The latest battle for the belt went to the final event with the winner in front by mere seconds at the end. Lifters had to do 4 snatches @ 92% then 4 clean & jerks @ successively more weight, ending with a PR CJ. 4 lifters made it to the leg killing Triple C Leg Cranks which consist of a ride on the Air Dyne, step ups, single leg squats, and squats.
Pat and Chelsea threw down the gauntlet on Thursday night.
Snatches for both were routine and more strength than technique. The hips were never in peril of going below or even near the knees on either lifter. Pat ended with a solid PR in CJ as did Chelsea. The tiebreaker was right in their sweet spot so, personal expectations were high. Pat did the Triple C Leg Cranks in a quick 4:22.08. Chelsea paced herself to a finish in 5:05.57.
Saturday started with Kellene. She hit all the snatches and her first two CJ. Despite strong encouragement from Fern, who was spectating, the 98% third CJ lift proved too heavy for today. Zach, Keith, Ron, and Ben all smashed the respective 92% snatch. Ben was operating under a newly established snatch PR and had good speed.
Keith was able to nail his first CJ. The next jump had him easily cleaning it, but just could not fix the bar overhead and himself under. Finally, he was able to get the weight on his 4th attempt; taking the weight for quite the exciting ride as he did so.
Zach sailed through his first three attempts and then came the final attempt for a PR. He was able to do it with only a quick little jump forward. New PR and a sticker!
Ron was the same way: first three attempts lead to the comment from one that he could at least make it look hard. His fourth PR attempt went up for an easy clean. Then the jerk was solidly locked out overhead.
Ben had recently set a new PR in CJ, too, so today's lifting could prove to be quite challenging. His first attempt at 92% would prove to be far too heavy and he just could not rack the weight. Ron and Zach continue on to the tiebreaker!
Zach goes first and hits a respectable 5:09.50, just behind Chelsea. It is up to Ron: Will he defend the title? Overthinking the process at first, he went through the bike portion fine. Step ups were a bit of a challenge, then he settled down finishing in a time of 4:19.87.
Ron is the first to defend the belt successfully with Pat in second and Chelsea in third. Great contest!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
The feeling sinks in
That feeling of lifting a heavy weight (whether a relatively or absolutely heavy is immaterial) when it just feels good. Many times, the emphasis on partial lifts (either hang or block) is lost on a lifter. The question, "When do I get to do the full lifts?" comes up often. The answer is nearly as complicated to explain as asking, "Can you make a muscle?"
Pressure here, pressure there, weight balanced fore or aft...it seems pointless until the feeling sinks in. The past two weeks have seen many of the lifters feeling it.
Pat can now do snatch and CJ and say how each felt. Kathryn working off the blocks was able to figure out the feeling of in front and just right. Chelsea able to feel when she lowers herself or when she bends over to meet the bar. Nice stuff.
Fern working week 4 of her programming last week got that feeling as she was able to PR in the snatch and her top 3 attempts all looked the same. Her CJ matched her current PR; netting her a PR total and a 2 sticker. Steady improvements of a few percent every few weeks is nothing to at which to sneeze.
Ben, last week, hitting his snatching hard, but not quite getting it. Then the 100, 102 come easy. The mind blew up at the 105 as panic set in. Had the lift been done the same way with the same feel, it would have been made as there is plenty of hydraulic strength there.
Then, this week, 3 stage week, drilling in that explosive feeling above the knees, he gets it. Going after the singles in CJ, there was plenty of room for a big weight and PR. 130 went up so easily that it dropped 2 inches onto his rack. He went for 140 which was nailed, too. The mind was concentrating on the feeling of driving, pulling, moving under. A mere 2.2 kilos is added and then suddenly the feeling is lost (oh, no! 142 kilos on the bar!) and the lift is not made. Nonetheless, a few PR and the next reward level is reached.
Nice build up by lifters as we approach the battle for the belt on Saturday and meets in September, October, and December.
Pressure here, pressure there, weight balanced fore or aft...it seems pointless until the feeling sinks in. The past two weeks have seen many of the lifters feeling it.
Pat can now do snatch and CJ and say how each felt. Kathryn working off the blocks was able to figure out the feeling of in front and just right. Chelsea able to feel when she lowers herself or when she bends over to meet the bar. Nice stuff.
Fern working week 4 of her programming last week got that feeling as she was able to PR in the snatch and her top 3 attempts all looked the same. Her CJ matched her current PR; netting her a PR total and a 2 sticker. Steady improvements of a few percent every few weeks is nothing to at which to sneeze.
Ben, last week, hitting his snatching hard, but not quite getting it. Then the 100, 102 come easy. The mind blew up at the 105 as panic set in. Had the lift been done the same way with the same feel, it would have been made as there is plenty of hydraulic strength there.
Then, this week, 3 stage week, drilling in that explosive feeling above the knees, he gets it. Going after the singles in CJ, there was plenty of room for a big weight and PR. 130 went up so easily that it dropped 2 inches onto his rack. He went for 140 which was nailed, too. The mind was concentrating on the feeling of driving, pulling, moving under. A mere 2.2 kilos is added and then suddenly the feeling is lost (oh, no! 142 kilos on the bar!) and the lift is not made. Nonetheless, a few PR and the next reward level is reached.
Nice build up by lifters as we approach the battle for the belt on Saturday and meets in September, October, and December.
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