See also: Contest Prep 2016 Updates
Website Drama
Hey all! I have been MIA with blog posts here. I had been working on my new website and fitness guides, which I have been having serious issues like slow loading times, over lapping widgets, mobile and tablet sites not working! blah. Designing my own website has been harder than a goats knee (yes that is a sort of real phrase, check it out on urban dictionary).
Although, GOAT is an acronym for Greatest Of All Time… so, I guess in the end, my website will be the GOAT.
I ended up going a different route but needless to say, my home page is still a mess. Stay tuned, a new theme will be happening free of the darn glitches! ugh! I have been doing everything myself because I want to know how to manage my own site and make changes when ever I want AND, if I had someone else doing the work, I still would be spending just as much time trying to get all my files, information and design ideas to that person. ah well, such is life.
Fitness Guides
I also kicked off my fitness guides, finally! They were much bigger projects than anticipated. Check them out. 🙂
Updates On My Off-season
Also see Ninja Strength off season plan. (click here)
I plan on competing in bikini this fall 2017 in local shows in MN and WI. I had competed in figure in the past years placing top 5 every time but one, but never better than 3rd place.
Genetically my shoulders are seriously sorry! My triceps grow, my back grows, my legs grow and my shoulders are left behind! My Dad, I learned, has the same issue! Thanks Dad! Big triceps, no shoulders! WTH!!! Anyhoo, below are early winter 2015 and Jan 2016 off season progress pics. Holding my weight and building.
I am around 24% body fat, 146 pounds at 5’6″ tall. 20 pounds heavier than I have ever maintained my whole life and I think I look pretty good 😀 This is a set point my body likes where I don’t feel hungry and I don’t gain weight easily. When I am around 15% body fat, I find I have to work much harder to maintain it. Although, it can be done with some serious dedication on a long term reverse to increase my metabolism at that weight.
This past fall I took about a 6 week break from serious training. I hadn’t missed 1 day at the gym, 6 days a week, for 3+ years. So, I took a break from being all hardcore. I also didn’t count my macros and had a few too many root beer floats with my kids bringing me up from my summer 15-18% BF to 22-24%. I did a Dexascan for $25 November 19th at a local medical facility that offered them. Search “body composition dexa scan” for a facility near you. It is the same machine used to do a bone density scan. I did another dexa scan in March 2016… keep reading for the comparison.
Anyway the first dexa scan gave me the 24% BF reading. The next week I used the Omron handheld body fat tester and read at 22%. Inaccuracies across test types. But it’s all good. After I took that nice long break, I am back at it 6 days a week, counting macros, reversing calories.
I am currently in a “lean bulk/ reverse” I like to call it where my weight stays the same but calories are increased almost every other week. I am on an alternating HIIT protocol due to the genius of John Gorman and his experiment.
He has me doing 7 days of HIIT sessions everyday at 3 intervals each. Then 7 days of no cardio.
Calories went from 1,865 cals (150 protein, 215 carbs, 45 fat) in November 2015 to 2,068 (175 protein, 225 carbs, 52 fat) as of March 3rd, 2016.
1st week of November: start of JG’s HIIT protocol
143 lbs
1865 cals (150 protein, 215 carbs, 45 fat)
Mid January – March 2016
145.5 lb
2068 (175 protein, 225 carbs, 52 fat) and holding
I am lifting muscle groups 2x per week in various rep ranges in a push, pull, leg rotation focusing on bikini for the fall.
Pull: back, biceps
Push: chest, shoulders, triceps
Legs: quads, hams, calves
I do 3-4 exercises per muscle group.
- Sun: Legs (heavy, 6-8 reps)
- Mon: Push (high rep, 20-30 reps)
- Tue: Pull/ Abs (hypertrophy, 10-15 reps)
- Wed: Legs (hypertrophy, 10-20 reps)
- Thurs: Push (hypertrophy, 10-15 reps)
- Fri: Pull/ Abs (high rep, 20-30 reps)
- Sat: OFF
My fav days are heavy shoulder day and leg days 😀
Here is how my body has changed from November 19th, 2015 through March 3rd 2016.
On the scale, my morning weight went from 142 to 147. As above total mass went from 146 to 151.8. Up 5 lb’s but my body fat % stayed the same at 24.6ish %.
My lean weight went from 105.25 to 109.8. showing that I have gained 4.55 lb’s of muscle in the last 4 months.
The change in Android fat (belly fat) and gynoid fat ( hips/ glutes) was a weird switch:I must of gained some muscle in my bootay!
Android/Belly fat Nov- 27.4% : March- 20.2%
Gynoid/ hips & glutes Nov- 38.7 : March 30.1%
Below are the specific stats for each limb and my trunk from Nov 2015 and March 2016.
I love this info because it lets me know how symmetrical I am in definite numbers. Last year, my whole left side was larger than my right and it was evident in pictures. I had done a lot of work starting with aligning my skeleton properly and seeking the right profession help (upper cervical chiropractor, physical therapist and massage therapist- read more here).
Above, it shows in Nov 2015, my left arm was larger than my right by .08. In March 2016, the difference is .03!! yay! I am improving!
My left leg was larger in size by .08 compared to my right in Nov 2015 but in March 2016 it was only .01 difference in mass between my two legs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Below is a summary of my March 3rd scan. This is a super handy tooth for any competitive athlete weather it me bodybuilding running, triathlons, you name it. Asymmetry can affect performance as asymmetry can also be an indicator of underlying issues that may be too subtle to catch early on as was in my case (read more here).
I will continue to get a dexa scan when I begin my contest prep this summer and then toward the end. I want to see how I maintain (or lose) muscle during a contest prep. With all that, I am a lifer with dexascan. Hit up a DexaFit near you. If you are a personal trainer, they may offer you a discount as well as clients you refer. 😀
anyhoo…..
Noel Clark
Back to my shoulder rant…..Shoulders are like a hallmark of a fit chick look! I mean, look at Noel Clark, BAM! Without shoulders in the off season along with a layer of fluff, I just look like I have fat arms. It does piss me off to no end and is quite discouraging. You name it, I have done it, lifted volumes in all rep ranges, partner assisted lifts, deload weeks, overreaching, drop sets and the list goes on and all my friends around me, all the bikini girls not lifting shoulders as heavy are getting capped which makes me jealous. It will just take a lot more time for me and a good two plus years of heavy lifting in an off season for a good, super competitive figure body. But, I have chosen the bikini route. I like both. 🙂
For many natural athletes, that is one of the biggest mistake… competing season after season without taking a LOOOOONG off season to really build muscle. Like 2+ years. for many reasons, not just muscle building. Your metabolism takes a toll. Dieting for a show can affect your metabolism and your contest prep a year later. Compete a few years in a row and you will find it getting harder to lose.
It takes a long time to really build muscle but we get antsy and want to hit the stage. I see it all the time, woman on stage spring, fall, spring, fall, spring, fall looking the same every time. BUT, we all have our own goals right. Some like to compete just for fun no matter how they place but others have serious goals. Thinking long term can be so hard when we all want results right now. I have to remind my clients this weekly- for all my clients- those wanting to build for figure, those on a reverse after having no luck dieting, those in contest prep: you name it. The long term is the hardest to keep in mind until you really get it. Everyone always says, “trust the process” and they mean it!
What are your thoughts? Comment below.