With every meeting I have with clients and/or prospective clients, I always make sure they have a clear attainable goal in front of them because without a vision people tend to fail. If they are not sure of their purpose or their “why” it becomes very easy to quit because their drive toward a goal isn’t directed in any one direction.
In CrossFit, people tend to fail at the margin of their experience which means they have a difficult time breaking through the mental and physical barriers into new skills, strength, and speed because they have never been there before. If they’ve never been there before, sometimes it can be very scary to push yourself outside your comfort zone. It’s easy to stay safe and cozy doing your day-to-day, sometimes mundane, routine just hoping for the best.
I have been doing CrossFit for 9 years and I absolutely love the methodology and everything it stands for. I love the community, camaraderie, competition, family, coaching, and ultimately the results it produces with consistency.
That being said, I was coaxed to compete in weightlifting so I ultimately agreed to step away from CF for a short time to focus on my lifting. I would do short Metcons once every one or two weeks to scratch that itch but mostly focused on Olympic Lifting technique and strength training.
Three months out of the Texas State Weightlifting Championships I began my training at 4 times per week working on Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Over Head Squat, Back Squat, Front Squat, Presses, positional work holding isometrically, etc. Sets were generally 3-5 sets of 2-5 reps of each movement at 80% of 1RM (1 rep max) up to 90-95% at times.
Coming from my CrossFit background, it was hard for me to take the 2-minute rest between lifts because my mind would tell me, “Why are you sitting down, you’re supposed to be moving?” However, when working higher percentages of your 1RM, it is essential that you allow your body to recover between lifts so your body can recover and each contraction produces optimal results.
About 4-6 weeks out from the competition we transitioned to 3 days per week with each day focusing on specific lifts. Below is an example of 1 week of training.
Week 14
1/3/2022
Day off
1/4/2022
Sn 70%/2×2 80%/1×3
Spl 100%/2×3
Sdl 110%/2×3 pause below knee
Sq 70%/4 80%/3×3
1/5/2022
Day off
1/6/2022
pcl + jerk 70%/(1+2)x4
jerk 80%/1×3
cpl 100%/2×4
fsq 80%/2×3
1/7/2022
Day off
1/8/2022
sn 80%/1×3
c&j 80%/1×3
sq 70%/4, 80%/3×4
I’m getting old so going heavy every day is not optimal for me and really shouldn’t be for anyone. Our bodies need time to recover between heavy days. This does not mean that you don’t do anything on your days off. You can still get in the box/gym and move around, go for a walk/hike, bike, do yoga, or mobility, etc. These days are essential not only to your physical health but also to your mental and spiritual health. Getting out in nature is a great way to clear your head, pray, meditate, dream, and connect with your spouse if you can coerce them into going along :).
I competed in the 35-40-year-old male 81-kilo weight class at the Texas State Weightlifting Championship and came away with a Gold medal. I give credit to my amazing coaches who programmed for me, John MacMullen out of the Austin, Texas area. He has connected me with some of the best in the world of Olympic Weightlifting, Chad Vaughn 2x Olympian being one of them, and Attila Huszka of Austin, Texas who set 3 records at the 2022 Texas State Weightlifting Championships.
With a clear and precise plan in place that lined up with my goals is what challenged me and what ultimately put me on top of the podium competition day; aside from my amazing team and my CrossFit family that not so graciously allowed me to lift while they crushed their own WOD’s in the box.
Ultimately, whatever you give your mind to you will eventually become. If I can give one word of encouragement to finish up with this article it would be to stay focused in this world of noise and chaos. You do not have to listen to every voice or every guru. Link yourself with like-minded individuals that encourage you daily, lift you up when you are down, love you, and genuinely care for your success. People who are jealous of you will always try to bring you down to their level, and I think it is because they don’t want to feel worse about themselves. It is not your responsibility to make everyone happy; it is your responsibility to love everyone well.
Happy Fitnessing!!! If you would like help, reach out to Adamas CrossFit in Jasper, Texas, we have an amazing family of athletes who strive to be better than they were yesterday!
