Lift like a girl- Week 7

So week 7 is in the bag and we're into the Grand Finale!

We kicked off the week hitting a new PB (personal best) of 125kg in my deadlift.

And then just to make things even better again I hit a new PB on my Bench.

I went from 42kg to 47.5kg!

At the start of the week I caught up with my ol buddy me ol pal Daragh from the Sunday World.

Anyone who knows me knows that I had the best year being Miss Sunday World.

And I like to pretend I still am by annoying Daragh on the regular.

              (All my lovely PIA dresses)

I was chatting about the IDFPA Single Lifts coming up this weekend and he was shocked!

WHICH WAS PERFECT!

Powerlifting is so clearly alien to everybody, including myself until very recently.

So with a days notice he thought it would make a great feature.

It was the weirdest thing ever to take photos in the gym!!! Plus I'm 25 in case anyone thinks I'm 27 (hanging on for dear life)

I feel like a fraud any time I model. I love it but it doesn't feel real and I get super critical of myself, which is why I didn't look at these pictures until today when they were printed!!

This isn't the first time Maximum Results has been printed in the SW

 And they actually got the double whammy today with another client Roisin Nolan making a full spread in the paper looking awesome!!!!!

It was great to get a chance to explain what powerlifting is. And I would encourage anybody looking to start or looking to mix up their workouts to get in touch with me for first hand advice!

And Max in Maximum Results for actual information!

He's not that terrifying!

SO 

Last week of preparing for my first competition this weekend.

But definitely not my last week of powerlifting!

I'm hooked now

However next month I'm setting Max the serious task of getting me some real life abs.

Excited? yes.

In Pain? yes.

Shitting it? 100% yes.

But I'm also very excited about the full weekend in Gorey with the Maximum Results crew!

and especially about the 3 and a half hour car ride which I've luckily got to chose the playlist for!

Flashback Friday will be in full swing!

Lift Like a girl- Week 6

This week started out great, We kicked it off with a little explanation video with the lovely Jerry.

Which you can watch right here

And then it all went downhill and I turned into the worlds greatest blubbering baby on Tuesday.

Maxing out everyday has really taken its toll on my ass and hamstrings.

I'm not injured pain, it's just "pain" pain.

As a wise bald headed man once said

"Pain, even if it is good pain, still fucking hurts"

-Maximilian Lauth 1946

I've realized I am one angry toddler when I'm feeling sorry for myself.

Threatening to burn down gyms and snapping at fellow Power Lifters for taking my weights, when there's speculation that they in fact may not have. 

  

I had a bit of a mind flip with my bench this week too. Doing something called a paddle press

That's just a blurry picture of myself and Max.

It's a real case of everything I learned going out the window. 

HOWEVER I did manage to max at 45kg so yay!!!

I'm pretty chuffed with that. 

It's been mentally a tough week, and I know this week isn't going to be much better.

In fact probably worse.

But it's all coming together slightly.

I'm feeling slimmer. I'm lifting heavier.

I've got no pants left that I haven't burst out of- I'm a bit yay and nay on that point.

Yay to booty gains, and actually yay all round as now I have an excuse to only wear yoga pants!

So basically I'm gonna suck it up so I don't have to suck it in

That's it for now, if you want to listen to me being a whinge bag all week then feel free to follow me on snapchat at foxylaura1 

Toodles

Lift like a girl- Week 5

Nothing could have prepared me for this week.

Nothing.

and even then....

So my first day back I was pretty chuffed with life, I only went down 2.5kg after the xmas break on my deadlift, and after testing I had to deadlift 75% -90kg- for 42 reps.

What spurred me on the most was listening to Max give a very painful HIIT class next door.

I've really become a power lifting douchebag -cardio....no thanks! :)

Day 2 

a) I slept in 

b)wtf 

Very disorientated rocking in only an hour late at 930.

I had to test bench, soft enough, in and out....

WRONG!

Hello Bulgarian! 

It basically means I'm maxing out every day, tested deadlift again- 120kg.. so off one block I had to lift that 21 times. 

I failed. sort of. I lifted it 15 times and did the last 6 off 110kg

 I'd been repeatedly told Bulgarian would make me it's bitch but I really wasn't expecting the actual despair my life felt like it was going thru.

The next day I was down 5kg :( 

(this was actually Thursday not Wednesday!)

But bench was still 42.5kg

I really enjoy Bench, and for no other reason than I get to lie down!!!!

Friday was the most painful experience of my life.

Deadlift, Good Mornings, Bench and reverse curl.

Good Mornings help with your hamstring and lower back, 

you pick up the bar as you would for a squat and lean forward shooting your hips back.....I'd say that's the worst explanation ever but I'll take pictures next week, I was close to death yesterday so forgot.

I literally could feel my ass getting bigger yesterday from deadlifting, and I was in SO much pain- so I knew I was doing something right!!!

All in all it was a tough first week back, and it's not going to get any easier but I already feel like I'm slimmer after xmas so yaaaaaay!!

I called up to Sean Mc Cormacks studio yesterday to get some more progress pics taken. I hate doing it...there's no hiding from Sean......but I can definitely notice some difference!

 Don't let the selfie fool you, I'm Queen of angles and filters!

Now to stay out of trouble for the weekend and filming some lols in the gym Monday!

That should be fun!

Toodlepips til then mofos!

Lift like a girl- week 3&4

Hellooooooooooooooo final block pull week!! 

(Here's my last lift in week 2, fyi anyone looking for a spray tan to withstand a sweaty training session- Crazy Angel is your man! above was sprayed an hour before this)

So I was really looking forward to my last week of block pulls, not because I wasn't enjoying them- I absolutely loved the pain in my ass, the burning sensation of walking, the sports massage, the tape that seemed to be holding me together- but because I still wasn't so sure how much they were actually going to bring me along

Week 3 was done off just one block, I'd go in every day, struggle with the mathematics of what was going on my bar,lift 4-3-2-1 and toddle on home. Well sort of, 4 days a week I was also doing bench and 2 days power cleans.....keep me out of trouble.

Christmas week. The 22nd of December was my testing day. I was dreading it, smack in the middle of xmas party season I literally felt as weak as a kitten. No avoiding it no matter how hard I tried. I took an age doing my stretches, I intently asked everyone what their holiday plans were- I even sent Laurence on his hollibops with my snapchatting magic.

and then Max said "So Miss Fox if you don't lift at least 120 today you can walk out that door and never come back" .

Not as sly the Fox I thought I was. But then stubborn Fox took over. How dare he think I can't do this. 

BOOM

122.5kg deadlift! That's up 7.5kg in 3 weeks!!! and just to spite you Max its 2.5kg more than you asked for!! :) I joke, thank you for everything! 

one of the things I enjoy most about Maximum Results is their ability to treat their clients individually and in a way that works. e.g I need to be challenged and verbally abused "I thought you could do better than that...." "No way are you able for that Princess..." "so and so did that with ease, looking a little tough for you there" I take the bait every time. Where as I know from being in class that some people need a more gentle approach "Nearly there" "you got this" "well done" 

But most importantly they have the banter!! 

Odd socks for life

I enjoyed Xmas and New Years so much but I was, dare I say it, excited to get back to the gym. A little "squidgy' and totally fearful that I'd be starting from scratch again! 

Managed 120kg deadlift and then did 42 reps at 75% - 90kg (Max worked that out for me! one of my resolutions is to actually get a little better at Maths,,,I'm desperate!)

Last year was the best year of my life so far. I took a look at all the resolutions I made for 2015 yesterday and I pretty much demolished them all....unknown to myself....and more!!

I've so much planned for 2016, a big fingers crossed and hopefully all my wonderful chums and fam will stick by me again! 

And to start it off I'm really looking forward to the Single lifts at the end of the month, I am however DREADING the thoughts of putting on a singlet...... 

Reading back on all this I sound so shallow....I did say I was going to be honest....and these are all my feels at the minute! :) 

First World Problems!!!