cesimpson

After the race last weekend, I decided to take a week off. Work has been busy and the extra time was appreciated. It gave my body an opportunity to rest a little and an extra hour or so in a warm bed with my wife each morning. Not bad.

But all that is over. Today I’m back to work.

Squats + Dumbbell Floor Presses + Weighted Chin Ups

5x @ 185# + 5x @ 55# ea. + 5x @ BW+25#

5x @ 205# + 5x @ 55# ea. + 5x @ BW+25#

5x @ 225# + 5x @ 65# ea. + 5x @ BW+25#

5x @ 250# + 5x @ 65# ea. + 5x @ BW+25#

I expected this to take much longer than the 15 minutes it did take. I had scheduled the above and some intervals on the rowing machine, but, since I was already in the weight room and had plenty of time…

Snatch Practice

Lots of work catching the bar low and into a full squat

3×5 @ 45#

3×5 @ 65#

2×5 @ 75#

75# is where my form started to fall apart. I can easily power snatch the 75# and easily overhead squat the 75#, but the catch deep was just at the edge of my abilities. I’m not sure why. I think maybe footwork.

I notice when I power snatch the 75#, then overhead squat, I shift my feet between the catch and the squat. I’m not sure that’s conclusive of anything but I’d think it means my footwork sucks. Dan John says most unsuccessful Oly Lifts are lost in the footwork. I have no reason to believe I am special. My footwork probably sucks.

Just ‘Cuz

10x 1x Power Snatch + 10x Overhead Squat @ 95#

Headed upstairs to the “cardio room” for some rowing.

4x Rowing

500m @ < 2:00

1:00 rest

That was a reasonable start to my day, and a reasonable start to whatever is next.

What’s Next

Speaking of “what’s next”. Last week JB asked “what’s next?” and I agreed to discuss that question in my very next post. So…here I am.

I guess the most truthful answer is, “I don’t know.”

I mentioned back in November some Birthday Goals. Those all certainly still apply. Some of them seem a bit more ambitious than others. I’ll recap here:

Bodyweight ≤ 160#, body fat % ≤ 12%. 1RM Back Squat 320# (tough, but doable), Clean & Jerk 200# (super-ambitious), Deadlift 400# (absolutely doable). 1RM Overhead Press 160# (easily - may actually update this goal to 185# if things look good), 1RM Bench Press 225# (considering updating to 240#. we’ll see.). I’d like to be able to do 25 straight pull ups and 25 straight dips both at bodyweight. Finally, perhaps the most ambitious of all, I’m aiming to do 15x overhead squat @ BW.

The bodyweight and body fat % both seem totally on track. Back Squat seems doable. 1RM Overhead Press goal has already been accomplished and the 15x @ BW is well on its way. The 225# Bench Press is going to take some work. So will the Deadlift. But I think both can be accomplished. 200# Clean may not happen. 25x Pull Ups also may not happen. 25x Dips, on the other hand, seem likely.

There is a raw powerlifting meet in St. Louis 25-27 July. A friend and co-worker is trying to convince me to participate. I’m interested, but still no decision. We made a gentleman’s agreement that we would assess my chances of making an ass of myself on stage at my birthday.

So it looks like, for right now, the “What’s Next” question can best be answered “my birthday”.