The IFC - My First Fortnight

Feels good to be back guys. I'll be honest, I had really lost my writing mojo for several reasons, but now after a few changes, The Blog will be up on a more regular basis again!

As some of you may be aware, this year I have set myself a very different goal from those that I have worked towards before. No Strongwoman or Weightlifting Comps now - now, I'm going on Stage!

Well, sort of.

I've entered The IFC  http://www.officialifc.com/ - a competition based 50% on How you Look, and 50% Strength. But I'll still be on stage in little Shorts and a Sports Bra....Eeeeek!

Each event is scored based on how many reps you can do in 1 minute. I'll be competing in the 55kg Bodyweight Category which will mean I have to do;

55kg Squat
55kg Deadlift
Bodyweight Chin Ups
44kg Bench Press
33kg Push Press

I have tested the events twice so far, to see what my increases could be - in 3 weeks I added 6 squats, 2 deadlifts, 2 push presses and 1 Chin Up. I feel all the scores so far have been pretty solid, so feeling positive already, which is great!

So what am I having to do differently?

Well I now have 5 compulsory sessions a week, with 2 extra conditioning programmes to slot in when I can. They vary from Heavy Strength, Low Rep programmes for my Bench and Squat, through to Fat Loss, High Rep, Muscle Specific ones to help aid my body composition.

On top of this, I am back to a strict eating plan - no Dairy, Alcohol, Sugar or Wheat as I know these are bad triggers for me - and I need this stomach to lean out!

I can see this becoming pretty challenging over the next few months - we have a lot lined up including birthdays, anniversaries, and a mini break (which all focus around food, lets be honest!) but I am totally 100% committed to this. I need to do this, for me as well as my clients, I want to set an example and inspire them further.

I am so lucky in that my good friend Charlotte competed in this very competition last year - so she knows exactly what I need to do. She has even offered to help  me with posing and training which is such a big help.

I am also using My Fitness Pal to track my calories and macros - currently on 1400 calories a day to bring my weight back down and to help lean me out - currently living on Fish, Veg, Fruit, Lean Meat and Corn Cakes! As well as Peanut Butter for the good fats, obvs!

I entered the comp 15 weeks out, and below are my Before photos.

Note to Self...Get a Tan!
 

Started at 12.1% at 56kg Bodyweight - aiming to be sub 10% come November 8th (comp date)

Obviously, I have a lot to work on, but I am confident that I can do this, and do myself and Team EBW proud on The IFC Stage!

I will keep you updated with progress and snapshots of my programming throughout the next 13 weeks, but for now, I shall leave you with this link - me FINALLY getting a 100kg Back Squat!!

Most of my Daily Updates are over on my Intsagram https://instagram.com/frankinapolitano/ so head over and Follow Me for regular insights into my training (and what I'm eating!)

 

Franki xx

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5 Tips for a Healthier Day at Work

Some of the most frequent questions we get at EBW are how to stay on track, keep to clean eating principles and overall, be healthy during the day when at work.

It's something I can completely sympathise with as my work life outside of the gym has always consisted of working in an office in some capacity.

Here are my Top 5 Tips for being healthier at work!

Drink Water - Lots Of It!

 

Depending on the nature of our role, this can be tricky. The easiest way I have found to overcome this, is to keep a bottle on you all day - in the car, to and from meetings, on your desk or in your bag. Make a conscious effort to get through the bottle throughout the day and re fill when needed. Start with a 1 litre bottle and gradually increase up to a 2 litre. In no time, you will have upped your intake! And got some extra leg work in from all the trips to the loo!

 

 

Avoid The Snack Table!

If you have ever worked in an office, you will know what I mean  by this. The desktop or cabinet that is always adorned with little treats, usually biscuits, cakes and crisps. Something that used to be limited to birthdays, but have slowly seemed to have become a bi-weekly thing - certainly seems so in my office anyway! Somehow, this Communal Snacking Ritual seems to eliminate the naughtiness of the treats, and in the past, I have heard ''Free Food, Free Calories, right?!''...... Instead, each day make sure you are prepared with a healthy snack - my favourite are Cashew Nuts - perfect mix of sweet and savoury and easily stored in a bag / desk.

Get Moving!

Now the weather is getting nicer, make the most of it! Get outside on your lunch break - even if it is a walk up and down the road, make the most of time away from the desk or out of the car. May even consider walking or cycling to work if you live close enough - every bit helps! Same goes for when you are inside - take the stairs and not the lift, get up and walk over to speak to a colleague rather than emailing and when it comes to a loo trip, opt for the ones furthest away...  Some of you may be lucky enough to have a gym at work, or at least membership to one close by - get in there and do a mini work out!

Know Your Limits!

 

All of us at some point have fallen victim to this - doing too much and not taking a moment to breath. Whether it's tight deadlines to meet, Targets to hit, Deals to Close, Customers to Visit or Houses to Clean, we have been at a point where we take too much on and some crumble under the pressure. A Happy Mind is a Healthy One - if you are unhappy / miserable / lacking direction at work, this will start to reflect in your outside life, not just at work. I am not ashamed to admit this has happened to me in the past - so I made the changes I needed to and it transformed my attitude!

 

Preparation Is Key!

 

It's all very well reading these points, but you need to put them into practice to succeed.

 

''Failure to Prepare is Preparing to Fail''

 

I don't know how many times I have used this quote in this Blog! But it is an important point to reiterate. Prior to returning after a nice weekend off, make sure you have that water bottle, your tyres are pumped up, alarm is set a bit earlier to make extra food for lunch or plan a lunch time stroll.

 

 

Overall, it's all about willpower - and a good way to train this, is to use it! Start today :) or Monday actually...you know what I mean ;-)

 

 

Franki xx

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Pass me the Malteasers

We have hit that delightful time of the year - given up on our 'New Year Health Kick' goal and haven't entered the gym for a while....and salads for lunch are a distant memory - ah the beloved cycle...

Sometimes though, it is a little more than what some people would call 'laziness' or 'failing'.

Sometime there are reasons we fall off the wagon that we can't, or don't want, to control.

Ever reached for the chocolate when you're feeling down? Or a bag of crisps when you can't get any other food? Or how about treating yourself to a tub of ice cream and a few glasses of wine to reward yourself for a job well done?

A high percentage of readers will have answered yes to at least one of the above, and it really isn't that uncommon.

What the above refers to is Emotional Eating - a very real subject that I am not ashamed to admit, I have fallen victim to.

The capture below gives a brief description of the difference between Emotional and Physical Hunger;

Sound familiar? I have had plenty of clients that can identify with the above - and I too in the not so distant past.

What can you do?

Find distraction techniques to stop you from satisfying an unwarranted craving - does your body really need the sugar rush or do you feel it's the only way to comfort or reward yourself?



So Very True!

So, these distraction techniques..

Ok so they may take more time than reaching for food, but I have found these to work best;

 

Take a minute before the red mist descends - Emotional Eating is usually mindless and automatic and before you know it, the whole share bag of crisps is gone in one sitting. If you consciously decide to stop yourself, your body (and mind) will thank you later.

 

~

 

Rather than eating for stress, take the time to do a little relaxation - I don't mean full on meditation, but take yourself out of the situation, calm down and even use that to your advantage - look up a new recipe to try for dinner. Never feel guilty for taking time for yourself.

 

~

 

Similar to the above, why not get out of the house / office for a moment; take a walk, go for a swim or even get to the gym

 

~

 

Sleep! Make sure you are sleeping enough - bad / broken sleep or even being deprived of it causes ghrelin levels to increase which stimulates your appetite and also your leptin (responsible for signalling to your brain) levels to decrease which means you don't get that 'full' feeling. See, I can be Science-y.

 

~

 

The last one I have found to be the most effective - Talking. Never underestimate the art of communication. Especially to those close to you. You may also discover that someone is trying to deal with it too - and you can both use this as a way to help each other break the cycle.

 

 

 



No, it's not an easy thing to overcome, even though you can have extreme feelings of guilt or dissatisfaction after consumption. But simply addressing the fact this may be happening to you is the start -  and you will be able to overcome it, be patient and kind to yourself.

Have you fallen victim to this? How do you manage your emotional connection to food? Do you think the pointers above would help you?

On a side note, I am planning another blog focusing on eating and training habits - from men / women, complete newbies to competitive athletes - if you would like to be involved, please contact me!

Franki xx

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British Weightlifting Golden Chance Talent Assessment Day! Pathway to Tokyo 2020?!

This seems like a lifetime ago now - annoyingly my original blog got deleted before I published it so starting all over again..!

Well, what an amazing experience it was...despite a 4:45am alarm to leave on the snowy road to Loughborough University! James very kindly drove me all the way there, with the intention of staying and watching my assessments - but upon registration and briefing, we were told this was not possible and that friends and family could stand and watch from a balcony (at the opposite end of the gym!) with only a half hour window throughout the day to talk to them.

The 60 of us that attended were split into 3 group and the day was split into 3 sections; Firstly I underwent a flexibility assessment, measuring my range of motion in an Overhead Squat, my ankle Dorsi-Flexion and my Hamstring Range. Fairly simple tests and all three of which I have pretty good flexibility in - so I was off to a good start!

This however took the best part of 2 hours, at which point, we were itching to get on with things and start training!

The next part of our day consisted of physical assessments; firstly going through Over Head and Front Squats, and then learning the 3 key elements to the Snatch Lift. We were split into 3 further sub groups, each led by a BWL Coach who offered lots of technique and coaching tips whilst assessing our ability to take direction, learn and actually use the advice given to us.

I was very much aware that we were being assessed on everything we did throughout the day - not just the lifting. Constantly noticing the coaches listening to conversations and taking notes, watching us as we helped coach some of the girls that were a little less experienced, so I made sure I was in ''Coach Mode'' as much as I could be, as well as asking us questions about our training history.

This day was not about how much weight we could Snatch, and we didn't even do the Clean and Jerk - the point of the day was to identify those who learn and adapt well, and to spot those with the right qualities that would be needed of a one day Olympian. Being positive all day was a must - we had to show how determined we were to succeed and be selected!

The highlight for me was being told that over the 1 hour session, my coach had seen a 100% improvement with my technique and liked what he had seen, especially as I helped coach one of the other girls who had never snatched before - she managed to Snatch 30kg by the end of the session!

After this, we moved onto a Squat Jump on a force plate, to identify who much force we could generate in that position - one with just a dowel and a second with half our bodyweight on a barbell. These were very strange, especially the weighted one - the jump felt very unbalanced and I remember the bar coming away from my neck and landing back down on the top of my spine - OUCH! But I wasn't the only one to suffer so I won't complain too much...! ;-)

There was also the Isometric Mid Thigh Pull test, which again was done on a force plate to assess  our max force. However, I was advised to not do this as I was less than 2 weeks post surgery, so they said I was best to avoid it. I had my reservations and made them promise me that it would not affect my assessment - so I will hold hem to it :)

After a bit of rest, the three groups all came together for the last assessments of the day - The Jumps!

I don't know if you have ever been to the Loughborough Uni gym, but it was huge!! It's very impressive; rows of Squat Racks, Platforms, Blocks, a Running Track, all colourfully decorated with multi coloured Eleiko Bumper Plates :) it was consistently busy with the students / public training and so we had a few pairs of eyes on us for this part....

To start, it was FREEZING which didn't help with keeping warm whilst we waited in lines for our turns.

Firstly, we had to do a Standing High Jump - on another force pad to gage our explosive power and height gained - we had three attempts at this in a round robin formation, so this took a while! We weren't told what we had scored on this - much like with the other assessments, the guys didn't give much away at all in terms of how well we were doing etc.

Secondly, we all lined up again for the standing long jump - again, three attempts to jump as far as we could, landing on both feet without putting our hands to the floor. My hips were feeling pretty dodgy - despite the constant stretching, the cold was really getting to me! I did however manage a 2.12m Jump which I was pretty pleased with though (secretly a bit gutted as I had managed 2.42 at EBW the week before!) But again, pleased with my performance and ready for the Big Finisher!

To end, it was the Standing Box Jump - a 2 footed jump onto a stack of plates, starting at 24". All 60 girls lined up and took it in turns to jump onto the stack - if you failed or opted out, you were eliminated. One girl failed the first jump, she was just absolutely petrified about doing it and had been saying so all day.

Each time we got round the group, the stack would gain an inch or so and I was doing pretty well, despite my hips being in agony! We got up to 36" (which is lower than my previous PB) and I fell backwards - I landed on my lower back on the floor and was gutted, but kept a smile on my face. However, my saving grace came - they said I could attempt it again as I had landed on the stack with two feet, I just lost balance as I stood up - YES! I attempted it again and got a loud cheer, I was feeling great!

The most off-putting thing was watching others attempt and fail the jumps - crashing their shins, chins and torsos into the neatly stacked plates, accompanied by a chorus of ''oohs!'' and ''ouch!''s each time it happened. In the end, some of the others in my group and I stopped watching those in front of us, the pressure was just mounting too much!!

I breezed through my current PB Height and then the next Jump came - 40" - the background was a sea of noise - cheers and shouts of encouragement, not just from the other girls, but the Coaches too. Then suddenly, silence. I couldn't hear anything, I just jumped....And landed two footed on the stack! Taking a second to balance, I slowly stood up and could hear the applause again - I felt fantastic!

At this point, there were only 6 of us left.....So the next plate was put on - 42" - Every girl in front of me failed, and I was extra nervous. Approaching the stack, I tried not to let my eyes linger on it for too long - it was nearly above my chest! I did a practice jump and felt confident, I could do this...short little me is going to get her feet on top of those plates.....and I tried with all my might, but this was my turn to wrap myself around the plates, smashing both my shins in the process.... The one girl left behind me attempted and succeeded - too easily! She then went on to attempt 46" but failed here.

And it was all over.

We all then piled back up to the athletes lounge for a de-brief and a quick talk from Natasha Purdue, London 2012 BWL Olympian about her journey into weightlifting. To then round things off, there was a presentation of prizes to those that placed top three in the jump assessment - and I came 3rd!! I was absolutely buzzing! What a great way to round off an awesome day!

I met a lot of like minded and talented ladies that day, all of which from different training backgrounds, ranging from Rowing, CrossFit and even the Army - and I hope that I get another opportunity to train alongside them again in the future!

Now it is a waiting game -  we will be contacted in Feb with the outcome of the day and to see if I have been invited to Phase 2B of the process - an interview with the coaches to gauge my suitability for progression to Phase 3 and to ensure the programme is right for me. Fingers are firmly crossed!!

If I am lucky enough to be selected for Phase 3, this will mean being in Loughborough for two 6 Week periods to take part in the BWL Confirmation Programme! This starts on March 23rd - right before my birthday!

Check out the BWL Website for more information on what they do and how to get involved!

 

http://britishweightlifting.org/

Despite what may be, I am proud of what I achieved that day having only recently had surgery and not having not been able to train. I am very grateful for the opportunity and wish all the other ladies involved the Best of Luck! xx

Anyway, just thought a little insight into the day was needed - I have had many questions about it! Unfortunately, no photos though as phones weren't allowed in the assessments!

Oh yea, the important bit - how did I celebrate?! With a Thai Dinner and Red Wine, a Share Bag of Malteasers and Ice Cream of course!!!

Keep an eye out for my next Blog - I have even more exciting news to share with all!! It's all coming at once!

Franki xx

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Body Beautiful

What is Beauty and how would you define it? Someone's smile? Their bodyshape or hair style? Their confidence, determination, courage?

There is too much pressure on us from society to conform to a norm, this we already know and are well aware of. We all know damaging it can all be.

As I reflect on this year past and what I can expect from this one coming, my mind is drawn back to that wonderful week I spent in the sunshine in Spain. I recall feeling happy with myself and for once, not feeling conscious of how I looked or what others thought of my body in a bikini.

Sitting round the pool for a few days opened my eyes to the way in which women's body confidence can be so vastly different. For instance, the difference just between Spanish and English women was amazing.

I picked up on the behaviours of four women that week and each one with their own story. 2 women of about a UK Size 14 and 2 of a UK Size 8.

The Size 14 English Woman was noticeably shy about her body - despite having an impressive collection of beautiful bikinis, she covered herself up in a sarong each time she got up - even to just adjust the umbrella she lied beneath. When in the water, she kept all of her body below the water and when her kids asked her to join in in water games she refused and would retreat to her sun lounger. You may think she just sounds like she was shy all round - but she would happily chat to others and constantly laughing and smiling.

In stark comparison, was a Spanish mother, of around the same size. She had no noticeable worry about strutting around in a thong bikini, constantly jumping in and out of the water with her little girls and certainly didn't seem to mind her tummy rounding when she sat on the pool edge. I was in awe of her body confidence - it almost felt like SHE felt she was beautiful and almost celebrated her curves - as we should!

On the other end of the scale were the Size 8s - The English woman had a great figure, but would always walk around the pool with her arms crossed over her tummy and prodding it when she laid down. She would also noticeably suck her tummy in when walking past people - which we can all say we have done at some point, but she really didn't have to. She was also constantly looking at other women, again as we all do and clearly what I was doing this particular day.

The Spanish lady's confidence mirrored that of the other Senorita; confident, happy and seemingly un-fazed by her  surroundings. Again, a beautiful figure, and a very small bikini, and didn't seem bothered about the roll of skin over her tummy as she sat down (which most others would hide with a book or something).

My point here is perception - 2 women of the same size, both with different attitudes towards their bodies, which have most likely have been formed from the differing pressures from our societies. I have spoken before about the media bombardment in the UK on ''The Perfect Body'' the gossip columns that belittle someone for going up a dress size and the inundation of quick fixes to slim down. Did you know there is now a powder available to buy that you simply tip down your throat to create a sponge like substance in your stomach to stop you feeling hungry?! Jeez!

I don't feel the pressures are as harsh in the rest of Europe - especially in Mediterranean countries where the fuller female figure is celebrated and heart disease and cholesterol issues are lower.

OK, so what prompted me to write this piece today...

Katie Hopkins - My Fat Story, a two piece documentary on Katie's Mission to get fat and then slim down again to show ''fat people'' that by moving more and eating less, you can lose weight without the need for fad diets and an expensive gym.

Those of you that are familiar with Katie and her controversial rants on This Morning will know there is a divided opinion on her and whether or not her comments cross the line. Well here is my view;

I thought the documentary was very good - it highlighted a lot of issues that most people are ''afraid to talk about'', like asking an overweight person why they are so. Or Being told you look too scrawny and in fact un-healthy. I loved the fact that Katie even went along to, and guest judged, a beauty pageant especially for the curvier woman and developed more of an appreciation for women who celebrated a more feminine / curvy figure.

I think what got lost in translation though was the differentiation in those ''fat'' she was referring to - some I would consider merely overweight, but they were made out to be obese, which wasn't fair I feel. On the flip side, Katie was accused of ''Fat Shaming'' by size acceptance campaigner Kathryn Szrodecki, who actually called the police to report her for a hate crime - after voluntarily taking part in an open discussion about size and the industry view. This seemed totally unwarranted - an no, Katie wasn't reprimanded (not yet anyway...!)

Again, some of it revealed deeper issues to weight gain and the difficulty some find when it comes to shedding the pounds - for example, upon visiting a 55 stone American woman Nicky, Katie was asked to leave the property when she told  Nicky she didn't believe her when she said she was ''happy with her size and wanted a bigger butt'' and that there must be something that triggered the start to her eating - and with this, I agree. Overeating is just as much a deep routed, psychological issue as other eating disorders.

In all, I praise Katie for the documentary - although I didn't agree with everything, she did prove the point she set out to make. I would highly recommend giving it a watch - I would be interested in hearing your views!

Funnily enough, going back to the poolside in Alicante, it was reading Katie's column in The Sun Newspaper which triggered my idea to blog about the Big Bodyshape debate - and now she has bought it back to me.


So, I'll ask again. What Makes Someone Beautiful? I know what my answer is, and I'd love to hear yours!

Franki xx

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Elite Females

As you know, I run 2 Female only Body Composition classes a week - and the ladies have worked so hard, I felt they deserved a post all to themselves

So, who are we talking about here; Kat, Rachel, Georgie, Katrina, Zuz, Kerry, Ngoni, Robyn, Jo, Jenny, Zoe and Marie all but a couple were completely new to weight training and some hadn't even been in a gym before.

My ladies all range in age, circumstance, background and fitness levels, yet they all had one thing in common - and that was the want to train in an accommodating and friendly environment, preferably with others of the same mind set.

Over the last 12 weeks, they have seen some new faces and drop ins, hit some PBs and encouraged one another to do things they hadn't previously thought they could - things like flipping a tyre, doing an assisted chin up, and even being able to get through a finisher without needing to pause ;-)

So I just wanted to show a little gratitude to each lady, highlight an achievement of theirs and hopefully the encourage her to carry on, on her journey;

Kat - Completely new to this environment and style. On her 2nd session after 1 assisted attempt, she managed to flip a tyre unassisted twice - and the elation she felt was clear to see - proved so even more by the texts I received the following day!

Rachel - Had a little previous weight training experience and is a keen runner. Already a while into her journey and just looking at her transformation photos will show you how committed she is. Last week she managed several banded chin ups despite previously claiming she wouldn't be strong enough...! :)

Georgie - Never set foot in a gym until she started with me and initially lacked confidence due to this, fearing the other ladies would all be ''machines''. This quickly changed when she witnessed the strength she actually had and that I wasn't just being mean when I told her to up the weights. She has just signed up for the EBW 6 week Christmas Package, she's caught the bug!

Katrina - Previous experience from our PT sessions and hit a great Bench Press PB just before she went on holiday to New York, feeling fabulous I must add ;-) she is also an active member on the WOW Facebook group I admin and never short of motivation!

Zuz - Has trained with EBW for nearly two years and is one of my most experienced EFs. This doesn't mean she is ahead of the others, but what it creates is a second pair of eyes and ears to the session - she is never shy about correcting form (or upping her partners weights!) or sharing her training knowledge if I am helping one of the others.

Kerry - relatively new to weight training and PTs with Katie. Always extremely focussed and works very hard. We went through the Bar Routine workout a few weeks back and over 5 rounds she managed to slash her working time by over 1 minute! Extremely impressed by this!

Ngoni - New to EBW and only really ever used a DVD to work out from. Initially apprehensive about a group environment for the same reason as Georgie, but after training for just a few weeks, upped her training to 3 times a week and recently did a 52.5kg Trap Bar for reps without knowing the weight - she was thrilled!

Robyn - Also new to EBW and already pretty strong! Always works hard and isn't afraid to ask questions about technique and 'why' - which is a good thing - Keeps me on my toes too ;-) she knows how to challenge herself in a session and will always opt to push a bit more - amazing work ethic!

Jo - Has trained with us for a few years and also runs and plays hockey amongst other things! Despite a longstanding injury, she does not let this effect any of her disciplines and instead correctly adapts any session to her needs - even so, I still get the blame when she cant walk after a session ;-)

Jenny - One of our superstars! At only 17, Jenny was picked to train for the UK Skeleton Team, getting through to the penultimate stage of trials. Despite juggling college hours and work, a part time job and of course, race practice and competitions, she still manages to join us bright and early on Wednesdays.

Zoe - Our resident Deadlift Queen! She has trained with us for a few years and currently - and probably will forever - holds our Female U60kg Deadlift Record with a Huge 140kgs!! Again, not afraid to share her training knowledge with others and always works to capacity. Does swear a bit though ;)

Marie - Joined us in March and adapted to the training very quickly. Wandered into the world of competitive Strongwoman, but recently decided to refocus. Currently PTing with me and trying to instil her new found training wisdom on her other half! Very encouraging and not afraid to help others in a session.

The reason I have done this is because I feel they all deserve some recognition for their hard work respectively.

Training with us isn't just about how quickly you drop the pounds, how fast you can run or how much you can lift, it is about making the right choice for you and bettering yourself. Yes of course most of our goals are to look a certain way or to reach a certain weight, but where you start is just as important.

Equally, above I referenced the ladies' strength - and I mean this in both a physical and psychological sense. We aren't looking to recruit a gym full of Strongwomen, just to help you on your journey - and hey, if you do want to compete, who better to talk to?! ;-)

Back L-R: Kerry, Ngoni, Georgie, Rachel. Front L-R: Zuz, Kat Robyn. Katrina was in NYC!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But while I'm on the Elite Female subject, lets just give a little more recognition to a one other lovely lady.... 

 

 

Charlotte

 

She recently competed in her first figure-esque show, the International Fitness Championships at The Health and Fitness Expo in Manchester. This working mum of one is certainly an inspiration when it comes to overcoming everyday obstacles that get in the way of training and I wish her all the luck in the world for November 8th when she will be competing in her First Bikini Show! What's her secret you ask? She gets up early! ;-)

 

 

 



 

I hope you enjoyed todays post and the love I have shared for the ladies above! This post isn't at all subjective either, it is simply to highlight the achievements of those that train with me and the rest of the EBW Team and to hopefully dispel a few myths surrounding our training and ''requirements'' of our clients.

 

Franki  xx

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England Strongwoman Championship Final - September 2014

As you know, back in April I qualified for this comp - rather unexpectedly! In the run up, I was feeling a little nervous, especially as this would have only been my 3rd Strongwoman competition to date and I had no knowledge of the other ladies that had qualified in my category or their strength levels!

When the events were announced earlier this summer, I was really looking forward to the day - albeit some of the events were tasks / weights I had never attempted before - A Car Deadlift / Car Pull / 60kg Atlas Stone...enough to scare some people off!!

Sure enough, some events were changed and one even dropped altogether.....and here, as is tradition, is a run down of the day...with photos!!

Saturday morning I was feeling good - and not as nervous as I thought I would be, or have done for previous competitions, which was a great start!

Weighing in at 53.2kgs, I was the lightest competitor and the lowest weight I had been for a while (not intentionally I must add - although this did play on my mind for the day...but it could've been the scales!!) 

Following the athletes meeting, we gathered into our 3 categories - u63kg, u75kg and o75kg, ready to be introduced to the crowd. This was actually the most nerve racking part of the day - being called out one by one to be introduced to the spectators!

Intros done it was time to warm up and crack on with the first event...

Event 1 - Max Log Press - Opening weight 40kg

All u63's had to do a 40kg opening lift, with three nominated lifts after this. Originally my plan was
to start at 50kg, but a niggling shoulder injury led to the decision being 47.5kg..which I pressed with ease and felt confident to follow up with a 50kg. Again, this went up easily and I was ready to go for 52.5kg - which would've been a new PB for me!

I cleaned it to my chest easily, not even thinking about the weight, it felt good. I went for the dip and press, but it just wasn't there. I brought the log back to the tyre and caught my breath. James had advised that should I miss the first go, I rest until there was about 20 seconds left on the clock. That way, I didn't tire myself out trying over and over again, as we had seen previously that morning.

So I went for the 2nd attempt - and it went up a bit further..! But I couldn't fully press it and it came crashing back to my chest...I was gutted! I was so close!


Event 2 - Quadbike Deadlift - Frame with Side Handles.

The weight for this wasn't confirmed, but we worked it out to be about 150kg.... 70kg Bike + 20kg Frame + Katie (60kg)....

At the point at which I stepped on to the platform, I had 19 reps to beat. Prior to this, I had said that I would've been happy with 5 or 6 reps.....

I got strapped in, and off I went. The first few were really quick as it felt so much lighter than I thought it would! This came to my detriment though as I was disallowed a rep for being too quick... I reset myself as I had lost my footing, and carried on. And On and On! I total, I managed to lift the frame 24 times, but had two disallowed lifts, meaning my score was 22, leaving me 3rd in this event - which I was pleased with as 1st and 2nd place scored 26 and 24 respectively!

Watch the video here :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr8jsHc5Fvg&feature=youtu.be

I also managed to rip one of the calluses off of my right hand - which I didn't notice until James pointed out it was bleeding....! A quick trip to the on hand physio saw it patched and taped up, ready for the next event....

My poor hand!!!!
 

Event 3 - RAC Van Pull - 3.5 tonne

I was looking forward to this, its something that I hadn't ever done - apart from a car pull, so didn't really know what to expect. I had watched a few of the other ladies, noted which techniques worked and which didn't....and I had in my head exactly what I was going to do...

But somewhere between those thoughts and starting the event, my mind went blank.

I didn't start low enough and this was my major downfall. An event like this works best the lower
your body is to the floor...and I just didn't so it and I don't know why...

I managed to move it, only a short distance before I started to go dizzy and loose my breath - the harness was pressing so hard into my diaphragm I struggled for air - this coupled with the sense of failure I was feeling, I was ready to give up. I then heard Mum shout ''get ANGRY Franki!!'' to which I semi screamed / cried / roared at and pulled once more - but I wasn't going anywhere and the van started to roll back (it started on an incline...) I managed to stop it moving and heard ''time'' shouted...so I dropped the support rope. When I did so, people screamed at me for dropping the rope and that I wasn't finished - they hadn't heard the time be called, so I picked up at started pulling again....!!!! But it was over... and I was done....and managed to rope burn my left palm.....


Event 4 - Farmers Walk, 60kg each hand 15m x 2

Now if you have been following this blog, you will know what happened to me the last time I had a farmers walk in a comp (yes, THAT ankle photo...) so it's fair to say that I was nervous going into this one. Even worse given both my hands were shot, I wasn't too happy.... but I had told myself all I need to do, is to remember to Stand, Stabilise and Go - and not drop them! Glad to say, this is just what I did - no drops, no nearly broken ankle, not even a knock into one of my legs - and I was just pleased to finish uninjured. I managed the run in 20s, which is what I had aimed for, so pleased with that!




Final Event - 60kg Atlas Stone over Yoke

I knew this would be a tough one due to my height - I'm about 5ft 2" and the yoke height was just under my chest and the Atlas stone weighed more than me...this was going to be hard!

We all tackied up and prepared - if you have ever used tacky, you'll know just how annoying it is! For those of you that haven't, it is an adhesive gel like substance that is used for grip - applied to the arms / t shirt etc. to stop the stone from slipping. I was covered in the stuff!

James has set the target for 5 reps, but I wanted 8 to beat a previously set score. The event started and the stone felt light as I pulled it into my lap and hugged my arms around for the raise. it went over easily and thudded to the floor - and I was already in agony - the concrete and tacky had literally ripped the skin from my arms, so when getting in position again, it's all I could think of.

I got to the 5 and went for the 6th, but couldn't quite get it over and it fell into my chest and I gasped for breath. I reset and hauled it off the floor and over in what almost felt like 1 motion!! Time was called and I was finished - although disappointed with myself for not getting 8 - even though I could barely breath and my chest was burning.

Atlas Bruises the next morning...!

 

Overall, I came 7th of 12 and I was feeling good - the talent from all the competitors was amazing and it was great to see so many other women involved.

Well done to Gina and Jenny who came 2nd and 3rd respectively and to Becki for completing all the events despite having not trained due to illness and not pulling out!





U63kg ESWC Competitors



 

U75kg ESWC Competitors

O75kg ESWC Competitors

As always, thanks to everyone that came down to support - it really does mean so much to have you there rooting for me! Hopefully next year I can put on a better performance for you all!! Again, thank you to James for not only being such a great coach and always encouraging me to push on, but for also being my rock :)



Me and my Coach :)



My Family, Beth and Jen

Beautiful Zuz :)

And all those that cleverly avoided the camera! Jeanette, Hannah, Natasha, Keith, Howard and Chris!

7th Strongest in England!!!!

So...what's next?

I am going to rest! I wanted to take a break from competing until next year so I can do some different training, some more body composition stuff, change my diet up a bit....but now I have seen there is an U55kg competition id December, I am contemplating entering that!!

Alongside this, I have been doing lots more yoga and really enjoying it! I am currently taking part in an Instagram photo challenge of a different pose each day which is really fun and a great way to learn! Here is just a couple of my favourite poses so far....

I also need some recovery time... those stones have left me needing to wear long sleeves for nearly a week....not a great look when starting a new job!!!

People ask why I do so much, why I train as a Strongwoman - the answer is simply that I enjoy it and love what I do and the challenges it brings... I thrive off challenges! It helps me better myself and allows me to continue inspiring and motivating others!! Hence the Bruises and the Awkward attempts at Yoga poses ;-)

What's your view on challenges - do you see them as a negative nuisance, or make a positive out of said obstacle and flourish?


Anyway, as ever, I'll keep you informed with what I'm up to and what i decide to do next!

Until next time...!

Franki xx


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BNSF Britain's Natural Strongest Woman 2014

Another Comp, another write up, so here we go...




My Good Luck Omens

After a lovely day winding down on Saturday with Georgie, waking up Sunday morning at 6am felt easy. Minted Lamb and black coffee down, I was nervous. Food and bag ready to go, I started having doubts again, and was shaking with nerves but James reassured me that being nervous was a good thing and to not think about it until we got there...so I tried!



Upon arriving at The Centre for Functional Performance in Watford, I was greeted by the ever smiling familiar faces of the other Strong Ladies, including fellow EBW Coach Sara who had got down early to weigh in and eat! She had done a huge weight cut for this comp and luckily for her, she made weight...although it meant I was now also competing against her too! Once Morgan had arrived and we were all kitted up, it was time for an obligatory EBW Photo.....

I weighed in over 10kgs below the category weight which made me the lightest competitor...! At this point, we all received a goody bag containing our comp T-Shirts and a shaker, complete with protein (which was yummy!)

With 10am fast approaching, it was time to start warming up for the first event. It's fair to say that warm up didn't go well at all and I was in a bad frame of mind. Feeling very emotional, I avoided talking to people....and then I was told I would be second to go. So I started panicking...

Event 1 - Overhead Medley; 30kg Block x 1 into 35kg Log x 2 into 40kg Axle as many reps as possible  - 75 secs

Simple, press 30kg above your head. Easy. I've pressed more than 50kg above my head. But for some reason, I just couldn't get that block to go up.

In the warm up I attempted it and dropped it on my left knee as I placed it down, so all I could feel was that throbbing pain. That coupled with me battling to keep from crying mid - event, I just lost it. I attempted three times, each time swearing rather badly (sorry!) and then dropped the block on my left foot. I just wanted to give up. 4th attempt and with massive encouragement from the crowd, it finally went over my head!

After what felt like an AGE!!!

Straight into the log, 2 reps easily, I was pleased, but knew I was struggling for time to get any axle presses in. Still fighting back tears and trying to ignore the pain in my knee and foot, I took hold of the axle, attempted a clean but dropped, I had nothing in me. Then time was called and I stormed off and sat in the corner. What an awful performance. I was gutted.

Points: 1
Event Position: 7th










Event 2 - Max 18" Axle Deadlift

I felt good about this event, one that I had put a lot of work into in my training sessions so felt I needed to make up for my poor performance in the overhead.

All competitors had to do an opening 115kg lift and then nominate their 3 remaining attempts. We were told previously that the biggest lift would earn a new BNSF British Record, so I was pretty excited!

Having warmed up to 140kg, 115kg felt effortless so I opted for my first lift to be 160kg. Warmed up again and did 160kg, so changed my first lift to 170kg.



My Record Winning Lift!!

My first two lifts were 170kg and 190kg - both felt really good, no back pain, no fatigue...so I went for what I had originally aimed for; 200kg - and I was the only u65kg competitor to attempt it.

Stepping up to the bar for the final lift, everyone was cheering. Adam, the host, reiterated the fact that this lift would be nearly 4 x my own bodyweight, and hearing that was enough. 200kg went up, just like that, no jerking, kicking, screaming, I was amazed! And I had just earned myself a record!! This certainly made up for my overhead performance! I was firmly on a high!

Watch the video here: http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=TGaSg116Ams

Points: 7
Position: 1st








Event 3 - Farmers Hold, 60kg Each Hand.

It was too wet to do a Farmers Run (which I was secretly glad of because of my ankle and falling over abilities) so instead we did a max hold. I was last up and the longest held before me was an incredible 1 min 57 secs - so all I had to do was hold to 2mins...

Once they were up, I shut my eyes; I didn't want to look at anything to be distracted, I just needed to focus, which I did. I had asked James to shout out how long I'd held for, but I couldn't hear anything.

All of a sudden, I opened my eyes, and I don't even remember why. I looked across at Nina who was also in the hold for her category (and who also set a record with a 230kg Deadlift!) And saw the strain in her face. I started to wobble and did all I could to keep my shoulders from moving. At this point I think it was Katie and Ben I could hear shouting ''STABILISE!!!'' but I just couldn't and mine came crashing down just after Nina, with a 1 min 6 sec hold....rubbish!!

Trying to hold on....

Points: 2
Event Position: 6th










Event 4 - 80kg Big Wheel Squats

I had been squatting a lot in the run up, but hadn't really tested my 1 RM for a long time - so I went into this knowing my previous 1 Rep Max was only 85kg...

Warm up went well, although the heavier I went, the less I could control my Bambi Knees! But I Felt good and ready to get this out the way! James and I hadn't even spoken about what to aim for, so I didn't have a target...

Racking out, it felt so light, I felt positive and ready to go. 1st rep - I bang into the bar behind me and put myself off, even hearing a few ''oohs'' and ''ouches'' from the crowd - but I get up. And I keep going. I really don't know how, but I ended up with 11 reps, failing at the bottom on the 12th...going over to the #teamEBW crowd, James is beaming saying I'd done him proud, thinking I'd only manage 5 reps - I was buzzing and so ready for the next event! Although this was slightly dampened by Jenny and Becki getting 18 reps....but who cares, I was happy!!

Points: 3
Event Place: 5th









Event 5 - Carrying Medley - 30kg Block into 40kg sandbag into 59kg Circus Dumbbell into 70kg Duck Walk.

Ok, the end was in sight. I was tired and happy, but just wanted to get it all over with. Had a quick practice with picking up the dumbbell as this was the trickiest object to pick up.... and I felt ready.

I had to beat 34 secs so in my head, that was 15seconds max on each item....

Even though the block and I had made enemies earlier that day, it went up easy and felt light. Into the sandbag, and as this was tightly packed and could stand upright, I opted for a squat and hug pick up, again, feeling easy. The dumbbell was tricky - I had to pick up low, pull into my lap and get my arms under it as quickly as possible, and think I missed a bit of time here as I wasn't overly confident with it....but I got it to the end of the track and straight into the duck walk. It certainly didn't feel like 70kg and I honestly think that's the quickest I have ever moved with a duck walk. I managed 30 secs in total, which I was more than happy with. I was just glad it was over!

Points: 5
Event Place: 3rd

Overall Points: 18
 
Competition Place: 5th

Then came the trophy presentations; Claire and Jen from the Over Category both winning special awards, for Best Calves and Best Entertainment respectively.

Claire and her Calves!

Jen with her Viking Power!

Then Nina and I were presented with our Trophies for our Deadlift Records...queue another shy walk from me up to collect my trophy from Adam and have some pictures taken!

Nina collecting her well deserved trophy!

Frankie - Winner of the Overs!

Jenny - Winner of the Unders!

I placed 5th overall and was happy with that! Sara however placed an amazing 2nd considering her gruelling weight cut and self doubt - Well Done!!



EBW Have a pretty good line up of Coaches!!

And of course Morgan who also placed 5th in her category. She did exceptionally well despite also being the lightest in the overs, up against some truly strong women. Very proud of my training partner!

Morgan about to start her 100kg Squats!

#teamEBW !

 Once again, I would like to Thank all of those who wished the three of us success, it is a massive help! Especially to those who came all the way to watch us...we really did appreciate it!

And once again, a Huge Thank You to this chap, who as ever the professional, managed the diva strops, tears, swearing and foul language of three ladies perfectly :-)

 

 

 

 

Lastly, a huge Congrats to Jenny, Sara and Nadia on placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively, truly amazing, all three of you!

 

 

It was a pleasure to meet a new group of ladies, and I am sure we will be all seeing a lot more of each other in the future

 

 

 

BNSF Britain's Natural Strongest Woman 2014 Competitors!

Oh yea, and me and my new Trophy of course :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

No rest for the wicked though, after a day off yesterday, I was back in this morning for a squat session to re test my 1RM - I managed 91kg, which was pretty good considering the weekend..! I am aiming for 100kg by October...if not sooner!

 

 

 

Franki xx

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