From the ashes

Competition day went okay. I made both of my openers (suggesting I know how to pick a good opener weight) for a 245 total (105 snatch, 140 clean/jerk). The clean and jerk should have been higher but, I let the weight get into my head and there was no excuse for missing it. Mentally speaking, this is my worst meet, however, I weighed in my lightest (95.3 kg) and have never been this strong at this light so, that is a plus. I did learn a lot from this meet though.

John Broz of Average Broz gym pointed out that I pull to early and that it was a result of my hand grip being too narrow. I can't believe I never thought of it before. I thought I just wasn't being patient enough on the 2nd pull. Edgar was giving me some mental coaching on the clean & jerk but, to no avail. He was right, GET UNDER THE BAR! You need to not think and do. Lastly, Bob Takano of Takano Athletics mentioned my Snatch timing and my feet moving faster then my pull under. I corrected that on the spot.

All of this gives me things I need to work on which I am very excited about. It also showed me how much I need to have a coach again and when I graduate I will look for one that will have me. The eyes and the mind of a weightliftiing coach are valuable assets.

Quite a few people set new PBs at the competition and CJ put on a wonderful meet. If I forget anyone in this list I am sorry. Congrats, Thanks and great to see you to: Edgar, Ev, Erica, Phillip, Danny, CJ, Bob, Spencer, Ashley, John, Rob, the Jacks, Pat and the high school weightlifting team!

I will also be posting another article on the differences between competing in strongman and weightlifting.

Oh and for your entertainment...a great weightlifter and great metal.

Gloves are for pussies

I am tired of seeing it. I am tired of hearing it. Looking like gay bikers, the glove wearing masses flock to the gym. Strapping up the Velcro they feel hardcore and are ready to tackle their brutal 2 hour bicep workout. Gloves have become their proverbial blanket. Without them the weight hurts their precious hands and they have a bad workout and blame their lack of “proper” workout equipment.

My title says it all; gloves are for pussies. You are weak if you use gloves. There are no two ways about it.

“Gloves help give me better grip.”

The leather clings to the bar and holds it for you. If anything they actually impede grip because you have something separating you from the bar. This means you lose your ability to create maximum tension when performing a movement. As you begin lifting with your bare hands your grip strength will improve, your skin will harden and become more leather like. If your hands sweat, use chalk. Don't neglect this pivotal aspect of training. Your grip strength is far more important then you know.

“I don’t want to have calluses.”

Then don’t lift weights. People usually lift weights to look better, lets face it. You don’t really care about getting stronger and healthier. You want to be able to say you are sub 10% body fat, you want shredded abs, huge guns and women fawning over you. I can’t disagree with one of those dreams but, really, you don’t want to put in the hard work? You want to bubble yourself with gloves. The gym/weightroom is a place of hard work, pain and discipline. If you come in with this, I don’t want to get roughed up attitude the gym will eat you up and spit you out. The big men you want to emulate will laugh at your Oil of Olay soft skin and God help you if you put a pad on the squat bar (its in the place where you glove wearers do curls).

I am not your everyday trainer. Hard work, sweat and even some blood are the toll you must pay to achieve true strength. You will learn that the physical abilities are only the result of the mental and if you always need your blanket, you will never push your physical abilities to what they could be.

Now let’s hit the iron and take off those pansy ass gloves. You owe me 50 Burpees.

You might be an Olympic weightlifter if…

•You only know how to squat deep and going to only parallel is actually harder.
•You find power cages ‘restrictive’.
•You get pissed off when people ask how much you can bench press.
•You get really picky about a bar that doesn’t spin enough or is too stiff.
•You jerk more than you bench press.
•Power lifters are jealous of your flexibility.
•You constantly get asked if those are hickies on your neck and collar bone.
•You can instantly divide or multiply any number by 2.2.
•You can’t feel your thumbs.
•Your idea of a perfect gym is a platform, bar, bumpers and a squat rack.
•When a person tells you what they can bench you think about if you can Snatch or Jerk the weight.
•Anything over 3 reps sounds exhausting to you.
•Shopping for jeans is hell.
•You hook grip your steering wheel while driving.
•Chalk dust is on EVERYTHING you own.
•Your response to the question “What muscles does that work?” is… ”all of them.”
•Everyday is a ‘Leg’ day.
•You have jumping contests with friends.
•The answer is always more Front Squats.
•You don’t understand why people use gloves.
•Ironmind catalogs to you are Tiffany catalogs to women.
•You have a broomstick or pvc pipe that sits in your room.
•You rest in the squat position.
•You wish you could wear your weightlifting shoes everywhere because they are more comfortable then any other shoe you own.

If anyone wants to add any to the list, please leave a comment. Read, enjoy and lift heavy...

Back in shape!

I'm finally back in shape for competitive weightlifting. I hit a 250lb Snatch today and a 315lb Clean & Jerk. The crazy thing is, last time I was bouncing the weights around, I was 20lbs heavier. I am sitting at 205lbs now and plan to compete as a 94kg (207lbs) in February. These weights are not PRs per se (although for my current body weight they could be). The big thing is that I am hitting this weight consistently and today showed me that I am on point.

On another note. I have just gotten new o lifting shoes, singlet and the official Abandon All Hope Weightlifting Club shirts are in. Below is the official design. Come join and lets pull some weight!

Prepping for February

Here is a 110kg Snatch that I hit yesterday. Sorry for the crappy recording. Cell phone camera but, luckily Tabor had it.

Front Squatting

After quite a few Clean & Jerks, decided to try a heavy Front Squat today. Get some footage of the gym where San Diego Strength & Fitness is based out of too. ENJOY!

400lb Front Squat.

GWAR comes to San Diego!

The humans will be buried in their own blood in 1 week. GWAR is coming to San Diego with Job for a Cowboy (okay deathcore/death metal band) and The Red Chord (shitty deathcore band with a nice guitarist).