So… The dust has settled on Newcastles Strongest 2022 and it was a fantastic performance from the Team taking home 3 first places and a third place across the 4 categories that our 6 athletes were competing in…

There were lots of PBs before that though so lets get into it!

Joe hit a huge 250kg Squat to round out the end of our first training cycle along with a log PB of 122.5kg and some big stone PBs of 175kg to 46in and 145kg x3 to 56in. Its coming together nicely for Joe. He has bags of potential and nothing phases him. Next we turn our eyes on bringing up a lagging Deadlift, a movement he’s self admittedly, struggled with. I’ll leave you with a message I got form Joe after the 250kg Squat.

‘If you were to say to me at the start of training with you . You'll get 250 squat and get the 175 stone up I probally wouldn't have believed you because I remember how hard 205 was when I first done it with josh. I thought that's it I've hit my limit. As flaky as i am training. I love it. Training now and seeing my strength increase is great. I've gained loads of knowledge with you every session I've learnt something new.’

Jenesis has started making some good progress in the Snatch hitting PBs in the Hang Snatch - 21kg x2 and Full Snatch 22kg x1. Jenesis has actually snatched more than this before she came to me, but did it as Powers. When somebody can power more than they can full, it indicates there’s a technique or confidsence issue somewhere. This bodes well that we’re fixing both.

Xenas made a load of PBs this block so i’m just going to list them:

Squat - 70kg x10, 70kg 5x5, 73kg 4x5, 75 3x5

Front squat - 48kg x3

Clean - 35kg x1

Snatch - 33kg x1

C&J - 33kg x1

Snatch DL - 53kg x5, 58kg x5, 60kg x5

The Squat pbs are nice, every time it’s a step closer to 100kg, the real win this month though is the Snatch PB. 30kg has been a road block for Xena for a little while, but we smashed past it last week and all of a sudden technique has clicked and things have fell into place. It’s often frustrating when things don’t feel like they’re moving forwards as quickly as you like, at that point consistency and patience is the goal. Project100 is on!

Jo had a nice run up to Newcastles strongest, hitting PBs this month in the Deadlift at 250kg x1, Farmers at 140kg p/h x15m, Floor Press at 105kg x3 and 120kg x1 and Axle FTOH of 105kg x1+3. Training PBs are lovely and ultimately its what drives progress in competition, but it was his performance at Newcastles that was the big win. 18 year old and competing against some really strong grown men, some of which were on PEDs and Jo came away with 2 event wins in the Farmers & Stones as well as a third place overall. Jo also hit a PB of 115kg in the Axle Clean & Press event. Competitions are great because it allows you to not just pinpoint your weakness relative to your own lifts, but relative to your competition. This competition confirmed that we need to continue to get stronger in the static events like the Push Press and Deadlift and just like that… We have a training focus for the next block. Fucking third in an inters at 18 year old! The boy done good!

Pressing has been coming on nicely for Liam as we’ve been rehabbing the knee as he hit a Seated Backless OHP PB of 50kg x5. I like this version of Press over the Strict Press as it eliminates over extension of the back while adding an extra element of stability to the movement which increases its hypertrophy potential. He also hit a PB in the Box Squat of 132kg x5. Expect to see some rep PBs in the Box Squat next time I write about Liam because it’s been the movement we’ve used to allow him to continue to squat through knee troubles and as we start coming out of them, we’ll be pushing the weight nice and heavy. A great example of a rehab movement becoming a strength movement and integrating seamlessly into the training… Can’t do that with booty bands. Big thanks to Alex at Pro Health Physio for looking after Liam through his rehab period and making pragmatic decisions that still allow him to train.

Olivia had a nice end to the training cycle hitting PBs in the Pendlay Row at 1x10 @55kg, Snatch Deadlift at 82.5kg x5, Clean and Jerk at 67.5kg x1, Snatch at 42.5kg x1, Enderton Front Squat Complex at 60kg, Push Press at 60kg x1 and Squat at 105kg x1. We’ve worked hard for those PBs and it puts us in a good position going into the next training cycle. Olivia now has 3 weeks off after a hard rugby season to give her a little mental break and then it’s back at it. A transitional period is an important part of training at the end of a hard training cycle or season. It gives the athlete a mental break, bit also a physical break to heal any ongoing niggles or injuries.

There were more PBs than this in the Weightlifting Club because both of these guys hit PBs in the Push Press too… I just can’t for the life of me remember what they are. Anyway…

Paul hit a PB squat of 115kg, 120kg is probably there but we’ll save that for another day as this is a 10kg increase on his old max and fatigue was setting in. Paul also mated his max Snatch of 58kg and took it for a double.

Marie has been flying and hit a PB Squat of 83kg. I’m pretty sure there were some new PB doubles from blocks above the knee in the Snatch & C&J too but again… I can’t for the life of me remember them1

George C had a great showing at Newcastles, hitting PBs in the Axle Clean & Press at 100kg x1, Farmers walk and matching his PB Deadlift in the Deadlift medley event. George probably should have been in the beginners category but showed some real balls by jumping straight into novice when there were no spots left in beginners. He took away a 6th place finish.

George F is on a little transitional period too after his 300kg double that proceeded his honeymoon. He did hit a 107.5kg triple on strict log, a 260kg beltless deadlift and a 137.5kg p/h x30m just after the 300kg double that didn’t quite make it into last months Blog though. 300kg for one was the Deadlift goal by the end of the year… thats shifted to 315kg to 320kg now.

Emily, Dale & Stephen did the biz in the Womens and Mens beginners categories coming 1st, 1st & 10th respectively. A real highlight for me was Stephens 105kg Axle Clean & Press… I’d love to see what he could doing out of a rack because its the Clean that he struggles with. Emily and Dale were consistent throughout and once again, in competiton, consistency kills.

Sean, Sean, Sean, what can I say, First place at Newcastles and honestly, the class of the field. He didn’t win an even but was consistently in the top 3 or 4 every event and that was rewarded with a win by a clear 4 points. Sean hit PBs in the Axle Clean and Press at 135kg on the day and was consistent throughout. In training Sean also hit Axle PBs of 125kg x1+3, 127 x1+2, 130kg x1.

Thats me done, I usually write a bit after the PBs, but I think there’s plenty to take away… Here’s a nice picture to celebrate the fantastic results at Newcastles Strongest!