more strength gains and a little weight loss

The last time I posted an update on my training I was struggling with my jerks. I've become much better at them. I've made a few form corrections. The jerk is still my biggest weakness, but I made a 5k jump since I last posted. Pretty good progress I think. This week I set lifetime PR's on my snatch of 74k, my clean and jerk at 94k, deadlift at 163k, and bench press at 272.2 pounds. The exercise I've made the biggest gains with is my bench press- I know, bench isn't an olympic weightlifting exercise, but I love it so I do it anyways. The bench press has always been my weakest exercise. In the last few months it's jumped from a 235lbs max to a lifetime PR set today at 272.2lbs! My old best was 270 pounds set in the summer of 1999, 15 years ago.

A few weeks ago I was weighing 290 pounds. This week I'm down to 284. I'm finally feeling like I'm getting my diet under control. I'm hoping to get down to the 240's by next years Pan American masters weightlifting championships.

my 1st goal set by coach Shane Miller

My coach, Shane Miller, has set the first big goal for me to accomplish. The goal he set for me is to qualify for the 2015 Pan American masters weightlifting championships or the 2015 American masters championships. On Jan 1st I age up to the 40-44 AG and the qualifying totals I'd need for the 40-44 AG 105+ is 207k. To put the masters weightlifting championships qualifying totals into perspective, my current total is 168k, which is 28k above the New Mexico 40-44 AG 105+ state records set back in 1999 by Scott Capenter. Even though I'm currently 28K above the New Mexico state 40-44 105+ record I'm still 39k short of the weights needed to make the masters qualifying totals. This will be difficult, but I expect with Shane's help I'll be successful.

coffee thermos for comuting by bicycle

After a few failed attempts at finding a decent thermos that I can commute to and from work with on my bicycle I finally found one. I wanted a coffee thermos that would fit into my bike bottle holder, keep the coffee hot, hold enough coffee, and be durable enough to withstand a daily beating of cycling! It's called the Big Bubba. I found it in Target in the sports section. It holds over 20 oz of coffee, keeps it hot for a long time, and fits in my bike bottle holder. I've been using this one everyday for over 2 years now, so it's made to last too!!!! Finally, the perfect coffee thermos for a bike commuter!

Here's a link to it. Click on the name: Big Bubba

Another snatch PR and the New Mexico games women only weightlifting competition

This morning I finished a workout set building up to a 2X2 snatch of 71k. 71k is a lifetime PR for me. I completed it easily, making all four attempts. I'm not sure why I do so well at the snatch but struggle at the clean and jerk. After the snatch I did a 1X5 back squat of 120k.  I also set a new lifetime PR in the deadlift of 163k.

This weekend my wife and I watched the women only weightlifting for the New Mexico games. There were so many amazing athletes. I have a few videos I want to upload soon onto my blog withing the next couple days. A lot of those women were stronger than the men lifting a couple weeks ago.

I'm freaking out a little bit. In the last couple weeks i gained a lot of weight. I'm now up to 289. I gotta do something. This is getting ridiculous.

skin cancer and middle aged athletes like me

I had a Dr's appointment yesterday. All of my tests like blood pressure, blood sugars, triglycerides, and liver functions came back great. She found a couple precancerous growths she froze off. She also found another spot on my back that was concerning to her so she wants to cut a piece out and send in to biopsy.

Each year for the last few years my DR has had to freeze off a couple precancerous growths. Last year they found a spot on my chest that had to be biopsied. She has become concerned enough to send me to see a dermatologist. Looks like I'm getting to that age where my irresponsible parents and my reckless youth is starting to catch up to me.

Parents, put sun screen on your kids no matter how busy and broke you are.

max weight olympic lifts, focus, and intensity

Up until this week I've gone into the gym knowing I should be able to accomplish each set of every workout that my coach has had planned for me. This is the first week that the weights have become heavy enough that its doubtful if I'll hit most of my lifts. I'm now doing 2 sets of 2, often at a PR weight. Now that I've got to the point of my training that each lift is a challenge, Olympic weightlifting is totally different. Now every time I approach the bar I have to be completely focused on that one repetition. The energy of being in that kind of a situation, where each rep is vitally important to the entire days training is more intense than anything I've ever felt. I'm enjoying olympic weightlifting more than any sport I've ever done before. This is intense.