Train your weaknesses, Compete your Strengths.

After doing two kb swings for the first time in forever Tuesday, today's two hand swings with just the single bell seemed almost easy! I never thought I would write that;)
I had to go so wide for the double bell swings it brought back my old powerlifter's stance from the muscle memory banks and that was actually a good thing,

I spent much time with an ultra wide stance when powerlifting, as that was what my coach Louie Simmons told me to do ,and it made sense.Kind of, At the time. The wider you stand the more the hips are forced to work. This builds glutes, hammies and the posterior chain, allows one to stay more upright and minimizes shear forces on the knee.

But I had very little leverage, raw strength or power in that position. That it is, without my squat suit bottom. that thing helped a lot. Think about squatting in tight jeans and you get the picture. In fact, at one time I had a seriously good denim squat suit and a canvas one. But wide stance raw? Nothing.

But it got better over time. The above picture is of my best competition squat, a 573 lb 2nd attempt at the 1997 APF Master's Nationals. I made a 545 opener, this 573 on my second attempt and a miss at 601 on my third. Had I known that was the last time I would ever have 600 pounds on my back again I would have made it. I weighed 190 lbs, drug free.

Had I followed my instincts and wore olympic shoes with a heel and narrowed my stance I would have made 601 and more, I truly believe. That was my strong position and I should have competed in it.
TRAINED the wide stance to make my weakpoints, my glutes and hips stronger, but competed in my strong positions, to maximize leverage and power.

But I did mucho reps in this wide stance and it really was easier on my knee. I neglected to keep enough quad strength and ankle mobility going during this time( which turned out to be a big mistake) but the wide stance is much gentler on everyone's knees.

Bottom line: the wide stance I will be force to use to train my heavy double swings and snatches will not be as hard as I thought. It will be going back to what I used to do, and, like then, not so fun. But it will make me stronger.

And bringing the stance in, after super wide, as I did today makes it seem that much stronger

Two hand swings
16 kg x 10 x2 ( cold garage, no passive warmup)
20 kg x 10
24 kg x 10
28 kg x 10 x 15 sets.

these were fast strong and easy. Perfect weight for today after last weeks Beast work

Snatch Holds
16 kg x 30 sec
20 kg x 30 sec
24 kg x 30 sec
20 kg x 45

gotta get back to 45-60 seconds holds with the 24 kg.

P bar pushups 

5 x 7,7,8,7,5

held my eye gaze higher and head up more here. felt good. shoulder perfectly stable for 4 reps then makes noise( no sublux) after that, especially as I fatigure

band laterals
3 x 15/15 red band

encouraged by the two handers today.keep working the adductor flexibility as well

datsit.
Sisu/