.
this is a yoke! I have no idea who this guy is, i just google searched it
So I have really, really given it some thought…and been honest with myself…and this is what I have decided: Fuck bikini.
Since I was a kid, I thrived on athletic endeavors. Sports and conditioning for sports kept me out of trouble and always looking to be my best. I LOVED the weight room when high school basketball brought me in and I LOVED conditioning aspect of all the sports I did. I was weird like that. I wanted to be as fast as possible and as strong as possible. In college, I didnt play sports, but still stayed very active in the gym. I fell in with some really great people (powerlifters, mostly) and loved getting stronger. I kept some conditioning drills because I loved it. I loved being more physically CAPABLE than before. I never once looked in the mirror and wanted something different. I appreciated what my body was capable of. (ha…such profound confidence for a college kid)
Figure was suggested to me, and I was excited just to compete again. So I hired someone to help me with my diet, and I researched the shit out of how to prepare myself for this. I got very lean, got huge kudos from strangers, competed and did “okay.” I hit the stage a couple more times and always finished kinda middle of the pack. When bikini rolled out, I jumped into that and faired well. Theeeeeeen post comp would happen…
Prepping for competition would take a huge chunk out of me. One one hand, I looked pretty lean! On the other: everything I appreciated about myself before (strength/speed/performance) was sacrificed. And for what? A sword? A middle aged judge telling me that I need more back development and I could handle losing MORE weight? For as “pretty” as I had made myself, I never really felt it. Then the inevitable post competition weight gain (even the times it wasnt so bad) would cause a pretty harsh psychosis. I wasn’t good at being strong, I was no longer quick, AND I would suffer from pretty severe post contest bloat. People arent nice to you about this, either. No matter how much I wanted people to understand that this noticable weight gain was “off-season,” I was just a girl who blew the fuck up after her contest was over. Not fun. Post contests have been some of the lowest lows I have experienced.
I decided to “take some time off” from contest thoughts and have just been lifting/sprinting/whatever. I have never felt better. No surprise, my weight and hormones have calmed the fuck down and I feel good now. I feel good about myself and I feel good about my athletic performances. Everything just feels good. There is a little social pressure to compete again, and I wont rule it out forever…but right now, fuck that.
okay. end rant. TL;DNR: no bikini/figure for Dashie 
I found that pursuing aesthetic goals ended up derailing my fitness activities. Lifting and conditioning goals are more achievable and in the end more satisfying, for me anyways.
I think PMPM has used the yoke thing before, I seem to recall a pic of her using it. If you’re looking for tips that is.
fuck it is right!
sounds like you’re in a really good spot training wise.
Good luck tomorrow, sounds fun!
I wish I could take credit for this epiphany. Instead I will co-sign on the dottedine.
You’re a mothafukkin ATHLETE. Lookin fine as Fuck is a side benefit… Not the motivation.
And don’t get it twisted… You do look fine as Fuck.
You stay RIGHT HERE My DASHY—> being strong and incredible and with the vomit workouts and still looking phenomenal… HERE
Oh and you bench is doubtless more then me you punk. >:(
OH MY GOD THE YOKE IS HORRIBLE. Its not made for chicks at all. I tried it once with PMPM and it was a harrowing nightmare… awkward as fuck and left bruises on my cervical vertebrae which scares me seriously.
Strongman women get my absolute respect. My exposure to the equipment leaves me with this to describe it: hard, cold, wetish, rocky, brusing, welting, dusty, dry…scratchy. AWKWARD.
that sport is hard enough for men, but I really think women have a disadvantage. Also the wt’s being the same are tough. A wt classes is A LOT of room to be different sizes.
Love it! Beig an athlete is always beat. You still look good and are physically capable. Of course I’ll offer whatever input I can th the yoke its probably my worst event but I still got some tricks. Thanks for the props Wiggles
[quote]brute_fury wrote:
You stay RIGHT HERE My DASHY—> being strong and incredible and with the vomit workouts and still looking phenomenal… HERE
Oh and you bench is doubtless more then me you punk. >:(
OH MY GOD THE YOKE IS HORRIBLE. Its not made for chicks at all. I tried it once with PMPM and it was a harrowing nightmare… awkward as fuck and left bruises on my cervical vertebrae which scares me seriously.
Strongman women get my absolute respect. My exposure to the equipment leaves me with this to describe it: hard, cold, wetish, rocky, brusing, welting, dusty, dry…scratchy. AWKWARD.
that sport is hard enough for men, but I really think women have a disadvantage. Also the wt’s being the same are tough. A wt classes is A LOT of room to be different sizes.[/quote]
I’ve always wondered about this. Strongman looks cool and fun, but it also looks extremely uncomfortable. Other than the airplane pull. lmao.
[quote]Dasher wrote:
Sorry edgy[/quote]
you’re forgiven, Dashie~
now give us a hug.
and, congrats on the epiphany/decision.
I’ve always figured - do what makes you happy. If figure/bikini makes you happy then do it. If it doesn’t, then why bother with the ridiculous dieting? Athletics is where its at, though. Good luck with your new direction.
I can sense your relief!!!
so so Happy for you…you have a real passion for this strength/conditioning stuff obviously.
YAY on the decision making !
That sounds like exactly how I felt when I decided to get back to giving a shit about being strong VS obsessing over my body/weight loss.
I had no idea that I was unhappy being weak, I thought all I wanted was to be lean.
WRONGO. One workout back on 5/3/1 and my world made sense again. What a relief.
Having a direction without doubt or hesitation is the greatest feeling ever.
PLUS now you’re journal is going to be even more fun for me to creep. Strongman shit seems AWWESOME!!
Chuck—thanks for the heads up on PMPM! I will have to shoot her a message.
Lula—thank you for the luck! I feel fine about whatever happens in all the endeavors. thats the beauty of it.
Hall—you should cosign it. I did run it by you first. I love our daisy chain wif my whole heart!
Brutiful—HA! It is all very uncomfortable! Its awkward AND heavy…I checked out some stones today and…WOOF. I need help!
Kalle—I read through your whole blog/website recently. Im going to be needing you. A lot.
Olee—airplane pull?! That sounds pretty awesome. I kinda have a no-face-on-tnation rule BUT if I pull a goddamn airplane ever in my life, Im posting the shit out of it in here.
Edgy—awww…c’mere ya big lug! noogies
Gueriila–thanks! What part of Illinois are you in?
MiMz—I really do love it. Which is good, because its all I do 45-55 hours a week. Also, i was very happy to hear you felt good today! Super yay!!!
Spock—fuck yeah! I love feeling confident in what I am doing. And I love not doing obsessive cardio. ha!
Thank you everyone for all your kind words. Yesterday I kinda chilled out in the afternoon. It was super pretty outside so Mister and I went for a pretty long walk and then I was out like a light. Today, I didnt wanna do anything that would kill me for tomorrows what-was-a-mystery WOD so I ran a 5k today at a jog pace. No sense of urgency. Did some planks and called it good. Tomorrow I will attempt the open WOD which is 7 fuggin minutes of burpees for max reps. Chest and hips must hit ground at bottom and you have to jump six inches at the top. SEVEN MINUTES. Groooooooosssss.
Daisy chain daisy chain daisy chain!
Screw burpees. Good luck.
[quote]wiggles wrote:
Screw burpees. Good luck.[/quote]
Were gonna do 300 in seven minutes!
And be WE I totally mean DASHER!
Hahaha. The day I do 300 burpees is the day you ground me from conditioning work. Ridic! The six inch jump on this is gunna suck balls.
Foods
M1) 3 whole eggs + 2tbsp homemade guac
M2). " " + 1.5 oz almonds + 1tbsp guac
M3.) 5oz smoked salmon + 8 spears asparagus in olive oil + 1 cup blueberries
M4). 2tbspn natty almond butter + whey protein + 1 cup coconut milk (smoothie)
Calories 1570
Protein: 151
CHO: 68
Fat: 93g (oy)
Best burpee wishes!!!
[quote]Spock81 wrote:
YAY on the decision making !
That sounds like exactly how I felt when I decided to get back to giving a shit about being strong VS obsessing over my body/weight loss.
I had no idea that I was unhappy being weak, I thought all I wanted was to be lean.
WRONGO. One workout back on 5/3/1 and my world made sense again. What a relief.
Having a direction without doubt or hesitation is the greatest feeling ever.
PLUS now you’re journal is going to be even more fun for me to creep. Strongman shit seems AWWESOME!![/quote]
This is how I felt too. Also, kind of interesting, I’ve trained people who told me during our initial interview that they used to have eating disorders, and it was clear from tracking their diet that they weren’t entirely over them. First of all, I sent one home a couple times because I felt she hadn’t eaten enough to make training safe. Secondly, I kept detailed notes on how much weight they were able to lift on each day and compared this to their eats. Every time they had a weak day, I would ask them what they ate the day before. After gaining strength and then having a day where they didn’t eat as much and seeing what it did to their athletic abilities, they started equating food to strength and started eating especially well the day before training.
I think you’re spot on that after a while, you realize that you love being strong more than being perfectly toned. It feels much better.