Fitness - Weighted sit ups & Clean max - 10/09

Today we started with weighted sit ups using kettle bells. Holding one in each hand lying on your back while your partner held your feet. Complete sets of sit ups with your elbows locked out the entire time keeping the kettle bells pressed above your head.

Focus: Weighted sit ups
I didn't really keep track of reps or sets. I worked up in weight to 24Kg kettle bells and that was plenty. I wasn't doing more than 5 or 6 reps each set.

We did not have a WOD today, it was a technique day and the exercise was barbell cleans. One of my favorites and one of my best areas. We spent a lot of time warming up the legs and shoulders etc. Then we worked up in weight to find a weight that was manageable for 3 reps at a time. I, on the other hand, wanted to find my 1 rep max. So I worked up to it as follows.

Barbell Cleans:
1x115 Kg (253.5#)
1x120 Kg (264.5#)
1x125 Kg (275.6#) - Failed this attempt (due to sketchy footing)
1x125 Kg (275.6#) - GOT IT!
1x132 Kg (291#) - Failed this attempt

I'm happy about this effort and at the same time I'm pretty upset with myself. I went in with 275 as my goal but I know I'm able to clean more than that. After I got 275# I made a huge/stupid mistake. I don't know what I was thinking but I was pretty jacked up and on an adrenaline high and I decided to go straight from 275 to 291#. A 16 pound jump in weight. Needless to say I didn't get it.

Had I just added another 2.5 Kg's (5 pounds) I know I would have been able to get up 280. The way I threw up 275, I even impressed myself. I felt really strong coming out of the front squat with 275 racked on my shoulders. My core was solid and I had a smooth ascent to complete the rep.

The problem with my attempt at 291 wasn't the explosion off the ground, popping my hips, or dropping under the bar to get a good rack on my shoulders, it was at the bottom of the front squat that I fell apart. My hips kept pitching forward rolling the weight over my toes instead of keeping it back on my heels.

I got what I wanted going into it, 275#. But at the same time, I've never cleaned more than that. It was my 1 rep max in high school as well and I'm so much stronger now than I was back then. I should have gotten more, I just can't seem to push past the 275 mark. I wish I would have been a little more realistic and tried 280 instead of what I did. I mean, you never know but I'm pretty sure I would have been able to control a 5 pound increase in weight much better than a 16 pound increase.

Anyway, I'm beating myself up over it which is dumb. I got 275 which is a great accomplishment at one and a half times my body weight (I weigh between 180 and 185 on any given day). I plan on working on my front squats and getting a lot more comfortable with them for the next month or so and trying to clean more than 275 again in mid November. This time I'll be more realistic about it and shoot for 280.