Smolov: Week 1, Days 1 & 2

I started the Smolov base cycle this week. It consists of: Day 1 = 70%1RM x 4 x 9, Day 2 = 75% x 5 x 7, Day 3 = 80% x 7 x 5, and Day 4 = 85% x 10 x 3. I started this after a week of relatively no training. The reason I am doing this program is obviously to increase my squat, but also because I tweaked my elbow in the OH state meet...so I'll be giving my elbow some much needed rest for this cycle. I am still doing the weightlifting movements, but they are very low intensity and volume. It will be very interesting to see how my body adapts to this very new training stimulus. I have squatted up to 4 days/wk before, but that was a mix of back and front squats. This time it is all back squats. Train hard, train smart!

Time Well Spent

I often wonder why I enjoy being in the same gym day-in and day-out, over and over again. Sometimes it may be because I am in a great training cycle and I feel like just being around the weights and the stronger lifters increases my performance. These are times when you can't go wrong with whatever you are doing, whether it be your training regimen, diet, or sleep patterns. Everything seems to be on key. On the other hand, I've been injured a time or two in the past year, yet seem to have the same feeling towards being in the gym. I want to be there, whether I can perform up to my standards or not. Then I realize....I want to be there because I enjoy seeing others succeed. Not only to see them succeed, but to also see them strive for success, which is all the better. This is especially true when you become close with some of the members/trainees within the gym. You may not get to know them outside the gym, but for the couple of hours you spend with them in the gym, you are friends. You want to see each other succeed and push each other to greater heights of performance...beyond anything any of you thought you could ever achieve. THAT is why I spend so much time in the same gym. I want to push others to succeed and I want them to push back!

Changes in Training

So, I just competed in the state meet for Ohio on the 17th and hurt my elbow on my third snatch attempt of 102kg. Whippeeee! :( I was able to finish the meet and actually attempted a PR clean and jerk attempt of 122kg. Because of the elbow injury, I will be taking on a large task in my training. I will be starting the Smolov base program for squats. The problem with this is that my knee actually hurts now for some reason. I've felt this before and it has been something I could train through and eventually disappeared. Hopefully this happens again. Time will only tell, but I am really excited to take on this squat program. My goal is to raise my squat max to 165kg. My elbow should be good to go once this 4-week Smolov program is completed. From there I will begin to focus more one my Olympic lifts. Train hard, train smart!

The Chinese...

Are CRAZY!!!!

It's no wonder that they are so good! I went through a training session today that was similar, but minuscule, in resemblance to their sessions. I snatched and clean and jerked, but did many, many reps. For Snatch, I did (kg x sets x reps): 60x2x4, 70x3x3, 80x3x2, 90x3x1. For C&J, I did: 60x2x4, 80x2x3, 90x1x2, 100x2x2, 110x3x1. I was completely beat after this because the rest was very limited as well. I did all of that in about 55 minutes! It kicked my ass and I complained a little, but I know that it did me some good. My technique felt really tight by the last few sets. Todd saw most of my snatches and said that many of the attempts looked the same, which is really good. I guess I will try this out and see where it gets me in the next few weeks.

Hitting Big Numbers

Today I did another double. The morning session was back squat and snatch. I went up to 150kg for one single, but the money set was 142.5kg. I was to do this for 1+, meaning as many as I could get, basically. I put it up for 3, which was what I intended to do. After the squats were done, I snatched, going up to about 80% for 7 singles. The afternoon session consisted of clean and jerk, hang snatch high pulls, snatch RDLs, and accessory work (abs, pull-ups, etc.). I went up to about 90% in the clean and jerk for 3 singles. I need a lot of work on my clean and jerk. Something happened along the way these past couple months and it's way off right now. Train hard, train smart!

Getting Better

Today I went up to about 80-85% on both classics. I'm still working on the new technique. I know I said I would wait until after states, but why wait to get better at something? All it does is prolong the process. The earlier I can get this down, the sooner I'll have a chance to qualify for the American Open. Tomorrow I have a heavy back squat session in the morning...going up to 143kg for as many as I can muster. I'm hoping for 3, but it is more likely I'll get 2. Train hard, train smart!

BS or No BS?

That is the question! And, of course, if you're a lifter you know what I'm really talking about. Yes, the back squat! Today I trained a double session, if it can really be called that. This is because I only did the back squat in the first session, and snatched and cleaned in the second. I wanted to do more in the second session, but I was just completely leveled from all of the singles I did. I didn't go very heavy, but lifted on short rest. I trained at my friend's (Eric) for the first session. I was on my second week of the second cycle of the 5-3-1, so it was sets of 3. I did 295x4 for my top set. That is definitely a new repetition maximum PR for that weight. My weights keep going up! Train hard, train smart!