Strongman Competition, Getting Down and Dirty with Heavy Things

Strongman Class! Me on Kettlebell right before falling off

For the last 18 months I have been going to a weekly class that leaves me filthy, hungry and feeling stronger than the half hour before I started. My Strongman class has a revolving group of people, originally it was a female-only class but due to minimal estrogen interest, pregnancies and injuries - it became coed. Things got harder when the boys joined the group and I really liked it because it made me push myself harder.

TRAINING CLASSES involved:

• Heavy tire flips (up to #450 for me) 
• Farmers carry with dumbells
• Tire rolls
• Heavy Kettlebell swings
• Truck pulls (which will make a man out of any girly girl) 
• Sledgehammer hits
• Shotput throws
• Sandbag clean and presses 
• Tire stacking 

So, after a year a half of Strongman training and doing it without intention of anything more than getting strong, I started to get excited about the idea of seeing what I'm really made of. A competition came up and I signed up with about 8 weeks of time to train. As the event got closer, I started to doubt why I wanted to do it in the first place. But I was reminded that I was simply entering a world of the unknown, and if I decided I hated Strongman competitions, then I would never do another one again.

The weeks before competition, I went to my trainer's personal garage for some "bro sessions" where heavy lifting and manly sweat prevailed. I lifted atlas stones and kegs and did heavy farmers carries and would leave feeling super awesome in the way of strength. I started to LOVE strongman because I could feel insta-endorphins rushing from half a minute of lifting. Nothing else works that fast to fuel my crackhead level fitness high.

Dan! Mr Positive

The week before the event,I knew I had to take it easy, nice and easy to save my super power strength. Which I did, and considering most of my day hours revolve around working out, it actually felt nice to have extra time. What does one do when they don't work out 2-3 hours a day?

 One of the best things I did was to go to my favorite Crossfit-ish box Axistence Athletics because I knew they had a log to practice with. I was schooled in proper technique and given many tools to use to build my confidence for the comp. Thank god there are trainers out there who can look at the bright side! When I went to lift the 145# atlas stone and couldn't get it even close to putting it over the bar, Dan here said, "It's OK you were able to pick it up, now we know what to work on" And then taught me a new style that would save my grip strength.

This is the one! This beast had me power screaming!

SHOW TIME...
Here is what happened: The morning of the event, we all got to play around with the apparatuses we would be lifting during showtime. Everyone went to lift the steel frame to see how heavy #300 feels. I watched everyone take their turns and when it was my turn I was distraught! I could not lift the dang thing up!! I tried 3 times and walked away in shame. Then my nerves hit. If I could not even lift this thing how could I even carry it 60 feet for the competition?! What was I doing here? Do I even lift?

Finished. Me and the other athletes I competed with.
 My trainer is the one holding me up like I'm a feather.

Events:

1. Log Press #93 for 60 secs, I got 5 reps - this is more of  a clean and jerk but the log is really wide and totally acquward. It is a bruiser too, I still have bruises on my forearms. 
2. Frame Walk #310 for 60 feet, I made it across after two massive power screams. This is the apparatus that destroyed my confidence before the comp started
3. Axel Deadlift, #150, for 60 seconds, I got 22 reps. This is a very wide grip bar that is double or triple the girth of a barbell. Straps were allowed and I'm glad I decided the last minute to use them
4. Yolk carry #310, for 60 feet, You put this thing on your back and it's only inches from the ground as you try to walk quickly to the finish
5. Atlas Stone over 48" bar, Semi-Complete fail. I picked up my stone but couldn't get the heavy monster over the bar. No one thought this attempt was worthy of filming, thank god there's no evidence.

Good News, Bad News...
I completed all 5 events, the only one I really failed at was getting the atlas stone over. I figure since the bar was about neck level, failure was looking me almost square in the jugular. I realized my weakness wass the speed most the other ladies had. The other huge bummer was that I was not only the very first female to complete each event, but I was also the very first athlete to start the whole competition off. That just wasn't right. I lifted things heavier than I've ever lifted and that feels really good, like bordering on orgasmic good if I must say.

Did not stay for awards but I was told I got 8th place. I think there were 9 girls who competed. Got a finisher ribbon which my girls play with as a necklace. Good thing we got that.


Just as Mom tells you it's OK to fail as long as you learn something...What did I learn?

1. I am stronger than I think. When I went to lift that frame, I had so much doubt in myself and I didn't think I was going to be able to make the lift. Having your body prove your mind dead wrong is a VERY good feeling. Something that I want more of.
   
2. There is a lot of technique to all these Strongman events that takes specialized training. When I told people at Crossfit that I did a Strongman event and placed 8th, they said, "ya, that's because you are not a Strongman, you Steph are a Crossfitter"
   
3. Participation ribbons are nothing to brag of but I fared far better than all the people who did not compete. There. 

Ass Moves Mass. Bulky Vs Fit.

So the title, "ass moves mass" was not made up by me. The term applies to powerlifters. Likely the only females who are encouraged to eat lots because a bigger size will increase their performance. Maybe Strongwomen get that too? Did you know I'm doing my first Strongman competition this weekend? Oh dear lord, what have I gotten myself into. More on this later. Let's talk adaptation of the female figure.



My Story

Dream Body Alert

A couple years ago, when I was dropping weight dramatically, every week I got noticeably thinner, I was very in tune to the words people used to describe me. I heard words like fit and lean as I walked by. I was approached by strangers who would ask if I was training for a competition. You mean like the Tough Mudder? (I had no clue they meant the standing on stage variety). And I felt that way, I felt thin and fit. I felt light on my feet and absolutely stunning. My clothes were getting bigger and I felt VERY comfortable in my own skin.

The Problems
The problem was my primary focus was weight loss, leaning out - getting smaller. I wanted to be small enough that my hubby could lift me up. I wanted to be the tiny, short girl.  I wanted to be the blonde model from Athleta. I knew heavy lifting, running and high intensity could make me drop fat, so I did that, consistently 3 days a week I pounded the gym pavement like it was my job.

Athleta Dream body

And I was willing (finally) to stop eating crap, start eating more veggies (mostly JUST veggies) and earn the body I wanted. I was willing to do anything. So I ate small meals, only 2 or 3 a day, I did lots of fasts, I sometimes just had a big plate of steamed broccoli for dinner. I skipped meals to make sure I was working out in a fasted state. And in the gym I lifted  and did high intensity for 2 straight hours and came home and wanted to collapse onto my bed. And it all worked. I got down to 17.9% body fat and I felt like my true self emerged from hiding. I had the body I wanted. But I had other obstacles to face.

A Love Affair...
I became entranced with the barbell. I realized that the barbell could change me from feeling timid and shy to feeling superhuman. I could walk into the gym and feel isolated or blah, but after I lifted I felt like a lean, mean, strong-ass machine. So I wanted more, I wanted to lift heavier. I was not longer interested in how many deadlifts I could do at 150#, I wanted to know how much I could lift as a one rep max. Of all the lifts I knew, I kept adding on more weight plates. So my barbell got heavier and heavier and so did my appetite.

me, April 2014

me, June 2015

The Kitchen, Open for Business

Besides being an animal in the gym, I morphed into an animal in the kitchen. I became soooo hungry.  When you have a ferocious appetite, it's impossible to eat like a rabbit. I also increased my workouts, I was often doing two workouts a day. Thus, when you are working out for 2-3 hours a day, your body WILL find a way to fuel your workouts. And considering I was unwilling to lower my workout intensity, I was putting myself into a predicament. I said a subconscious adios to my original goal of wanting to lose weight.

Want to eat 20,000 calories a day? Be this guy, be this guy

My body fat test showed I required an average of 2800 calories a day on active days. It didn't take long to begin the monster eating. More eating meant my body began changing and it was saying, "you're welcome" as it adapted to help me be a badass, I was resenting my body for the growth. I noticed first my legs, and watched as my skinny clothes grew less and less comfortable. I worked out harder, and resisted again. But eventually it doesn't work. Not just because my appetite, but also my cortisol levels went wacky because I wasn't eating before or after my workouts. I considered giving up lifting heavy but that seemed like I was quitting. Plus I like it too much! And once I realized I couldn't   be losing weight and gaining strength, at the same time- I declared a truce,  to stop the fight against my body. Very easy to say. Very hard to do.

Anatomy and Physiology 101...
You can be strong and fit and also have fat over your muscles.This is why you might have a six pack just dying to come out and play if you would tweek your diet. There are plenty of strong people out there but they have a high body fat percentage so you can't see their superhero muscles. Also, bulky is a subjective term. What I used to think was "too much muscle" on a female has changed over the years. Not everyone agrees that strong is the new skinny. Also, girls are more prone to fat storage because we are created to reproduce. It's an honor but can be a little bit of a curse to our figure.

My Diet has also been through leaps and bounds since this all began. Where once I was a simple PURIST, restricting my diet by ingredients, these ingredients have slowly slipped back into my life.

The LEAN diet I followed 100% of the time when I was my most fit:
- No dairy
- No alcohol
- No SUGAR!! HUGE factor right here!
- No gluten
- No exceptions

NOW...Instead of passing on the desserts, I have a little.OK, OK, sometimes I have a lot. And I know the sugar is bad news for my body comp. I know sugar decreases my human growth hormone and increases insulin. These are two major hormonal players involved in determining what your body looks like. Do you want to look fit? Nix the sugar. I guarantee nothing FIT will ever come of sugar.  Wanna more sugar hatin? Here. Now what words do I hear to describe me? Bulky, Jacked, big, "all muscle", a beast. It's been a lesson in self acceptance. An introduction to unconditional love for myself. Admiring myself for what I can do and disregarding thoughts of what I feel I "should" look like.

In conclusion...
Your body composition is decided in the kitchen/restaurant/fast food line. It's based on what you do or do not eat.  Eating sweet desserts, downing soda and eating nutrient poor food will cause unfavorable results. But eating your veggies and supplying your body with vitamins might just change your life! As for lifting heavy, yes I think it can cause large muscle growth, and I think its beautiful. But it won't happen overnight, and it won't necessarily be unfavorable. And it will encourage a big appetite which I think is the main factor in getting big.

The Elite Crossfit body. These Girls: Not a Starvation Diet

The adaptation of the Female Crossfitter's Body. This is Camille Leblanc-bazinet. This is how much a body can change and adapt over the years based on what physical activities you demand of your body. This is the body in motion, improving and progressing.  Too often we watch weakness enter the body with a poor diet and watch people grow in fat. It's beautiful to watch the human body grow in strength. 

2010



2012

2013

2015

Birds Eye View: Landing My First Bar Muscle Up.

BIG news on the fitness front!! Got my very first bar muscle up last weekend. I had been working on bar muscle ups for a few months but had recently put this goal on the back burner because I was not making progress. Everyone said I was strong enough to do them, but I doubted them because why else could I not get up there, dangit. Then one of my friends at the gym told me he was training to get his bar muscle ups

Instantly my competitive spirit began to rush motivating blood through me. Shortly after that,  I told him that I wanted to see who could get the first muscle up. Game on! I think a lot of times you put a big goal out into the universe and you get sent exactly what you need.

What I needed was three things:

Scott. The Man.

1) One on one training - which came in the form of Crossfit Masters Games winner Scott Olson
2) Motivation to get me pumped up - like the contest I established with my friend. It could be competing in an event. There was a girl who had never done ring muscle ups, who did a big Crossfit competition and got her first muscle up, just like that.
3) Physical exhaustion to silence my over-thinking mind - I got my first muscle ups post max front squat+ heavy clean and jerks. It was after a grueling 2-hour workout that Scott Olson looked at my red, sweaty face and asked if I wanted to work on getting a muscle up. While I thought, "I'm physically pooped" there was no way I would turn down the opportunity. My first attempt with Scott, I got up there. I was shocked and elated.

The top of a muscle up - perch position

If you don't know what a muscle up is- its where you hang from a bar (a pull up bar would do) and pull yourself to the top. The skills it uses are pull ups and dips but with explosive power. You want to end up where a gymnast would perch right before a big move on the uneven bars.  Here are some of the most helpful instructional videos I watched to help me get up to the bar.

A video with one of my fav people: Matt Chan teaching efficiency tips

And when it comes to learning the technique, here's where your volume needs to be focused:

• Pull ups - Kipping and strict pull ups. I did the biggest kip of my life to get my muscle up but you also need to have the strength of strict pull ups
• Toes to bar  (kipping)- Strength and explosive power in your hips, to "pop" you to the top
• Hollow holds - Gymnastics style hollow holds. Hold for 45 seconds and repeat 3 times. You want massive core strength.
• Chest to bar pull ups - After you are good at chest to bar pull ups, then work on pulling your hips to the bar. 
• Ring dips - You need a lot of upper body strength - dips are super charged muscle builders

The most efficient (and darn right beautiful) muscle ups I've ever seen:

Mmmm Kay, When you know you are strong enough and are ready to tackle the bar muscle up - here are the most important tricks to remember:

1. Stand back a little ways from the bar so you can jump into it. I stood back about 4 feet, but you might need more if you are taller
2. Give the biggest, most powerful kip of your life
3. Pull your hips up to the bar - you want to be parallel to the floor as much as you can
4. Keep your arms straight as much as you can to maintain your strength. Bent arms will work but you might end up burning out faster and you are very likely to end up having chicken wing arms to get you up there
5. After you kip out, you will pull back and then do the fastest sit up of your life to sit over the bar. Try not to use your tummy too much because you can get injured that way but when first starting off, just do what ever it takes!

Pulling A Truck...Yeah, I Did that Today (nonchalantly I say this while twirling my hair)

Holy Crap! One of the quickest intense workouts of my life. Yes, each truck pull will burn your legs, upper body and lungs make you ache all over, but in a good way (that makes this girl VERY happy!) There I was roped to a truck, strapped into a harness, and pulling that truck like I never had a choice! Truck pulling is dangerously close to being something I love more than flipping a tire, and you know I love my Michelin Man flips! Truck pulling is so draining to your whole body, that you really can't do it over and over because each pull puts you on your ass.

HOW- TO PULL A TRUCK
1. Stay low during the pull, the power comes from your sprint stance
2. On the initial pull, stand up straight then hinge down into the rope with your upper body until you are down
    towards the earth into your sprint stance
3. Keep your feet close (mine were flailing out to the sides, what a rookie!)
4. Climb the ground with your toes/ball of foot, while you pull with your upper body
5. Breath! I realized I was not taking air in but only blowing it out, and once I did breath, it helped me relax

EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO PULL A TRUCK:
1. A Large Truck. Heavier is better but maybe don't start off with a semi-truck. We pulled a Chevy.

2. A harness to strap on around you (buy one here) Expensive so I would check for used on Ebay first

3. A heavy duty rope to attach you to the truck (via harness)

4. A second heavy duty rope to pull with (optional- you don't need this if you will just be using the harness on your back and not using a rope to pull with
5. A Strong light pole or something that won't move (only if you are using the 2nd rope)


BIG DEAL! Don't forget to put the truck in neutral and have a person inside the truck for good measure (no feet on the brake- that would be just CRUEL!)

The new BIG man in my life, The Michelin Man

The Michelin man has arrived in my back yard with a furry…and now we just can’t stay away from each other. What can I say - he loves how I man-handle him. This is going to be fun!!

Things you do with a tractor tire:

Since tractors are not that useful in Denver county...
1. Tire flips - welcome beast mode
2. Sledge hammer hits - pound it like you mean it
3. Strap a rope to it & pull it
4. Box jumps
5. Jumping in & Out of it - think SPEED
6. Carry it over your head (not quite there yet)

Flip that Heavy Beast!

Sooooo…. I flipped a 450# tire today! (Now imagine I just said that casually with a nonchalant wave of my hand) I flipped that monster & I want more (maybe not RIGHT now…)

Strong woman class today. Heck yes. My tired little self loved every working second. The strong women and I enjoyed pulling a tire uphill, hitting a tire with a sledge hammer, 40# weighted push ups, shot put throws & heavy (88#) kettle bell swings.

Anyone have advice on Russian KB swings? I look mostly retarded when I don’t fully extend into American style. Even my trainer was a little dismayed by my form. And there I was, all alone humping air with some kinda odd double hip extension. Not feeling like a roaring lion during this part of the workout, no sir.

THIS was NOT me today

Am I extending my hips now?

Strong woman class + today's WOD:

3X
Run 3 laps - 350meters? 
500m Row
5 handstands (practice to keep my feet off the wall)
15 kettlebell thrusters 20# each hand
15 box jumps (24”)
20 weighted sit ups

Uh…no wonder. That WOD explains the intense draw towards this girl needing a nice comfortable chair to sit down and eat massive carbs. Oh basic needs, how I will never get away from you.

Even though it was hard today, I still affirm that 14.5 grew more hair on my chest, I am still haunted by all those mean-nurtured thrusters.

The Appetite of A Burly Man, Blame it on the Heavy Lifting

Really gross how much I ate today. NO, it’s gross how much I ate just for breakfast alone, ugg. It all started in my mouth when a piece of bacon talked to my eggs and said, “let’s throw her for a loop & turn on her man-appetite.” Protein can be such a jerk sometimes. So from eggs and bacon I went to prunes (love my fiber) and an apple and some oatmeal and some almond butter (A lot) with honey.

Why didn’t someone stop me. Or at least tie my hands behind my back to slow me down.

It’s too embarrassing to continue and log my entire day, but I estimate we are talking a good 3000 calorie day of regret. Not good for weight loss but very good for any ambition towards becoming a football linebacker…

What did I learn from today’s food mania? If anything can bring on a burly appetite, it’s absolutely burly-man behavior. 

Two things can be contributed to this drama in my belly:

1. Strong woman class at my gym two days ago. (I think it’s okay to blame something from two days ago, right??) If you want to be a BEAST (I do!) you must lift, throw and pull like one. We’re talking sledgehammers, tire flips and heavy farmer carries (55# in each hand) I LOVE these badass moves!

2. Max back squat today 175# on my back, SWEET! I originally thought I did 185 but I definitely only did 175. (figured out after I already bragged to someone about 185, oops) Not a PR today, but I matched my 2 year ago PR. I am so proud of my body! Also, had zero people spotting or coaching me so it was 100% self inflicted, meh.

The best part of my day was when a fellow gym-goer asked if I was training for a show! I was so flattered!!! Maybe that’s because my red fire-truck engine face is often times a dead-give away to my breaking point.

Here’s my workout: 
Run 1/2 mile
Row 1000 Meters

20 Medicine ball slams (14#)
20 Box jumps (24”)
20 Push ups
20 Sit ups
3X

Back squats:
10, 10, 7, 5, 3, 3, 1, 1, 1
working up to 175#

Random running and rowing, at which point I realized my body was pretty pooped

Pooped puppy. This guy has it right

and the dry sauna began whispering lovingly to me. So, I spent 10 minutes sweating out all the water I drank in 2013. It was marvelous. 

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