Olympic lifting

Days left to CrossFit Games: 29

Before CrossFit, I thought Olympic lifting was for 400 pound Viking-type lumberjacks who inexplicably felt the need to shove a barbell over their head. Not so. This is Gea Johnson. Would you be able to tell by looking at her that she has won 7 Olympic Weightlifting titles? It is not even really her sport. Her real sports were track and field and bobsledding. In track and field she was ranked 2nd place in the world four years in a row behind Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

When you watch someone else it looks like there is not much to it. But it is much more technically difficult than I ever would have imagined. Rosanne pointed out that this is why there are only two Olympic lifts (snatch, clean and jerk) yet some people dedicate their entire careers to them. It also requires a lot more flexibility than I would have guessed. I knew my hamstrings and shoulders were tight but I had no idea how tight until now.

The amazing thing about Olympic lifting is how much it seems to benefit other sports. Doing these lifts require a lot of power so I seem to be getting quicker and I am jumping higher than I was before. And the more the flexibility and strength improves the less shoulder and knee pains I seem to have. Who knew?

Yesterday’s workout:
3 snatch every 2:00 x 8 rounds
Weight used: 80#

80 pounds is pretty close to my 1 rep max. At first I felt unhappy that I cannot do much more than that. It seems to be mostly technical problems that prevent me from doing more. Most of the girls at Regionals could do at least 100# and often more. I figured out, though, that I am happier when I compare me to myself rather than to other girls. I looked back and when we did this workout 3 weeks ago I was only able to do 70#. I made a 10lb jump in 3 weeks!

Today’s workout:
5 x 3 deadlifts at 90%
Weight used: 220#

3 rounds for time of:
10 pull-ups
20 wallballs
30 stick jumps
Time: 8:20

I could not have lifted one more pound in the deadlift for those five sets. I think if someone had set a penny on the barbell I wouldn’t have finished my last rep. That’s what you want out of a workout. Felt great. I wish I could say the same for the 3 round workout. The big bowl of cereal I ate this morning was trying to find its way back out. I stopped twice to tie my shoelaces. I think I need a day off.