Gosh! What a lotta squats!!

[SteelWeaver]

I just bothered to count what I've been doing with my new OL training. I'm doing an average of about 60 sets of squats a week! Wow!

Now, before everyone freaks out about overtraining blah de blah, this includes all warm-ups, and are all different types of squats - front squats, back squats, cleans, snatches, drop snatches, overhead squats, snatch pulls, etc etc. None of them goes to failure, and only about half of them use heavy weights for whatever the lift is.

Anyway, what's amazing is that, except for some aches here and there every now and then - pretty normal stuff - I'm handling it great - and my legs are looking and feeling rather nice

Also, I don't do much else - about once a week I go and do some back and chest, and maybe arm and calf work. And abs of course.

 

[JJFigure]

That IS a lot of squats, but since you're training sport specific, I'm not surprised. Seems like all the OL lifts include some form of squatting.

Are you seeing mass changes in your upper body too? Has your strength been going up? I think last time you wrote about your OL training, you had plateau'd a bit. And how's the diet coming along?

 

[pwr_machine]

I was browsing through my Coaching Manual for USA Weightlifting the other day and noticed that their volume ranges from 120-300 reps per week at different points in the training cycle. I guess that's because it probably includes basic exercises plus all the skill transfer exercises like StealWeaver mentioned earlier. And I like the reference to overtraining blah de blah. I hear that term all too often. Train smart and there is no such thing.

 

[SteelWeaver]

Yes, actually, that's about right pm - we don't do anything above 5 reps for front and back squats, and usually do 3's, doubles and singles on the OL moves.

JJ, no kidding - even snatch pulls, which are basically a deadlift, reeeealllly hit the quads. Everything else , except jerks, involves dropping into a full squat position. I haven't seen much happening in my upper body - traps of course are doing well, lol, but I'm still struggling with strength gains on pull ups and bb rows, even though cable rows and db rows go up. I've gained a bit on chest - I'm sort of finding that the less I train chest, the better I gain strength there. Weird.

As for gains in OL lifts - it seems to go in waves - I did my best ever back squats for 5 a few weeks ago, then the last couple of weeks couldn't even do the same weight for a single. But on Monday I did my best ever front squat, and some beautiful snatches last Friday. My coach has put my back squat weights back down, and says he's going to build me up again. Seems right - I was starting to have mental problems with lifting so heavy, and missing.

Last night, after about 17 sets of complexes - 3 snatches, 3 overhead squats, then 3 drop snatches - and 5 sets of snatch pulls, we did back squats. It's funny - the whole first part of the workout had gone very well, I was feeling good, the moves had all been successful, and nicely executed, and when it came to the back squats, at not maximal weights, but heavy enough after all that other work, and I felt the bar bite into my shoulders, I just had this weird sense of euphoria. It was weird - the sets weren't easy, but I wasn't killing myself, and the feel of the bar, the weight, my hands on it - that feeling summed up everything I feel about lifting. It was so perfect ...

Aaaahhh

Oh, the diet's going fine - I've been too lazy to go down and do cardio, and haven't been super strict, so it's slowed a bit, but 3.5 kilos in 3.5 weeks is fine by me - legs are looking nice, tummy still as squishy as ever. Actually - I just hate cardio in the gym, and am trying to figure out a way to ride my bike without being killed.

How's the PB? Yummmmmm

 

[valerie]

Yeah Steele, I hate the gym cardio deal as well. Just kills me to go to the gym to do it! So I don't. Been hitting the local mountains once a week for a good 8-10 miler.

Lucky you to have a coach. Not a one in my area, have to travel to get to one.

Sounds like your'e having fun, good for you and keep us posted.

 

[JJFigure]

That reminds me - I need to get some PB...I feel like I'm living in the grocery store these days.

Sounds like training is going well - thanks for the update! I've been wondering how OL was working for you.

 

[SteelWeaver]

I'm really loving it. OL is a mental challenge. I mean, before every lift you have to go through this mental check-list - relax arms, slow on the first pull, explode at the second pull, chest up, back flat, stamp feet, land wide, push against the thighs, bar up the legs - you know? There's a lot. I love it. It really helps me focus - but then when you actually start the lift, it's so quick! And jerking weights I know I could never press - that's cool!

Lately I've been forgetting to stamp wide on cleans, and as a consequence have been falling over backward a lot. I nearly gave my coach a heart attack the other day when he was helping someone bench, and I started my lift and fell over backward at the bottom, just in time for him to turn around and see the bar rolling over my head! I couldn't toss it forward, so I flattened myself on the floor, and it jsut rolled over, like an axle ... lol!

Valerie - I would absolutely LOVE to go hiking - the Magaliesberg are really nearby, and the Drakensberg would be a weekend, but first I have to get a gun and learn how to use it. And while that's happening, I have to hurry up and wait for my stupid feet and hip to heal. Somehow I don't hink 60 sets of squats a week is helping the bursitis, now that I think of it ...

I don't even know if the gun thing is a joke or not. It's hard to tell if what people say is simply inflammatory exaggeration, or if it's for real

In the meantime, maybe I'll brave the pool at the gym ... (like I didn't say that weeks ago! ha ha)

 

[valerie]

The gun is for real. I always carry one in my pack. Its a .38 . I have used it on several occaisions to scare of critters, haven't had to kill anything--thank goodness. Actually I'm way more paranoid of people than animals. Would sugg finding one that you are comfortable with and learn how to use it correctly. A good gun dealer should be able to help you. My hubby actually has a gun/pawn shop. I don't overdo the hiking, just once a week is good for me. Gotta keep the old legs sound.

Hey I can come close to falling over backwards w/o doing your complicated lifts. Got a good laugh at the barbell going over your head. Good thinking!

 

[JJFigure]

"Lately I've been forgetting to stamp wide on cleans, and as a consequence have been falling over backward a lot. I nearly gave my coach a heart attack the other day when he was helping someone bench, and I started my lift and fell over backward at the bottom, just in time for him to turn around and see the bar rolling over my head! I couldn't toss it forward, so I flattened myself on the floor, and it jsut rolled over, like an axle ... "

OHG! Hope you came out of it ok - I bet you were a little extra sore the next day.

 

[SteelWeaver]

I must've kinda liked it, because I went ahead and did it about 4 more times! If you're really quick it doesn't hit your chest as you go down ...

lol.

Yeah, my butt's a bit bruised.

Valerie, the gun IS for people, sad to say. We don't really have a big critter problem here - 'cept maybe snakes, and they go away if you stand quietly enough. I suppose there's the odd leopard or over-exited baboon, which you'd want to avoid, but mostly they just run away. It's the drug smugglers going through the mountain border areas and other people who might like the look of your pack or boots who one has watch out for. I can shoot a rifle, but that's a bit of a mission to carry around, and you can't conceal it that easily, heh heh.

What do you fall over from? You don't drink, do you?! (feigned shock)

Tonight I finally did it - I got on the elliptical and did 10 minutes of intervals and 5 minutes of just ellipticising, then realised I was having a real problem breathing, so quit. I'm unfit, but this wheezing is the cats, or the altitude, or the pollen, or something, grrr. Oh, well, I did it, whoo hoo! Starting to feel *slim* & sexy again