New Girl Jitters

First day of practice was this morning and I didn't sleep well last night. I was excited and nervous and it was raining. Okay. So, it was mostly the first two that kept me awake/waking up, but it was still raining. (and i knew you'd want to know that...)    SEE...!

"Liquid Sunshine"... aka rain. Go Deacs.

Since I was new (and will probably always claim to be new... sorry Ellyn.. but I think you knew that was coming), Ellyn and Lorie came to pick me and my bar up and take me to campus/Kelly(where we (Robinson Weightlifting)) works out.  I got a tour of the building- but will still probably get lost if I try to 1. get there by myself or 2. try and find anything except the training room and the locker room or 3. any combination of the first two.   ANYWAY... once i got acquainted with the space, it was time to get to work. Entering my purple room.. that's what Ellyn and I call the time/space/mental preparation I take (should be taking) before each workout. It's basically preparing myself for the task in front of me and preparing for practice like I would prepare for a meet.  It's all got to be the same. Train how I will perform.  Entered my purple room.  one shoe at a time. left first then right. moving up to my wrists. taping the left wrist then the right.  Thumbs are the last to be taped.  Left then right.  A few deep breaths then off to warm up. 

It was about this time I realized I had forgotten my water bottle at my apartment. Talk about a rookie mistake! I wanted to look like I had it all together so I didn't mention anything to anyone and kept running to the training room to grab some water from one of the sinks in there! What a goon!  I bet that wont happen again. And if it does no one will know ;-) 

Warming up is still a place I'm trying to get a normal/regular/fluid routine.  I still need help from Ellyn on this and she's there to tell me what to do next.. because "I'm new".  After warming up and being introduced to a few more teammates, it was time to start.  Today was a snatch day (the lift i need the most work on) and front squat day.  Another PR with front squats.. up 3kilos from Saturday.  After every practice Ellyn asks me if I've gotten better.  When she asked today I said I felt like I got better with my front squats (that was a no brainer...) and I wasn't totally sure about the rest of the workout.  It felt average.  With that being said I need to back up and talk a little bit more about snatching/snatch pulls/hang snatch etc....

With the snatch especially, I have started (or never stopped- not sure which) rocking back on my heels when I pull the weights off the ground.  What that means is I waste a lot of effort and energy rocking back to my heels (my toes and probably a good portion of the front of my foot comes off the floor as I'm pulling the weight to my hips. It also makes getting a good "clink" difficult and actually finishing the lift with heavier weights nearly impossible).  Being in the gym with someone besides myself was helpful.  When other athletes were lifting I was able to watch them, their feet, their hips, their shrugs, their finish and I was able to see what I was supposed to be doing.  Seeing them get the lift and the concept of the lift made me focus more on what I was doing and how I was doing it. I didn't want to be left behind when everyone started improving and getting better.  I wanted to get better with them...or  before them, and it wasn't happening.  Up the focus, attention, and purpose of what I was doing and the results got better.  The pulls were "clinking" more than before and the foot wiggling was still there, but I was doing it less- and I was able to feel when my toes came off the ground  So I guess I'd have to agree with Ellyn, yes I did get better today. Just found this quote that will apply to my time here in Bridgewater time and time again.... "Competing in sports has taught me that if I'm not willing to give 120 percent, somebody else will.” - Ron Blomburg.  There's no point in doing this half way.  I've got to give it everything I've got every day.

That brings me to my next 120%... dropping weight. 5 weeks until the next meet and I am 15-ish pounds over what I need/want/should be.  Hopefully this blog (along with Ellyn, the team, and living with another lifter) will help me stay accountable for making weight for the next meet.  More on that later ... 

Here are some pictures of where I will be 4+ days a week... it's small but a lot of work will get done 

That's it for now.  Another workout tomorrow morning at 9.  Another opportunity to get better.