Back Day and Mind Games

Saturday I walked down the stairs from the locker room at Gold's, my dip belt in my hand, heading straight for one particular power rack. I see Steve and his training partner there, doing pulls ups, just what I had planned on doing.

One reason why I try to get to the gym first thing is to claim my space- see I need this cage for about 30 minutes. Sure I can share, sharing's not a problem for me, but it's also nice to have it on my terms the whole time, my rest periods are timed so I have only enough rest to recover and no more. I was about 10 minutes late today.

The guys looked up, big smiles on their faces and waved and said hi. They either knew what I wanted, read my blog, watch me on Saturdays....or I may have just looked like I was on a mission.

I asked if they would be there long and Steve said they only had one more set then the would move to another cage, they were going to use this to do bent over rows, but they don't have to. This is the only one with the different pull up bars, the rest are strictly squat cages. Bent over rows can be done at any of the cages.

I really appreciated their willingness to move and thanked them, and started stretching.

I told Steve I was up to 61 chin ups, but can't get past 7 at a time. Not bad, really, not bad at all. He asked if I was adding weight and I said "Yes, 9 1/2 pounds". He nodded his head. I told him that I am not sure if I should add reps or add weight, I can't just do chin ups all day and I need to change something! It takes me almost 30 minutes just for that one exercise.

He said "If you are looking for size, add weight" so I did. I threw on a 10 pound plate and started into my sets.

5, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 5, 5, 5

I realized I had mad a mistake, but I kept going. See last week my total weight (belt and plates) was 9 1/2 pounds. This week I had neglected to add (in my head) the belt, so by throwing the 10 pound plate on, I actually had 12 1/2 pounds added!

So....I did one chin up more than the previous week, BUT, I had 3 pounds more added, the entire time!

The power of the mind! All I needed was Steve to tell me to add more weight and I did, not realizing that I added quite a bit more. If I hadn't talked to him, I would probably have plodded along doing the same weight, and maybe one set more. I never would have thought I could add another three pounds!

Our minds can convince us that tasks are too difficult, or our diet is too strict, our training too hard. It's important to remember this, that our bodies are designed to lift, push, pull, run, jump and generally be active. Our own minds can often be our worst enemies when it comes to training.

There is just no going back now, I mean, Saturday when I go in again, I certainly cannot lower the weight, I must add the 10 pound plate again, and do more reps, you see, I have already established that I can do it, and I will.

again

again

and again

Motivation

Motivation

Dedication

Inspiration

The pursuit of life

I love to watch athletes, real athletes. There is something about that inner drive that I don't see anywhere else, the need to succeed. 

I don't see many at the gym; no, they are training in college or professional facilities, day in and day out, constantly pushing themselves to be better.

We can all strive to be a better athlete, but it takes more than what most are willing to give. How much are you willing to give? How much are you willing to give up? How badly do you want it?

I am often asked how I do it all, work full time, have a family, write my blog, train everyday and compete. It takes hard work! It takes dedication, drive, desire. It doesn't come easy, so many people think there must be a secret- something that they just don't know about, something that will magically make them into the athlete they want to be.

There is.

It's called hunger.

How hungry are you? 

Below is a video (email subscribers will need to navigate to the blog link at the top to view this).

The Athlete is Giavanni Ruffin and the inspirational speaker is Eric Thomas. Both of them create chills up and down my sine.

Last year at this time, I posted part 1, and if this video motivated you to be just a little better, take a look at that one. 

Hardbody

I visit an online site called Hardbody- anyone who is into Figure or Physique competitions most likely does too, or just guys and gals who like to look at....hardbodies.

There is a mindset, you have to be a little crazy, a little more devoted to your beliefs  than other people, a little more willing to fight for what you want. You need to have confidence in yourself and not be afraid of what others think or say. You need to be prepared to struggle, cause it's not easy, it's not easy at all. If it were, everyone would be a Hardbody wouldn't they?

Being a Hardbody is not just a physical place, it's a mental, emotional and spiritual state of mind.  It means waking early every single day and training hard. It means preparing for the day....24 hours ahead of time. Eating what you know you should, instead of what you want (most of the time). Thinking about everything you do and how it will affect you later- sleep, food, water, rest.

Spending the money on quality foods, supplements, training, posing and coaching. Understanding that you really cannot do this alone. Seeking out others who will mentor you. Listening to and taking their advice, pondering their life experience, trusting that they want to actually help you be the best you can be. Becoming you.

Believing in your self worth.

Believing in you.

I do consider myself a Hardbody. I may not look like a woman on a magazine cover year round, but that's a choice I make to maintain my relationships with others. I look damn amazing compared to most other women around me all the time, any age. I can get myself prepped and ready for whatever event I want, whenever I want. Here I am in my "off season", I am not on a diet and I am at my highest body weight give or take 2 pounds.

The deal is, I have to feel good about myself all the time. I have to believe in what I am doing, I have to honestly think that it's the best thing for me, and not care about what others think. Some think I am very inspirational, others think I am vain and shallow. I love to hear from others who enjoy the pursuit of health, and those naysayers? I look at them and laugh.

I do what I do because I like myself, I like what I have done with my physique, my health,   my life. I love waking up feeling good and ready to attack the day. I compete because it is a challenge for me, I challenge no one but myself.

I'm not concerned with what others think, I am concerned with what I think.

I love what I do, I really don't care what anyone else thinks, I feel I am on the right path, the right path for me. My life is filled with excitement, physical and mental struggles and accomplishment. I feel I have won a battle every single day. 

I am lucky that I have Roy Ganju as a talented, educated, and caring trainer; along with Kristy Enos as a fantastic posing coach. And of course my husband, David who supports and cheers me on every step of the way!

Hardbody had this on their site recently, as they discussed what it takes to be a "Hardbody". I couldn't agree more.

THE MAN IN THE GLASS

When you get what you want in your struggle for self

And the world makes you king for a day,

Just go to the mirror and look at yourself

And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father or mother or wife

Whose judgement upon you must pass.

The fellow whose verdict counts the most in your life

Is the one staring back from the glass.

You may be like Jack Horner and Chisel a plum

And you think you’re a wonderful guy.

But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum

If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

He’s the fellow to please-never mind all the rest,

For he’s with you clear to the end.

And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test

If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years

And get pats on the back as you pass.

But your final reward will be heartache and tears

If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

Dale Wimbrow written in 1934.

Women's Physique Music

Monday morning, labor Day and I have the day off. I went to bed early and woke up early, Roy was taking the day off so I would train on my own in the morning, it was hammies. 

Although my left hamstring is still healing, I can train it but I go light, I have to keep moving it to make sure adhesions don't set in and I retain range of motion. Oh it's not that bad, really. It's just been a very long time and I am feeling much better about it all!

I took my time and felt great. I warmed up and then did my hip thrusts, I am supposed to be doing single leg but it pulls too much on the hip flexors, so I am doing both legs at once.

Then onto the back extension with weight.

I wander over to the standing leg curl and decide to give it a go, I wonder if I will feel any pain or tightness?

15 pounds and I felt silly, but I didn't want to push it. 20....25...30...Nothing! No pain, no tightness, I am on my way to recovery!

I wanted to hop on the Glute Ham Raise so badly, but no, I will wait, wait until I am finished with physical therapy at least..

I feel so good, so absolutely alive, I want to go home, finish the holiday just so I can go to sleep and come back to the gym again. 

I have found my music, the music I have bee practicing my routine to. I have been watching Women's Physique routines and almost all of them are slow. I am wondering if they know something I don't, or they just don't have the same drive and desire I have to dance on stage? My music is actually slower than what I first started out with, but it has a great beat, a wonderful, earthy beat that makes it all come together for me.

Here is my music, on my morning drive to the gym. It's early, 4:45 a.m. and dark out, the music is loud, the top is down, it's a great way to start the day.

(Email subscribers will need to navigate to the blog by clicking on the blue link at the top to view this video.)

Standing Work Station

Yup! I stand at work now! because of all the issues I have had with my hip flexors, my doctor wanted me to get a standing work station, so that's what I did. I have a pretty nice office to begin with, I mean look at this nice big window! It overlooks one of the buildings that houses about 600 Freshmen here at San Jose State University, sometimes I see some pretty interesting stuff in those windows!

Roy saw these and said "look at how you are standing!!!" Not quite sure how he wants me to stand but I think it's feet together, pointing straight ahead, butt tucked under (no pelvic tilt), shoulders back...

My nice soothing fish on my bright blue screen.

Front view of my computer and station, gotta have some good speakers! The sub woofer is the big box just in front of the mouse.

Refrigerator

Microwave under the desk (which I hardly sit at now). Along with my bottled waters. I really don't have to leave my office for much! 

Trophies and my huge white board on the right- I use it to get stuff out of my head, I need someplace to transfer this madness! Paper just never works that well, I am extremely visual, I need to SEE things to understand them. 

The gold trophies are from work, the others are all from Figure competitions. That's not all, just some of them. 

My hip flexors are feeling better, although I am still not ready to start squatting again, I am making progress. I am getting used to the standing work station, and I now have a HUGE space where I can lay down and sleep in my office.

If you haven't read my last post about standing instead of sitting, take a moment to read it here. It may change your mind about your own work environment!

Motivation

"Don't start living tomorrow, tomorrow never arrives. Start working on your dreams and ambitions today."

`Anonymous

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

`Eleanor Roosevelt

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."

`Henry David Thoreau

"I have spread my dreams beneath your feet. Tread softly because you tread on my dreams."

`W.B. Yeats

"You'll never achieve your dreams if they don't become goals." 

`Anonymous

"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." 

`John Barrymore

"Dreaming permits each of and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives." `William Dement 

"My eyes are an ocean in which my dreams are reflected." 

`Anna M. Uhlich

"So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains. And we never even know we have the key."

`The Eagles

Acknowledging Injuries

Injuries, frustration, disappointment, acknowledgement, commitment , change, excitement, growth, renewal.

A circle

It’s a process I just went through and I am sure anyone who is actually devoted to their training has experienced it, but did they realize they even went through this process?

Since June I have been working through some injuries, it has taken me three months to get where I am. Most of that time has been spent convincing myself I wasn’t injured. It took me that long to work through the process of admitting what I need to do so I heal and can start to move forward.

Training is a very big part of my life, I am not really complete unless I have done my training for the day, and it is the best part of my day. It is a rare occasion where I do not look forward to going to the gym, to the track, to train with Roy.

I strained my hamstring back in June and just kept pushing through it. That’s the “tough” thing to do right? But that really wasn’t my mentality, it was actually the fact that I feel fairly invincible, I couldn’t be hurt, it must all be in my mind, it’s just a muscle that’s a bit sore.

It took a few visits to the Chiropractor and my physician to convince me that it was more than what I had actually thought it was. And there was the hip flexor pain, sitting was unbearable, I would wake at night due to the aching in my hips, especially my left side (where the hamstring strain was).

Then I started physical therapy. The first session was nothing strenuous, he put me through several stretches that did not really feel like much, but it turned out he was assessing me more than anything.  I figured it was being paid for by insurance; I should go through with all sessions and see how it turns out, any stretching will be helpful to regain my range of motion right?  

The second session was different though, it seemed better, or maybe my head thought it was. Sid started by foam rolling my leg as I lay on a massage table, I said “good luck- I use a lacrosse ball!” Smart ass I was, he was good. Then he used his hands. This was even better. Next came assisted stretching, better still.  I asked him not to stop so he continued a while longer.

As we moved to another room I went through other stretches and exercises.  Brian shouts over “Be sure she uses what she calls the kettlebell jewelry”, which was what I said the itty bitty bells looked like since they weighed only 2 pounds.

I explained how my hip flexors hurt so much, and what my training has been like. I have been trying to grow the legs; I have been hitting them hard, really hard. Heavy and volume. He suggested that they may also be strained or just need a break.

I told him David had said the same thing, and so had Roy, we actually had already decided to cut squats to one day a week instead of two.

Since PT was mainly dealing with the hamstring strain, I had decided to see Dr. Leahy immediately afterward about the hip flexors.  He could at least do some Active Release to loosen up the tight muscles; the tightness was what was causing so much discomfort.

In his office I go through the whole story again, he works on both hip flexors and the hamstring.  He asks when my “event” is and I tell him not until May. He says I am progressing right along. “What does that mean?” I ask “It’s a compliment, take it!” he replies. 

I tell him I know, but I need to know what he “sees”. I see myself everyday and want to know what he sees. “Well, it looks like you have been adding mass, in fact, quite a bit. That’s what you are trying to do isn’t it?”

“Yes!” I tell him it’s the peanut butter sandwiches (I am joking) and I laugh.

Dr. Leahy suggests that I stop squatting all together- at least for a week or even two if I can manage the downtime. If I cannot take the downtime he suggests some light therapy.  He said I should just avoid anything that hurts my hip flexors, and when it no longer hurts, I am ready to train again. Insurance does not cover Dr. Leahy, doctors can be expensive when you pay on your own.

Sounds simple doesn’t it? It might be for some people, but it hasn’t been a simple process for me.

How many people would even have an issue with this? It has taken me a lot of time to actually confirm in my own mind that I am OK not training my legs for a couple weeks.  I sent a message to Roy and explained.

We had decided that I would be replacing my Saturday squat day with a biceps and triceps day, and move some of the the other splits around, so we just axed the squats all together and started the arm training then, the following day, on Wednesday when we would usually do squats. 

I really don’t train arms much; I train the shoulders but not the rest.

Wednesday was fun; we went through barbell triceps lockouts superset with scott curls. Then on to skull crushers and reverse barbell curls. I felt like a wimp, it was a lot of new stuff for me.

Thursday I did my hamstring training, but modified it slightly so that my hip flexors felt no pressure, I concentrated on the glutes so that’s where I felt it. I tried some kettlebell snatches at the end, but the hip flexors immediately felt the strain and I stopped after one set.

I will switch my Back training to Saturday (instead of squats) and repeat my arm training on Sunday, adding in some pullovers too. My upper body will be fried by Monday.

I’m excited again and looking forward to the changes! I already have some impressive arms, so imagine what they will look like after all this training in a few weeks!