Road to Warsaw

12/29/2010

Here is some of the training I have been doing lately, just part of one day actually. My battery died in the camera, so this was all I got. I have a particular affinity for the Olympic lifts because I feel I can do them satisfactorily enough to get results without injury. I took the time to learn them and now reap the rewards. It did take years of training and diligence to get to this level. While my form is nowhere near perfect, it will continually get better because I work hard and seek the help of other coaches. You simply can not reach your maximal potential on your own. You need a quality support system of knowledgeable people around you. People that want the same things as you. Success that is goal driven is extremely important. A medium term goal of mine is a 350 clean and jerk. I have a plan and I will adjust it accordingly. But the short term goal right now is football preparation. While weightlifting isn't the only means to be completely prepared for a football season, it sure does play a big part for me. I'm throwing in tons of calisthenics and sprinting. Add in lots of mobility work and specialization work for the ankles, neck and grip, and you have yourself a pretty damn good training protocol. Check the video and post a comment about your goals for the coming year.

9 Comments

John Cortese link

12/29/2010 12:57:21 am

Matt,

You'll get there (350 C&J). Hard work and persistence will pay off.

I'd be curious to see your layout for preparing yourself for football. I'd like to get back into doing the olympic lifts more again; been away from them for a few months but I miss that feeling.

My short-term goals for the new year are to get my strength and size back. I've immersed myself so much into starting my gym and training others that I have forgotten about my own training, or at least not put as much effort into it. It's a shitty feeling and I have no excuses but it's time to get back in control again.

Short-Term goals (as in 6 months): I'd like to be able to clean and jerk 250 lbs, snatch 185 lbs, in addition to getting the big barbell lifts back up again to my old PR levels.

Would like to talk training with you more in the future when you have some time, Matt!

Thanks,

John Cortese

Matt Wichlinski link

12/29/2010 01:21:08 am

John

anytime man

remember to be specific with your goals

"in addition to getting the big barbell lifts back up again to my old PR levels."

this is kind of specific, but be more detailed...
by June 1, 2011, I will deadlift x, squat y, bench z...
starting with your finished goal, you can work backwards to today. so you know wht you will have to accomplish by may 15, then you know where you need to be by may 1, then april 1, etc.

I always start at the end, then work backwards. I know I have 12 weeks before departure for Poland. I have set my weightlifting goals, etc. for that time. I then proceeded to work backwards making a weekly goal for my training and planning deloads in the appropriate places.

PPPPP

Proper planning prevents poor performance

Your hard work and persistence will pay off, but I know the feeling of sacrifice of personal fitness goals to get other things squared away. Find balance now and practice what you preach, get your training in. You will not be a good service to others if you are not on top of your game. Being physically superior will advance your business, not detract from it. Keep it up

12/29/2010 01:39:40 am

Matt,

I totally agree about being very specific. That helps tremendously as opposed to just working blindly and hoping you get there.

I need to get my balance back, because right now I am sacrificing my own fitness goals to serve my clients/athletes and others and I hate it that I've let it go this far.

I never wanted to allow it to get this way but it's time to take control again; no excuses! I have been training maybe twice a week for the past month or so (random workouts) and I know better than that..

If you wouldn't mind, when I have a rough draft of a plan set up for the next few months, I would love any constructive criticism or feedback.

More specifically...

By June, 2011:

Power Clean and Jerk: 250 lbs
Power Snatch: 185 lbs
Squat: 405 lbs
Deadlift: 450 lbs
Bench Press: 315 lbs
Military Press: 200 lbs

Bodyweight: wouldn't mind putting on an additional 15 lbs in the process.

With that said, in order to reach these goals do you think a 3 day split or 4 day split would work better? I've used both with success in the past but wouldn't mind hearing your opinion here..

I have hit all of those numbers before (except military press, best there is 175 lbs. and best clean is 231, best snatch 177) so I know I have it in me to get back to that level just gotta bust ass!

Thanks for your advice so far!

Oli

12/29/2010 06:14:06 am

Off to an olympic lifting course in feb and cannot wait!

12/29/2010 09:58:19 am

Oli

awesome! where are you going and who is coaching?

John

I would recommend possibly 3 strength workouts a week and 3 recovery/ technique sessions a week. These will help you get there faster. I found that keeping the lifts at about 65-75% on technique days will keep you hungry and fast, you will recover well and build tons of confidence.

For example you could try Monday Wednesday and Saturday heavy strength days based on powerlifting.

On Tuesday Thursday and Saturday do lots of mobility and recovery, when you feel good, do some specific barbell work such as

muscle snatch x 2 + overhead squat x 2 + hang snatch x 2 for 4 sets

perform this light and with precision, do not try to go heavy, you should not be fatigued, this is for speed and confidence, and establishing stable positioning.

Then something like

power clean + front squat + hang clean + split jerk x 2 for 4-5 sets

call it a day

12/30/2010 06:15:02 am

A company in the UK called Optimal Life Fitness. A trip to London for the weekend. Day one on the snatch, day two on the clean and Jerk. I can then start to catch you up on your personal bests!

Have you been to England before? Warehouse gyms are quite rare, but a friend of mine wants me to go into business with him to set one up. If it's successful in the US, it usually ends up following over here. I currently work in a commercial gym, but too many shiney machines! The gym is full of about 100,000 pounds worth of Kit, yet at the end of my shift, I go and do heavy sandbag loading and farmers walks with a friend of mine at his basement gym. Ironic really as the bags cost hardly anything to make, yet I'm getting way more out of this way of training!

Casey Hoalcraft

12/30/2010 11:20:25 am

Yo Matty!
You pocket dialed me the other day and I heard some weird stuff on my voicemail.. Anyway.. What kind of agility training are you doing? Id love to see a video of any type of circuits or drills you have set up.. My personal goals for this year. I entered the Bodybuilding.com body transformation contest which is 90 days and has a grand prize of 25 g's. After losing so much muscle from my shoulder injury and putting on some weight I think I can win it! Gotta be in it to win it right.. As far as actual lifting goals I am still contemplating what I should shoot for. I need to retest my 1rm's to see where im at.. B since im currently about as strong as a 13 year old girl.. Business goals. Move into my facility by March 1st. Double my current client base of 14 to 28. By the end of the year hopefully build a gym as sick as the strength shop. (last goal probably unrealistic since you have a pirate flag)

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Road to Warsaw

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