Shifting the Focus to 2012

When I started training again last month I was very optimistic. I took some time off after the Swiss Championships and was surprised to start my 2012 training at my pre-break level. Our hope was that the break was short enough that I could pick up with my same training program. And it looked like the plan worked. But over the next few weeks my results slowly got worse and worse. If our plan had worked, my body should have responded with even results after a few weeks of training. Instead we realized we had wasted a few weeks and wasted a few meters. I don’t exactly know why my body’s reaction was a different than expected – it could have been the break, it could have been the travel and honeymoon – but in any event we started over again from scratch and scrapped my plans to have some September competitions.

Since I started the new program, things have started going in the right direction again. My technique feels solid and my results are also pretty good considering I have nine more months of continuous training before the core of the 2012 season starts (I’ve posted a recent training video below). On Saturday, I took part in a small competition for fun and threw over 63 meters. I felt like I was in 65 meter shape, but my result was still better than all of my winter and spring competitions from the 2011 season.

So far, my training has remained at a low intensity. In fact, I have not done a squat heavier than 70kg (154 pounds) or a clean or snatch over 50kg (110 pounds) since last May. I also have very little special strength work. We eased off training during the competitive season and have yet to raise the intensity again in Fall training. It feels like my muscles are starting to melt off, so I’m eager to start a harder training program in the coming weeks. I am also eager to see coach Bondarchuk again. I booked my flight to Kamloops at the end of October and will do a 10-day training camp where we can work on my technique and plan my 2012 season.