Getting Healthy

I initially wanted to make a vlog about this since I think it's a really important and overlooked topic, but I haven't had much time in front of a camera lately, so this will have to do.

The fitness industry has become so wrapped up in gimmicks, politics, recognition, and gossip that it is starting to overshadow what fitness should really be about: health.

I absolutely do not think that fitness and health are synonymous. In order to look good or to be strong, competitive individuals use terribly unhealthy tactics to give them an edge over their competition: drugs, starvation, dehydration, risk of bodily injury, you name it. Just look at what happened to Brandon Lilly at the American Cup this last weekend. In laymans' terms, he snapped all his shit up!

Now I had always thought I was taking the healthier route in terms of fitness. I was eating well, resting well, and being cautious with my training. What I couldn't figure out is why I always felt terrible, bloated, tired, and was gaining weight so rapidly during my powerlifting training. Some weight gain was to be expected, but I know my body and I recognized something was off.

After a few lab tests and vague advice from my doctor, "You're eating 200 grams of protein a day?! Reduce that to 50 grams and you'll be okay!" Doc, do you even athlete? Anyway... I needed real help.

I was lucky enough to have someone around who had experience in the industry. We watched my diet, tweaked things around, and started using natural supplements to get things functioning again. I severely decreased my caffeine intake, increased my water, and am finally feeling healthy again. I'm able to eat more, move more, and still get leaner as the weeks go by because my body is becoming more and more functional and efficient.

It's very easy to overlook your bad habits when you're the only person monitoring yourself. I had never known the true value of having good coaching until these last few months. The help I've been getting with both my nutrition as well as my training has been invaluable to me, and I recommend that anyone who is serious about getting healthy and fit, and becoming a well rounded athlete gets the help they deserve.

Until next time.

Bathroom Swolfie

Camp Pendleton Open

Strength Society

My crew had been working hard for four months leading up to this meet in Camp Pendleton. Everything had gone according to plan, except for the fact that I was fifteen (15!) lbs over my competition weight, and I got deathly ill the week leading up to the meet, all the way through meet day.

But that wasn't going to stop me.

I had decided early on that I was going to go up a weight class, but that I was going to go into the meet as light as possible. After losing only a pound in the sauna the night before weigh-ins, I decided it would be healthier for me to be sipping on pedialyte so that I would have some chance against whatever flu has been going around.

At a body weight of about 156, I entered the competition excited to hit some PRs.

I was one of the first flights up. There were two competition platforms, so a few of the guys were also up first on the next platform over. The nerves were getting the best of me. I was pale as a ghost, nauseous, and could not focus on my lifts, so after a not-so-successful final warm-up set, Tyler, who had been helping me all the way up to the meet, decided to drop my opener down a bit to get my first lift in.

Squat

1st attempt: 225. Redlighted for depth

2nd attempt: 225. Two white lights. Knees not fully locked out at start of squat

3rd attempt: 259. Three white lights. Woo!

So then we waited around a bit, grabbed a bite, found a change of clothes. I told the guys to give me a call once warm-ups started for bench press. Somehow we lost track of time, and I found myself walking into the gym as they were calling me up. No time to warm-up, had to drop my opener down.

Bench Press

1st attempt: 110. Three white lights. We're in!

2nd attempt: 132. Three reds. Couldn't get it up.

3rd attempt: 132. Three reds. No lift. 

Without a proper warm-up, I realize now I should have been a bit more conservative with my attempt selections on the bench, especially seeing as that's always been my weaker lift, and I wasn't doing so well in the health department. Still in the game, though! Waited around for deadlifts, decreased my opener once more. Better safe than sorry.

Deadlift

1st attempt: 297. Three white lights. Phew!

2nd attempt: 325. Three white lights! Time for a PR...

3rd attempt: 341. Two Reds. Hitched at the top. No PR. Sadface!

At the end of the meet, I got 5/9 successful lifts. I learned a lot, and got to see some really strong people push some incredible weight! I finished it out with a 694 total which got me 2nd place in the 165 class, which isn't bad after such a giant screw up on the bench. I was a bit shy of my personal goal of 700, but I know I'll get it. It's just a matter of time. There's still a lot of room for improvement in my methods as well as my attempt selection. 

I'm really proud of my team. We came in strong and took home four medals. After all this hard work, we've gotten a lot closer, and we've become like family. 

...But Winter will pass, and Summer will be here before we know it, so it's time to get shredded. 

Here is a vlog update on what I think of the strength program I followed leading up to the meet, and what my training will look like in the future. 

Until next time!