lbs

Tuesday February 3, 2009

Current: 183 lbs

Yesterday was the third consecutive day of 100% complaint and another 1/4 lb drop. Today I was also 100% compliant.

Caloric Consumption log:

Breakfast:

• One bowl of kitchari (yellow mung beans, brown Basmati rice, sweet potato and various exotic Indian spices)
  
• One bowl of u-waved frozen peas
  
• 4oz of roasted chicken
• Small handful of raw cashews and walnuts

Mid Morning snack:

• Small handful of roasted almonds
  
• One bowl of u-waved frozen peas
• 4 oz of canned Salmon
  
• 8 raw baby carrots

Lunch:

• One large bowl of pasta-less spaghetti (90/10 free range beef)
• One banana
• One handful of raw cashews and almonds
• 6 raw baby carrots
  

Afternoon snack

• One apple
• 6 raw baby carrots
• One of u-waved frozen peas
• One handful of roasted almonds

Post Session Dinner:

• Whey protein shake (24 g)
  
• 10 raw baby carrots
• Handful of cashews
• Handful of roasted almonds
• 4 0z of roasted chicken
• 1/3 u-waved sweet potato
• One bowl of u-waved frozen peas