So Where To From Here?

I started this blog back in January and, at that time, I honestly thought that one competition in Darwin would see the end of my dabble into bodybuilding. I was wrong. I'm sure that comes as a surprise to few.

 

To say I'm hooked would be an overstatement I think. The food issue is huge and scary. It's all too fresh in my mind to not have the horrors when thinking of the fatigue, frustration and intrusion that the last few weeks had into every area of my life. I don't relish the challenge as much as I should...but I do have a firm belief that I could do it again....and again...and again. In fact I'm planning ways to make it more bearable next time!

 

There we go with that 'next time!' thing again!! So what does it all mean?

 

Well, the INBA competition has been brought forward from September to May 2013 meaning it's only 7 months away! Along with this comp, there seems to be talk of another one just a week later in Darwin - twice the fun! With Christmas caught up in that time, seven months is not a long to work on the goals I have in mind - and boy do I have some goals!!! As follows;

 

1. Goal #1 - Size Matters

 

When I look at the pictures from both comps, I can see that I need to build up some muscle in particular areas. The main being; lats, shoulders, and hamstrings.

 

I reckon I look a little scrawny around the shoulder area and am aiming for those nice, rounded looking specimens, commonly seen on those wearing the #1 medals!! hehe! The tools I'm using to achieve these are hard, heavy and consistent workouts, swapping up reps, rests and approaches. No skimping, no sooking and no shortcuts.

 

Next, my lats. They've been a little shy to come and play thus far and it's time they made an appearance. To achieve this I'm enticing them out with plenty of pull ups (not a master of the overhand approach and may never be! In fact I cringe at the very thought of them!), chin ups (underhand is more my thing but even these have been known to bring a tear to my eye!), and a variety of other techniques to target those little suckers. My back workouts are firmly split into two - wide and narrow - so I can concentrate on making them sing!

 

Another part to the upper body work is to concentrate on posing. I can see CLEARLY that my shoulders are falling forwards rather than up and back. At present it actually hurts to keep them up-and-back but I'm hoping some more stretching, maybe a massage or three, and some hours dedicated to posing, will help greatly.

 

And lastly, those legs again! Poor things get a fair old battering but they are made up of nice big muscles and can take the strain. As per my back, my legs are also split into a few workouts consisting of quads, hamstrings and calves. They each get their own attention and I try to fit it all into one week so that I'm hitting them hard and often. I can see the huge difference in my approach since the start of the year and I'm hoping to see some solid results in the months to come. Hell, these days I do eighty lunges on each leg as my warm up!!! Once upon a time that would have almost completed my workout!!

 

2. Goal #2 - Posing

As per above, my posing possibly (probably) let me down during the comps. Most (probably all!) of the other competitors would have had quite few one-on-one posing sessions over time. I had three hours in total and a fairly inconsistent approach to my practise. I paid for that on stage and my aim is to correct this for next time. Not much good spending months/years building the correct physique if you can't show it off in the manner expected on competition day.

 

3. Goal #3 - Nutrition

I am very happy with the nutrition guide I followed throughout my preparation. I reckon I could learn a little more about my body's responses to things like oils, carbs & sugars and rearrange my eating accordingly. I tend to do exactly what I'm told without taking notice of why I'm doing it or what the outcome is. It's a lazy approach and my aim is to learn more and have the courage to try some new techniques as I notice the changes occur. I love learning and food is fascinating when it comes to manipulating the body!

 

So what's happening right now? I'm training harder and heavier than ever. So happy with how it's all going and very enthused! Love it! Cardio is sitting at about three sessions per week - two are hard and heavy, one is a walk in that 'fat burning zone'. I won't add too much more than this otherwise I'm defeating the purpose of building up muscle. I can afford to lay off cardio a little as I noticed that I was definitely one of the leanest competitors in both comps and this isn't always the winning look.

Food has been a bigger challenge than I'd like over the past few weeks. The deprivation of the preceding weeks has left me with cravings and I don't really like giving in to them...but find I do. I'm on a fairly structured carb cycling plan and love the clean food. The more I eat of it, the more I want to follow the clean-eating approach but need to remind myself often that treats are A.O.K., and denying myself of them will only end in a mini-food-disaster. Moderation Kirsten, moderation! (Never, ever been my strong point - accepting moderation that is. And if I put it in brackets, it'll seem like a secret.)

Bodywise - it's changed. It's fuller and more rounded and definitely not the lean machine it was just a mere month ago. Does that take a little getting used to? Oh Yes!!!! It's not a nice feeling to have the belt notches going out instead of in and it's also not nice seeing the quads getting wider. But it's necessary and it's normal and I'm not going to let my head get in the way of the work that needs to be done. End of.

And I have to say that it is bloody fab being back on my vitamins and potions. I've missed them!!

 

So what should I do with this blog?

Well. I wrote it as a way to share this journey with anyone who would listen. I've loved writing it and I'm not totally ready to give it up. I realise that blogs are fairly self-appreciating however I also think that one persons honesty can sometimes unlock a door to a dark place that another has been locked in. You'll understand what I mean if that pertains to you.

 

Now that the competition is done and dusted, I've decided I'll close up this blog. Rob is going to get it printed in a photo-book so I can read over it whenever I want a giggle or a cry. But I'm not ready to stop writing so I'm going to write another blog. I won't be offended if you don't want to follow it. I'll just pretend that millions read it and continue to get blown away and teary-eyed when I get the beautiful comments from people on Facebook.

 

So here it is. 9.5 months of laughing, crying, training, eating (and not eating!), water loading, salt depleting, posing, panicking and dabbling in a world full of crystal bikinis, fake tan and muscle bound people!!! I've loved it, hated it, dreaded it, been embarrassed beyond belief, and...most of all...been completely overwhelmed and speechless at the unrelenting and unselfish support and love from so many people in this world. I feel like I owe so many people so many things and will never truly be able to repay them all that I want to. But my little way of continuing this dream I've had, is to keep being honest, try to be a little funny, and continue to be part of people's lives in a way that leads them to a healthier and happier outcome.

 

Some days I wake up and realise that I'm one of the luckiest girls in the world. Today was such a day.