One Week Out

Today marks 7 days from the 69A session of the American Open.  The taper has begun and the weight cut is in full swing.  I recently viewed the “American Weightlifting” documentary from Catalyst Athletics and Greg Everett.  In that documentary near the end Aimee says somethings that really resonated with me as I approached this week.
In theory the final taper week is awesome.  You’ve trained so hard and now you get to come off the gas pedal and focus on resting and recovery.  However, for me this week is torture.  No extended lifting sessions to take my mind off the competition.  No milkshakes, hamburgers, or apple pie to indulge my taste buds.  Most importantly, the nerves.  Nothing is more agonizing than thinking about that first opening snatch.
In the documentary, Aimee said that competitions are terrible until after that first snatch.  She stated that the week before is miserable for her.  So true!  She also said that a little bit of nerves combined with a sense of calm can be the best concoction for a lifter pre-meet.  The the fun begins after the warmups are over and the first attempt has three white lights next to it.  I couldn’t agree more.  Months and months of preparation all start with that opening attempt.  A lot of work rides on that opening lift.
This week is the worst.  All I think about is how my attempts will go.  What jumps I might have to make.  What total I want to walk away with.  What happens if I fail.  The pressure is crazy.  I love every second of it.
1 Week Out…