Sarah Currie Gets Ripped - June Training Update - From June 2014
Hey, it's Sarah Currie - it's been about four weeks since we last spoke. Since then, my dead lift is creeping back up! Last week I did 120lbs., which is very close to my beloved 180 lbs. goal. My squat is also improving. I'm safely squatting 75lbs., so 150lbs. is not too far away. My back and chest are feeling good and each is almost ready for competition. My lower half remains the most stubborn part of my body, specifically the area where my hamstrings meet my glutes (a tough spot for all women to get lean).
A lot of body fat continues to burn away, however, my troubled areas are actually starting to show more prominently. In my opinion, my thighs actually look worse now because all I have left are a few pockets of fat on the outsides. I fondly refer to these as my ?triangles.? Ladies, I'm sure most of you can identify with this troubled area as well. Heavy-lifting and clean eating will take care of them, but these ?triangles? have proven more stubborn than I originally thought.
My abdominal area is also changing. At first I thought I was frequently bloated from eating too much fiber. But it?s just my stubborn lower abs fat that is a challenge to rid. I'm now thinking back and blaming the days of multiple beers after endless hours of cycling. This fat has been there a very long time. This I fondly call my ?alien.?
As I reflect, I think it's time to give up alcohol for the next few months. Or at least really limit it. Up until now I?ve averaged 7-12 drinks per week, depending on my social calendar. As you know, I'm aiming for an October show so it's pedal-to-the-medal from here on out. No excuses, no rationalizations. Training, diet, and little to no alcohol; I must have everything in line to succeed, and I?m determined to hit the stage by October.
As I?ve progressed through my journey, one misconception I have frequently come across is the notion that weight training makes women bigger. Let me be clear - weight training does not make women bigger. Again, weight training does not make women bigger. How many times do I have to say it? Ok, one more time. WEIGHT TRAINING DOES NOT MAKE WOMEN BIGGER. (That is unless of course a woman is taking steroids in conjunction with a rigorous strength training routine.) Women simply do not generate enough testosterone to build really big muscles easily. In fact, most guys even have a hard time getting big muscles.
Right now some of you might be thinking, "but that one time I lifted weights for a couple months I DID get bigger!" One of the reasons women think that weight training makes them bigger is because when there's fat on top of muscle, and the muscle starts to develop, there may be a short time when the muscle is pushing up against that fat, giving the allusion of the body getting bigger. This is usually due to sarcoplasmic training of the muscle and not muscle mass creation.
Where many women fail with weight training is in that they don't do it right; don?t do it for long enough, or don?t do it with heavy enough weight to generate the right type of results. And of course, sometimes women have a bad trainer who tells them "high reps with low weight is going to tone you up." A) I hate the word "tone" and B) stop wasting money with that kind of trainer. True myofibrillar training versus just sarcoplasmic training is what's going to get your butt smaller and ultimately change your metabolism. Myofibrillar training is when you get deep into the muscle and cause serious damage, serious muscle breakdown. If your diet is proper, your body will have no choice but to take fat stored for energy and repair that broken down muscle with it. Hence, a smaller toosh and an increase in strength. Sarcoplasmic training hits the muscle fiber differently. It tends to be on the surface of the fiber and in a higher rep scheme than in the myofibrils of the muscle fiber, which are deeper.
Don't get me wrong, your weight routine should consist of both types of training, but the heavier weights at lower repetition counts is how most women fail at their exercise programs. Proper strength training takes time, but if you are patient with it, it will be one of the best long-term investments you'll ever make.
As a personal trainer, every woman that I have taken to the 6-10 rep. range both mentally and physically with core lifts (squats, dead lifts, lunges, pull-ups, bench press, etc.) has achieved smaller and leaner bodies with less body fat. With that said, now is about the time in my process where I need to start tuning out comments and these preconceived notions.
Here are just a taste of comments that I have heard so far along the way:
"Just don't get any bigger, you look good now." (I'm actually shrinking before my own eyes and will continue to do so the heavier I lift.)
"Isn't what you're doing a bit over the top?" (Yeah but aren't marathons a bit over the top? Why is one of the only areas to compete in something for an average adult with a goal in endurance cardio? Next time you're in Central Park count how many runners and cyclists you see with great, lean physiques - capped shoulders, a "V" back that tapers to a small waist and well-developed glutes. Not many.
"She's not supposed to lift that much, she's a girl." (Clearly I lift more than that guy)
"Wow that's really impressive!" (Said to me after a set of 8 pull-ups by a guy with a GREAT physique. I liked this comment. Later on that week he asked me to spot his bench press. Yeah!)
I'm sure as the process continues and as I get closer to show time, new comments will arise. Ultimately, though, I hope to have the last laugh when I put a complete, muscularly balanced physique on stage. (Not to mention spray tanned and oiled up ;). Maybe this 39 year old will beat some 20 something year old. I sure plan on it.
