Interview With Cate Imes

Catherine Imes is the USA's first Master of Sports and has several world championships in Girevoy sport under her belt. Anyone who has seen footage of Cate training or competing will know two things about her: 1) she is a VERY tough individual 2) she has excellent form.

Cate has been coaching me online for the past four months or so and has certainly taken my lifting beyond what I thought possible in such a short time frame. She has kindly answered some questions below to give you an insight into the training of a true champion.

Stats:

Age: 38
Weight Category: 75+, but working towards getting under 75kg this year.
PRs: 423 Total in 16kg Biathlon (221 snatches/202 jerks). Odd stuff, 8L/12R OAJ with 36kg
Goals: As a lifter, to eventually put up similar numbers with the 20kg that I did with the 16kg. Basically, short term hit MS with the 20kg, then perhaps in 2010 do MSWC. I may take a break from biathlon and do LCC&J. I’ve got other goals that are non-comp related. I would like to do 10 min, one switch with a 24kg and a 10 min set with a pair of 24s in the jerk. Of course, this is going to be more realistic after I hit the goals with the 20kg.
As a Coach, to refine my coaching skills so that the athletes that I coach get the best results possible.

How long have you been doing GS?

I participated in my first competition in January 2004. So, nearly 6 years

How long were you training before you achieved MS?

I officially hit MS in April 2007(Snatch Only). So, 3 years on and off.

How did you get into GS?

I started lifting KBs after doing the high rep ballistics with dumbbells for a year. I noticed a signficant improvement in my conditioning for mixed martial arts (Grappling/Boxing). I’ve always liked snatching. I took to that lift quickly. So, when a comp was advertised for Chicago, I decided to give it a go.

Why do you like GS?

It’s been sport that has helped my overall conditioning by taking me out of my comfort zone. It has increased my fitness level while allowing me to maintain a decent level of strength. In my quest to put up higher numbers, I’ve also become much more athletic. The other reason I like it outside of the training and the sport is the people. I’ve met some very very great friends through this sport like Lorraine Patten, Kukka Laakso, Steven Khuong and Maya Garcia, just to name a few (I know I’m forgetting a few people).

What does a typical training day look like for you at the moment?

Snatch set in the morning, usually 6-8 min. Depends on the weight. A few set of heavy swings, then rowing if I have time. The evening timed sets of OAJ with 24kg, 20kg. Assistance sets with 32kg and 28kg (usually for 10-15 reps.

What do you do to recover?

Aside from taking day off and drinking beer? Well, if I need a recovery day but still need to work, I will do lighter sets and go longer. Maybe a 12-16 min set with the 16kg. Or, if I really don’t want to snatch, I’ll do some OALC just to break a sweat where I’ll switch every minute and go for 20-30 min. Sometimes, I’ll just row. I find that the only time I feel very beat up is if I really push heavy jerks for time, i.e. like a timed set with a 28kg or 32kg.

GS Heroes?

Valery Fedorenko of course. I really like Ivan Denisov. The man is just a powerful freak. He’s my motivation for jerks. Tatiana Potemkin is what I would consider a true female pioneer in the sport. I saw her lift in Latvia in 2006. I think she did 240 snatches with the 16kg, but she has put up very impressive numbers with the 24kg. Impressive things with double jerks (24s, and 32s) She’s also done other feats with heavy bells like 470 Jerks with the 28kg (Non-stop). That’s really cool considering Jerks are frowned upon for women in Eastern Europe. Fedor Fuglev is another one..just a freak.

Who is your Coach?

I will always call Valery Fedorenko my coach.

What do you think is the secret to your success in GS?

Consistent training and a strong commitment to actually getting better at the techniques. This shit is really all I think about. I’ve watched countless videos. I video myself, look for issues. I really pay attention to what I’m doing when things feel right so that I work to duplicate those things. No secret. This is hard work.

Favorite Lift?

Snatch. That’s why I actually bought KBs in the first place. But, in the past year I feel like technically my jerk is catching up with it and that improvement is actually helping my snatch.

What do you do for supplementary training?

Rowing. I will also do some barbell work like light squats, overhead squats, ect. In terms of KB training, I consider swings and heavy OAJ to be supplementary exercises. I’ve also played with Jump Squats. I don’t really need those for OAJ, but I do coach men so I like to be familiar with them in terms of when they should be integrated into a program.

What are the hopes for the future of GS as a sport?

I hope the sport continues to grow in both the USA and internationally. I would like to see the quality of lifting improve as well. This sport is growing in the USA but the quality needs to improve in terms of our lifting before we can claim measurable success. I think we are moving towards that through improvements in our coaching and stricter judging criteria in our qualification procedures and our competitions.

Here are some clips of Cate:

Achieving MS rank:

43 Jerks with 2x20kg!