ItalianDemon’s BodyBlog

Well, I’ve already written about my Nationals trip. So, I thought I would write about the next 12 months that lay ahead in my preparation for the 2009 Nationals.

My training program is completely different to what I have done in the past. I am still training for 12 weeks before maxing out, but I am only doing 3-4 platform moves. All the rest are either squats or, like we called them at the old gym, ‘Dungeon’ moves.

What this means is stuff like bench presses, lat pulls, and hamstring and calf work.

As for my future comps. I will not be training again in 2008. I plan on competing at a League competition in April or May, and totalling 185-190kg, hopefully weighing about 70-72kg.

After that I only plan on competing at QLD Championships to qualify for Nationals. Hopefully, total about 210-220kg at 72kg bodyweight.

I was considering dropping weight to become a 69kg lifter. But, I have decided to Do some exercises, and set/rep schemes, to help me add muscle in a few critical areas. Namely my chest, shoulders and arms. Although, I want to add quality muscle all over. And I hope to drop my bodyfat to about 8% by May and weigh close to 72kg of muscle.

I have started taking my protein/creatine shake as soon as I get home after training. This will help with adding muscle and gaining strength.

But, for now I will focus on weak areas of my lifts. Especially my squats.

Feel free to comment with criticism and/or encouragement.

Go Heavy or Go Home!

To Be The Best You Have To Train To Beat The Best!

Well, I’m home from Melbourne now.

It was a great weekend, all I could think about was lifting.

I lifted on Saturday and had a bloke named Barry Harden coach me. He’s a top bloke.

I weighed in at 70.25kg. I was worried that I would come in underweight, because the night before we had a weigh check and I was 69.4kg.

We elected to start me on 67kg snatch and 90kg clean and jerk.

My warmup wasn’t going to flash so we dropped me down to 60kg snatch which I was told to power snatch. I got it no worries.

Then, for my second lift we put it up to 67kg, and I was again instructed to power snatch it. Which I got.

As I was walking back into the warmup room, I told Barry to put me on 75kg for my last snatch. He did so.

I went out there and snatched it, I sat in the bottom position for a while getting my balance, and stood it. At the top of the lift I welled ot ‘Light Weight!’ 3 white lights.

For clean and jerks, my warmup went well, but, with my dip and drive for my jerks I was getting full extension.

I started on 90kg, power cleaned it and jerked it. Nice lift.

Up to 97kg, my PB, clean was a struggle but got it, jerk was good. Arms locked out but weren’t stabilised and I missed the lift.

I was angry at this. I told Barry to put me on 99kg for my third attempt.

Mike Bailey had one attempt left (he lifted on Friday as well in the U16s). He was going for a 100kg CJ. He had already secured an 82kg snatch. Barry put me up to 102kg for my last attempt, his reasoning was that if Mike missed his last CJ and I got my 102 I would have taken 3rd place.

To my disappointment, Mike got his 100kg CJ. So, I was lifting for a PB.

The bar was loaded and I went out there. The pull was good, but heavy. The bar landed heavily on my clavicles and I tried to stand it. I got to about halfway up but I was too bent over. And dumped it.

My first Nationals made me wanna get home and train harder than hard. For the next 12 weeks I am gonna use my own program that is mainly focussed on strength in the areas where I feel I am weakest.

My lifts at Nationals:

Snatch:

60kg
67kg
75kg

Clean and Jerk:

90kg
97kg X
102kg X

Bodyweight: 70.25kg

It was a good weekend with Steph and Capper from New Zealand breaking more records than I can remember. They aint a bad mob, them Kiwis.

Shout out to you Capper and Steph!

Go Heavy or Go Home!

To Be The Best You Have To Train To Beat The Best!