"You have to be ready to grab it

http://www.alexgrey.com/

when Grace lays in down in front of you. "

You have to be there, ready for those moments when the stars are aligned and everything is working right.At least that's what I believe, and what I wrote down under this blog's title as my 'mission statement' of sorts.

Here's the whole quote

"And in those simple beautiful movements I remembered what was really important in training; that consistency trumps intensity; all the time. That intensity is born from consistency. That one cannot force it, one has to lay in wait for it, patiently, instinctively, calmly and be ready to grab it when Grace lays it down in front of you."

I think you just have to show up, suit up and do your practice and sometimes you can experience moments in the "flow' that are purely ecstatic, at least they are to me.

Moments like in 1977 in the Big Ten Gymnastics finals on parallel bars where, after I started the routine, I literally came out of my body and watched the entire routine from above the apparatus. In my body, in total control and out of my body observing myself similtaneously.

I had never experienced that before and had no idea that it could happen but it was way cool :)) Hard to describe but intoxicating and addicting like nothing else I had felt before. I got more of those moments all the time as I searched them out in training. once I knew that state was possible,that it existed I had to try to learn how to create it,to manifest it at will. To will it into being.

But that never worked. On days when you "should have" had the best chance to find it; when you were rested and focused and well fed and mentally 'there' it never seemed to show up. There was no pattern more than training your practice regularly with apt attention to the process and your body.

It showed itself when it was damn good and ready.

I later experienced that in almost every run I did when, after an always tough and slow 30 minute start, I would get into a flow where , for lack of better words, my body was 'running itself'. I was just observing. And deciding , but it was effortless Effort.

The same under a barbell the heaviest weight I had ever attempted, in front of an audience in a competition when the bar was suddenly empty and I knew, I KNEW, I was going to make it.
Easy.

When you know HOW it is supposed to feel when it is done 'right' there is such a desire to chase it, to seek it out, to MAKE it happen. But it won't be forced. Just show up when it was good and ready. And you better be, to.

Then there are the days when it's just show up suit up and slog through. For me the experience of the strength and beauty of that 'flow zone' is well worth it. Big time. Talk about inspiration that leads to motivation.

Today was a good day, although like most good days I had no indication. In fact, just the opposite. My back was cranky and slightly weird, not in a good way at all. My attempts at right arms windmills on Thursday didn't go well and I ended up with some lateral flexion and some "adjustments" that had me a bit worried.

Plus, the 150 high pulls with the 24 kg was too close to my snatch groove and my biceps and forearms were getting a bit achy and tight. Not good for my plan of 24 kg snatches. I need to train on wednesdays not thursdays,even if that means tues and wed back to back. I need two days of recovery after volume these days.

SO I was more than willing to drop back to the 20kg and low reps even though i had missed last weeks snatch workout. I would decide when I got there and got warmed up and I was more than willing to do more if things went well.

And they did :))

Stretched out for 30 minutes prior and my back and hammies felt fine.My arms were sore but I paid particular attention to behind back stick work as well as overhead shoulder stretches.

Snatch

16 kgx5/5 x2

20kgx5/5

24kgx5/5

x6/6

x 7/7

x8/8

x9/9

x10/10

x5/5 x 4 sets

130 total reps

6890 lbs

wow! this shocked me.everything felt great and my tight forearms actually may have helped my form as I HAD to concentrate on reaching all the way back and not cutting the back swing or I could feel it on the top of my forearms.

I would have been very happy with just 10 sets of 5/5!

The first set felt so good I knew I should ladder up. Nick asked me how far I was going and I told him I didn't know; till it started getting a little hard. This was the top set of 10/10 and it was just my forearms that complained. cardio was perfect and overhead position,timing and power was spot on. Loved it!

130 was a solid number after this week. workout was "I go, you go" pacing with Nick.

Two Hand swings

28kgx10

32 kg x10

36 kgx10

40 kgx10

these went great as well.took my wider stance and really felt the hips working. so happy to be able to train these finally.So much strength, power and stability in this movement. Just like I knew it would feel.

Two Hand Shield casts

15lb cb x8/8

20 lbcb x8/8

25 lb cb x8/8

Two hand Arm Cast

25 cb x10/10 x 1

I am really digging the two hand version of these. elbows are liking them as well as my triceps, mid upper back and pecs.

Datsit.