Shaila Fitness

Strong Powerful Female

How Not to Get Lean this Summer

by Leave a Comment

Like it or not, summer is coming.  We’ll be ditching the jackets and showing off more skin.  If you’ve been diligently exercising and eating right over the colder months, you probably have nothing to worry about.   Some of us might turning to a “quick fix.”  But we both know that they never really work.  So here are some current products that will not help you to get lean this summer.

Ready to shed the layers?

As a full time trainer, I’m keenly aware of the variety of products marketed for weight loss.  My background in science also makes it simple for me to understand product claims and understand their worth, if any.  These days, lots of people in and outside of the gym ask me, “hey what do you think of this weight loss product?” and most of the time, it’s something that I know won’t work for them.

Here are some of the worst questions I’ve encountered:

Continue Reading …

How Did Al Get in Shape

by Leave a Comment

Today I am proud to present another of my success stories.  This is my client Al.  Several years of poor eating habits, lack of activity, and an impending 50th birthday gave this client a tummy he wanted to lose and a BIG desire to make a change.  In just eight weeks, this client lost 5 inches from his waist, 25 lbs, and went from 24% body fat to 17%.  A picture is worth a thousand words of course but show how Al got in shape.

Before

 

After!

So how did Al get in shape?  Here were his main strategies.

1) He cleaned up his diet. I worked with Al to devise a nutrition program that fit his lifestyle, and that was healthy, nutritious, and tasty. I even convinced his to take his fish oil and eat his vegetables.  This, from a guy who made a habit out of avoiding anything green!  This from a guy who’d go to bed with a daily Jack Daniels and hyuuuggee plate of chili and white rice. This from a guy who used to snack throughout the day and made a habit of eating fast food all the time.

2) He added activity to his life. No rocket science needed. I worked with Al to devise a fun strength training program geared for fat loss that we both looked forward to (well, I know I did) and cardio guidelines that he could gradually ease in to and learn to love.

3) He took his goals seriously. Al took his goals seriously. He never missed a single workout, always showed up on time to train, constantly worked on form, and worked HARD to correct any “weaknesses.”  Now that he’s reached his goal, he’s found a new one. And that’s what fitness is about: reaching your goals, meeting them, exceeding them, and finding new ones!

4) He kept meticulous records. Every single Sunday, Al reported back to me with his food log, his strength training log, his cardiovascular activity for the week, how he was feeling, and what his scale, the calipers, his clothes, and the mirror were saying. If something wasn’t right, we knew why, and we knew HOW to fix it. We communicated all the time, and he never felt alone in his journey.

So, there you have it.  No fancy drugs, no silly gimmicks. Just hard work, the right mindset, accountability, and finding a healthier way of eating that suited his lifestyle.  Not only did he meet his weight loss goal 20 lbs. he actually surpassed it!

I asked him how he felt about meeting his goals and being successful. His reply:

I can see my abs for the first time since I was in college. The results came faster than I thought they would. I’m looking forward to phase 2 of our get back in shape plan!

I also had to ask him, what’s it like training with Sumi?

His reply:

Sumi has the unique combination of being an expert in both nutrition and weight training. The fact that she set up a customized plan for me made all the difference. She was able to design an approach that matched my body type and objectives. She is a great communicator and with a contagious enthusiasm that kept me continually motivated.

Getting Strong with 5/3/1

by Leave a Comment

Every once in a while you come across a really cool program, and wonder, “why am I the only one doing this around here?” and “why haven’t you heard about this yet?” and that is exactly how I feel about Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 program.  I find strength empowering and today I want to tell you about getting strong with 5/3/1.

Get Strong, Stay Strong

I can see how it’s probably far less intimidating to go with whatever everyone else is doing, like the latest bikini body in 30-days program, Zumba/Kickboxing class/Yoga class (all in one now!) ,  P-90X, or the latest Jillian Micheal’s DVD because your neighbor (I’m not your neighbor), BFF, co-worker, etc did it and so why can’t you?  You might be the same person who thinks a powerlifting program like 5/3/1 is only for powerlifters, but it isn’t.   The way this program is written (simple), everyone from the relative beginner to an experienced lifter can bust through a training plateau (we’ve all been there), set new personal records, and get a whole lot stronger… man or woman.

One single cycle lasts a brief 4 weeks, with the final week being a deload week, so technically, you can see measurable results in three weeks.   The program is built upon 4 basic strength training exercises that we’ve all seen:  the squat, bench press, the deadlift, and the overhead press.  Each workout is incredibly quick, with the main focus being to kick your own butt hard on the last set.

You know how when you get done with running 4 miles on the treadmill and say “boy am I glad that’s over?”  This program leaves you with a real sense of accomplishment, because on 5/3/1 you set a new record for your maximum number of reps with a certain weight on the final set.  You can end the workout right there, or as one of my favorite friends on the Body Building Revealed forum put it: “Rack the weight and scream victoriously. Punch shoulders, high fives, etc, optional.”  If you’ve got more time, the program allows for assistance work.

Some of my proudest moments on 5/3/1 include: bench pressing my own body weight, deadlifting  175 lbs for reps,  and hammering out 52 body weight pull-ups. Yeah, I should clarify that one.  On OHP day, the “triumvirate” option for assistance work calls for 5 sets of 10 reps of body weight chin-ups or pull-ups.

I had to break my work into more than 5 sets, and I easily could have stopped at failure around 5-7 reps. I didn’t though, and managed to get in more than 50 total reps for pull-ups by doing 10 sets. I’m proud of me, even though according to my three-year old, I look like a “little big pink dinosaur” when I do pull-ups.  Moral of the story: don’t do pull-ups in hot pink pants.

Yeah, the snow may be melting for some of us, and there are certain warm, spring-like days where you can’t turn your head without seeing another jogger pounding the pavement.   As nice as the sunlight is, it’s not as tempting as setting my back and shoulder blades into position under the weight of the barbell for squats and feeling a weight that could possibly crush me.

Nor is it as rewarding as knowing my dainty hands can pull a (relatively) heavy weight off the floor by dropping my hips and pushing the earth away for a heart pounding set of deadlifts, or “bench press a fitness model” (i.e., I benched my own body weight) for another proud moment on a “regular” old day at the gym.  You could endure another boring work out in which you make zero progress, or set your own personal record in an otherwise mundane and uneventful gym.

My First Week on 5/3/1

by Leave a Comment

It’s only week 1 for me on Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 Program, billed as: “The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Raw Strength” and I’m already having a blast.  Course, if you know me, it doesn’t take much to get me excited about barbell training, but the combination of simple, effective, and raw strength sealed the deal for me.

As a mom juggling two jobs, a simple, efficient, and effective training program is the only kind of training I really have the time for. In addition, 5/3/1 lines up perfectly with my goals, to get stronger in the big lifts: squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead press (OHP).

And although the program enjoys plenty of popularity among powerlifters who use Wendler’s 5/3/1/ program to prepare for meets (see: http://flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?cid=370&m=PD&pid=2976) I see absolutely no reason why I can’t try it! In fact, I’ve always admired the brawny powerlifting culture: it’s somewhat hidden from public view, but full of heart.  So today I want to tell you about my first week on 5/3/1.

“Powerlifting? Why would you want to do THAT?”

But rather than instantly launch into some sort of discussion on how much weight I blasted and how sore I felt in a variety of new places, what I really want to talk about is how much fun I’m having just doing it.

I know from everything I’ve read and heard that 5/3/1 is an intelligently designed program built on the main goal of getting stronger.  I may not be deadlifting a car, nor do I necessarily have “the build” to be a successful competitive powerlifter, but anyone can still succeed with a powerlifting program if your lifts progress over time. It’s all relative.

It’s highly unlikely I’m going to impress anyone (but myself!) with the numbers I press or blast, but I’m learning new technique, having fun with the heavy metal, and succeeding in my own right.  So who cares whether other people understand (let alone approve of) it or not?

The point is ladies (and dudes), if you really want to try something different and fun with your workouts, and it matches up with your goals, this is the year you ought to go for it. To put it in the simplest terms, engage in a great fitness endeavor because you just WANT TO. Not because you’re necessarily training to be competitive body builder, or powerlifter, or elite marathon runner or whatever.

I’ve been dismissed by enough people who’ve scoffed: “Powerlifting? Why would anyone want to do THAT?” like I was about to take a dive in molten lava or shave off my eyebrows  (I did that.)  Is it because (*gasp*) I’m a GIRL and god forbid I break a nail, mess up my hair, or grow a callous or two?  Or worse, a pretty girl might just BLOW UP overnight and be as big as this dude? http://www.elitefts.com/images/PICTURES/Critical-Bench-Jim/Wendler2.jpg

It reminds me of a brilliant post a friend’s daughter posted here http://tellyroftales.com/?p=375 (read the short article and scroll to the comic.) Picking up barbells, getting stronger, running faster, building muscle or whatever can be a deeply personal challenge,  but you don’t have to bench press 500 lbs, squat 1000 lbs, walk the competition stage, or run in every single race to prove some sort of deep, meaningful point.  You can be a fitness success story in your own right.  Do it for you, and more importantly, because it’s totally awesome.

Bulldog The Bride To Be

by Leave a Comment

It’s certainly my hope to continually post and grow this section of the website, because pictures (and data!) speak volumes of the hard work and success that many people have put into achieving their goals. Amidst all the silly recommendations out there that offer quick fixes, their stories are the real deal.

There are no secrets, as many a personal trainer or fitness guru might like you to believe, nothing other than discipline, hard work, making intelligent (and yet obvious) food choices, and consistently hitting the gym.

Today I want to show you what can be accomplished when you put your mind to it.  “Bulldog” (not her real name, lol) was a bride to be and needed to get in shape quickly for her wedding day.  She did what it takes and got the results she deserved.

Back: Before

Bulldog Back After

Bulldog Before, Side

After: Side

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part of the fun when watching a client succeed at weight loss is having the data to back up our claims. Besides pictures, we did regular weigh ins, and carefully tracked measurements and her food logs. Below is a sampling of her starting stats, followed by (a sampling) of her current stats. To protect privacy, I’m only including waist measurements, although we did several.  We’ve still got a few more months to go to get her to her goal weight range: 125-129 lbs.

08/05/2010
START Weight 148 lbs
Waist 33.5
Body Fat 29.5%

01/29/2011
Weight 130.5 Waist: 28.5
BF: 24.7%

TTL WEIGHT LOSS 17.5 lbs
Change in Body fat:  -4.8%
Inches lost from waist: 5 inches

So why did this particular client succeed, and why does she continue to succeed? In her case, it was all about attitude.  Not once did she miss a workout or show up late.  Not once did she complain about waking up at 5 am to get to the gym.  And even if she cursed me out in her head, she showed up time after time with the same dedication, drive, and commitment to fulfilling her vision.  She always asked intelligent questions, found ways to make smart nutrition decisions despite her job and family commitments, planned her meals, and performed every single rep with perfect form.

Even if she left with her legs wobbly, she ALWAYS left with a smile on her face and a sense of accomplishment that she was smartly and surely reaching her goal. Finally, her goal was not unrealistic and her deadline was clear.  Her attitude continues to be positive, unyielding, driven, and undeterred. There’s a reason why she’s called Bulldog and why the bride to be looked exactly how she wanted on her special day.

Staying Fit When You Travel Part 2

by Leave a Comment

Rope is great for rope chinups! If you can remember to pack it.

Busy professionals like us have a laundry list of excuses of why we are justified in abandoning our fitness goals while on travel, and some of them are actually pretty good.  But, for the most part, it really isn’t all that hard to make it work.  I wrote a piece earlier on eating right on the road here: but I wanted to share some real life experiences from clients, fellow gym-enthusiasts, and professional competitors on tips they have used for staying fit when you travel.

1) Even if your hotel gym sucks, get to it, and put in your sets and reps.   A strong male client of mine commented while he was on travel: “I’m jet lagged, the hotel gym sucks, and the heaviest DBs I can find weigh only 60 lbs, but I’m making it work.”  Moral: Even with the lousiest tools, you can still “make it work.” Be creative: superset, bump up your reps, keep your heart rate up and keep your rest periods short, do challenging body weight exercises when possible.

2) Do your research and plan ahead. I know clients who look into what kind of gym their hotel has even before they look into the local weather.  If you like what you see, great. If you don’t and you crave more, look beyond for a bigger gym.  The internet is your friend. I know of a professional powerlifter who travels extensively and manages to keep up with his lifting program, 4 days a week, no matter where he travels.

Powerlifting watch has an excellent gym locator link.  Some gyms will sell weekly passes or daily passes, so ask to speak to the manager and see what kind of deal you can get. Plan ahead if you’ve got some really big barbell needs, as most hotels won’t appreciate you deadlifting their treadmills and benching hotel guests.

2b) If you already belong to a corporate gym or franchise you may be able to use locations other than your home gym for free or at a reduced cost.  I work in the DC/VA/MD area, and many of my fellow lifters are affiliated with the military. If that’s true for you too, take advantage of the military affiliation and lift on military installations for free. Free is good.

3) Commit to your plan. If you have a fairly flexible per diem that allows you to spend a certain amount of money on daily passes, you should absolutely use it. You know everyone else is blowing it on another happy hour or over the top meal.  If you travel in a team, make sure they understand you are committed to getting in your workouts. The next time they travel with you, there won’t be any question as to where you are, and how you roll.  And I know someone who rolls with several hard boiled egg whites.

4) Always have some extra gym gear ready and packed.  Just like the cooler items I mentioned in part 1, Eating Right on The Road, don’t forget to pack your socks, sneakers, training log, iPod, supplements, whey protein, etc and whatever else you need to feel “at home” and ready for a workout.  If you can, ship some items to be waiting for you in advance, or leave behind a happy hour outfit and the second pair of salsa dancing shoes.

5) Along the lines of spending, use your per diem wisely.  I’ve worked at places that wouldn’t blink if I ordered a steak dinner every night, and that sort of thing is perfect if you’re picking up some metal and trying to bulk up.  And if a lean steak is not your thing, any decent hotel will carry several lean protein options on the menu.  Moral: use the per diem wisely, and towards your healthy goals. You can have the egg whites, chicken breast, and tuna when you get home.

6) Be flexible. Travel delays are inevitable. If you’re following a program that has you lifting 4 days a week, plan to get in the bigger muscle groups BEFORE you leave town, use your travel days as rest, and save the smaller muscle groups or cardio days for the hotel gym where you might have fewer heavier options.  On rest days, make it a point to taper your cals if you anticipate getting in little activity, like when you spend 4 hours in a cramped chair waiting on the tarmac.

Bottom line: it’s all about research, planning, spending your time and money wisely, and maintaining the right attitude.  Make exercise a lifelong commitment and part of your lifestyle.  And don’t leave home without some clean socks.  And those are some ways you can make sure that are able to stay fit when you travel.

Why Your Workouts Suck

by Leave a Comment

My good friend Will Brink wrote a piece on Why Your Workouts Suck  and I thought I’d go on a bit further because with all the other possible things that might suck in your life (traffic, frizzy hair, the electricity bill, your dog’s farts—and yes those are my problems), your workout ought not to suck.

Part of my mission in this blog is to help the newbie pave the trail from the couch to the squat rack, but the path can be confusing, and is littered with sucky advice.  So, what are some of the things you can do to avoid a sucky workout, other than the things that Will has already pointed out?

Don’t let your weight sessions suck

 

1) Learn how to perform the basics, even if that means “just” the body weight exercises.  Performing one perfect body weight squat to depth is a great example.  So you say you can’t squat? How do you get on the potty, and get back up? Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of simply following whatever someone else is doing.

You may witness the following errors: squatting on the Smith Machine (whatever you do, DON’T teach yourself there!) or the half-rep heavy barbell ego squat.  I’d rather teach a client to perform a squat with “no weight,” and progress with bands, dumbbells, barbells, or other objects that provide resistance (a sandbag, your toddler) rather than teaching a sucky squat.

And it’s not just squats on the Smith Machine. It’s improper or unnecessary use of machines when body weight or “at home” exercises will suffice.  At the gym where I work, there’s an “ab coaster” machine. I witnessed a lady hop on the ab coaster and commence the act of horseback riding. It was fitness porn at its worst.

She certainly wasn’t working her abs through a proper range of motion, and would have served herself better by performing some actual floor crunches.
2) Copying whatever fad someone else is doing in the gym.  I know someone who decided she was ready to get back in the gym and asked me if the latest 90-day muscle confusion DVD fad was a good choice for her.  Part of me wanted to instantly launch into a discussion about the things Will mentioned in his article (lack of planned progression and periodization, program not aligned with goals) but I thought about my reply for a minute.

I wanted to encourage her to do something (anything!) other than sit on the couch and maybe this would motivate her to start moving again.  So I broke it down into a simpler discussion: could she afford it, and what would she do after the 90 days was over?

In the back of my mind, I knew this was the kind of program that was really best suited for a more advanced lifter, and her potential for losing motivation and risking injury could be high on the program.  If her upper body strength was minimal, how would she understand what her options were when instructed to perform pull-ups?

The problem with fads is that they are short lived by nature.  After a less technical discussion with her, she realized the better choice for her would be to start smaller; take the baby steps to cleaning up her diet, start by taking brisk walks, look into some good home-based equipment like used dumbbells and bands, and look into membership fees at her local recreation center.  Will also has some suggestions for some kick-ass home based resistance training exercises here: http://www.brinkzone.com/strength-training/effective-training-at-home/ He uses the TRX straps, and I have the blast straps sold on elitefts.com <http://elitefts.com/> .

3) Find a training partner who’s gym savvy.  Your training partner could even be a virtual one! I found myself a like-minded athlete and  “Star” and I are almost done with a 10-week program that we’ve followed to the letter.  Now, this isn’t exactly the kind of program I’d endorse following, but the point is we are doing it together, motivating each other, keeping one another accountable, sharing our struggles, etc.

It also goes back to my point about not sucking at your workouts and ties in to the things Will brings up in his article: matching your training to your goals, and tracking your progress.  Star and I were both intent on adding some muscle to our frames, and both of us are self-confessed data lovers.

We trade journals, track our progress, and make sure we’re beating our own records.  Point is, if you claim you can’t find a gym partner to work out with, you may be able to find a like minded partner on the internet.  Join a forum like the one on www.fatlossrevealed.com and find your ally!

Training partners that you actually meet with at the gym and that share mutual goals with you are a great option, especially if walking into the gym for the first time is intimidating.  If they know their way around, they might be able to safely show you how to perform an exercise safely.

The last thing you really want to have happen is to have a sucky workout.  Sucky workouts can translate into injury, demotivation, and lack of progress (results!).  We’ve all seen that person in the gym, who shows up day after day, slogging it out on the treadmill, or pumping out some wasted reps on the hip ab/adduction machine while reading a magazine.

Or the guy hanging out by the bench press rack munching on a power bar, or the lady other riding the ab coaster like a cowgirl, or the dude with the puffy pad wrapped around the Smith Machine bar squatting with a spotter (and grunting!).  There are enough examples of people doing things the wrong way and I don’t want you to be one of them.

So make sure that your workouts don’t suck.

Strength Training is Sexy

by Leave a Comment

I have to admit I had a couple of doubts about writing this piece, but I figure my 3 year old is too young to read this just yet, and by the time she is able to do so, I would have done at least a million things far more embarrassing.   Because today I want to talk about why I strongly believe that strength training is sexy.

Girls need muscle too.

 

Among the many, many positive side effects of picking up some heavy metal and pounding the weights is that it can boost your libido, and tremendously. Feeling strong and looking strong is sexy.

Everyone, man or woman, wants to look and FEEL great naked; strong, powerful and sexy.  If you’ve never thought that picking up a barbell or stroking the steel in the power cage could be fiercely sexy and empowering, maybe you should give it a try.

So, why the post about sex and strength training? I was joking around with a good friend about how few women rarely talk about the other, lesser known side effect of strength training  (improved sex drive and appetite) and she turned me on to this article on low libido, reduced sex-drive in women, and the use and need for “female Viagra” in women as young as 18 and as old as 98.

The article makes no mention of why strength training is sexy or how it can function as a means to boost libido.  In actuality it’s probably not that simple because of the possible multitude of factors that might be influencing sex drive.

After all, it’s not like you’re going to wander in a gym, do a set of deadlifts, and POOF, you’re a sex goddess.  Strength training can’t make you sexy like that.  However studies have shown that regular exercisers report a higher sex drive, possibly related to surges of testosterone that can occur immediately after resistance training like lifting heavy weights.  I’ve heard time and time again that complex, compound movements  (e.g., squats and deadlifts, another reason why we love squats and deadlifts!) are great libido boosters.  So clearly strength training can make you more sexy 🙂

I considered the fun I might have, interviewing my fellow gym rats about their sex drive after a 5X5 leg day workout, but I really don’t HAVE to do that.  All my close friends who regularly strength train ALL know what I’m talking about here- resistance exercise boosts your own libido – your body image improves, you feel and look better naked, you’re more confident in yourself and your body; you know you look good; and best of all, you get to spend time around sweaty, fit bodies (pheromones!)

For many of us, popping a pill should be the last resort, especially if you’ve never gotten a boost through a good, hard sweat session surrounded by hard bodies. 🙂  Instead try strength training and see if the strength, muscle tone and improve body image doesn’t make you feel sexy.  It did for me and I think it can for you too.

Fear of Your Own Success

by Leave a Comment

At first when I started thinking about this article, I thought, I can’t possibly relate to this, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I absolutely can.  Several clients of mine have experienced a significant amount of weight loss (in the range of 20-30 lbs) and on a person with a small frame, the change is VERY noticeable.

So WHAT on earth is wrong with THAT? Successful weight loss is something to celebrate, right?  Well, of course it is, particularly when you make it STICK.  You’ll want to be prepared for not just a new wardrobe, but for some potentially unwanted attention, curious comments, general nosiness about what you’re eating, what you’re doing in the gym.

As a close friend put it, what might go behind the “fear of your own success” is the “fear of visibility.”  As a trainer, I know that people watch me when I lift and can be especially curious of what I eat, so I can certainly imagine what might be going on with you.

I lost the post baby weight, and sacrificed a cup cake or three.

With 20-30 lbs off your frame (or less or more), you become much more noticeable.  While I certainly congratulate the great weight loss successes, it’s not like we’re saving lives or creating world peace here.

Nevertheless the amount of unnecessary and undue attention that will be heaved upon you will make you feel like quite the hero.  At some point, after you get tired of your clothes swimming on you, you may find yourself tired of being public property – with everyone and their momma watching what you eat, why you eat that, and WHY you’re eating all the time.

This has happened to me, so I relate, but I had to tell myself that people really are that insecure about their bodies and relationships with food.  Someone even had the nerve to imply I had an eating disorder.  If anyone’s seen how much I eat, the comment was truly stupid and laughable.

I can also say that in my own experience, this type of behavior is especially true among women.  I’m not sure why that is, maybe because I am one, but I can’t say I’ve ever been publicly attacked by a man for what I’m lifting or eating, unless they’re complaining about the fact that I’m lifting more than them.

I know I’m a role model for others, in the gym and outside, and I’m fine with that.  Just ask my husband how quick I am to tell people to buzz off (not in such kind words, either).  But YOU will find yourself thrust in that role, like it or not.  Your friends, family, and coworkers might start to “police” your behavior, so God forbid you get caught eating pizza or office doughnuts!

Of course, the irony is that when you are overweight, those same people who police you for being thin now are the same people who were thinking at one point:  “she shouldn’t be eating that.” Don’t expect that people will relate at all to what you are doing, because they won’t.

Thin or not, they will choose to draw attention to your eating habits regardless of your size.   To regain weight or backslide is tantamount to “failing in public” so you may feel the pressure’s on to continue to do so… at a time when you’re not real confident in your ability manage this (particularly since failure is the norm with weight loss).

Here is an excerpt from a true conversation:

Onlooker 1: “Oh, so you’re cheating on your diet today, huh?” or “I thought you only cheated on Sundays”

Reply:  “This ain’t cheatin’ this is treatin’ and I work HARD to look like this.”

Not only are you working harder and doing more than the average bear,  if you’ve lost the weight through sound nutrition and a smartly designed exercise program, you probably ARE living a healthier life than the average person.  What you are doing will be really foreign, extremely difficult, and a major sacrifice to others.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the following phrase:

“Live a little,” supported by the VERY convincing argument that “what If you didn’t eat this cupcake right now and you got hit by a bus?”  This is a true conversation! Of course, I’m sure that if I got hit by that bus, the first thing I would be thinking about would be: “if only I ate that cupcake!”

Along the same lines of nobody understanding, I am currently bulking (as in purposefully choosing to gain weight-lean body mass (LBM), in body builder lingo).  I was walking the other day when someone commented “wow, your hips are looking thick, are you pregnant?” Me:  “Nah, I’ve just been eating a lot and picking up some heavy weights.”

Moral of the story: deflect the comments, don’t encourage them. Find a way to end it and disengage the onlookers.  You never know when a person who you thought was a “hater” may eventually take a genuine interest in your fitness journey.   A standoffish “f*&k you!” reply may not always be the perfect response with family members for instance, and you can alienate  the same people who might actually aspire to do what you’re doing,  and eventually be your new training buddy!

The truth of the matter is, most of the time, people are really bad at being supportive.  It’s not that they don’t want to be, it’s just that they don’t know how.  What you’ve done (lost the weight, stuck to a meal program, pounded the pavement, paid your “dues” at the gym,  reached your goals, worked with a trainer, trained for a marathon, lost the post baby weight, added LBM, whatever) is something that only a few people will really ever achieve.

Nobody will ever question your success, especially if you know how to make it STICK, so be proud of your success, never fear it, and recognize that your “new” way of eating and exercising is now your permanent lifestyle choice.  Don’t fear yourself, your success, and the dreaded back slide.  Add more new and fun fitness goals (like a bigger deadlift!, a 10-K, hang out with like minded athletes, learn a new sports) always, now, and forever.

An Ode to the Deadlift

by Leave a Comment

One of the funniest words of caution I received from a female, bodybuilder author and mentor was that people are going to “sh*t bricks if you talk about how much fun deadlifting is.”  Seriously, that still cracks me up, and I frequently reread her email every time I need a good laugh.  Of course, she’s absolutely right. Her point was, in order to convince people of the importance (and joy) in barbell work and strength training, I’d have to build a bridge from the couch to the power rack.

What’s more fun than picking heavy sh*t off the floor?

Personally, I’ve found the following to be true; my happiness is positively correlated with my ability to deadlift a big weight.  Now, it doesn’t HAVE to be a deadlift in your case.  It might be any basic move, important to you, that you can continually build upon, achieve, destroy, and surpass.  It might be one body weight chinup, doing a pushup on your toes, the bench press, the squat, or the barbell military press.  Really, I don’t care what move it is, as long as it gets your heart pumping, gets you motivated to get to the gym, get it done, and to do more.

 

I realize some gentle readers who do not share my love of the deadlift are thinking that such moves are only for lunatic body builder and powerlifter types but that is just not the case. To be fair, I conducted a random interview of my clients, friends, training partners, and fellow gym rats and got the following replies, when asked, “why do you love deadlifts?”

WORST REPLY AWARD:

Bootcamp enthusiast:  “What’s a deadlift?” Still, good question. The internet is full of deadlift techniques and videos, and there are many different variations of the deadlift.  I like this article at Elitefts, this video, or this article.

The top of the move: standing tall, eyes forward, bar over midfoot.

Client with scoliosis: “it has to be putting on the plates and realizing that I’m lifting more weight than the last time. I like to think back to the time when I was only lifting an empty bar (Sumi’s emphasis:  NOT a standard Olympic Barbell- her starting bar weight was 7 lbs) and I thought that it was such a hard lift. I think that that’s pretty cool. “

From a 1st-Place Figure Competitor:  “If I could do one and only one exercise it would be the deadlift.  Deadlifts work my entire body (and mind) neck to calves. You must use the stabilizer muscles as well as the big ones to do a deadlift correctly.  When you do it right, it’s a great accomplishment.

I feel really empowered when I set up the bar, step up behind it, grasp the bar solidly and evenly, take a deep breath, and move my body as efficiently as possible to lift the weight.  At the top of the lift, I set my shoulders, abs tight, look straight ahead, confirm perfect form and begin the descent, rinse and repeat.   Upon completion, I step off the box feeling worked but strong and solid from head to toe.”

From my verbose training partner and fellow personal trainer:  “Gotta do them, they’re a required exercise.”

From a competitive bodybuilder:  “I do deadlifts, I love them…they are a great tool to strengthen the legs, core and back.  Truly a full body workout.”

Class participant and fellow gym enthusiast : “I particularly like deadlifts because it’s one of the few exercises that works my upper hams and butt…also because it strengthens my forearms…and it totally kicks my a*s.”

SECOND PLACE AWARD FOR BEING WITTY:

From my neighbor in the squat rack: “There’s never a wait (for the power rack), and the way it’s oriented I can check you out if you happen to be on the squat rack, in which case yes I love deadlifts.”   I am quite sure it is because of my strict role model technique.

AND MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE REPLY  (I couldn’t have said it better):

From a competitive powerlifter: “Deadlifting is awesome because it’s the ultimate test of power.  There is no other exercise that recruits more muscles fibers and requires so many different bio-mechanical processes.

Concluding Thoughts

I love the deadlift.  It’s one of the great weight training movements and, done properly, can do wonderful things for you.  But you must do it properly to avoid getting hurt.  So learn the deadlift, and then let it make you amazing!