i just C&P'd the 20!

ok, so not a deep post this; just personal celebration.

i just clean & pressed the 20k on the right side. first time. a bit of hip to get through the sticking point but not a ton, and the thing is it went up otherwise unassisted.

This is a big deal personally - had almost thought it wasn't gonna happen. Gives me hope that the 24 is not quite as far out of site as i'd thought it might be.

y'all go get your PR's too!

happy dance time

-later: the 20 on the right feels a bit right now like the 16 did on the left before i got the clean figured out: planets must align, everything be just so to get it; it's not consistent.

But the interesting thing to me, is that this time i *know* - or am at least pretty certain - that it's a technique issue now rather than a strength issue. So perhaps the same approach that worked for the 16L will work with the 20R, eh? to get that dialed in. (for those who haven't been following this, it's all part of the "perfect rep quest series")

Never imagined strength would be so rich a skill/experience.
mc

update: Feb 28, 2009
second 20k single - less hip and faster going up this time.
will miracles never cease!

update: Thurs. March 26

third C&P in dressing gown after breakie

update Friday March 27

fourth C&P in dressing gown after breakie.

hmm, a pattern?

have tried on other occasions before and since (like today March 27 - no go). Technique? New Moon? what??

update easter monday April 13:
recovering from a vicious cold, jet lagged, back from two weeks away and zero 20k attempts (no such thing available), popped it up once after breakie and ONCE AGAIN after lunch. no warm up no nothin' just up and then up.

that's 6 C&P's and the first double in one day.
i was gonna try for a third, but wanted to have a 100% success day.

May 2...
i haven't written down each c&p since the above - there haven't been that many :). Maybe one or two a week. and not on the same days.

But today, after a 5 min RKC snatch test prep (98 - personal record, and honestly was not killing myself, this is not the TSC; even saying that, there's a long way to go to double that for a GS event) - yes AFTER that, i did 5 C&P singles. Pauses between them: doing z health shoulder work. But there they were. Later that evening i snuck in one more. It wasn't until i went for the 7th that that was it.

What changed?

May 3...
after a vo2max row (rowing is very similar to snatching), i had a miss with the C&P - that usually spells zero for the day, but went back after recovery; did 1 C&P followed by a second complete press. hmm.

One thing that has changed - besides i'd hope the natural process of muscular adaptation: attitude. In keeping with what i've been learning in the Sedona Method about effortless this that and the other thing, i thought i'd try effortless pressing. That doesn't mean not tensing muscles as needed etc, but it's i dunno, perhaps a state of mind that lets the work happen without getting all fussed or psyched or something about it.

I don't know what to say other than, the day i approached the C&P of the 20 with that attitude is the day i got 6 singles, and the next day got 2 presses non-stop. Maybe it's just coincidence that on that same day the muscular strength was just there. but we'll see. this is something i plan to test in going for the 24.

it's a drag to need to wait a few days before doing heavy pressing again... drat that recovery.


May 31 - post RKC Denmark 09 assisting, post zhealth I phase.
Pavel gave me some hip flexor advice at the Cert to drive the clean more to awesome effect, and Eric Cobb gave me some great stance and eye work to get through the sticking point, with an eye towards the 24. Result: get home and I'm up to 9 C&P singles with the 20. We'll see when that 24 comes down (which means goes up, of course).