The benefit of pushing our own boundaries and doing activities that aren’t easy for us.
I’m now over a year into training. It’s not been an easy ride I have to tell you. Firstly I feel like my body really is not designed for the two lifts – Clean and Jerk and Snatch. Both involve squats. For my structure squats are not a natural position. Femoral anteversion makes them rather tricky. In a front squat it’s near impossible to not have a knee drop in when standing up and in the jerk position my left back knee drops in which often causes my ankle to collapse.
The collapsing ankle is a feature I have due to hypermobility. I can literally just fall off my ankles for no reason.
Even though my coach is aware of my femoral anteversion he will still sometimes bring attention to a knee drop in. Like dude I KNOW, it’s literally what my knees do!
Out of interest I requested my medical records and found a letter that shows the degree of femoral anteversion which was a 90 degree inward rotation. The letter also states I was unlikely to grow out of it. Ideally I would have been operated on as a kid but I wasn’t and there is very little to be done about it now.
I did have the option of surgery at 16 but at that point in my life I was not in a great situation at the time and honestly didn’t feel safe. The idea of being in that same situation with two broken legs was honestly terrifying. Which meant that really it was not a viable option.
Anyway that brings us to now, I still have femoral anteversion and it still means my alignment in various things is a little off. Throw in hypermobility and well it’s fun!
Of course unlike bodybuilding style lifting if a certain lift doesn’t work for your body there are no alternatives. The lifts are the lifts.
Interestingly although I have the disadvantage/disabilities of femoral anteversion and HSD they are not severe enough as issues to count as disabilities in sports. Which means should I ever compete I would compete against able bodied people. That certainly puts me at a disadvantage for sure.
That all said it’s fun, probably made more fun because my body is not designed to do it. There is a certain joy to saying fuck it and doing something that for me is genuinely really really hard. Yet still trying to do the best I can regardless. Although the progress is slow I AM getting stronger and I am getting better at the lifts.
Snatch continues to be a frustration as I even with significantly increased strength I still feel unstable. I fricking love cleans and power cleans, the jerk aspect can feel great some weeks and then my ankle will sploot over again and again.
I also sometimes have weeks where my coordination is just off and the whole thing is arrrgghh. But then there are weeks where I start to feel I’m getting it, that my body is changing in ways that it never has before. I’ll never be the best lifter but I’ll overcome way more than most ever have to!
I would love to compete in a fun way at some point but honestly I’m terrified. Years of bullying and mocking on sports days etc. Jesus the idea of doing something on a platform in front of people makes me feel sick with terror.
I will get there though. Slowly working through my physical limitations and mental barriers one at a time. That’s what makes this worthwhile. It isn’t easy, it isn’t something I’m built for which means when I finally step on a platform it will for me be a huge achievement.
What are you doing that scares you or you aren’t built for?
If you are interested in training with a qualified yoga teacher, pilates instructor and personal trainer in a private home gym in Alnwick drop me a message.
Sam Kelly Fitness 