Detours BODY

I’ve only gone and torn a muscle in my back

I was doing some barbell shoulder presses "heavy" when I heard my back muscle rip - it sounded like cloth tearing. I was like oh f*****g hell!!!

I abandoned any overhead movements and heavy weight, but still did two biceps exercises at light weight and light weight side laterals. I’m so pissed, wanted to go running afterwards but I decided to call it a day. Man, my training was awesome this week, but hey PMA right! POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE.. Just means I have to calm things down for a couple of weeks, get some nutritious food, train other things that get neglected and thank my luck stars for being in good health and having my unbelievable family and friends.

toodles

This is something that I have had to deal with a long time and don’t always deal with it well. I suffer with terrible anxiety   it is a mental health issue and my type is health anxiety. I am actually for all my sins healthy, low blood pressure - but normal ranges for athletic people, low resting pulse and normal blood tests. It causes me to feel fatigued at times and that in itself can get my mind thinking absurd things which can ramp up the anxiety, self feeding condition..

I seem to work real hard on my body and give my mind a second thought or half arsed attempt. I will train everyday but only do the mental exercises I need to when the anxiety hits me hard. I know it is a common problem, I have pressures of study and trying to find more work, being a mum and trying to be a good wife and do my training, my social life isn’t really there and my time is very regimented because of having a child and other commitments. I don’t mind though, I like my life - I just need to learn to control my feelings of panick and to stop over thinking things which is my biggest problem. I have great friends here who are very sweet and give me reasons to smile and stick to my goals. Being able to open up about such things is what helps to diminish the problem somewhat so I’d just like to thank the people who have given me the time of day and made me happier

I am obviously someone who cares about getting my body into a certain shape and am more than just the average gym goer - I try to really push myself with intensity in every workout. After competing in my first show, it left me asking myself a lot of questions - although I know this fitness lifestyle will stay with me for a long time, why do I really train how I train, I mean why do I want muscle other than the possible health aspects and the beauty of it.. Made me think!

I know what I want, my goals and aims change all the time and I recognise that, right now I want functional muscle, I don’t just want great looking abs, I want them to function for a purpose, I want my shapely shoulders to be a product of hard work - yes - but also some form of function. This is why my goal has switched to fitness, it will be a new challenge and for me will hold a purpose for doing what I do, wanting a lean strong looking body for the sake of it isn’t quite enough for me. People build their bodies and look great but how many can do strength holds like a planche or planche push ups?? L-sit which really engages your core or a moving L-sit where you walk your hands forwards whilst maintaing dead straight legs and bum off the floor - that is functional muscle and all body weight, which is harder than any lifting routine. For me, lifting in itself is a good thing and needed in any health and fitness program, but for my needs and where I want to be I need a challenge. Plus I’ve always loved gymnastics and have never had any formal training. I’m lucky enough to have some ability which is why I have some chance of doing a decent job, but the main thing I need is the confidence to do the new more challenging moves and lots of practice.

Setting new goals is important in life because when you have achieved one goal sometimes it’s impossible to know where to go next. After having my child my goal was to compete, just to see what it would take to achieve a competition body, now I know!

I also know that I am totally crazy to embark on something as demanding as fitness, but I guess I’m crazy!

I normally workout at home these days, I have enough things to tax my body, weights and cardio wise, but today I went to the gym to do some cardio and abs - INTERVALS BABY! Wanted to check my fitness from the last time I went to see where I was, and to my amazement I was fitter in terms of the level on the treadmill. So Knowing that pushing myself real hard wherever I workout is what has made these gains rather than just going to the gym. My moral of this story is not being able to go to the gym doesn’t mean you can’t have a kick ass workout and make gains.