California Strength Olympic Weightlifting Seminar

Whether you're interested in starting Olympic weightlifting or if you just want to better your form to hit higher PR's then you should check out this weekend's seminar at California Strength. It will be taught by the entire Elite Cal Strength Team including Donny Shankle, Jon North, Spencer Moorman, Rob Blackwell, Kevin Cornell, Jessica North, and Lindsay Taylor.

Click HERE to sign up now.
Spots are limited and time is running out.

 When: Sunday, February 12th
            10:00am-4:00pm

Where: California Strength Gym
              2021 Omega Rd. Suite 120,
              San Ramon, CA 94583

The Importance of starting kids young

Is your baby walking yet? Get a bar in his hands! No, I'm just kidding, kind of...but in all seriousness, it is so benofficial to start children young in some sort of programming. I'm not saying call Glenn Pendlay up and schedule a session tomorrow for your 3 year old but getting him or her into a gymnastics class or even some sort of kids sports program to teach body awareness is spectacular. If you work on engraining proper technique even in just the squat movements your child will remember these movements as he or she gets older, even if there's a long period of time that they don't use it. "It's like riding a bike," is the perfect coined phrase. This is what is referred to as muscle memory.

In addition to laying a good foundation for a more fundamentally sound child in regards to sports, weightlifting, etc.; you are also doing your child a huge favor by getting him or her off the couch and moving. Living in such a fast paced world it is easy to get caught up in the quick and easy. Going through a drive through to order $1.00 cheeseburgers is one, cheaper than fixing a dinner at home and two, convenient and easy. More and more kids, and even people in general are suffering from obesity problems. In most circumstances these are probably the kids camped out on a bean bag playing video games and eating Cheetos on the prettiest summer day. Start your kids young on making proper eating habits as well. I'm not suggesting you shouldn't let "kids be kids," but a candy bar as a treat or reward is much different than allowing your kid to have one in substitution to breakfast. Pay attention to snacking habits and grazing times. Help your child make good decisions and talk to them about the consequences the bad ones have.

You are responsible for your child's health, don't let them get started off on the wrong foot just because it's easier for you. Set good habits now because bad ones will only start to form in the future. Get them in some sort of program and get them on the right track for eating. Even if it's not fun right now, they will thank you in the future.

Competition Time!

Today we will be competiting at Catalyst Athletic's "Last Chance Qualifier" in Sunnyvale, CA. For anyone close by who would like to come watch Donny Shankle, Jon North, Kevin Cornell, Tom Sroka, and myself lift today earliest session starts at 12:00pm. We will be a little later in the day though. Best of luck to everyone else competing, especially those looking for those last couple kilos for Nationals!

"Pathetic attitudes are not in keeping with greatness"
-Friedrich Nietzsche

My mom is a follower of my page, now I have to behave...

It's funny how all my life my mom has always said, "Sorry Honey, you got your mom's big butt and big legs, it runs in our family you know." In the dressing rooms she'd always rant off with, "You know, we are just big boned!" Summer time on the beach when every skinny girl in a bikini walked by she'd say, "We sure didn't get those long, lean legs." All my life it seems she's always been so apologetic of what she thought she gave me. Like she always felt she genetically let me down or chromosonially crashed during takeoff. I never got it? Either way, she always felt the need to let me know she was sorry for her uncontrolable link in our "misfortunes".

This past December, my mom drove all the way to Alabama from Missouri, ALONE, in the rain, all night, up hill both ways barefoot, just to watch me lift for the first time ever at American Opens. She tagged along with Coach the whole time making sure she knew everything there was to know about weightlifting in that short weekend. She asked every question in the book, questioned every answer, and then at times still didn't get it. She followed me back into the warm up area, carefully stalking my competition worse than I was I think. She was paparazzi like I was Paris Hilton. All the things I've done in my life and she was just as excited for me that day as if it was a first tee ball game where half the kids on the team still run to third after they hit the ball. She was proud and I was happy to make her that way.

As time came closer to me lifting she, being great mother she is, sensed that nerves were starting to set in. I wasn't sure what was about to happen on that stage. I'd watched person after person go up and miss lifts....suddenly my openers felt too high. My legs felt too weak. My head felt a blur. She might not have known all the rules and regulations of weightlifting, she might not have understood attempts and openers, but she did understand me. Before I walked up on the stage at my first national event ever she hugged me, kissed me on the forehead, and said, "Just do what everybody here already knows you can do, don't think about it, and have fun. No matter what happens, I will always be proud of you." And I did just that.

After walking off that stage for the last time that weekend wearing a medal around my neck I hugged my mom. She immediately hugged back and then slapped my butt with one of those after football games in the locker room victory guy on guy kind of butt slaps and said with a smile...."Your mama gave ya that BUTT!" and for the first time ever I saw a little pep in her step, a little more "yeah baby" in her smile, and lot more swing in that tail feather. I think she was proud knowing and finally understanding that without her I would never be the person I am today, butt and all. My Mama is my best friend, my role model, and my biggest fan. There has never been a day in my life that I have been ashamed of anything she's ever given me both inside and out. She has taught me to be a great person and by learning from her I've become a terrific mother. She has taught me how to love, laugh, and live life to the fullest.

I know I tell you all the time but it's never enough, Mom, I love you, I miss you, and I thank you for everything! You are beautiful inside and out and the most amazing woman I've ever met! Oh, and I'll see you in March at Nationals!! Xoxoxoxo Linds

For you Lori and anyone else who's curious....

Here is a typical week of my training regimen:

Monday: training at CrossFit CenCal (Stockton)
45 min snatch practice
30 min clean & jerk
Squat

Tuesday: training at Cal Strength (San Ramon)
2:00pm 1.5-2hr snatch practice
6:30pm 1.5 hr clean & jerk practice

Wednesday: training at Cal Strength (San Ramon)
9:00am 1.5-2hr Snatch
2:00 (LIVE ON USTREAM) 1.5 hour clean & jerk
Squat

Thursday: training at CrossFit CenCal (Stockton)
(Lighter day)
30 min snatch
30 min clean & jerk

Friday: Money Day at Cal Strength (San Ramon)
9:00 1 hr snatch, 45 min clean & jerk
2:00 (LIVE ON USTREAM) Team Competition
No given times, just work up for max lifts

Saturday: training at CrossFit CenCal or visit Midtown Strength
45 min snatch
30 min clean & jerk
Squat


Typical Snatch Practice:
Warm up with the bar
High hangs (working on speed) with 35kg. Usually a few sets of about 4-5
High hangs with 45kg, a couple sets of about 3
Snatch doubles (1 from the floor, 1 from the low hang)
Double at 50kg
Double at 55kg
Double at 60kg
Double at 65kg
Double at 70kg
Double at 75kg
Double at 80kg
Try for a PR double (currently 82kg., set today)
(usually 3 attempts for a PR, then back down for speed)
Double 55kg-70kg
Single up to a PR (currently 86kg)

*somedays we add variation such as deficet boards (1-2), low blocks, high blocks, pauses, and complexes

Typical Clean & Jerk Practice:
Warm up with the bar (a lot!) rusty elbows
-clean, power jerk, lower, split jerk, lower, split jerk
45kg (2sets)
65kg (2sets)
-clean, power jerk, lower, split jerk
75kg
80kg
85kg
90kg
95kg
PR (currently 95kg w/power, split-97kg w/split, split)
-single clean & split jerk
100kg
PR (currently 102kg)
-Clean
PR (currently 103kg/108kg from low blocks)
Doubles: clean & jerk, clean & jerk
75kg
80kg
85kg

*somedays we add variation such as hangs, low blocks, high blocks, jerks from blocks, and complexes)

If you'd like to know these numbers in pounds simply multiply everything by 2.2
PR Snatch: 86kg/189.2 lbs
PR Clean & Jerk: 102kg/ 224.4 lbs
PR Clean: 108kg/ 237.6 lbs

You can do it!

How many times have you heard women say they don't want to lift weights because they don't want to get big and bulky like a man? Or, even better, women, how many times have you SAID that you don't want to lift weights because you don't want to get big and bulky like a man? This misconception is so overplayed. Ladies, weights are good, they are our friend....They are not going to make you any bigger or bulkier than you are now, IF you don't want them to. Bodybuilding, powerlifting, Olympic lifting, lifting in general, CrossFit, these are all different types of lifting. They have different rep schemes, different weight percentages, different diet approaches, and different drugs....yes I said it, different drugs. If you walk up behind what looks like a man, sounds like a man, walks a little like a man in the grocery store but to your confusion he's wearing a skirt with painted toenails and is a WOMAN then this is probably NOT natural. Unless you're taking mass amounts of testosterone and your second home is a gym this will NOT happen to you! You are not going to get "huge" just by picking up a bar even for an hour everyday and squatting, snatching, or even benching. Yes, you will put on some muscle but I ASSure you it will be in the places you want it and I guarantee you will hear ABSolutely no complaints on how it will start to make your body look and feel.

Here are a few more misconceptions that a lot of women have...."Should I do more cardio and lose fat before I start lifting?" Ummmmm, if you want?? But to answer your underlying question, NO. Fat DOES NOT turn in to muscle, and guess what that muscle will never turn back in to fat. These are two different cell types, they can not metamorphasize into something they are not. When you start to see muscle definition forming what's happening is you are actually losing fat and the muscle, whether you're gaining it or not, is starting to show.

Another fun fact, the more muscle mass you have on your body, the more calories you body needs to run, thus burning calories quicker. To lose one pound of fat you need to somehow set the deficet between the two by 3500 calories. Whether you're taking in that much less calories in your diet or your burning that much more in your workout, either way you're going to see a change in fat loss. Notice I say fat and not body weight. Everybody knows, or at least has been told once in their life that muscle weighs more than fat. If you start a weightlifting program and see no change in the scale or maybe even at first a slight jump, but you're down a pant size, this is normal. You didn't put that weight on over night and it's sure as heck not going to come off over night. Pay attention to how your body feels, how your clothes fit, and how much more energy and motivation you have after starting a program. With the right diet, program, and dedication the weight will come off. Don't get discouraged.

But in order to even get this far you first have to start! Ladies, stop with the excuses. You don't have to go heavy, you don't have to compete, you don't even have to go everyday. Just go in with goals of what you're after and have fun. If you're in the Stockton area check out CrossFit CenCal or if you're closer to the Bay  look up California Strength. The trainers at each of these gyms know their stuff and will help guide you in the right direction, and who knows maybe you'll bump into a few weightlifter bloggers while you're at it! 

Feel free to comment below if you'd like any other information on training, whether it be questions you have in general or you would just like to know more about these two gyms. Best of luck with whatever you do and I hope this is the year you make a difference to your body!