Rugby pitch to the platform
 

Hi all and welcome to my training log.

I'm a 23-year-old rugby player who has temporarily side-lined his rugby shenanigans due to injury concerns. I'm in the second year of George Washington's DPT (physical therapy) program. I'm enjoying my studies however, if you cannot perform the physical duties of of a physical therapist, you can't pass your practicals. With this in mind I decided to take up a competitive endeavor with a lower injuries-per-player-hour rate.

I've done strength training for years but this is my first exposure to olympic-style lifting. This log will document my training up to my first competition on April 21st.

Generally speaking I'll be lifting 3 days/wk. Monday's focus is on repetitions, Thursday's focus is on technique/assistance lifts, and Friday is heavy day. We do the best we can sticking to a consistent schedule, however, since my coach, teammates, and I are all graduate students we occasionally need miss/cancel a training session.

I'm currently 80kg and trying to cut down to 77kg for the first time since I was in high school.

Thanks in advance for your support. Wish me luck.

(Gotta play a little catch-up)

Friday 3/16

• Snatch Max: 70kg
• C+J Max: 90kg

Monday 3/19

• Snatch triples up to 65kg
• C+J triples up to 75kg

Thursday 3/22

• Snatch Balance: 50x3x2, 55x3, 60x3x2, 62.5x3x2, 60x2, 65x2
• Hang Clean: 50x3x2, 60x3, 65x3, 70x2, 75x2, 77x2, 80x2x2
• Clean Pull: 80x2, 90x3, 95x3x4
• 1¼ Front Squat: 50x3, 60x3, 65x3, 70x3, 82.5 x6, 82.5x4

Friday 3/23

• Sn Pull: 60x3, 70x3, 75x3, 85x3, 87x2x3, 87x3
• Sn Balance: 50x3, 55x3, 60x2, 65x1, 70x1, 75x1, 77x1, 80x1(f), 80x1
• C+J: 60x2, 70x2, 75x1, 80x1, 85x1, 90x1, 95x1, 97x1, 100x1(f), 100x1

Monday 3/26

• Snatch: 47x3x2, 52x3, 57x3x2, 60x3x2, 62x3x2, 65x3
• C+J: 60x2, 65x2, 67x2x2, 70x2x2, 72x2x2, 75x2, 77x2
• Med Bal Throws w/ Rotation: 3x10
• Planks: 1minx4

Tuesday 3/27

• Back Squat: 100x3x3
• Front Squat: 80x3x2

Thursday 3/29

• Snatch Complex: [3 mSn + 2 Snhp + 1 Sn + 2 OHS] x 4 – 30, 32.5, 35, 35
• Clean Complex: [1 DL + 1 Cl + 1 pSq + 1 PP + 1 Jerk] x 5 – 60, 65, 70, 72.5, 72.5
• GHD Ab Holds: 30s, 20s, 20s, 25s

Training schedule got switched around a bit this week. Friday training was cancelled so we moved heavy day to Monday. I hit both of my competition goals (80kg snatch and 100kg C+J) so I'm very pleased with how much progress I've been making.

New Goal: 85kg snatch and 110kg C+J

Monday 4/2

• Snatch max: 80kg
• C+J max: 102.5kg
• GHD Ab Holds: 30s x 4
• Standing Cable Rotation: 17.5lbs x8x3

Thursday 4/5

• SOTS Press: 20x5, 25x3x2, 27.5x3, 30x3, 32.5x3x3
• Clean-grip OHS: 20x5, 25x5, 30x5, 32.5x3, 35x3
• Clean Pull: 70x5, 80x5, 90x5, 95x3, 100x3, 105x3, 110x3, 120x3
• Rack Jerk: 50x5, 60x5, 70x3x2, 80x2, 90x1, 95 x1

I decided to try the squat jerk on Friday. My split jerk still feels very unnatural and the squat jerk felt pretty good, I'll keep it in consideration.

Friday 4/6

• Snatch: 40x3, 50x3x2, 55x3x2, 60x2x1, 65x2x2, 70x1x2, 75x1
• C+J: 50x3, 60x3x2, 65x3x2, 70x2x2, 75x2, 80x1x2, 85x1

The diet is starting to really take a toll on my energy levels. I'm able to get myself amped up for training, so it hasn't affected my training much yet, but I'm starting to think my body will be much happier moving up to 85kg after this competition.

2 weeks to go...

Monday 4/9

• Snatch triples up to 67.5x3x3
• C+J doubles up to 85x2x3

Great session tonight. I'm one week out from my competition and I hit two new PR's. My weight is stuck at 79kg right now so I might have to do some water manipulation to make weight. Feeling good though.

Friday 4/13

• Snatch max: 85kg
• C+J max: 105kg

Inching closer and closer to a 200kg total.

Week of the competition, so I'll be tapering off the intensity and focusing on my nutrition and recovery.

Monday 4/16

• Snatch: singles up to 77x1x3
• C+J: singles up to 92x1x3
• Front Squat: 90x3x2
• GHD ab holds: 30sx4
• Standing medicine ball throws: 3kgx10x3
• Sidebends: 70lbsx8x2 (ea. side)

Great training session last night. Things started to "click" and the lifts started to feel effortless and natural. Weighed in at 77.9kg at the end of practice so I'll be closely monitoring my weight all day today. I also got word that my strongest competitor just withdrew from the competition. All good things.

Thursday 4/19

• Snatch: singles up to 70x1x3
• C+J: singles up to 85x1x3
• Back Squat: triples up to 85
• GHD Ab+Back circuit

Now we wait...
 

Hour of mobility/activity recovery work tonight. Weighed 76.9 afterward. Weigh-ins 12 hours from now. Hopefully I'll have good new, videos, and the mental capacity to write complete sentences tomorrow.

Today was a good day
 

Weighed in at 75.9 and then hit both of my previous PR's in my very first competition. I went 5 for 6 on lifts and placed 3rd in the 77kg novice division. I am overjoyed and very tired. I'll upload videos and post them in a few days.

Snatch Attempts:

1. 75kg
2. 80kg
3. 85kg

C+J Attempts:

1. 96kg
2. 102kg
3. 105kg (f)

Total: 187kg