Usually, when I return home from a competition, my body is beat down from the events, heavy weight, and the mental preparation that binds it all together. This time, however, I have to give credit to a 24-48hr bug that single handedly destroyed every part of my body. I have fought through many competitive events in my life when I was not 100%...you simply block it out, fight through, and worry about the consequences later. And with two events to go on saturday, that was my game plan.
Hope for the Holidays 8 was my first United States Strongman competition. It was also chalked full of record breakers...i.e. if you want your name highlighted in the USS record book, this was the place to be. Each contestant was able to pick one of two deadlift variations, as well as a clean and press with the log or axle. (Format: three attempts at the chosen lift to achieve a max, each attempt was one minute in length, failing to complete a lift within the minute allowed = you're done). The final three events included a short farmers, five tire flips, and an incline log press...the latter being my favorite.
I was more or less tagging along with Jill on this trip, who had been invited to be a celebrity judge at the competition. Record breaking is not necessarily something that drives me, but a weekend of competition surrounded by top notch athletes in strength sports, well, that does. It was also a once in a lifetime chance to get to hang out with Willie Wessels, Mike Johnston, and Jill to hear legendary stories, as well as plans for the future of US Strongman. And if you must know, the future looks bright! This group is, without question, bound by passion, hard work, and love for strongman.
After a short flight to St. Louis, tracking down my luggage, a shooting at the hotel, and an evening at Hooters, I woke up saturday morning with a game plan in mind, and ready to compete. I opened my axle clean and press at 150lbs, something easy to get on the board. My next attempt at 170 felt solid, even though my overhead lock out was not quite as smooth. 180lbs would have been a PR for me, but my jerk failed twice, the subsequent clean failed, and I called it a day.
Next up was the deadlift. I did a few warm-up pulls under 300lbs, squeezed into Jill's old squat suit, had Jill pick my opening pull (since I have never pulled conventional in gear, it was a shot in the dark), and easily completed my opener at 325lbs. My second attempt was somewhere in the 360-70 range, which, thanks to the gear, flew off the floor. So, with my final attempt, I jumped to 405#. This is a number I have been chasing for quite some time, and regardless of the gear, I wanted know what 400lbs felt like in my hands. It felt awesome!
With the max lifts done, I retreated to my space on the gym floor to kick back, throw down a protein bar, and relax before the farmers carry. I found that I wasn't that hungry, but choked down a few bites before heading to the back gym to check out the tires we were up against in event #5. The tire weights were not an issue, but a slick floor would turn the driving force behind the flip into a straight deadlift. No big deal really.
As I geared up for the farmers carry, Jill mentioned that there was an extra pizza from the pizza truck, if I wanted something to eat. Knowing that I needed some fuel, I agreed, and she brought it over. Now, I am a pizza hound...but the smell of this thing completely disgusted me. Less than an hour ago, as I was talking to the strongman doc, I was thinking how good his pizza looked...kinda weird. Oh well, no time to think, I was up for the farmers...a light, seven second run across the gym.
I was fairly pleased with my run, and already contemplating how I could have made it faster, when this feeling of complete physical exhaustion hit me like a brick wall. Before I even had time to think, I broke out into a sweat, was light-headed, and nauseous. I grabbed a bottled water and sat down. In a matter of minutes, I went from game planning the next event, to wondering if I was going to be able to complete it. The extent of my mental conversation...it's only five flips, suck it up and do it. By this time, I was having trouble putting together or conveying a complete thought...my mind was scrambled, I did not have a clue what was going on, but I finished the flips none the less.
The event I was most looking forward to was remaining, the incline log. I approached the log with the same mindset as the tire...just get through it. I vaguely remember warning my spotter, Jill, that I felt like crap, and beware of flying vomit. I grabbed the log, pressed it twice, put it down, dropped to one knee...and wasn't quite sure if I was going to be able to walk away. One of the last things I remember is Jill telling me to go lay down, stumbling to the other end of the gym, and curling up under some piece of clothing. Both the contest, and I, were done.
The next twelve hours I have very little recollection of except adding layers of clothing when freezing, and shedding those layers when burning hot...and worrying. Although my communication skills were left to simple yes and no responses, my mind was running non-stop. From what the hell is going on...to how am I gonna make a flight the next morning. But guess what, I had the World's Strongest Woman (and a nurse) looking after me the entire night...there was really no need to worry.
Thanks again Jill!
Showing posts with label strongman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label strongman. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Monday, November 17, 2014
The Question
What is it like having the 2x World's Strongest Woman (WSW) and world record holding powerlifter, Jill Mills, as your coach? A question I hear fairly frequently, but honestly, don't think I have ever answered...outside of simply saying "awesome". So, here ya go...
First things first, your ego must comprehend the fact that there is, and will forever be, only one Jill Mills. It doesn't matter what you think you can do, how much you think you work, or how good you think you are. She has, and will, do more, work harder, and be better. Once you have grasped this concept, as well as understand that her way is better than about 99% of what you think you already know...then, and only then, you just might be able to undertake the task of learning from a legend. (And for the record, from my own personal experience, letting go of the useless crap that is tucked away in long term memory is no easy task.)
With that being said, there is one more small requirement. Passion. The all encompassing word for truly loving your sport...from the hard work you put in, to what you give back (emphasis on giving back). Jill has a unique passion for her sports, which has resulted in enormous amounts of valuable knowledge. You may never posses the same passion, or even understand it....but you sure as hell have to appreciate it in someone else.
Two years ago, when I first contacted Jill via e-mail regarding training, her response was almost immediate. I was scared shitless. It was one of those moments when you want to travel back in time, slap yourself, and say, "what were you thinking?". That fear was followed by a multitude of questions, self-doubt if you will. What was she going to think of a fat, out of shape, recovering alcoholic, has-been athlete? The answer to that: nothing. The only judgement came in the form of critiquing my horrible lifting techniques, and the possibility of what could be...not what once was.
From a lifting perspective, I have made some incredible gains. From an unweighted bar squat, yes, just the bar, to 250lbs. My all-back 315lb deadlift jumped to 360lbs when I learned to incorporate my posterior chain. In my first strongman competition, in March '13, the 400lb yoke almost killed me, now, I am working to get quicker with 500lbs. Hell, I have even grown into a squat suit that Jill let me borrow for a competition in California last year. I am still trying to decide if fitting into that miserable suit is a good thing though. However, I can not simply write a blog on numbers. Her coaching and programing success can be seen in athletes everywhere.
I was only seven months into my sobriety when I started training, still struggling to discover who I really was, and my place in life. Through lifting alone, I built confidence and began to believe in myself...but my understanding of feelings and emotions was progressing much like a game of Chutes and Ladders (Google it). Call it luck, coincidence, or meant to be, but
in finding the right lifting coach, I also found a role model for the person I desired to be.
She knew when to encourage, when to guide, and when to let me stand on my own, fail, and learn. I have tested her coaching skills, her patience, and her tolerance level more times than I even care to count. But she did not quit, nor throw me out the door...although I am sure the thought has crossed her mind...more than once. She truly wanted me to succeed, not just in the gym, but in life itself. There has not been one single day that I have left the gym, if I can physically walk out of the gym, without some new insight...to make me think, and to help me grow. Every trip to the gym, or barn, or park, or where ever the workout may take me, is a unique opportunity. You can take these moments for granted, or you can, as Jill likes to say, "embrace it".
Although the 2x World's Strongest Woman may be a living highlight reel of feats of strength, she is first and foremost a wife, a mother, a self-made woman, and a wonderful human being. In other words, she is a whole lot more than what you see in any thirty second youtube video. The visible strength is undeniable, but the unseen, internal strength is even more impressive. Being able to train with and learn from Jill is a privilege...one that I will continue to embrace for years to come.
First things first, your ego must comprehend the fact that there is, and will forever be, only one Jill Mills. It doesn't matter what you think you can do, how much you think you work, or how good you think you are. She has, and will, do more, work harder, and be better. Once you have grasped this concept, as well as understand that her way is better than about 99% of what you think you already know...then, and only then, you just might be able to undertake the task of learning from a legend. (And for the record, from my own personal experience, letting go of the useless crap that is tucked away in long term memory is no easy task.)
With that being said, there is one more small requirement. Passion. The all encompassing word for truly loving your sport...from the hard work you put in, to what you give back (emphasis on giving back). Jill has a unique passion for her sports, which has resulted in enormous amounts of valuable knowledge. You may never posses the same passion, or even understand it....but you sure as hell have to appreciate it in someone else.
Two years ago, when I first contacted Jill via e-mail regarding training, her response was almost immediate. I was scared shitless. It was one of those moments when you want to travel back in time, slap yourself, and say, "what were you thinking?". That fear was followed by a multitude of questions, self-doubt if you will. What was she going to think of a fat, out of shape, recovering alcoholic, has-been athlete? The answer to that: nothing. The only judgement came in the form of critiquing my horrible lifting techniques, and the possibility of what could be...not what once was.
From a lifting perspective, I have made some incredible gains. From an unweighted bar squat, yes, just the bar, to 250lbs. My all-back 315lb deadlift jumped to 360lbs when I learned to incorporate my posterior chain. In my first strongman competition, in March '13, the 400lb yoke almost killed me, now, I am working to get quicker with 500lbs. Hell, I have even grown into a squat suit that Jill let me borrow for a competition in California last year. I am still trying to decide if fitting into that miserable suit is a good thing though. However, I can not simply write a blog on numbers. Her coaching and programing success can be seen in athletes everywhere.
I was only seven months into my sobriety when I started training, still struggling to discover who I really was, and my place in life. Through lifting alone, I built confidence and began to believe in myself...but my understanding of feelings and emotions was progressing much like a game of Chutes and Ladders (Google it). Call it luck, coincidence, or meant to be, but
in finding the right lifting coach, I also found a role model for the person I desired to be.
She knew when to encourage, when to guide, and when to let me stand on my own, fail, and learn. I have tested her coaching skills, her patience, and her tolerance level more times than I even care to count. But she did not quit, nor throw me out the door...although I am sure the thought has crossed her mind...more than once. She truly wanted me to succeed, not just in the gym, but in life itself. There has not been one single day that I have left the gym, if I can physically walk out of the gym, without some new insight...to make me think, and to help me grow. Every trip to the gym, or barn, or park, or where ever the workout may take me, is a unique opportunity. You can take these moments for granted, or you can, as Jill likes to say, "embrace it".
Although the 2x World's Strongest Woman may be a living highlight reel of feats of strength, she is first and foremost a wife, a mother, a self-made woman, and a wonderful human being. In other words, she is a whole lot more than what you see in any thirty second youtube video. The visible strength is undeniable, but the unseen, internal strength is even more impressive. Being able to train with and learn from Jill is a privilege...one that I will continue to embrace for years to come.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Strongman 101
The ever popular "steps to success" and "you can do it" articles and blogs have recently cast their shadow in the world of strength sports. Many being written by so-called, or should I say, self-proclaimed athletes, who are no more athletes than I am a world famous chef. Everyone, including myself, critiques the uneducated CrossFit coaches that pop up, but the "created by social media"...dare I use the word again...athlete, with their two cent opinions, are being embraced and praised.
So, I figure with one year and four months, and upward of a dozen comps experience, I have just about reached the level of all-knowing veteran. Yes, I am being sarcastic. But even with my minimal experience, I know the life of a strength athlete is a lot tougher than the picture being painted. On that note, here is my "life is tough, suck it up" version of a list for Strongman.
1. Just Commit.
If you want to compete, pay the entry fee, and get to work. A year and a half ago, I signed up for my first comp with zero knowledge or background in strongman, and did so simply because it looked like fun. I had just enough time to get some basic "how to" on the different events, and run a yoke...twice. It has been one tremendous journey since that day, so I say this in the nicest way possible...nut up or shut up. Fear of failure, or the "it's too heavy syndrome" is just your ego telling you that you do not want to look like an ass in front of a large group of people. Fellow competitors will have a lot more respect for you if you join them in battle rather than kicking back on the sideline, and/or talking a big game.
2. Implements & Events Vary.
No matter how much you practice, or how good you become within the comforts of your training space, it is rare to find an exact replica of your equipment at a contest. Do not be surprised when the yoke is wider, a stone is lop-sided, the axle bar has a fresh coat of paint, etc., etc. The inconsistencies in the equipment are just as common as a change in the events on the day of the contest. That is strongman. Shit happens. Learn to adapt. Save yourself, and your fellow competitors, from the on-slaught of excuses that are building in your head by preparing for anything and everything...obviously, within the limits of the equipment that will be provided at the competition.
As far as equipment goes, you need to locate the closest Home Depot, lumber yard, and car salvage facility. That is it. If you can find a cheap welder, that is an added bonus! Almost everything you need to train for strongman can be pieced together in one way or another at a very low cost. It does not require the mind of an engineer, just a little creativity. If, by chance, you have money at your disposal, I will be happy to recommend the best equipment manufacturers...as well as a place to store it within walking distance of my house.
3. Gear.
Knee sleeves, wrist wraps, tacky, and about a million other items are wonderful to have, but are they absolutely necessary...no. (And yes, I include tacky as optional. Take the advise of my coach: Learn to lift stones without it...it will make you better in the long run.) As with any other sport, these additional items are not cheap. My personal recommendation is to invest in a good belt, knee sleeves, and several roles of athletic tape to get started. With competition experience, you will learn what else you might need, or want to invest in. Truck pulls do not require rock climbing shoes, stone loading does not require stone sleeves, overhead pressing does not require ten ply elbow sleeves...stick with the basics until you have an understanding of the movements of the sport. With the money you save, you will be able to enter more contests, or travel to a larger one.
4. Comfort Food.
There are no grass fed, free range, gluten free, non-grain, veggie filled, pop-tarts. But you will see a lot of them at a competition. If you haven't noticed by now, strongmen and women eat...a lot. There are no specific dietary boundaries. Everything under the sun is free game. There is no one standing around waiting to ask about your Paleo to cheat meal percentages. If you choose to consume Big Red Zero and Chunky Chips Ahoy, then so be it. You eat to fuel your body for a day of competition or training...whatever works, works.
5. Patience.
You may possess incredible raw strength. You may be technically proficient. You may be a great competitor. You may have the greatest training crew or coach on the face of the planet. Problem is...can you put all the pieces together for a single sixty second event? How about five events? And then what about a two day competition? Most people are not born with every single factor associated with being a successful competitive athlete. It takes time, and a whole lot of practice, to develop the physical and mental strength to become more than a weekend warrior. Most will not achieve over night success, so be patient with your training. Learn and practice the basic elements of an event, from the actual lifting technique, to transitions, to foot speed. In other words, check your ego, unload the implement, and do it right, with light weight. This process will be very beneficial in the long term.
6. Love or Hate.
If you love strongman, you will know it by the completion of the first event in your first competition, or possibly the first day lifting a stone or carrying a yoke. It is definitely not a sport for everyone. Some will fail to find the challenge in it, while focusing on their short-comings. Some can't handle getting beat up day in and day out. And others are looking for a pay day, that of which strongman will unlikely provide. If you love it, you will find any way to train, make room in your training schedule for torturous event days, research every available article and video in order to get better, and possibly employ the help of a coach. Then, you will spend more time trying to perfect techniques, and alternative ways to train for events for which you do not have proper equipment, than you ever spent studying for high school algebra. If you hate it, you will turn the overpriced stone you purchased into a yard ornament, and settle for a return to the local globo gym.
7. Learn.
You live. You learn. You fail. You learn some more. Not every contest will be your best. Even if you do come out on top, there will be, in the back of your mind, something you could have done better. If not, you need to re-read the point I made about checking your ego. There will always be that one event where you had a specific rep count planned, but you failed to hit it, or a specific time frame in which to finish, but didn't make it. These are the things that make you better, and push you beyond what you thought was possible. Embrace the learning curve of failures and mistakes.
Finally, learning the technical aspects of this sport may require a coach of some sort. If your thinking about hiring one for programming, nutrition, or specific event training...DO YOUR RESEARCH. Hiring someone based on a well-known name, number of contest wins, or the fact that they are strongman certified by a self-proclaimed elite fitness company, does not mean they are capable of educating a tree stump. Behind the walls of a Google search engine and social media is more info than you truly need to make a well educated decision. Use it. It is not every day that you find a multi-time world champion, proven programer, and technically proficient instructor, right in your backyard. But if you do the research, there is no telling what you may find.
So, I figure with one year and four months, and upward of a dozen comps experience, I have just about reached the level of all-knowing veteran. Yes, I am being sarcastic. But even with my minimal experience, I know the life of a strength athlete is a lot tougher than the picture being painted. On that note, here is my "life is tough, suck it up" version of a list for Strongman.
1. Just Commit.
If you want to compete, pay the entry fee, and get to work. A year and a half ago, I signed up for my first comp with zero knowledge or background in strongman, and did so simply because it looked like fun. I had just enough time to get some basic "how to" on the different events, and run a yoke...twice. It has been one tremendous journey since that day, so I say this in the nicest way possible...nut up or shut up. Fear of failure, or the "it's too heavy syndrome" is just your ego telling you that you do not want to look like an ass in front of a large group of people. Fellow competitors will have a lot more respect for you if you join them in battle rather than kicking back on the sideline, and/or talking a big game.
2. Implements & Events Vary.
No matter how much you practice, or how good you become within the comforts of your training space, it is rare to find an exact replica of your equipment at a contest. Do not be surprised when the yoke is wider, a stone is lop-sided, the axle bar has a fresh coat of paint, etc., etc. The inconsistencies in the equipment are just as common as a change in the events on the day of the contest. That is strongman. Shit happens. Learn to adapt. Save yourself, and your fellow competitors, from the on-slaught of excuses that are building in your head by preparing for anything and everything...obviously, within the limits of the equipment that will be provided at the competition.
As far as equipment goes, you need to locate the closest Home Depot, lumber yard, and car salvage facility. That is it. If you can find a cheap welder, that is an added bonus! Almost everything you need to train for strongman can be pieced together in one way or another at a very low cost. It does not require the mind of an engineer, just a little creativity. If, by chance, you have money at your disposal, I will be happy to recommend the best equipment manufacturers...as well as a place to store it within walking distance of my house.
3. Gear.
Knee sleeves, wrist wraps, tacky, and about a million other items are wonderful to have, but are they absolutely necessary...no. (And yes, I include tacky as optional. Take the advise of my coach: Learn to lift stones without it...it will make you better in the long run.) As with any other sport, these additional items are not cheap. My personal recommendation is to invest in a good belt, knee sleeves, and several roles of athletic tape to get started. With competition experience, you will learn what else you might need, or want to invest in. Truck pulls do not require rock climbing shoes, stone loading does not require stone sleeves, overhead pressing does not require ten ply elbow sleeves...stick with the basics until you have an understanding of the movements of the sport. With the money you save, you will be able to enter more contests, or travel to a larger one.
4. Comfort Food.
There are no grass fed, free range, gluten free, non-grain, veggie filled, pop-tarts. But you will see a lot of them at a competition. If you haven't noticed by now, strongmen and women eat...a lot. There are no specific dietary boundaries. Everything under the sun is free game. There is no one standing around waiting to ask about your Paleo to cheat meal percentages. If you choose to consume Big Red Zero and Chunky Chips Ahoy, then so be it. You eat to fuel your body for a day of competition or training...whatever works, works.
5. Patience.
You may possess incredible raw strength. You may be technically proficient. You may be a great competitor. You may have the greatest training crew or coach on the face of the planet. Problem is...can you put all the pieces together for a single sixty second event? How about five events? And then what about a two day competition? Most people are not born with every single factor associated with being a successful competitive athlete. It takes time, and a whole lot of practice, to develop the physical and mental strength to become more than a weekend warrior. Most will not achieve over night success, so be patient with your training. Learn and practice the basic elements of an event, from the actual lifting technique, to transitions, to foot speed. In other words, check your ego, unload the implement, and do it right, with light weight. This process will be very beneficial in the long term.
6. Love or Hate.
If you love strongman, you will know it by the completion of the first event in your first competition, or possibly the first day lifting a stone or carrying a yoke. It is definitely not a sport for everyone. Some will fail to find the challenge in it, while focusing on their short-comings. Some can't handle getting beat up day in and day out. And others are looking for a pay day, that of which strongman will unlikely provide. If you love it, you will find any way to train, make room in your training schedule for torturous event days, research every available article and video in order to get better, and possibly employ the help of a coach. Then, you will spend more time trying to perfect techniques, and alternative ways to train for events for which you do not have proper equipment, than you ever spent studying for high school algebra. If you hate it, you will turn the overpriced stone you purchased into a yard ornament, and settle for a return to the local globo gym.
7. Learn.
You live. You learn. You fail. You learn some more. Not every contest will be your best. Even if you do come out on top, there will be, in the back of your mind, something you could have done better. If not, you need to re-read the point I made about checking your ego. There will always be that one event where you had a specific rep count planned, but you failed to hit it, or a specific time frame in which to finish, but didn't make it. These are the things that make you better, and push you beyond what you thought was possible. Embrace the learning curve of failures and mistakes.
Finally, learning the technical aspects of this sport may require a coach of some sort. If your thinking about hiring one for programming, nutrition, or specific event training...DO YOUR RESEARCH. Hiring someone based on a well-known name, number of contest wins, or the fact that they are strongman certified by a self-proclaimed elite fitness company, does not mean they are capable of educating a tree stump. Behind the walls of a Google search engine and social media is more info than you truly need to make a well educated decision. Use it. It is not every day that you find a multi-time world champion, proven programer, and technically proficient instructor, right in your backyard. But if you do the research, there is no telling what you may find.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Nationals: Events
Nine months of strongman preparation all boils down to one weekend. Past wins, PR's, and personal achievements no longer matter. If you can't execute in these six events, you go home feeling like you have been run over by a bus, and start the process all over. For me, it will be three months of strictly training powerlifting (squat, bench, and deadlift), with occasional strongman events thrown in for good measure. The return to event training will coincide with my first contest of 2015.
I went into this year's competition with much higher expectations of myself, after spending most of 2014 gaining strength in my basic lifts, and working on various event fundamentals. But as it turns out, I made several small mistakes that dropped me to the back of the pack early. On the very first event, the press medley, I attempted the light, 125lb, keg clean and press on a slight downhill. I successfully wasted precious time by throwing myself backward three times...finishing the lift on the third attempt, and leaving myself very little time to get reps on the mini-circus dumbell. I was able to lock out two reps, but my judge did not allow the second one at the buzzer. However, one rep still gets points, and keeps you in the game.
Event #2 was a 500lb yoke for sixty feet. This is one event I had drilled myself with in training, and had no doubt that I could post a solid time. Well, that did not happen. I struggled out of the gate, and did not get my shit together until close to the half way point. My struggle to control the yoke took its toll, and my fatigued body decided dropping the yoke prior to the finish line was a good idea. Just for the record...it's not. I finished the event with a less than stellar time, which more than tripled the time of my practice runs. In the coming year, I will continue to increase the weight and my speed on this event, so I do not repeat this performance. However, as a side note, at Nationals last year, I made it about eight feet with the same weight...so, I consider sixty feet quite an improvement.
Event #3 was a nightmare-ish carry medley. Many women were looking forward to this event...I was part of the minority. My hands pay a hefty price with any carry event, so they are definitely not on my top ten list. With a sixty foot keg carry at a reduced 150lbs, a forty foot farmers that was no where near the planned 200lbs per hand, and twenty feet of a 225lb duckwalk, I crossed the finish line by bunny hopping the duck walk implement over the line. Nightmare over. I am planing to practice heavy kettlebell swings for next season, and launch that damn duck walk implement versus having to walk with it. Trust me, if it was legal, I would absolutely do it.
The final event of day one was the car deadlift...and a big fat zero on my score sheet. If I had to pick one event to zero, it would not have been this one. Dumbell, yes...deadlift, no. I don't use straps often, but for this event, it was a given. However, I failed to strap my left hand in tight, and paid the price for it. After such a long day of events, my legs felt solid, but with each attempt, my left strap would slide, and I no longer had a grip on the bar. At the time, I was pretty pissed off with myself; but deep down, I knew it was a simple mistake that could be fixed. But I won't lie...it was not easy going to bed that night knowing my goal of a top five finish was officially over...not that it wasn't prior to this event, but a zero pretty much solidified it.
The twelve hour, four event, competition day had drained almost everything out of my body...mentally, physically, and emotionally; but just as it ended, day two began. As the two-event final day kicked off, I knew climbing out of a hole was not possible against the best of the best at Nationals. What I did not know, is that the first event would be my best of the weekend. The sixty foot, 1150lb wheelbarrow pick-up and push was a bit of an untested event...I mean, how many people have 500lb steel wheelbarrows laying around? I knew the keys would be getting off the starting line quickly, controlling the implement, and not letting go. Grip was not an issue, I could have held on for a trip around the block. I guess spending a few dollars on the Iron Mind expand your hand bands after cracking my thumb was worth every penny. My initial pick up of the weight was a bit slow, but once in motion, I had no control problems, and finished in just over fourteen seconds.
The final event of the competition was throwing, or rather "placing" three kegs of increasing weight over a bar. The weight of the kegs was dropped by 25lbs a piece to 100, 125, and 150, but the bar was raised to 54". I was given a nice little tip before the event to turn the handles to the side, allowing for a quicker pick-up. It definitely saved me a few valuable seconds. The first two kegs went over in about ten seconds, but the final keg and I battled it out for an additional twenty seconds. Those little mistakes cost me yet again.
The long two day event to crown America's Strongest was over. I ended my weekend with two pretty solid performances, going out on a much higher note than the previous day. My final ranking was fifteen out of twenty-six middle-weights. There is always so much to think about after a competition like this...but honestly, I am just happy to be able to be among those twenty-six strongwomen. It was an incredible group of competitors this year. There are not many times where you can find over fifty women in competition with each other, sharing a small competition space, sharing pain, sharing laughs, that have just one single thing in common...but that is strongman...or, should I say, strongwoman.
I went into this year's competition with much higher expectations of myself, after spending most of 2014 gaining strength in my basic lifts, and working on various event fundamentals. But as it turns out, I made several small mistakes that dropped me to the back of the pack early. On the very first event, the press medley, I attempted the light, 125lb, keg clean and press on a slight downhill. I successfully wasted precious time by throwing myself backward three times...finishing the lift on the third attempt, and leaving myself very little time to get reps on the mini-circus dumbell. I was able to lock out two reps, but my judge did not allow the second one at the buzzer. However, one rep still gets points, and keeps you in the game.
Event #2 was a 500lb yoke for sixty feet. This is one event I had drilled myself with in training, and had no doubt that I could post a solid time. Well, that did not happen. I struggled out of the gate, and did not get my shit together until close to the half way point. My struggle to control the yoke took its toll, and my fatigued body decided dropping the yoke prior to the finish line was a good idea. Just for the record...it's not. I finished the event with a less than stellar time, which more than tripled the time of my practice runs. In the coming year, I will continue to increase the weight and my speed on this event, so I do not repeat this performance. However, as a side note, at Nationals last year, I made it about eight feet with the same weight...so, I consider sixty feet quite an improvement.
Event #3 was a nightmare-ish carry medley. Many women were looking forward to this event...I was part of the minority. My hands pay a hefty price with any carry event, so they are definitely not on my top ten list. With a sixty foot keg carry at a reduced 150lbs, a forty foot farmers that was no where near the planned 200lbs per hand, and twenty feet of a 225lb duckwalk, I crossed the finish line by bunny hopping the duck walk implement over the line. Nightmare over. I am planing to practice heavy kettlebell swings for next season, and launch that damn duck walk implement versus having to walk with it. Trust me, if it was legal, I would absolutely do it.
The final event of day one was the car deadlift...and a big fat zero on my score sheet. If I had to pick one event to zero, it would not have been this one. Dumbell, yes...deadlift, no. I don't use straps often, but for this event, it was a given. However, I failed to strap my left hand in tight, and paid the price for it. After such a long day of events, my legs felt solid, but with each attempt, my left strap would slide, and I no longer had a grip on the bar. At the time, I was pretty pissed off with myself; but deep down, I knew it was a simple mistake that could be fixed. But I won't lie...it was not easy going to bed that night knowing my goal of a top five finish was officially over...not that it wasn't prior to this event, but a zero pretty much solidified it.
The twelve hour, four event, competition day had drained almost everything out of my body...mentally, physically, and emotionally; but just as it ended, day two began. As the two-event final day kicked off, I knew climbing out of a hole was not possible against the best of the best at Nationals. What I did not know, is that the first event would be my best of the weekend. The sixty foot, 1150lb wheelbarrow pick-up and push was a bit of an untested event...I mean, how many people have 500lb steel wheelbarrows laying around? I knew the keys would be getting off the starting line quickly, controlling the implement, and not letting go. Grip was not an issue, I could have held on for a trip around the block. I guess spending a few dollars on the Iron Mind expand your hand bands after cracking my thumb was worth every penny. My initial pick up of the weight was a bit slow, but once in motion, I had no control problems, and finished in just over fourteen seconds.
The final event of the competition was throwing, or rather "placing" three kegs of increasing weight over a bar. The weight of the kegs was dropped by 25lbs a piece to 100, 125, and 150, but the bar was raised to 54". I was given a nice little tip before the event to turn the handles to the side, allowing for a quicker pick-up. It definitely saved me a few valuable seconds. The first two kegs went over in about ten seconds, but the final keg and I battled it out for an additional twenty seconds. Those little mistakes cost me yet again.
The long two day event to crown America's Strongest was over. I ended my weekend with two pretty solid performances, going out on a much higher note than the previous day. My final ranking was fifteen out of twenty-six middle-weights. There is always so much to think about after a competition like this...but honestly, I am just happy to be able to be among those twenty-six strongwomen. It was an incredible group of competitors this year. There are not many times where you can find over fifty women in competition with each other, sharing a small competition space, sharing pain, sharing laughs, that have just one single thing in common...but that is strongman...or, should I say, strongwoman.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Women of Strength
It was an EPIC weekend!
Jill Mills, my coach, and legendary strongwoman and powerlifter, hosted a womens only, two day strength clinic. It was the culmination of decades of knowledge, and one person willing to share her experiences, successful lifting techniques, and strategies to nine women with a passion for strength based sports. If you are one of those athletes that think you have it all figured out...well, you were not invited anyway. But if, like me, you constantly strive to be better and desire to increase your knowledge at any given chance, this clinic was the place to be.
Yes, I spend three, sometimes four days a week training the fundamental lifts and strongman events with Jill. But passing up a learning opportunity like this would just be plain stupid. It would be like telling Pat Summit or Martina Navratilova, I don't think I could really gain anything from your years of experience and success. I know there are plenty of athletes and coaches that have that mind-set, but I am not one of them.
The weekend provided a unique opportunity to not only receive instructional tips, but also observe various teaching techniques geared toward experienced lifters and newbies alike. How to make simple corrections, to what to look for in technique flaws and how to correct them, it was all available right in my own training facilities...and for once I was not the only test dummy.
Our first day was spent at Olympic Gym breaking down technique on the major lifts in powerlifting as well as an introduction to accessory exercises. Every athlete in attendance was provided the opportunity to have their lifts critiqued and corrected. We also covered Jill's programming, which I can personally attest to its success rate. But the best part of day one was simply getting to know the other women. Jill pointed out the comradery that exists within the women's strength community...and without a doubt, she is absolutely correct. In my short time in competition, the extended strongwoman family has proven to be a loving, caring, and a giving community.
On day two, we all made the road trip south of San Antonio to the barn. Home of the best collection of strongman equipment with more space than we had at last years national competition. Not to mention, my favorite place to escape to on sunday nights and throw around heavy objects. We tackled every major strongman event, and then some, with Jill providing the details on everything including grip, footwork, speed, bar placement...you name it.
By the end of the weekend, some found confidence in lifting heavy, others new techniques to work on, but we all went home with new members to add to our strongwoman family, and a ton of knowledge that only a legend could provide. As exhausted as I was by sunday night, I would have done it all over again starting monday morning. Yes, it was that good.
Jill Mills, my coach, and legendary strongwoman and powerlifter, hosted a womens only, two day strength clinic. It was the culmination of decades of knowledge, and one person willing to share her experiences, successful lifting techniques, and strategies to nine women with a passion for strength based sports. If you are one of those athletes that think you have it all figured out...well, you were not invited anyway. But if, like me, you constantly strive to be better and desire to increase your knowledge at any given chance, this clinic was the place to be.
Yes, I spend three, sometimes four days a week training the fundamental lifts and strongman events with Jill. But passing up a learning opportunity like this would just be plain stupid. It would be like telling Pat Summit or Martina Navratilova, I don't think I could really gain anything from your years of experience and success. I know there are plenty of athletes and coaches that have that mind-set, but I am not one of them.
The weekend provided a unique opportunity to not only receive instructional tips, but also observe various teaching techniques geared toward experienced lifters and newbies alike. How to make simple corrections, to what to look for in technique flaws and how to correct them, it was all available right in my own training facilities...and for once I was not the only test dummy.
Our first day was spent at Olympic Gym breaking down technique on the major lifts in powerlifting as well as an introduction to accessory exercises. Every athlete in attendance was provided the opportunity to have their lifts critiqued and corrected. We also covered Jill's programming, which I can personally attest to its success rate. But the best part of day one was simply getting to know the other women. Jill pointed out the comradery that exists within the women's strength community...and without a doubt, she is absolutely correct. In my short time in competition, the extended strongwoman family has proven to be a loving, caring, and a giving community.
On day two, we all made the road trip south of San Antonio to the barn. Home of the best collection of strongman equipment with more space than we had at last years national competition. Not to mention, my favorite place to escape to on sunday nights and throw around heavy objects. We tackled every major strongman event, and then some, with Jill providing the details on everything including grip, footwork, speed, bar placement...you name it.
By the end of the weekend, some found confidence in lifting heavy, others new techniques to work on, but we all went home with new members to add to our strongwoman family, and a ton of knowledge that only a legend could provide. As exhausted as I was by sunday night, I would have done it all over again starting monday morning. Yes, it was that good.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Washington: Strongman Sunday
Before I sit down and write about my awesome road trip to the Northwest, I figured I would begin with a blog about the sunday strongman competition at RAB Fitness, the competitive reason I traveled over 4000 miles in one weekend. By 9am on sunday morning, over 50 strongmen and women had weighed in, rehydrated, refueled, and now gathered at the front of the gym waiting for the rules meeting. Competitors in grey, judges in red, Mike Kromer explained how the day was going to go, where the events were going to take place, and the standards for each event. The mass of strong people then proceeded to the adjacent room to get individual measurements for the first event, the tire squat.
I spent much of the morning debating whether to use wraps or knee sleeves for the squat. For me, a 256lb squat is a bit out of my range, but I also did not want my legs to cave like a new born deer on the first event of the day. My debate ended when HW competitor Kristy Scott pulled out a pair of SBD knee sleeves, and told me to try them. I came close to not giving them back. Although I knew 256lbs would have been a 50lb PR, I did not back down or scratch the event....miracles do happen. Ok, maybe not on this day, as I took a zero for the event. I must have missed the portion of the rules that said you have to stand up with the bar in order for the rep to count. On to the deadlift medley!
Starting a competition with a big fat zero is not optimal, but I was pretty confident going into event #2, the deadlift medley. Four bars (a 283 axle bar, a 365 trap bar, a 411 bar with tires, and a 500 frame) were lined up across the gym floor. The only pull I had little experience with was the frame, but I knew it would be doable. I was the first middle weight to attempt the event. The axle went up fairly easy, the trap bar was a bit of a slow pull off the floor, and I hitched the crap out of the tires. With plenty of time left on the clock, I still managed to rush my set up on the frame, didn't tighten my straps well, and just before lock out lost my grip on the right side of the frame. With 15 seconds remaining, I reset my stance but had nothing left to even budge the frame. But I did set the pace by completing 3 out of the 4 lifts, which would only be surpassed by one competitor.
The third event made me a bit nervous, a max clean and press on the log. I train with a 10" log, and let me tell you, the 2" difference from a competition log is HUGE. I knew the 130lb starting weight would make it overhead, so there would be no zero score for this event. As the LW women finished the event, the log was loaded to a starting weight of 140lbs. Hold the damn phone. 140lbs?? It is one of those mid-comp, mess with your mind kind of changes, but none the less, I was able to get the bar overhead. Only one competitor completed the lift at 150lbs.
For the next event, a medley, there were three implements staggered at different lengths, all to be loaded onto a small platform and a long 410lb sled drag to the finish. I knew there would be quicker competitors, the words "Ashley" and "quick" are not synonymous, so I decided to find a good pace and stick with it. With the constant encouragement of my judge, Grant Higa, I never stopped moving and completed just over twenty feet on the sled portion...good enough for a first place finish.
My first place finish allowed me to go last in the final event, the atlast stones. There were five stones ranging from 140lbs to 230lbs, all to be loaded to a 51" platform. At this point, I knew that the only stone that could pose a problem would be the final 230lber, and I just hoped my adrenaline would fuel me enough to eclipse the 51 inches. I moved through the first four stones in twenty-one seconds but fell short of the platform three times on the final stone. With Mike Kromer in my ear telling me I needed to move faster, I was able to win the event by two seconds.
As I stood in the freezing weather in a sports bra and tight shorts, removing spider tack from my hands, I realized that regardless of my zero score on the squat, I was pretty happy with my overall performance. And as my coach, Jill Mills said via text, "nice comeback". In the final standings, I remained in third place. The points I lost on the first event were too much to overcome...and for what its worth, one single squat would have landed me in a tie for first. But I can not look back at what could have happened, only move forward and squat my ass off until my next competition...a return to my first competition ever, Texas Strongest Man/Woman!
Thank you RAB Fitness, Mike and Lisa Kromer, and Roger and Ally Baker for an amazing weekend of lifting!!!
I spent much of the morning debating whether to use wraps or knee sleeves for the squat. For me, a 256lb squat is a bit out of my range, but I also did not want my legs to cave like a new born deer on the first event of the day. My debate ended when HW competitor Kristy Scott pulled out a pair of SBD knee sleeves, and told me to try them. I came close to not giving them back. Although I knew 256lbs would have been a 50lb PR, I did not back down or scratch the event....miracles do happen. Ok, maybe not on this day, as I took a zero for the event. I must have missed the portion of the rules that said you have to stand up with the bar in order for the rep to count. On to the deadlift medley!
Starting a competition with a big fat zero is not optimal, but I was pretty confident going into event #2, the deadlift medley. Four bars (a 283 axle bar, a 365 trap bar, a 411 bar with tires, and a 500 frame) were lined up across the gym floor. The only pull I had little experience with was the frame, but I knew it would be doable. I was the first middle weight to attempt the event. The axle went up fairly easy, the trap bar was a bit of a slow pull off the floor, and I hitched the crap out of the tires. With plenty of time left on the clock, I still managed to rush my set up on the frame, didn't tighten my straps well, and just before lock out lost my grip on the right side of the frame. With 15 seconds remaining, I reset my stance but had nothing left to even budge the frame. But I did set the pace by completing 3 out of the 4 lifts, which would only be surpassed by one competitor.
The third event made me a bit nervous, a max clean and press on the log. I train with a 10" log, and let me tell you, the 2" difference from a competition log is HUGE. I knew the 130lb starting weight would make it overhead, so there would be no zero score for this event. As the LW women finished the event, the log was loaded to a starting weight of 140lbs. Hold the damn phone. 140lbs?? It is one of those mid-comp, mess with your mind kind of changes, but none the less, I was able to get the bar overhead. Only one competitor completed the lift at 150lbs.
For the next event, a medley, there were three implements staggered at different lengths, all to be loaded onto a small platform and a long 410lb sled drag to the finish. I knew there would be quicker competitors, the words "Ashley" and "quick" are not synonymous, so I decided to find a good pace and stick with it. With the constant encouragement of my judge, Grant Higa, I never stopped moving and completed just over twenty feet on the sled portion...good enough for a first place finish.
My first place finish allowed me to go last in the final event, the atlast stones. There were five stones ranging from 140lbs to 230lbs, all to be loaded to a 51" platform. At this point, I knew that the only stone that could pose a problem would be the final 230lber, and I just hoped my adrenaline would fuel me enough to eclipse the 51 inches. I moved through the first four stones in twenty-one seconds but fell short of the platform three times on the final stone. With Mike Kromer in my ear telling me I needed to move faster, I was able to win the event by two seconds.
As I stood in the freezing weather in a sports bra and tight shorts, removing spider tack from my hands, I realized that regardless of my zero score on the squat, I was pretty happy with my overall performance. And as my coach, Jill Mills said via text, "nice comeback". In the final standings, I remained in third place. The points I lost on the first event were too much to overcome...and for what its worth, one single squat would have landed me in a tie for first. But I can not look back at what could have happened, only move forward and squat my ass off until my next competition...a return to my first competition ever, Texas Strongest Man/Woman!
Thank you RAB Fitness, Mike and Lisa Kromer, and Roger and Ally Baker for an amazing weekend of lifting!!!
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
New Adventures
I am one of the lucky ones. I escaped addiction. In March of 2012, I hung up my frosty beer mug for good. In doing so, I closed the book on a 25+ year journey of covering up all the emotions, losses, and painful aspects of life; and in turn, built a brand new path toward the unknown.
The unknown has had its share of pain, a tremendous amount of learning, and some speed bumps that could drop the transmission out of a small car. But I have taken every step and, at times, hung on for dear life. With the help of a wonderful support crew, my windy and bumpy path has been lighted with purpose and evolved into a much more manageable road. Every day is a new adventure and I truly look forward to waking up, watching the sun rise, and tackling every thing that comes my way.
I have also found a passion, the same one that began to fade just prior to the 2009 CrossFit Games. My passion was renewed in October of 2012 when I met a trainer that has lived the positive and negative of life and sports...and embraced it all. It is a lifestyle that I once could not begin to comprehend. It began with the "simple" goal of lifting heavy, and by March of 2013, turned toward becoming the best lifter and strongwoman I could possibly be. Yes, it can be considered a hobby, but to me, it is much more. Lifting has become a part of my life that has provided purpose, goals, job opportunities, and numerous friendships.
During the summer of 2013, I went way out of my comfort zone by traveling to California to compete in a strongwoman contest. Although I was disappointed with my performance, I came away with a bigger understanding of myself than I could ever imagine. I also met people that shared my passion. One of those friendships has led me to a competition in south central Washington. My roomate in California was such a warm, caring, and all around wonderful person, that I did not hesitate to book my flight to the north in the dead of winter. And I am not a fan of freezing temperatures. The competition itself includes events that are heavy, and for the most part, completely out of my wheel house. So why am I going? To reconnect with a family of strongwomen that have positively impacted my life, and to meet the rest of the women that make up this one of a kind group. Don't get me wrong, I am not traveling that far to lose. But in the midst of competition, there is something greater to embrace. If by chance I do get my ass handed to me, then I know I will be returning home with new life experiences and a larger strongman/woman family. And I am sure new event techniques to work on and strategies to contemplate.
With that being said, I have about four loads of laundry to finish and a bag to pack. I plan to post a competition recap when I return...provided my warm weather ass doesn't freeze to death. :D
The unknown has had its share of pain, a tremendous amount of learning, and some speed bumps that could drop the transmission out of a small car. But I have taken every step and, at times, hung on for dear life. With the help of a wonderful support crew, my windy and bumpy path has been lighted with purpose and evolved into a much more manageable road. Every day is a new adventure and I truly look forward to waking up, watching the sun rise, and tackling every thing that comes my way.
I have also found a passion, the same one that began to fade just prior to the 2009 CrossFit Games. My passion was renewed in October of 2012 when I met a trainer that has lived the positive and negative of life and sports...and embraced it all. It is a lifestyle that I once could not begin to comprehend. It began with the "simple" goal of lifting heavy, and by March of 2013, turned toward becoming the best lifter and strongwoman I could possibly be. Yes, it can be considered a hobby, but to me, it is much more. Lifting has become a part of my life that has provided purpose, goals, job opportunities, and numerous friendships.
During the summer of 2013, I went way out of my comfort zone by traveling to California to compete in a strongwoman contest. Although I was disappointed with my performance, I came away with a bigger understanding of myself than I could ever imagine. I also met people that shared my passion. One of those friendships has led me to a competition in south central Washington. My roomate in California was such a warm, caring, and all around wonderful person, that I did not hesitate to book my flight to the north in the dead of winter. And I am not a fan of freezing temperatures. The competition itself includes events that are heavy, and for the most part, completely out of my wheel house. So why am I going? To reconnect with a family of strongwomen that have positively impacted my life, and to meet the rest of the women that make up this one of a kind group. Don't get me wrong, I am not traveling that far to lose. But in the midst of competition, there is something greater to embrace. If by chance I do get my ass handed to me, then I know I will be returning home with new life experiences and a larger strongman/woman family. And I am sure new event techniques to work on and strategies to contemplate.
With that being said, I have about four loads of laundry to finish and a bag to pack. I plan to post a competition recap when I return...provided my warm weather ass doesn't freeze to death. :D
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Twenty Thirteen
2013 was a phenomenal year! It was my first full calendar year clean and sober. And with all of the wonderful drunken holidays, oh hell, who am I kidding...every day used to be a good day to drink. But without alcohol, I have seen and experienced so many changes in my life...all for the better. I would have never thought or said that at the beginning of 2012. If nothing else, I truly believe I have become a more well rounded and better person in general.
It was a year filled with many emotional ups and downs, but instead of picking up a bottle of booze, I chose to face each moment head on. There have been plenty of learning experiences, such as my trip to California, where I was so overcome with emotion from simply getting on a plane, and having so much support for my endeavours, that it became impossible to perform my best in competition. But given time to reflect, the competition was only a small part of why I was on that trip in the first place. The kindness and generosity shown to me by the strongman community far outweighs bringing home a duffle bag full of free stuff...although, the duffle bag was pretty cool! And I can't even begin to explain everything I learned about myself in one blog.
The year was also full of physical changes that were not necessarily in my original game plan, but game plans have a tendency to change by halftime anyway. I really didn't have any specific goals, except to lift heavy (and never, ever squat again). After my first strongman competition in March, all of that changed. Strongman competitors are passionate about what they do; not for the all mighty dollar (with the exception of a select few), but for the love of the sport. With each contest came bigger goals, and the desire to learn anything and everything about the upcoming events; which also meant facing the challenge of changing all of my lifting techniques...starting from scratch. But hey, how hard can it be after deciding to start my life over. I will be able to answer that in 2018...if I am lucky. :)
So, on the final day of 2013, I thank everyone that has been a part of my journey. From the simple words of encouragement, they mean the absolute world to me; to those who have guided me on this windey ass road, I will never stop listening and learning; and to those who are a part of my daily routine of work, lifting, and enjoying life. It will be difficult to top this amazing year, but I will do my best. My journey is far from over. I still have a lot to learn, even more weight to lift, and definitely more writing to do!
LIVE, LOVE, & LIFT in 2014!
It was a year filled with many emotional ups and downs, but instead of picking up a bottle of booze, I chose to face each moment head on. There have been plenty of learning experiences, such as my trip to California, where I was so overcome with emotion from simply getting on a plane, and having so much support for my endeavours, that it became impossible to perform my best in competition. But given time to reflect, the competition was only a small part of why I was on that trip in the first place. The kindness and generosity shown to me by the strongman community far outweighs bringing home a duffle bag full of free stuff...although, the duffle bag was pretty cool! And I can't even begin to explain everything I learned about myself in one blog.
The year was also full of physical changes that were not necessarily in my original game plan, but game plans have a tendency to change by halftime anyway. I really didn't have any specific goals, except to lift heavy (and never, ever squat again). After my first strongman competition in March, all of that changed. Strongman competitors are passionate about what they do; not for the all mighty dollar (with the exception of a select few), but for the love of the sport. With each contest came bigger goals, and the desire to learn anything and everything about the upcoming events; which also meant facing the challenge of changing all of my lifting techniques...starting from scratch. But hey, how hard can it be after deciding to start my life over. I will be able to answer that in 2018...if I am lucky. :)
So, on the final day of 2013, I thank everyone that has been a part of my journey. From the simple words of encouragement, they mean the absolute world to me; to those who have guided me on this windey ass road, I will never stop listening and learning; and to those who are a part of my daily routine of work, lifting, and enjoying life. It will be difficult to top this amazing year, but I will do my best. My journey is far from over. I still have a lot to learn, even more weight to lift, and definitely more writing to do!
LIVE, LOVE, & LIFT in 2014!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Nutshell
Since I have added a lot of new people to my facebook and have new blog readers, I figured a short recap was appropriate. I post a lot about powerlifting, strongman, my past life as a crossfitter, and my life as an alcoholic. I am very open and honest about my addiction issues, and do not want to scare or suprise anyone by those particular blogs. It was a large part of my life that I still battle with and I know there are quite a few people that only know me as a strongman or powerlifting competitor. So, here in a nutshell is...well, me!
1980's: introduced to alcohol in grade school; a few drinks on the weekends quickly turned into daily consumption and getting obliterated on the weekends; I chose alcohol to "deal with" family issues, imperfections, and cover up feelings and emotions.
1990's: I was drinking bottles of vodka at a time...and not the airplane size bottles. It was in the late '90's that I switched to beer, or should say added beer. But at this point in my life, I did start taking my athletic career a little more serious and took breaks from drinking during basketball season and during the summer months that I worked for the Girl Scouts.
2000's: My drinking got worse as I began my coaching career and experienced several failed relatioships, as well as dealing with increasingly difficult family issues. I found CrossFit in 2008, and with that I also found of bunch of partiers. I would workout drunk or with a good buzz more times than not. And weekends were one long party in which I didn't begin to sober up until monday afternoon.
2011: I began having health issues because of my excessive drinking, but ignored it and kept going with my professional drinking career. By this time, my drinking included a minimum of thirty beers a day and either vodka or rum. I could kill a large bottle of either in a day easy, and still drink beer. In October, I started to hit bottom with my drinking. My body was literally rejecting alcohol, but still I continued. I started drinking almost 24 hours a day in order to keep a buzz. I quit Crossfit completely and in three years went from a 160lb athlete to a 215lb sloth.
2012: I woke up one morning in March and said "I'm done". I quit cold turkey. I also began counseling to deal with the 20+ years of drinking cover-ups. I started lifting again in late summer and found a great trainer in October. My first powerlifting meet was in December and my first strongman comp in March 2013.
And as they say, the rest is history. I am back to being a 155lb athlete, and a much happier sober person...just living life one day at a time!
1980's: introduced to alcohol in grade school; a few drinks on the weekends quickly turned into daily consumption and getting obliterated on the weekends; I chose alcohol to "deal with" family issues, imperfections, and cover up feelings and emotions.
1990's: I was drinking bottles of vodka at a time...and not the airplane size bottles. It was in the late '90's that I switched to beer, or should say added beer. But at this point in my life, I did start taking my athletic career a little more serious and took breaks from drinking during basketball season and during the summer months that I worked for the Girl Scouts.
2000's: My drinking got worse as I began my coaching career and experienced several failed relatioships, as well as dealing with increasingly difficult family issues. I found CrossFit in 2008, and with that I also found of bunch of partiers. I would workout drunk or with a good buzz more times than not. And weekends were one long party in which I didn't begin to sober up until monday afternoon.
2011: I began having health issues because of my excessive drinking, but ignored it and kept going with my professional drinking career. By this time, my drinking included a minimum of thirty beers a day and either vodka or rum. I could kill a large bottle of either in a day easy, and still drink beer. In October, I started to hit bottom with my drinking. My body was literally rejecting alcohol, but still I continued. I started drinking almost 24 hours a day in order to keep a buzz. I quit Crossfit completely and in three years went from a 160lb athlete to a 215lb sloth.
2012: I woke up one morning in March and said "I'm done". I quit cold turkey. I also began counseling to deal with the 20+ years of drinking cover-ups. I started lifting again in late summer and found a great trainer in October. My first powerlifting meet was in December and my first strongman comp in March 2013.
And as they say, the rest is history. I am back to being a 155lb athlete, and a much happier sober person...just living life one day at a time!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Inspiration
This weekend when I am competing in America's Strongest Woman, it will be exactly one year that I made a life changing decision. About four or five months after I quit drinking, I decided to try and get my big 215lb ass back in shape. I began with simple rowing workouts early in the morning before work. Since I was dealing with a lot of anger issues at the time, I also put my punching bag to good use...usually after work. I immediately dropped about 10lbs as a result of simply giving up beer and alcohol...mixed with a little bit of cardio.
It wasn't long before the early morning rowing got old. I needed something different, so I began to clean up the garage and dust off all my gym equipment. I was quite apprehensive about lifting again because I knew how much strength I had lost in the last year alone; especially in my legs, since I had stopped squatting several years prior following some recurring injuries. My first week consisted of fairly light weight and lots of reps. I soon built back up to a 135lb bench and a 225lb deadlift...not exciting numbers but a starting point none the less. About a month and a half into lifting, I thought to myself, where am I trying to go with this? I really had no desire to return to CrossFit, but loved to lift heavy, so I began to research the sport of powerlifting. Squatting was still not on my "to do" list...air squats alone caused pain. But focusing on training a heavy bench and deadlift, well, I could definitely do that.
Both my bench and deadlift were progressing little by little, but I knew if I ever wanted to compete, I would need help. So, one afternoon I sat down at the computer and began searching for knowledgeable trainers in San Antonio. I read dozens of profiles and had no interest in any of the young bucks claiming to know more than the other about lifting. Since I have no patience what so ever, I began to watch videos on youtube...what can I say, I was bored. I ran across a World's Strongest Woman video and it occurred to me that the 2x champion had once lived in town. I went back to my search and found her website and contact information...and wouldn't you know it, she was still training here in town. I fired off an e-mail to her about training, sat back in my chair, and thought...oh shit, what did I just do?!?! I talked myself into the fact that she probably wouldn't respond to an old ass has-been anyway. Not to long later, she responded. Well, double shit.
In a matter of no time, my first session was scheduled at Olympic Gym. Now, I just had to figure out what the hell I was going to say to the 2x World's Strongest Woman. Hi, I used to be a drunk crossfitter came to mind, or I was a three sport collegiate athlete that can't squat for shit...yes, the list goes on. As the day approached, I was anxious, nervous, but excited about learning to lift again. The meeting went well and I went home with new knowledge, that my lifts sucked ass, a lot of soreness, and a new trainer.
A year later, with Jill Mills as my coach and inspiration, I have done what I thought was virtually impossible. I have lost a shit ton of weight, I have learned correct lifting techniques that do not cause pain, I have become stronger mentally and physically, and have become a powerlifting and strongwoman competitor. For the record, I didn't say I was great at these sports...just one who likes to compete. The nearly impossible task of turning a 2x has-been into a competitor again could have only been accomplished by one person...a 2x World's Strongest Woman. Every training session continues to bring new challenges and new expectations. And with Jill as my coach, the possibilities are endless. My goal is simple...continue to improve and meet all the challenges, one by one.
A year ago, I was at a crossroads in my life. Constantly debating whether to continue lifting or go back to life with alcohol. The latter is no longer even a possibility, and I truly look forward to another year with Jill as my coach and what it will bring. Besides the soreness...I can do with a little less of that. :))
I thank you Jill for all of your support and belief in me, as a coach...and a friend!...even when I didn't quite believe in myself.
It wasn't long before the early morning rowing got old. I needed something different, so I began to clean up the garage and dust off all my gym equipment. I was quite apprehensive about lifting again because I knew how much strength I had lost in the last year alone; especially in my legs, since I had stopped squatting several years prior following some recurring injuries. My first week consisted of fairly light weight and lots of reps. I soon built back up to a 135lb bench and a 225lb deadlift...not exciting numbers but a starting point none the less. About a month and a half into lifting, I thought to myself, where am I trying to go with this? I really had no desire to return to CrossFit, but loved to lift heavy, so I began to research the sport of powerlifting. Squatting was still not on my "to do" list...air squats alone caused pain. But focusing on training a heavy bench and deadlift, well, I could definitely do that.
Both my bench and deadlift were progressing little by little, but I knew if I ever wanted to compete, I would need help. So, one afternoon I sat down at the computer and began searching for knowledgeable trainers in San Antonio. I read dozens of profiles and had no interest in any of the young bucks claiming to know more than the other about lifting. Since I have no patience what so ever, I began to watch videos on youtube...what can I say, I was bored. I ran across a World's Strongest Woman video and it occurred to me that the 2x champion had once lived in town. I went back to my search and found her website and contact information...and wouldn't you know it, she was still training here in town. I fired off an e-mail to her about training, sat back in my chair, and thought...oh shit, what did I just do?!?! I talked myself into the fact that she probably wouldn't respond to an old ass has-been anyway. Not to long later, she responded. Well, double shit.
In a matter of no time, my first session was scheduled at Olympic Gym. Now, I just had to figure out what the hell I was going to say to the 2x World's Strongest Woman. Hi, I used to be a drunk crossfitter came to mind, or I was a three sport collegiate athlete that can't squat for shit...yes, the list goes on. As the day approached, I was anxious, nervous, but excited about learning to lift again. The meeting went well and I went home with new knowledge, that my lifts sucked ass, a lot of soreness, and a new trainer.
A year later, with Jill Mills as my coach and inspiration, I have done what I thought was virtually impossible. I have lost a shit ton of weight, I have learned correct lifting techniques that do not cause pain, I have become stronger mentally and physically, and have become a powerlifting and strongwoman competitor. For the record, I didn't say I was great at these sports...just one who likes to compete. The nearly impossible task of turning a 2x has-been into a competitor again could have only been accomplished by one person...a 2x World's Strongest Woman. Every training session continues to bring new challenges and new expectations. And with Jill as my coach, the possibilities are endless. My goal is simple...continue to improve and meet all the challenges, one by one.
A year ago, I was at a crossroads in my life. Constantly debating whether to continue lifting or go back to life with alcohol. The latter is no longer even a possibility, and I truly look forward to another year with Jill as my coach and what it will bring. Besides the soreness...I can do with a little less of that. :))
I thank you Jill for all of your support and belief in me, as a coach...and a friend!...even when I didn't quite believe in myself.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Whew!
These last few weeks have been busy; filled with emotional ups and downs, big decisions, and some training highs and lows...and by low, I mean nightmarish. So, what does it all amount to? Well, the end result, regardless of the events of the past week or so, will be showcased next weekend at America's Strongest Woman in Denison, Texas; where I will compete against some of the best middle weights in strongwoman competition.
Two weeks ago, I missed out on my last chance of event training with my coach because I decided to eat something that gave me food poisoning. Being sick all night and most of the day sucked the life out of me...hell, I almost fell asleep just driving to the barn. I also lost three pounds in the process and can't seem to gain it back. I know what your thinking...shut up and go eat some damn cookies.
The following tuesday, I bounced back with a pretty good pressing workout only to have somehow injured my quad tendon. The swelling has thrown a curve into most of my workouts, including some event work. I am still fighting that issue with ice and Aleve, but I did manage to wrap it well enough to get through some heavy work with the yoke as well as finally making progress with my keg clean and press. Again, I know what you are thinking...you're a moron and should have taken time off to let it heal. I do agree, however, I do manual labor for a living and "rest" isn't much of an option in that regard.
So, as stubborn as I am, I entered my final week of training with one single thought....overcome! Not sit back, relax, and take it easy. I have plenty of time after nationals to rest and heal. This shit only happens once a year. And again, I know, what if I make the injury worse and can not compete at all. The way I look at it...if I said "what if" for every heavy ass piece of furniture I threw over my shoulder or for every time I scaled a twenty foot ladder with an eighty pound chair at work, I would be "what if-ing" myself to death and worrying about things I can not control. Shit happens. There is a belief in the basketball world that when you play scared or worry about injury, you are way more likely to actually get injured. So, you go balls to the wall all the time, regardless.
Finally, the main reason I wrote this...none of it actually matters. Everyone has issues, problems, things to worry about on a daily basis. The fact that it comes on the heals of a big competition sucks, but there is nothing I can do to change it or control it. Next friday, the only thing that matters is to put it all behind me and compete. In other words....overcome! No excuses.
Two weeks ago, I missed out on my last chance of event training with my coach because I decided to eat something that gave me food poisoning. Being sick all night and most of the day sucked the life out of me...hell, I almost fell asleep just driving to the barn. I also lost three pounds in the process and can't seem to gain it back. I know what your thinking...shut up and go eat some damn cookies.
The following tuesday, I bounced back with a pretty good pressing workout only to have somehow injured my quad tendon. The swelling has thrown a curve into most of my workouts, including some event work. I am still fighting that issue with ice and Aleve, but I did manage to wrap it well enough to get through some heavy work with the yoke as well as finally making progress with my keg clean and press. Again, I know what you are thinking...you're a moron and should have taken time off to let it heal. I do agree, however, I do manual labor for a living and "rest" isn't much of an option in that regard.
So, as stubborn as I am, I entered my final week of training with one single thought....overcome! Not sit back, relax, and take it easy. I have plenty of time after nationals to rest and heal. This shit only happens once a year. And again, I know, what if I make the injury worse and can not compete at all. The way I look at it...if I said "what if" for every heavy ass piece of furniture I threw over my shoulder or for every time I scaled a twenty foot ladder with an eighty pound chair at work, I would be "what if-ing" myself to death and worrying about things I can not control. Shit happens. There is a belief in the basketball world that when you play scared or worry about injury, you are way more likely to actually get injured. So, you go balls to the wall all the time, regardless.
Finally, the main reason I wrote this...none of it actually matters. Everyone has issues, problems, things to worry about on a daily basis. The fact that it comes on the heals of a big competition sucks, but there is nothing I can do to change it or control it. Next friday, the only thing that matters is to put it all behind me and compete. In other words....overcome! No excuses.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Keep Going!
Yesterday was quite possibly one of my best event workout days to date. But just one short week ago, I had my worst. Highs and lows like that make you really appreciate the little things. In my life, if there were or had been no lows, would I really appreciate the high points? If you don't have a shitty day somewhere along the way, then there really is no reason to celebrate a good day. How would you know what a good day was if life was all rainbows and unicorns?
The combination of these two sunday workouts has, as I said, made me appreciate some of the finer points and accomplishments of my sober life in the last ten months. If I had not over come my professional drunkenness, I would not have started lifting again. If I had not started lifting again, there would be no reason to have a coach. If I had not searched for the perfect coach, I would still not be squatting to this day. And if I had never started squatting...well, there would be no strongman training at all...no Barn Crew...no up-coming competition in Cali.
I still have a lot of work to do in my mental game as well as in speed and quickness. But yesterday proved to me that it is all possible with a shit ton of work. I PR'd my axle clean and press, had more consecutive 500# tire flips, moved further with the yoke, and started working with the 225# stone.
And then I look back just ten months ago to when I started training. None of this was even in my sights! Strongman was something that I thought was really cool to watch my coach kick some ass at. I struggled to squat a bar correctly! Little by little, I gained more strength, learned better and better technique, and got my ass handed to me every time I worked out...I still do by the way. It wasn't overnight that all this happened...it was day by day...workout to workout...ass kicking to ass kicking. And each time, something came together for me to get me where I am right now.
So, that crappy workout that I had two weeks ago...would my workout yesterday had been as successful if I didn't learn from it. I say probably not. Now I wonder was it really even that bad of a workout?
The combination of these two sunday workouts has, as I said, made me appreciate some of the finer points and accomplishments of my sober life in the last ten months. If I had not over come my professional drunkenness, I would not have started lifting again. If I had not started lifting again, there would be no reason to have a coach. If I had not searched for the perfect coach, I would still not be squatting to this day. And if I had never started squatting...well, there would be no strongman training at all...no Barn Crew...no up-coming competition in Cali.
I still have a lot of work to do in my mental game as well as in speed and quickness. But yesterday proved to me that it is all possible with a shit ton of work. I PR'd my axle clean and press, had more consecutive 500# tire flips, moved further with the yoke, and started working with the 225# stone.
And then I look back just ten months ago to when I started training. None of this was even in my sights! Strongman was something that I thought was really cool to watch my coach kick some ass at. I struggled to squat a bar correctly! Little by little, I gained more strength, learned better and better technique, and got my ass handed to me every time I worked out...I still do by the way. It wasn't overnight that all this happened...it was day by day...workout to workout...ass kicking to ass kicking. And each time, something came together for me to get me where I am right now.
So, that crappy workout that I had two weeks ago...would my workout yesterday had been as successful if I didn't learn from it. I say probably not. Now I wonder was it really even that bad of a workout?
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Loading at Home
Holy shit work has been kicking my ass! But speaking of work...I have access to some great leftovers such as steel and pallets that anyone could easily turn into a platform for loading. Personally, as a competitve strongwoman, this is one event that I really have to work on for nationals. Most local competitions use light weight...nothing over 135. So today, I brought home some pieces to get my garage platform started. When finished, it will be made mostly of pallets with some steel to reinforce it and secured with decking materials. It will also have two different surfaces, one with a hole for stones and one with a flat surface for kegs and sandbags. Total cost: about five to ten bucks for the material to secure it and probably twenty to thirty for a padded mat so that I don't crack the concrete in the garage...just in case I have to park a car in it some day :)
And as a side note, I do make my own stones. The molds are from Hybrid and are super easy to use...although mine did not come with any instructions, a quick Google search will bring up instructions as well as "how to" videos. It is a messy process, especially if you choose to use coloring like I did for the one pictured below, but the end result, so far, has been perfect.
Gotta love garage training!!
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