105kg rack jerk

The sessions detailed below correspond to 80% periodization. Its actually a little lighter as I took five days to recover from last Saturday's 100kg c&j PR.

Today I completely surprised myself with 5kg improvement on my rack jerk (off jerk boxes) with a new PR of 105kg. Witnesses and in particular, Coach Denis Reno, said it was good lift with no press-out. Honestly I don't remember how it got overhead.

Six months ago the jerk was my worst lift. Since building and utilizing the jerk boxes, all of the Olympic weightlifters at the Excel Sport and Fitness club have greatly benefited from them. The benefits derive from there being no energy wasted with negatives to re-rack. All that is needed to re-rack successive reps is a concentric quarter squat. Although there are some lifters who have no problem doing negatives off squat racks, they reek havoc on my elbows and wrists.

The gentlemen pictured standing besides a set of jerk boxes above is a recent photo I found of Olympian Mike Karchut, a phenomenal 82kg lifter and American record holder, who represented the US in the 1972 Summer Olympics. Many lifters of his generation and later claimed his lifting technique was a thing of beauty to watch and inspired them to take up this great sport.

Monday, January 11 2010

Evening Back Squat Session in Basement Dungeon

Back Squat (kg):

50 x 1 x 5

70 x 1 x 4

80 x 1 x 3

85 x 1 x 3

These were murder .. Saturday's heavy c&j session has left me depleted.

Tuesday, January 12 2010

Evening Olympic Lifting Session at Excel Fitness and Sports

Z-Health Neural Warmup Level II Dynamic Joint Mobility

Snatch (kg):

40 x 1 x 3

50 x 1 x 3

50 x 1 x 2

55 x 1 x 2

60 x 1 x 2 2-NoLift

60 x 1 x 2 1-NoLift

60 x 1 x 2 2-NoLift

60 x 3 x 2

Snatch Lift-Off (kg)

70 x 2 x 4

80 x 3 x 3

BNPP (kg)

50 x 1 x 3

70 x 1 x 3

80 x 1 x 3 2-NoLift

50 x 1 x 3

60 x 1 x 3

70 x 1 x 3

80 x 1 x 3 2-NoLift

75 x 1 x 3

80 x 1 x 3

81 x 1 x 3 1-NoLift

Concentric Front Squat from the Hole (lbs)

95 x 4

135 x 2

185 x 1

205 x 1

Thursday, January 14 2010

Afternoon Olympic Lifting Session in Basement Dungeon

Snatch Liftoff (kg):

50 x 1 x 2

Snatch (kg):

50 x 1 x 3

Clean and Jerk (kg):

50 x 1 x 2

70 x 1 x 2

80 x 1 x 2

Back Squat (kg):

60 x 1 x 5

82.6 x 1 x 5

94 x 4 x 5

100 x 1 x 5

Push Press (kg):

50 x 1 x 3

60 x 1 x 3

Saturday, January 16 2010

Afternoon Olympic Lifting Session at Excel Fitness and Sport

Z-Health Neural Warmup Level II Dynamic Joint Mobility

Clean and Jerk (kg):

50 x 1 x 3

60 x 1 x 3

70 x 1 x 3

80 x 5 x 3

Back Squat (kg):

60 x 1 x 5

90 x 1 x 2

100 x 1 x 2

110 x 1 x 2

113 x 5 x 2

100 x 1 x 6

A volume PR with five sets of triples with 80kg c&j. Also this is the first time I've doubled back-squated 113. They were very difficult but I know this is how I will get stronger.

Sunday, January 17 2010

Afternoon Olympic Lifting Session at Excel Fitness and Sport

Z-Health Neural Warmup Level II Dynamic Joint Mobility

Snatch (kg):

40, 50, 60 x 2

65 x 3 1-Nolift

65 x 2

70 x 3 2-Nolift

Rack Jerks off Jerk B0xes (kg):

50,60,70,80,90 x 2

100 x 1

105 x 1 PR

Walking Lunges (lbs)

45, 95 OH

135, 145

Since the beginning of the year I have been adding in a fourth session each week. These tend to be much lighter with a focus on the jerk, push press, push jerk work. Also as my work sets are getting relatively heavier, I tend to do far less reps and sets with lighter weights to save my energy for the work sets. This has been working as my technique although needing more improvement is stable enough to continue progressing.

I posted my snatch video on goheavy and received some good feedback. Mainly that my hips are coming up a bit fast so they need to start a little higher. Its believed that this causes me to jump backward to compensate with my upper torso.

Richard Maloon another master lifter at the club pointed out that when I miss a snatch it correlates to the bar being far in front on my feet during the 1st pull. I did try to correct for this towards the end of my snatches but there was not enough time to really determine its effectiveness.

I spoke with Coach Denis Reno and he believes that if I can get my chest and shoulders over the bar from the beginning and for as long as possible during the 2nd pull as well, most of my issues will correct automatically .. he is also a big believer in starting with the bar as close as possible. Its only been the last three weeks that I have made an effort to keep my chest and shoulders over the bar and I believe I'm seeing good results .. more consistency is required though.