You know what? It's a new year, that's what!

My sister Donna posted something on facebook that made me rethink the "New Year".  I have to confess that until I read her post I didn't really care for this delineation of time, of days/weeks, "year" being so tied into a calendar date of "Jan 1st".  I mean, so what, really? Jan 1st somehow was supposed to be different?  What the hell have you been doing for the last 364 days of last year? I'm just so compassionate, aren't I?

Anyway.  Donna posted that the "New Year" was her favorite time, and for all the reasons why it should be. YES, that particular date does, in fact, in these times, in this culture, have significance, and why not?  Whatever sparks motivation for change, good change, IS a good thing....so I've decided to stop being a bitch about it and let it motivate me!  January first, second, third, fourth....it's time to shut up, finish up and move on!

My theme for 2014 is "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" and to finish ten things I "started" last year before I move on to "New Year", the "new me" which will help me make this the best year of my life so far!  I'm not sure which "ten" things those are, but I have a handful of last years responsibilities to complete.  Not that I'm waiting to start implementing some new changes, but my first priority is to finish, not to start!

omg...what does this have to do with training?  Yikes.  Well, it has to do with attitude.

Fast forward.  This is actually a post about my training.  A couple of days ago I had a pretty rough day....because of my attitude and because I'm spoiled as shit.  I have too many choices in my life, which is what I would call a "high quality problem", BUT it doesn't change the fact that I've let it become a problem.  "Problems" are things I don't let myself have!  I choose not to ever say that I have a "problem" because owning it makes it so.  Really, I promise I'm getting to the training and I'll write more about this year's "ASLTW" theme another time....I have to!  I have to because this year is about finishing! HA!

Here are my latest GS training videos.  The first two, taken on Tuesday morning, sucked.  I can say that now because it's over and done.  Really it was the jerk set that sucked. The snatch set was, well, it was snatches and I can always gut out snatches.  I didn't have to gut out this set, but what I mean is that I don't feel as if my snatch skill/strength can make up for what I lack in the skill of the GS jerk....but that was really a 2013 attitude!  It's a New Year after all.

Jerks always come first in training so as not to potentially tear up the hands first.  I went into the set kind of confident, but part of last years "high quality problem" was that I did not have a definite time to practice my sport.  I had too many choices.  Morning?  Afternoon?  Tuesday? Wednesday?  Saturday?  Sunday?  On this morning I let a last minute private cancellation dictate when I was going to do my sets.  These first two sets were done after a pretty fun (hard) morning of a New Years Eve 20/14 Hardstyle, high volume swing/snatch workout that included double bell swings and a ton of other high volume practice.  Maybe not the smartest move.

This was supposed to be a 6 minute set.  15rpm w/14kg.  The best part?  I really like my new pink tank top!  lol  43/31 (45/45 was the prescribed pace)

14kg jerk 6 min (supposedly)

Then next comes my 18kg 5 minute snatch.  I didn't think too much about it because I knew I could do it, BUT in the first minute I thought, "Wow, I could, probably complete a 'SFG snatch test' (100 reps in 5 minutes) with this 18kg, AND with only one hand switch!"  Which then made me pace myself a little too fast.  Too fast to focus on insertion and technique.  As I mentioned....I can gut out snatches, which is not the point.  I ended up with 97 reps in 5 minutes.  Good Lord, if I could have switched hands, no doubt I would have easily exceeded 100 reps, and on a "normal" training day.  How many other female SFG's can do that?  One hand switch w/18kg?  

18kg snatch 

Today.  With a new attitude for the New Year AND the decision to take away some of my choices the plan was to NOT over train my heavy swings this morning and wait until the afternoon to do my GS sets.....after plenty of recovery and a nap!  Also, the new plan was to stop being a baby.  Look for what may need improvement and freaking improve it!

Prescribed was 3 jerk sets, 4 minutes each with the 16kg at 12 rpm.  I decided that my first goal was to complete the 3 sets, no particular pace since I haven't really jerked the 16kg for months.  Here are my results. (sorry the videos are posted in opposite order, starting with the 3rd set of 3, but I'm not editing this post all over again!)

The first set was okay.  After only 2 minutes rest between sets I fell into what I already knew was one of my problem areas in the second set.  When I jerk on my "less strong" side, my left, I tend to shift over to my left hip, not utilizing my right hip/leg and it becomes really apparent and the reps get super wonky.  Two legs are better than one!  So on my third and last set you may notice before I jerk I re-shift my weight to both legs before each jerk rep.  I'm super thrilled with my last, 3rd, set, even though I did not complete my prescribed rep count.  Now I may be on to something.

My snatch set.  16kg 8 min (4/4)  Again, no worries.  Relaxed, kind of.  What I mean by that is that I know my "insertion" needs improvement and I'm still playing with technique.  This set was prescribed as "easy pace", so I didn't try and count at all, instead relying on video to review.

I noticed that I prefer my grip to be/stay in the corner of the bell's handle, and how to use more of my entire torso.  Insertion still needs improvement, I know that.  I've got a few things to focus more attention to, and I'll practice that.

All in all I'm so much happier and it's only the 2nd day on my New Year!  Wow.

ps Photo above is my cat Winnie's tail!