I was so focused on achieving this I cut out all kettlebell work the last three months to focus exclusively on the competition lifts. I tried to stay mostly with the Joe Mills template but found I could only handle one session a week of it as the weights started to come within 95% of my 1RM in both lifts and I couldn't recover adequately for the next session. Instead I went to doubles and sometimes even triples training of both lifts on the other days staying in the 80-85% range. I also was able to rejoin my Boston Weightlifting club mates (formally Excel Weightlifting) in their new location at TPS in Everett, MA as the commute there is under 50 min compared to the 90+ to get to Norwood. There coaches Ben Fuller, Yasha Kahn and Matt Delaney were quick to help me correct some bad habits I picked up training alone.
Along with making the 83kg snatch record, I matched my 100kg c&j to total 183kg which gave me a 318 Sinclair (first time I ever broke through 300) and enough for first place master in the heavyweight division (85, 94, 105, 105+). To put the new 83kg NE snatch record in perspective the National snatch record for the same age group and weight class, set by world record master's holder and legend Chris Dariotis, is 101kg. If all goes well I might get close to 90kg someday before age catches up. However the point of choosing to attempt to set the New England record was it was a stretch goal for me and still in the real of possibility given where I was as a lifter and the time available. It helped me focus and grow.
Apart from my personal lifting, it was fantastic being a member of the first place team, Boston Weightlifting, as we continued our roll with now three consecutive 1st place team wins.
Having a specific goal to be achieved in a specific time period was fundamental in focusing my training and then meeting that goal. Knowing the power of such a goal, I have committed to a new goal of breaking the New England C&J record of 113kg by the end of 2012 giving me a year and a half to do it. I have already recently cleaned 104 and front squatted 115 so it doesn't seem quite as daunting as when I set the goal a few weeks ago. This time squatting, and in particular, front squatting returns to my training.
Looking back I've come a long way since November of 2008 when I could barely squat snatch 50kg. I hope to be looking back at this day a few years from now and say the same thing! And hey, did I mention that besides hardwork and dedication, its fun!
