Meet Recap

My first powerlifting meet is a wrap!

There is really only one word I can use to describe the experience...ADDICTING.

I went into the weekend trying to avoid putting expectations on myself. Yes, I had a few numbers bouncing around in my head but overall the goal was not to bomb. I was asked many times about cutting weight and NO, I didn't put any effort into shooting for a certain weight class. I've been hanging around the 162-165 range for the last few weeks so that is what I went with, ended up weighing in Saturday morning at just over 162.

Since I was in a new territory, I played it pretty conservative in picking my openers. I wanted to make sure I could nail them with ease, following commands and of course, the anxiety/nerve factors.
I opened my bench with 135, having repped that for 10 in the gym, I knew it would be easy. I went with smaller jumps for my second and third attempts with 150 and 165..I've hit 165 for reps, so I would say it was a safe bet. My worry was that I only had been working on pausing for the last week or so prior so I didn't want to attempt a number I hadn't worked with before. In hindsight, that shit flew up and was MUCH too easy..Live and learn, I should have went higher. Even though I am a very confident deadlifter, having never done it in this arena I picked an easy opener of 315 and it was retarded easy lol Unlike my hesitation with the bench, I took a bigger jump with my pull and hit 350 on my second attempt..it was work, but it was smooth. By my 3rd attempted, I was amped up and I didn't want to leave thinking I played it too safe. 365 was a gym PR, that I had only done once a few weeks ago, but I felt good and wanted more so I went for 370..nailed it and it felt fuckin AMAZING!
I came out 6 for 6 with a PR, really I cannot ask for more than that.

One question I've been asked frequently is how does it compare to Bodybuilding. It doesn't. They are two completely different animals. As much as I love bodybuilding, there is an empowering adrenaline rush that you get from power/strength that cannot be matched in any other avenue. In a physique driven endeavor, there is so much subjectivity, so much gray area...in strength, it's black and white, you move it or you don't. The personal rewards are empowering..having goals, reaching benchmarks that are about performance, what your body can DO is something I wish more women would focus on.

And with all that rambled, this shit is a wrap and now for the shout outs!

As with any endeavor, I am never flying solo...

Yes, it was just me and the weight at the end of the day it wouldn't have been possible without the love and support of the people who believe in me, even when I at times doubted myself. Thank you for all the messages, emails, texts etc along with way.

*My gym family..from spotting, lifting off, loading my plates or buckling my belt..Thank you for always being there to push me and encourage me. You guys were my biggest cheerleaders and I feed off your energy.


*My best friends, my family <3 Jimmy and Herb..Thank you for listening to my nonsense of ramblings, for supporting me EVERY step of the way. Unconditionally. I love you bitches something fierce! My best friend, my sister, my right arm..Rosie, my partner in crime...NOTHING is impossible with you by my side..You ALWAYS have my back and there isn't anyone else I'd want lifting off for me. Just another chapter in our story, Mama...It just keeps getting better.


*HUGE thank you to Anthony King for stepping up, helping manage my crazy over the last couple weeks and coaching me through the day. I followed direction, did as I was told (even though I was resistant lol) and there is no doubt I wouldn't have hit my PR without your guidance.


*Thank you to Gene, Amy, RPS/MHP and everyone who helped put on a great meet. I've been to many meets, but as a first time competitor, it was an incredible experience and I cannot wait to get back out there and do it again.

WHEW! The off season is officially a wrap and now, baby girl is back to work..........

A little perspective and reflection..

Just under 2 Weeks from my meet and the wheels are turning....


My training I guess you could say is wrapping up at this point. My heavy days are behind me, time to deload and doing a little form work in the coming weeks.


One of my admitted struggles is being able to stop and get a little perspective on where I am and how far I've come without being consumed by what I still want to achieve. I tend to set lofty goals and expectations for myself, while I may not hit the goals I set for this meet..no doubt, I'm so far ahead from where I started just a couple of months ago. Yes, my off seasons from bodybuilding are spent training for size..for strength and power but never with a calculated date circled on the calendar until this year. Once I was told "you're doing it" my training switched gears from just throwing some weight on the bar to a more structured strength program with a purpose.

My approach in the gym and my mindset more than anything have made significant changes over the last few months. I've been guilty of training all out, balls to the wall all the time. Every.Single.Day. Eventually that shit will catch up with you and I would always come to a point where I'd hit a wall, both physically with my strength progression and mentally with my frustration level. At times during my training, I hit moments of aggravation and disappointment..there is nothing like failing or missing a lift that makes me want to put my fist through a wall. PR's are addicting..Failing is not something I handle well and as much as I didn't want to (and said I wouldn't), I did put numbers in my head that I wanted to achieve, even though I won't hit them, there is no doubt when looking at my log book and spreadsheets, I've made significant gains in a short amount of time.


Even though the meet isn't full, I still applied the same training program to all my lifts over the last 8 weeks or so...
I've hit consistent PR's weekly...I'm now repping my previous squat 1RM of 275 for a triple and hitting 315 for a (not quite as smooth as I'd like) single. Before running this training program, my strongest pull was 325 and I have since pulled 330 for a triple and 365 for a single...what does that mean come meet time is anyone's guess but to say I've made incredible gains would be an understatement. One of my goals was to improve my seated military press and I was able to not only surpass my previous 1RM of 125, but I've since repped 150 for a triple. The kryptonite of my training has been the bench press..that fucker has caused me more anger and frustration than anything in the gym ever has. I haven't been focused on flat benching for a long time and admittedly my form needs a lot of work..I guess my previous 1RM of 185 was a fluke as I have yet to come close to that again. My best this training cycle has been 165 for a triple. I know "they" say your squat and deads should be comparable, but I'm not sure the same applies for your shoulder press and bench lol Blame it on my delts, they don't know their own strength!

Overall, I'm pretty excited and looking forward to getting out there. Of course a bit nervous, anxious and all that good shit too. As far as all things vanity driven, after getting on the scale this weekend (165) and trying on my singlet...ummmm, I'm rethinking that whole not cutting weight thing lol My poor legs are squeezed within an inch of their life, but on the bright side, my ass looks fantastic...
Hey, black is slimming, right!?! Well, that's what I'm going with :)

I love black, I waddle and lift weight. I'm pretty sure, I am a penguin...