Of my recent training that is what I've been missing the most. Although working out alone is a good de-stressor, the team support, motivation, and dedication was lacking. To be honest it is one of the main reasons why I chose to do a figure competition, I needed a goal, and through my blog and my community at my gym I'm creating my team!
But alas I have gotten side tracked.
Times change, people change, bodies change and I needed to change with it. I was itching for something else other than power lifting. As much as I have gained and benefited from the 5 3 1 program and reveled in my latest Raw powerlifting meet in which I got all white lights except for my last attempt DL, I needed a change for various reasons that go beyond the scope of this blog.
When opportunity meets good timing...sometimes you just can't avoid it. I have been fortunate enough for the opportunity to work with a trainer at my gym who is teaching me how to perform the olympic lifts. Let me back track a little... Me itching for something new meets with trainer who is looking to coach something new a whala! Well anyway what it comes down to is I feel as if a door has been opened to a new world of lifting. And I'm loving it.
In fact I think I'm about to prove that olympic lifting should be a substantial part of training for a figure show athletes and here is why.
1. Explosiveness: the force and muscle recruitment involved especially of the glutes and hamstrings has to count for something.
2. ROM (range of motion): the range and flexibility required to perform the lifts, the deep squats, lunges, overhead movements allows for muscles to be stressed in multiple directions and hit at in various angles.
3. Cardio: Between the amount of sweat, elevation of heart rate, and amount of weight combined with the multiple reps of various progression...it is undeniable how efficient they are in burning fat and building muscle.
Conclusion: Not sure how effective the lifts will be for long term or for when getting closer to show time (secondary to the high stress on the joints,) but they are definitely going to be a vital part of my preparation for my training. I will keep posted on how the O- lift training goes as I'm planning on competing in a meet in March, which will lead me right into the beginning of my official figure show training.
P.S Just incase you were wondering I performed two clean and jerks with 125lbs today.
There is something awesome about picking that up off the floor and holding that over your head :) Rooaaar!
On a side note, I completed 6 reps of back squats with 180lbs which brings my estimated one rep max up to 210...not ridiculous, but not too shabby.
- Anna P
your right olympic lifting is a crazy sport in it self and the amount of control and power required to do that is something that all sports use, so you are doing universal lift but you need to keep on the movement. Lifting only gets so far. But any person preforming an olympic lift makes them seem a little more crazy and tougher than a power lifter just because of the corrdination. I remember when i had to do cleans and the power lifting team would look at that and go there is no way in hell i would want to do that to much movement.
ReplyDeleteAnna, when will be this blog updated? Its always good to see you at the gym.
ReplyDeletePs: focus on bodybuilding!!!!'