Gripper Training And Strength And Conditioning From Dublin, Ireland

[kinselbj]

I got back from my first weightlifting competition today and I am happy with my results. I wanted to get 105kg in the snatch and 130 in the clean and jerk and I nailed them along with my other four lifts. I lifted in the 94kg class and weighed in at 93.5kg--it was not that hard to lose two kilos so I was happy with that. In the competition, the adrenaline was flowing and I purposely stayed as relaxed as possible because, with the adrenaline, if I get psyched up I will alter my pulling style and change the bar trajectory like I have a few times. I have learned from my mistakes and it showed yesterday. I came third in my weight class and I was in the top ten out of twenty five lifters. Anyway, here was my lifting workout:

Competition warm up:

Overhead Squats--4x5

Drop Snatch--1x3@bar, bar, 40, 40, 50

Snatch--1x2@60, 70 1x1@80, 90

Comp lifts:

1x1@95kg--I power snatched this and it felt good.

1x1@100kg--This was really fast and I dropped all the way under it without moving my feet out. It was an easy lift but I should have spread my feet in the catch portion of the lift. I also needed to lock my elbows out a little more.

1x1@105kg--Again, this was very fast and I had to take two or three steps forward to secure it but I was never missing it. Step 1 over and a new PR to boot.

I had a ten minute break and I then started to warm up for my clean and jerks.

Jerk Skill Drills and brief clean warm up.

Clean and Jerk--1x1@90, 100, 110, 117.5

Comp lifts:

1x1@120kg--I power cleaned this and made an easy jerk.

1x1@125kg--This was a solid lift and I made the clean harder than I should have. The jerk was easy.

1x1@130kg--Again, the clean was fine and the jerk was not pretty. The left elbow had the barest hint of a wobble but it was not a press out. Another PR and another target hit. I have way more in the tank and the jerk is still the weakest technical aspect of my lifting.

Overall, I was happy with my first competition. I have been training for the last five and a half months and for a beginner I did fine. The best thing is I have so much more in the tank, in both lifts. I have another competition in a month that I will not be tapering my training for and then three weeks after that there will be a competition that I most certainly will be tapering for. For my next comp I want to snatch 107kg and clean and jerk 135kg. To do this, I am going to work on the following areas:

1. Strengthen my mid traps and rhomboids so that I can keep my upper back locked throughout my pull. This will have the dual effect of keeping the bar closer to my body and improving my transfer of power from my hips.

2. Get more flexible in my shoulders which should help me lock into my jerks better.

3. Start training my core every session like I was and get stronger than I was before. A bit lazy in this regrd over the last two months.

[kinselbj]

I was very tired today in work and after coaching and a parent teacher meeting I was not looking forward to training. Now that I am finished however, I am really glad I went straight from work rather than home first.

Overhead Squat--5x5-I did two sets with the jerk grip and I was surprised at my flexibility.

Drop Squats--1x3@bar, 40, 50, 55, 60

Hang Power Snatch--1x3@65, 70 1X2@75X3

Jerk Dips--2x5

Jerk Behind Neck--1x3@60, 70, 80, 1x2@90, 95, 100, 105x2--I was really happy with these. For the first time I felt like I was getting locked into the jerk.

Back Squat--1x3@80, 90, 100, 110, 120 1x2@130x3--I am changing the way I squat. I no longer arch my lower back which allows me to go deeper and as such makes it a little harder although I can get my hips into the hole better.

Weighted Sit-Ups--2x12, 1x5-- I had my training partner hold my legs from behind my calves which makes the movement a lot harder because it takes out the hip flexers assistance.

Incline Bench DB Pulls--3x5

ss

Reverse Flies--3x5--This superset was more about training my mid-traps and rhomboids to initiate the movement. I am doing this to help my upper back keep their lock during my lifts.

I then did 2 twenty second hangs to stretch the lats and iron out my vertabrae. I felt great after the session--a million times better than before the session.

[raymo]

Good job on the meet and congratulations on the two personal records.

[kinselbj]

Good job on the meet and congratulations on the two personal records.

Cheers Raymo, encouragement always helps.

I had aa session in the gym today and although it was not of the highest intensity, it was still hard due to fatigue.

Overhead Squats--5x5--last two sets were with a clean grip

Drop Snatches--1x3@bar, 40, 50, 60 1x1@65, 70--missed first due to lack of back lock--70, 75

Snatch Combo (1 HPS/PS/FS)--1x3@65, 70, 75x3

Overhead Squats--1x2@75, 80, 85x2

Cleans--1x2@70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 115--missed second and next set of two due to fatigue.

Front Squats--1x2@90, 100, 111, 117x3

Band Pull Aparts--3x12--These were for my mid-traps and rhomboids

Weighted Sit-Ups--3x12 with 10kg behind head

[honk]

Congrats!

Fine numbers for a beginner.

[kinselbj]

Congrats!

Fine numbers for a beginner.

Thanks Honk. I am nowhere near satisfied with my total but I am training hard so it will go up again in my next competition in three weeks.

Before going into the gym I did a very quick gripper session. This is with both hands with a wide set used.

2x5 with Trainer

2x3 with #1

2x1 with #2

1x1 with #2.5

2x1 with #3--I barely missed the mms with the left and missed the ccs with the right by even less. So very close.

I was fatigued going into my gym session tonight and I had good parts and not so good parts.

Overhead Squats--5x5

Drop Snatches--1x3@bar, 50, 50, 60

1 Power Snatch+1 Full Snatch--1x2@65, 70

Snatch--1x1@80, 87, 90, 93x7--i nailed my first four singles at 93 really well, but for the last three I was very fatigued and it was like I was lifting in slow motion. This is still the most I have ever repped on for the Snatch so I am happy with my four singles. My best before was four with 90.

Jerk Dips--2x5@50

Jerk Catches--2x5@50

Clean and Jerk--1x1@90, 90, 100, 110, 117x2--I missed the jerk the first rep because the bar was out of place and I could not even clean the weight on the second rep. Too tired. This is a power clean weight and an easy jerk but I am too fatigued.

Weighted Sit-ups--1x20, 1x14

I am purposely overtraining this week because next week is my rest week and I have never trained this much before. On a positove note, 93 felt easy and smooth and my upper/mid back lock is much better than it was which keeps the pull in line better. Also, if I am only training my grippers once a week I know when I can give them more time I will nail the #3 shut with my ccs close and contact Ironmind and certify before Christmas.

[honk]

I am nowhere near satisfied [...]

That's the point, gotta stay hungry.

[kinselbj]

I am nowhere near satisfied [...]

That's the point, gotta stay hungry.

Too true Honk. It was tough to stay hungry in the gym tonight but I pulled it off.

Overhead Squats--4x5

Drop Snatch--1x3@40, 50, 60, 70 1x1@80 for a PR in that exercise.

Hang Power Snatch--1x3@70, 75, 80x2--This is the most I have done in this exercise also. So tiring.

Jerk Dips and Catches

Jerks from the rack--1x2@70, 85, 95 1x1@100, 100, 107x3--I missed the second rep even though it was so lights. I was leaning back a little much and I was knackered.

Back Squats--1x3@90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150 for a PR in the back squat. The best I got before was 146. For how fatigued I was I am happy with my three training pb's.

Reverse Flies--3x12

Hamstring Falls--3x5--I am so much stronger on these than I used to be.

Weighted Sit ups--1x20, 1x14

Next week is my rest week. Thank God. I am shattered.

[kinselbj]

I had a nice gripper session tonight. This is with both hands and all reps were with a wide set:

2x5 with Trainer

1x3, 1x12 with #1

1x4 with #2

With the left hand:

5x1 with #2.5--I missed first and the second with the left hand because of a poor set, but I got it on the third attempt. I missed the fourth also.

With the right hand:

1x1 with #2.5--I got three reps with the right which is a first.

1x1 with #3--I just missed the first rep and the second by a little more and the third also.

A bit of a shocker of a grip session but all the attempts were done sitting on my coach and without chalk. Not very intelligent but I still enjoyed the session anyway. I got a few personal bests in the lighter grippers anyway so I don't mind so much. I am now going to work on my wrist health by messing around with my powerball for a while.

[kinselbj]

I have had two gripper sessions this evening and last night. Both went to maximum and my hands are pretty fried now.

Last night I was trying to get two reps of my #3 but was 4mm short each time with the right. With the left I was trying to get two reps with the #2.5 but I could not. I never train like this so I figure it will help my endurance and the last cm or two of my closes.

This evening my grip was fried and I could not close my friend's #3 which feels pretty hard in comparison to mine. I could not mms it and when I tried to do mine I could not do that either. With the left I was trying to mms my #3 but I was always around 3mm out. I missed the different #3 by around 1/2 and 3mm a few times with the right.

I was also messing around with my powerball which is always good for my wrists. My hands and fingers are not used to the grippers and it was fun getting more sessions in with the grippers because I am taking a three day break off weightlifting that is thankfully over tomorrow. I have a lot of work to do with my grippers.

[kinselbj]

I had an enjoyable workout tonight in the gym. It was a light session because this is a back down week to prepare for the next four or five weeks of heavy training. I did the following:

Overhead Squats--5x5 with a partner forcing my hips down into the bottom hole position for 10/15 seconds to try and improve my flexibility.

Drop Snatches--1x3@50, 55, 60, 65, 70

Snatch Combo--1x3@65, 70, 75x3--These felt pretty solid even though they were light.

Overhead Squats--1x2@80, 85, 90x3--Again these felt great. I think this is a pb but they weren't heavy so I won't claim it.

1 Power Clean+1 Front Squat+1 Jerk--1x3@90, 100, 110--The jerks felt great tonight because I really focused on exploding out of the controlled dip.

Standing Press behind neck--1x3@60, 65, 70--I haven't done these in ages and I want to build them back up again.

Weighted Sit-Ups with hands behind calves to take out hip flexors--1x25, 1x12--Over the last week and a half my reps on this has soared.

I ended the evening with a nice stretch in the pool after doing a few lengths swimming try to be relaxed with my strokes and breathing as possible. I followed this with maybe 10 minutes in the sauna and 5 in the jacuzzi. I have a heavier session on Friday and then all the resting will be over because I will be back from my week holiday from teaching and my training will step up in intensity.

[CoC#3]

Strong work all round + big welldone in the comp. 130kg is a good C@J

[kinselbj]

Strong work all round + big welldone in the comp. 130kg is a good C@J

Cheers Sam, your training is all the more impressive, particularly the squatting.

Had a weird one in the gym today.

Overhead Squats--5x5

Drop Snatch--1x3@bar, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70

Snatch--1x1@70, 80, 85, 90x5--I got all my reps on 90 which was nice, but they felt slow and cumbersome.

Jerk Skill Drills

Jerk from rack--1x2@90x3--These were not feeling in the groove at all. They were flying up but out in front. I missed one of them out front.

1x1@98, 105--I missed the 105 and it felt very strange. It literally flew up and I could not control it because I was not locked in and I ended up missing the lift. I then missed a rep of 90 again which is frustrating considering it is so light. The bar was never in the right path tonight.

Jerk behind neck--1x2@90x3--I did 3 sets of these and my coach was well advised because the bar felt like it was in the right place for the first time of the session.

A frustrating workout but they can't all be perfect.

[kinselbj]

I had a gripper workout today. I did the following with both hands and a wide set:

2x5 with the Trainer

2x3 with #1

1x1 with #2

2x1 with #2.5

5x1 with #3 using a mms set--I got all my reps with the right and got to within 2mm with the left. I would not usually rep out like this so I was happy getting all 5 reps with the right. I rounded out the session with some wrist mending powerball.

[kinselbj]

I had a short 50 minute technical session on the jerk yesterday evening. I focused on locking into the bar and getting under it quicker. I worked up to easy light singles of 90kg and a few 100kg singles. Overall I was happy. I simply need to work more on my jerk because it is the main part of my lifts that is letting me down.

For my session today I carried on the sentiment and worked in jerk dips, catches and light jerks up to 75kg for triples instead of doing that many snatch drops like I would usually do.

Overhead Squats--5x5--I needed a good warm up because it has started getting cold and the body and joints were not as ready as normal.

Drop Snatch--1x3@bar, 50 ss Jerk Dips/Jerk Catches/Jerk x3@60, 70, 75

Snatch Combo--1x3@70, 75, 80x3--These felt very heavy today for some reason and I missed a few reps here and there which was unusual. I simply was not pulling hard and fast enough and my power snatch in particular did not feel very fluid. I repeated all the lifts I missed and got them easier.

Overhead Squats--1x2@80, 90, 95x3

2 Power Cleans+1 Power Jerk--1x2@70, 80, 90, 100, 105, 110--I got these but they were squat cleans so I went back down to 105kg for 2 more sets.

Back Squats @75%--1x3@100, 110, 120x3--Again, these felt heavier than usual despite these being quite light.

Hanging Straight leg raises--3x5

Band Pull Aparts--3x20

[kinselbj]

I had another session in the gym tonight and it was better than last night, but not quite what I wanted. I did my jerk technique in my warm up again and it went well.

Jerk Dips/Jerk Catches--4x5@ bar

Split jerk--1x3@50, 60

Full Jerk--1x3@70, 80--I was happy with these. I really focused on getting through the bar and stamping my front foot down which gets me under the bar quicker and more forcefully.

Overhead Squats--3x5

Drop Snatches--1x3@40, 50, 60

Snatch--1x2@65, 70 1x1@80, 85, 90, 93, I then missed two reps of 93 very badly despite a technically good first rep. I simply did not pull fast enough and strongly enough. I went back to 90 and did 4 reps, the last being the best because my back was locked.

Jerk behind neck--1x3@70, 80, 90 1X2@100 1X1@110, 115, 120--I missed the first rep as I did not push up fast enough. I then got 3 fast and technically sound reps so I was happy. Again focused on speed and getting through the bar.

Front Squat--1x3@100, 110, 120x3--These were fine.

[kinselbj]

I had a great training session today. Although I am still not up to scratch yet in terms of power output, it continues to get back to where it was. I think by Saturday I will be back to my best. I had my best ever session with the jerk--not in terms of weight but in terms of technique. The extra technical work I have been doing since Sunday has really started to pay off. A before I worked the jerk technique into my warm up and did less snatch orientated warm up. The most essential part of this is that I actively try and improve my jerk technique each and every rep of every technical exercise, no matter what the weight. I have begun to neglect this with the snatch, so I will buck that trend on Saturday's double workout.

Jerk Dips and Catches with bar mixed with overhead squats, bodyweight squats and overhead presses to warm up.

Split Jerk--1x3@40, 50 Full Jerk--1x3@60, 65

ss

Snatch Drops--1x3@bar, 40, 50, 60, 65

Snatch--1x1@70, 75, 80, 85, 90x3--I was trying to return to my natural scoop, as in not trying to do it but letting it happen. it is difficult to combine this with a powerful explosion at the midway point. This is where paying attention to the technical work at the start of my session will help.

Clean and Jerk--1x2@70, 80 1x1@85, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 115, 120--I did not pull hard enough on the clean, 120, an easy clean and, like the others, a technically more proficient jerk. I still need to work on my recovery and a few other elements but this is the first time I have been locked into my jerks and solid. It has never been a a strength issue, always a technical meltdown. I am getting there with the jerk.

Window Wipers--3x8

[kinselbj]

I had a double session today and I enjoyed it.

Session 1 was a power up session so it was light and fast:

Jerk Dips@3x5@bar

Jerk Catches--1x3@bar, 40, 50

Split Jerk--1x3@50

Full Jerk--1x3@60

Overhead Squat--3x5 and 2 partner assisted stretches at bottom of oh squat position

Drop Snatch--1x3@bar, 40, 50, 60

Hang Power Snatch--1x3@60, 65, 70x5--These got better when I locked my back and had a natural and fast pop up

Jerk Behind Neck--1x3@70, 80 1x1@90, 100, 105x3

We had a rest fpr around 45 minutes or so.

Session 2:

Overhead Squats--3x5

Drop Snatches--1x3@bar, 40, 50, 60

Snatch--1x1@70, 75, 80, 85x3, 90x2--I was supposed to stay at 85 but I wanted a few reps of ninety to test myself a little more.

2 Front Squat + 1 Jerk--1x3@70, 80, 90, 100, 105x3

Front Squats--1x3@110, 120x6

I had a lovely dinner after the session and watched the first half of the Ireland game. Myself and my training partner then had three 1 minute ice baths with showers in between and of course we finished on an ice bath. I felt far more refreshed and energised after the baths than before. I have my second competition on Saturday week so I will train on Monday, Wednesday and then compete on Saturday. It is really the competition three weeks after that which we are aiming for, but I want to and will snatch 107 and clean and jerk 135 this day week.

Edited November 8, 2008 by kinselbj

[kinselbj]

I had a good training session in the gym today.

Jerk Dips and Jerk Catches--4x5

Split Jerk--1x3@50, 60

Jerk--2x3@70

Overhead Squats--3x5

Drop Snatch--1x3@bar, 50, 60

Snatch Combo--1x3@65, 70, 75, 80, 82--I missed my second and third lift on the first set because I simply did not pull hard enough. I got my next two sets nicely so I was happy with the pb.

Overhead Squat--1x2@80, 90, 95, 100x3--This was another pb.

Jerk Behind Neck--1x3@70, 80 1x2@90, 100, 105, 110x3--I have really improved on these. I need to focus on jerking the bar up as explosively as possible and getting my front foot and body through the bar with locked out elbows.

Back Squat--1x3@100, 110, 120, 130x3--I could feel my left knee ever so slightly so I took it easy with these.

Band Pull Aparts--4x20--I could really feel these in the posterior deltoids, mid traps and rhomboids which is good.

Hang Straight Leg Raises--3x6

I had a stretch, sauna, steam room and short jacuzzi with cold showers in between so I feel great now.

[kinselbj]

I had a tough session tonight in the gym. We were supposed to go to 95% in the Snatch and 90% in the Clean and Jerk.

Jerk Dips and Jerk Catches

Split Jerk--1x3@50, 60

Full Jerk--2x3@70

Overhead Squat--3x5

Snatch Drops--1x3@40, 50, 60, 70

Snatch--1x2@70, 75 1X1@80, 85, 90, 95, 99--I missed this twice due to a slow pull. I got it on the third attempt. It was not heavy, but everything felt slow tonight. I got my 95% just about, but I am in the middle of my training cycle and I am also losing body fat by limiting my starchy carbs which affects energy levels.

Clean and Jerk--1x2@70 1x1@90, 100, 110--I missed the clean first rep despite the weight being so light. I got it easily the next rep. I was knackered and spent so I left it at that.

Everything was slow and heavy tonight, but I have been hitting it hard over the last week and a half as well as losing body fat with a modified diet. As long as I get prs on Saturday's competition I don't care how tired I am now.

[kinselbj]

I had a short technical session today. It was a struggle to motivate myself to go as I am still very fatigued.

Jerk Dips--3x5

Jerk Catches--1x5@bar, 40, 50

Split Jerk--1x3@50, 60, 60

Full Jerk--1x3@70, 70, 80 1x2@90 1x1@90x3

I then went for a steam room, sauna and jacuzzi. Pretty fatigued, but I know I will be full of beans on Saturday.

[mbcx6pmw]

Good luck with the comp Barry, kick some arse!

[kinselbj]

Good luck with the comp Barry, kick some arse!

Cheers mate. Thanks for the encouragement, it is always appreciated. I just back back from my competition and although I broke my Snatch and Clean and Jerk pbs, I didn't quite get what I wanted. Looking at my lifts from sensible perspective is tough, but I Snatched 106 which was a kilo less than my target, and I Clean and Jerked 131, and could only clean 135. I missed the jerk due to fatigue and my not having good enough technique to rely on when that fatigued. Anyway, here is what I did:

I weighed in at 93.9 kg and had to get naked to get inside the weight class. I am definitely losing a bit of fat from last week because I did not have to fast completely that morning. I had a third of a bowl of porridge and half a pint of water which was more than last time. I am 6ft 1" so for this weight class I needed to lose two kilos from what I would usually train at.

I re-hydrated after and refueled also. I started light stretches maybe 25 minutes before I warmed up.

Overhead Squats--3x5

Drop Snatch--1x3@bar, bar, 40, 40, 50, 60

Snatch--1x2@70 1x1@80, 85, 90, 94

Competition Snatches--

1x1@97--This was easy but I should have lifted faster.

1x1@102--This was faster although I had to move forward ever so slightly to secure it.

1x1@106--Easily my best Snatch of the day and a new pr at that. It was faster and the bar trajectory and thus my technique, was a lot more fluid. I had wanted to get 107, but me and my coach knew that I was not fast enough today so I was content with 106.

I then had a ten minute break between the Snatch and Clean and Jerk.

Jerk Dips--1x5

Jerk Catch--2x5

Split Jerk--1x3@50, 60--Looking back I was not focusing on technique as much on these as I should have.

Clean grip pnf stretch

Clean and Jerk--1x1@80, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120--This attempt was not good at all but I still got it of course. I rushed my warm ups slightly and I was quite tired at this stage due to training through the comp and have very little starchy carbs in the last week.

Competition Clean and Jerks--

1x1@126--An easy clean and the jerk was not pretty. It needed to be faster and I needed to drive my front foot through more.

1x1@131--A new pr. An easy pull but my catch on the clean made it harder than it should have been. My jerk was ok. It needed to be faster and I needed to keep my body more rock solid on the dip and jerk catch. I need to get under the bar more.

1x1@135--miss--I had one of those moments where a voice in your head tells you that you are too tired to. I shut it up and gave this lift everything I had. I made a very strong pull on the clean but again, I caught it lower than necessary, making the recovery harder than it needed to be. I was knackered, but I gave the jerk everything I could. Looking at the video I had it high enough, I just did not get under it enough to lock it in. The video shows how close it was and it has just given me the kick up the ass I need to further improve my jerk and continue working at it so that it is strength and not technique that lets me down. I still think if I was tapering for the competition and was fresh I could have made it, but I have my next competition in three weeks to prove it.

I was shattered after the lifting and now after writing this report I feel a lot better about my lifts. I did not get exactly what I wanted, but I still got a 1kg pb in the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. I have been training really hard for the last two weeks and have been losing body fat and eating less starchy carbs, so I am reasonably happy. I have another 2 weeks of very intensive training and then a week of tapering, so it is then that I will show more of my true potential than today. I learned a lot today again, so now I need to apply this to my training and next comp.

[kinselbj]

A trend that I have noticed is that after a competition or a double, triple session, I am the most tired two and three days after it, never the next day. This is the case now, but I am not as wiped as I used to get because my CNS seems to be adapting, which is great. I had a light gym session tonight and did the following:

Jerk Dips--2x5@bar

Jerk Catches--2x5@bar

Split Jerk--2x3@50, 60

Full Jerk--1x3@70, 80

Overhead Squats--3x5

Drop Snatch--1x3@bar, 50

Snatch Combo--1x3@60, 70, 80

Overhead Squats--1x2@80, 90, 95, 100, 105, the last set being a pb. They were all ass to grass of course.

Jerk Behind Neck--1x3@70, 80, 90, 100

In the jerk I am trying to get the sensation even with the lighter weights of getting under and locked into the bar. My Split Jerks and light jerks will really help me with this.

Around two hours after my session I used the foam roller for my IT band and quads in particular and a hard medicine ball to hit my trigger points in my glutes med in particular which felt tight and fatigued after my comp. I finished with a short steam room and jacuzzi.

[kinselbj]

I was tired today and my gym session was not as energetic as I wanted. I simply need to get 8 hours sleep rather than the current trend of 7 and a half hours.

Jerk Dips--2x5 with bar

Jerk Catches-2x5 with bar

Split Jerk--1x3@50, 50, 60

Full Jerk--1x3@70, 70, 80, 90--Next time I will do doubles of 80 and singles of 90--This was quite a tiring warm up.

Overhead Squats--3x5

Drop Snatch--1x2@50, 60, 70--I focused on getting straight under the bar without any pop up.

Snatch--1x1@75, 75, 80, 85, 90x7--I missed 3+4 because I did not lock out on my catch and I then repeated the lift 30 seconds later. Silly boy...I need to learn from that reaction. I got the rest of my reps easily after I calmed down and thought it out.

Clean and Jerk--1x1@70, 80, 90, 100, 110x3--I missed the second rep because I jerked too slowly and did not get through and under. The next rep went up a lot faster but I did not get through and under. I was very tired at this stage.

Back Squat--1x3@70, 100, 110, 120 1x2@130, 140x4

Window Wipers--4x8

I simply must get more sleep from now on if I am to train through a competition like this. I need to recover better than I am.