With the State Titles over, now is a good time to reflect on a few things that may help first time competitors or those backing up and competing at the Nationals.
First I want to look at missed lifts at the States.
I'm not concerned with those that buried the lifter, being overcome by a challenging weight is the norm. Any dick can walk up and take safe attempts.
There were a few lifts red lighted for various reasons that I want to discuss.
Nick had a 275kg deadlifted red lighted because the bar changed directions for about a centimetre. Nick didnt hitch, he never has, lifters either hitch or they dont, and he doesnt. I think what happened was the bar came slightly out of the groove and he readjusted. Most lifters wouldnt even feel that, but I saw it and new the lift would be red lighted.
So where to now for Nick on PPP? Well, seeing how in my eyes he actually pulled 275kg, he does the 285kg program.
Now Annie. She red lighted on a 135kg deadlift for hitching. Annie is a hitcher. Her 130kg pull was excellent, but she smiled as she was hitching her 135kg effort as she knew damn well she had hitched, she was going to pull it anyway.
So where to with Annie on PPP? She only pulled 130kg, so she does the 140kg program.
Most wont understand the difference between the 2 lifts, but trust me there is a difference.
Next is Nina. She made a 65kg bench press, but was red lighted for uneven extension, which was a correct call. She made 62.5kg easily, so she sets her PPP program at 75kg, seeing how I dont recognize 2.5kg jumps, we round up.
Max has been doing the 200kg squat program. After 2 comps, his best squat is 170kg. Even though he has been going through the 200kg program, its way too ambitious. Lift in a comp if you want to know your true PB. Max missed 170kg in Albury and he missed 172.5kg on a 4th attempt at the Vics.
So what does Max do on PPP? He does 180kg, a 10kg increase, just like everyone else.
Now, a few lifters are perplexed why I'm making them set their targets lower. Max isnt, he gets it. He will be stoked with a 180kg squat at Nationals, mature beyond his years. He set a new record by 7.5kg on the total at the Vics. If his decrease in target weights is successful, he will add another 30kg to his total, that will take him to 520kg.
So you f u c k e d up at the Vics. Too bad. I'm not playing guessing games at the National Titles.
Nobody said these wights selected need to be 3rd attempts. If you fly through the program, take them as openers.
Including 4th attempts, Max increased his total from 467.5kg to 490kg in 4 weeks. AIn Albury he had 6 successfil attempts.
At the Vics he went 9 from 9, and 1 of 2 fourth attempts, so 10 from 11 is damn impressive.
None of my competing lifters will use gym lifts as a gauge as to where they are at. Kasper has pulled 205kg at PTC, only made 190kg at the Vics. James was down on all 3 lifts at the comp, Annie was 7.5kg down on squat.
Annie, Nick, Nina, Dims 140kg deadlift would all have passed at a PTC comp, I dont penalize hitching or uneven lockout.
The judges were toigh on squat depth. Nina gets her ass very close to the floor, but her knee was travelling so far forward, and therfore lower, that her hip couldnt catch it. Remember, its not bum depth that counts, its hip lower than knee. She was red lighted for depth on 92.5kg on a 3rd attempt, but came back and made it on a 4th. She can do heavy box squats on a 15cm box, but unless I can get her to sit back, she will struggle. As an example,last night doing bench squats to a 42cm bench, she was incredibly close to parrallel, yet her ass was a foot higher than normal. Sitting back allows you to keep your shin straight up and down, making it easier to get your hip lower.
So making big lifts in the gym does not rate compared to getting 3 white lights from eagle eyed referees.
I hope the other 15 lifters are as understanding as Max when they have to reset their targets 10kg above their best comp lift, it should lead to at least a 30kg total increase at the Nats.
First I want to look at missed lifts at the States.
I'm not concerned with those that buried the lifter, being overcome by a challenging weight is the norm. Any dick can walk up and take safe attempts.
There were a few lifts red lighted for various reasons that I want to discuss.
Nick had a 275kg deadlifted red lighted because the bar changed directions for about a centimetre. Nick didnt hitch, he never has, lifters either hitch or they dont, and he doesnt. I think what happened was the bar came slightly out of the groove and he readjusted. Most lifters wouldnt even feel that, but I saw it and new the lift would be red lighted.
So where to now for Nick on PPP? Well, seeing how in my eyes he actually pulled 275kg, he does the 285kg program.
Now Annie. She red lighted on a 135kg deadlift for hitching. Annie is a hitcher. Her 130kg pull was excellent, but she smiled as she was hitching her 135kg effort as she knew damn well she had hitched, she was going to pull it anyway.
So where to with Annie on PPP? She only pulled 130kg, so she does the 140kg program.
Most wont understand the difference between the 2 lifts, but trust me there is a difference.
Next is Nina. She made a 65kg bench press, but was red lighted for uneven extension, which was a correct call. She made 62.5kg easily, so she sets her PPP program at 75kg, seeing how I dont recognize 2.5kg jumps, we round up.
Max has been doing the 200kg squat program. After 2 comps, his best squat is 170kg. Even though he has been going through the 200kg program, its way too ambitious. Lift in a comp if you want to know your true PB. Max missed 170kg in Albury and he missed 172.5kg on a 4th attempt at the Vics.
So what does Max do on PPP? He does 180kg, a 10kg increase, just like everyone else.
Now, a few lifters are perplexed why I'm making them set their targets lower. Max isnt, he gets it. He will be stoked with a 180kg squat at Nationals, mature beyond his years. He set a new record by 7.5kg on the total at the Vics. If his decrease in target weights is successful, he will add another 30kg to his total, that will take him to 520kg.
So you f u c k e d up at the Vics. Too bad. I'm not playing guessing games at the National Titles.
Nobody said these wights selected need to be 3rd attempts. If you fly through the program, take them as openers.
Including 4th attempts, Max increased his total from 467.5kg to 490kg in 4 weeks. AIn Albury he had 6 successfil attempts.
At the Vics he went 9 from 9, and 1 of 2 fourth attempts, so 10 from 11 is damn impressive.
None of my competing lifters will use gym lifts as a gauge as to where they are at. Kasper has pulled 205kg at PTC, only made 190kg at the Vics. James was down on all 3 lifts at the comp, Annie was 7.5kg down on squat.
Annie, Nick, Nina, Dims 140kg deadlift would all have passed at a PTC comp, I dont penalize hitching or uneven lockout.
The judges were toigh on squat depth. Nina gets her ass very close to the floor, but her knee was travelling so far forward, and therfore lower, that her hip couldnt catch it. Remember, its not bum depth that counts, its hip lower than knee. She was red lighted for depth on 92.5kg on a 3rd attempt, but came back and made it on a 4th. She can do heavy box squats on a 15cm box, but unless I can get her to sit back, she will struggle. As an example,last night doing bench squats to a 42cm bench, she was incredibly close to parrallel, yet her ass was a foot higher than normal. Sitting back allows you to keep your shin straight up and down, making it easier to get your hip lower.
So making big lifts in the gym does not rate compared to getting 3 white lights from eagle eyed referees.
I hope the other 15 lifters are as understanding as Max when they have to reset their targets 10kg above their best comp lift, it should lead to at least a 30kg total increase at the Nats.