It's been aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages

A looooooooong time since I have updated this. No excuse apart from being lazy, so I'll just get straight into things.

The last two weeks I've been back to uni and doing a sports medicine module in Musgrave Park Hospital. It's been very interesting, covering stuff like ankle, knee and shoulder injuries and things like diabetes and its management in sport. Today, in particular was very interesting and inspirational. Two disabled athletes spoke to us about their experience. Both were 27 years old, one had suffered a spinal injury at the age of 17 in a rugby match and the other a spinal injury at the age of 20 after falling from 10 feet. Their dedication and commitment really was something. When you hear how much they have to work through in order to just train it really puts most people to shame. These athletes really need to make sure everything is in place just to get to training. For example, making sure someone is at hand to help them in and out of their car, house, bed etc. The amount of rehabilitation they went through just to be able to gain some sort of function was unbelievable, and that's before they even began their training for sport. Besides the obvious mobility problems acting as an obstacle to sport there were then other things that added to the difficulty. Pressure sores and hand injuries that can go undetected due to lack of sensation, for example. Apparently there is a film called murderball about wheelchair rugby that gives a real insight into the sport. It's something I will check out.

In terms of my training, things have changed greatly. I am making the move into equipped lifting. I now train once a week at The Gym in Lisburn. I'm now lifting for this club, as Centaur Powerlifting Club sort of just fell apart. There seemed to be a lack of interest there. I'm loving training with like-minded people in Lisburn and I'm learning a lot. In my first day in the gear I couldn't get the straps up on the squat suit as it tended to throw me forward. lol. So I've been squatting straps down with light wraps and a belt. My first day I took 270kg off a box about an inch above parallel. Since that I've moved into a much looser suit and squatted 250kg for a few singles. I've ordered a pair of heavier Inzer wraps from Andy Bolton and these should arrive this week. When I learn how to squat equipped and learn how to control my strength in the gear I have no doubt 300+ is on the cards. Getting there will take a lot of patience and practice.

I had my first equipped competition yesterday and quite honestly, it was a disaster. I had to cut weight at short notice to make 110kg. I weighed in dry at 108.6kg. The lifts went as follows:

First attempt. 210kg, tough to touch, but my form was shite. Got about half way up and the bar went wonky. No lift

Second attempt. 210kg, easier to touch, felt tighter, again, off the chest then stalled. No lift

Third attempt. 210kg, felt great coming down, got my line and felt the shirt tighten up. Came off the chest well and thought I may have had a fighting chance. Due to the traction I was putting on the floor with my legs through my arch etc the bench slid along the floor. That was the end of that. No lift

Personally, I was embarrassed and disappointed by this performance. I don't understand why I underperformed so badly. When I got my hand offs and the weight settled on me it felt lighter than it ever has. By the time it got down and came to pressing I just felt gassed. I can only put it down to lack of practice and fatigue. It was only my sixth time in a shirt, so maybe I am being hard on myself. I know I can do better, two weeks prior I pressed 230 and I've had a good solid lockout with 240. At least now I know I'll be hitting the gym next time like a man possessed. lol

That's all for now. Hopefully won't be so long til I update again.

Thought for the Day:

PRACTISE MAKES PERFECT

Peace

bEn