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News and Notes
- There’s still time to sign up for Flex and the City! The event is on February 14th and teams are comprised of two men and two women. There are three events. Learn more here and contact Coach MeLo at Melissa [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com with any questions.
- Sam P. is biking across Florida in just 12 days with an organization very near and dear to her heart: Bike and Build, which helps to raise money and awareness for US affordable housing initiatives. She is 22% of her way toward raising her $300 goal and if you have any spare dollars floating around, she would be super grateful for the support! Donate here, and hit her up at s.goldman.peltz [at] gmail.com with any questions!
- Coach Arturo’s client Anna L. wants to share a quick video about how to dance, and she wants you to share your moves. Share your best video clips and pictures using #PureWowParty. (Jay-Star, we’re looking at you.)
Jake L. Reports Back on the 2014 American Open Championships
My first national meet. I made it…now it’s time to go and put up a total!
My initial plan was to open my snatch with 130kg (286#). However, after watching numerous people on Saturday bomb out, I decided to be a bit humble and open with something I knew 100% I’d be able to hit.
Sunday morning and its 4:30am. I wake up for a brief couple of seconds in my strange hotel room bed and think to myself, What the fuck am I doing, why am I in DC stressing out about a weightlifting meet? I tell myself to STFU and go back sleep. The alarm goes off at 6am. I order a smoothie and bagel from room service, pound some creatine mixed with water and c4 immediately. It’s time to weigh in…
I get my stuff together and bleary-eyed, walk downstairs to the hall outside of the weigh-in area. I was the first one to weigh in and declare my opening weights. I chose to open with 127kg (279#) on the snatch and 160kg (352#) on the clean and jerk. Both weights I was sure I’d be able to hit.
Get some iced coffee with two shots of espresso and slurp it down while sitting in the warm up area alone at 730am. Bars and weights were strewn about from the night’s session before, all of them looking very heavy and immovable. The caffeine begins to take effect, my heart begins to thump a bit harder and finally my body and mind begin to awake.
8:15am and the warm-up area is bustling with anxious lifters and busy coaches. Everyone eager to get their hands on a bar and begin the warm-up process. I drink another scoop of C4 and I am AMPED. 8:20am, I pick up the bar and finally begin to do some bar work. The competition has begun.
My snatches felt amazing during the warm-ups. I felt fast and strong, all the lifts were crisp and solid.
132, 176, 198, 220, 242, 253, 264, 275. No misses, everything on point. Adrenaline flowing, but my nerves are pretty steady. I am confident with my opener and don’t feel much pressure. My name is called and I walk out on the platform. Grip the bar, set my back, and pull like a motherfucker. CRUSH the opener. But… as I’m walking off the platform I see two red lights… WTF?? I’m confused. I realize I had failed to fully straighten my right foot and my feet were not perfectly parallel. Very sloppy mistake! No lift… SHIT.
The weight had felt so good that I decide to go up to 286 anyway on my second attempt. Walked out and took it for granted and wasn’t aggressive enough in the finish… dumped in forward. UH OH. I’m one miss away from bombing out of the meet. NOT a good position to be in. I retook 286. This time I made sure I was pulling it as if it was 400 pounds. Smashed it. Good lift!!! I’m on the board, THANK God. I really felt as if I had the potential to snatch 300+, but sometimes the game plan changes and getting on the board is more important than being a hero.
Pressure is off… now it’s time put up some big weight on the clean and jerks.
One of my favorite things about competitions is how much faster I feel. It’s as if my body moves at three times its normal speed. My jerks during the warm up were faster and crisper than I had ever felt. So ready to get out there and lift.
220, 264, 297, 319, 341. No misses, each lift feeling better than the last. Walked out for my opener at 160kg (352#) and nailed it. Second lift, 165kg (363#), only four lbs under my PR, and crushed it. This was the single best lift I’ve ever executed. The jerk felt almost perfect. I was very confident I would hit my third and final attempt at 170kg (374#). This would be a PR. I caught the clean a bit forward and it was a real grind standing it up. Missed the jerk. No worries though! 295Kg total. I’ll take it!
It was an amazing experience getting to compete on such a big stage amongst so many other great lifters. I wound up coming in 12th place.
Huge thank you to Todd for helping me back stage, coaching me, and giving me encouragement. It was very comforting to have him there and I think it really contributed to how at ease I felt. It was just like OG!! Also a huge thank you to Lauren for making it out to cheer me on as well.
Time to let the joints rest up a bit, and do some CROSSFITTING for a little bit. 🙂
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