Goals are getting crushed here at Uplift! Here are just a few:

In August, Gloria competed in her first Strong(wo)man competition in Oregon. Not only did she not zero a single event, but she also earned herself an invite to Strongman Corporation Master's Nationals! 

Adelle's goals when she first started were to build muscle and strength while maintaining her vegetarian lifestyle. Over the course of the year she put on 10lbs of lean body mass, and also competed in her fist two Powerlifting meets! 

Julie knew from the start that she wanted to bench two wheels (135#'s) "It's gonna happen" she predicted, and it did!

Technically John didn't hit his goal of a 275# sumo deadlift and that's because he SURPASSED it by 10lbs and hit a solid 285# deadlift!

It's been a year of hitting goals, and with the New Year fast approaching, there are new goals to crush, and more progress to be made. I can't wait!

Not often to do I compete with my clients, but this year for Oregon's Strongest Lumberjack I did and it was so much fun! Amy has competed in a couple Strongman competitions in the Novice class. This time around with her first place win will graduate her to the Open class! For Gloria, this was her first ever Strongman competition. She competed in the Masters class and push HARD, even after pulling her half muscle, she completed every event, zeroing nothing, and earning herself an invitation to Strongman Corporations Master's Nationals! As for myself, this was my first win, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't have high expectations of myself for this meet! I'm happy to have been invited to National's 2020 and hope I get to go!

​Pacific Northwest's Strongest Man/Woman Recap
Yesterday I competed in my first sanctioned Strongman competition and as to be expected, it was HARD but also a great environment in which to compete and to learn. The months leading up to the competition were sprinkled with huge PRs and huge set backs. Nothing quite like a deadline to really light a fire in your training! Having a goal allowed me to dial in on my training and push my body harder than I might have otherwise and I saw some amazing results as I was able to reach new strengths.

There was also a huge wrench thrown in though. A month before competition my lower back went into spasms. For a day I couldn't walk without crumpling to the ground in pain. For a week, even picking up my kids was impossible. Talk about a downer! I didn’t want to count myself out yet though. I know that I had neglected working on some areas that really needed it, namely the hip flexors and it was causing a lot of stress on my low back. With movement and mobility drills I was able to relieve the pain in my back and get back to being able to lift again, but with only a couple weeks left I had to be smart about my programming leading up to competition day.

The nights before the event were a bit rough. I found myself waking up at 2 a.m. and unable to sleep as my mind went though the movements and anxieties of re-injuring my back and my shoulder. Those are two pains I would like to never experience again! On the day of, I woke up tired, achy and anxious. Not exactly how one would want to feel on competition day. After getting to the location for the competition, I was able to spend some time warming up, meeting people and pooping. Yes, pooping. My dinner from the night before hadn’t sat well and between that and my nerves, I was legit worried I’d poop myself during one of my lifts. Thankfully I maintained my dignity. Ha!

Event Recap

Event 1: Axle Clean and Press 150# for 60seconds.

I’ve never gotten 150# overhead before, but I gave it my best go. I was able to clean it pretty well and almost got it overhead, but ended up zeroing.

Lesson: Being the first event, I rushed in and made some technical errors that could have been avoided. Going into my next training cycle I will be focusing more on my overhead press and will be taking a break from bench in order to get in another OHP day into my week.

Event 2: Farmer’s Carry 160#/hand for distance in 60 seconds.

I was happy with how this event played out. The implements used were much more awkward than the ones I’ve used before and at the start I wobbled and waltzed a bit but after finding my groove, I got into a good pace despite dropping a couple of times. Near the end, my fingertips were working overtime!

Lesson: Continue developing grip and core strength.

Event 3: “Car” Deadlift 800ish pounds; 60sec cap

This is the other event I zeroed. I had a hard time finding my stance and was pretty fatigued from Farmers. My back was also a concern which got into my head.

Lesson: Build more pull strength. My deadlift is a relatively weak lift for me and is something I strive to advance.

Event 4: Arm over Arm Pull; 60sec. cap

This was my best event. My long levers worked to my advantage and the sled moved really well!

Lesson: Hone in technique for efficiency and speed.
 
Event 5: Atlas Stones. 140#, 160#, 188#, 200#, 220# 60sec cap

I was proud of this event as I was able to get both the 140# and 160# stones up!
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Lessons: Tacky is SOOOOO sticky! Technique is something I really want to work on. With my long limbs it made it hard to get a grip of the smaller stones. Once I get more efficient I’ll have time to get to the heavier stones.

Overall, I am proud that I competed in my first sanctioned Strongman event. I’m thankful for the lessons learned and for the opportunity I have to grow! I am more motivated and focused than ever. Women’s Middleweight Strongman is very competitive, but I know I have the potential and desire to get really good. I want to earn that trophy. I want to get stronger and to become more involved in the supportive and fun Strongman community! I’ll take the next few months to put into practice the lessons I have learned and hope to compete in at least 2 more events this year!

For those interested in Strongman training, I highly recommend it! It is fun, challenging and a great community to be a part of.

We aren't meant to fit into molds.

I can be a mom and a wife and a coach and an entrepreneur.

I can lift really heavy weights, and hike mountains, and do manual labor and dress up and write articles and read books.

I can curl my hair and wear lipstick and put on a dress and wear no makeup and put my hair in a bun and have calluses and big muscles and thick thighs and be feminine.

I can be fierce and passionate and powerful and compassionate and kind and thoughtful.

I can love who I am and I can be confident and still pursue growth and seek knowledge and be humble and be open to change and be uncertain.

None of these things are mutually exclusive. 
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Fitting into a mold is exhausting and impossible. We were meant to be unique and diverse and there is so much BEAUTY in that!
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​Sometimes mom life can feel like you're trying to bail water out of a boat with a gaping hole in it. Between cooking, cleaning, baths, crisis, dishes, laundry, appointments, spills and SO MUCH POOP, the question often arises "how am I supposed to fit in a workout when I don't even have time to take a shower every day?" I hear you. We pour ourselves out in service of our family but then neglect the care of ourselves leading to exhaustion and burnout. Working out can be a positive and life altering means of self-care both physically and psychologically. So how can a mom with young children prioritize her workout? 

1) Workout at home. Investing in equipment for the house can be one of the best things you can do. Sneak a workout while the kids nap or even get them involved! They key is, find workouts that pique your interest. I know that if I didn't have a barbell and squat rack in the garage I probably wouldn't be motivated to drag my butt out there and lift (honesty here). Be it kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands or a combination of these, find something that you'll be excited to use!

​2) Find a sitter. Maybe it’s communicating to your spouse the need to get out of the house for an hour workout, finding an available family member, or hiring someone three times a week. You are worth it!

3) Get a gym membership with childcare. There are many gyms with great childcare. You can spend 1-1 ½ hours working out worry-free as your kiddos socialize with other kids and get some time out of the house.

4) Find a class or a gym that is open before your kids wake up. It can be tough waking early; but once you are out of the house and warmed up, you’ll be glad for the energy boost you'll get for the rest of your day.
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Your health is important, YOU are important! So, find something that you love, and get your body moving, guilt-free.

​There is healthy competition: that which spurs people on to do their best and strive for success. There is also unhealthy competition: that which requires one person to become less so that the other can become more; that which feeds envy and rejoices in the failures of others.

Jealous competition leaves us feeling empty and unsatisfied. Community, however, does the exact opposite. Community encourages each other toward greatness. Community builds and supports each individual's unique gifts and traits. Community is where individuals can be themselves without the fear of judgment. Community is something to strive for because life is better spent in community than in competition.

What will NOT happen when a woman starts lifting weights: grow a bushy beard and turn into a man.
What WILL happen when a woman starts lifting heavy weights:
1) Build muscle which will...
* Increase basal metabolic rate and metabolism of dietary intake.
* Increase insulin sensitivity. Studies have shown a correlation between increased lean mass and decreased risk of diabetes.
*Protect the joints and bones from injuries.
*Decrease recovery time if injury is sustained.
*Improve posture and quality of movement.
*Slow aging and contribute to strong bones and joints which in turn will reduce risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
* Decrease risk of cardiovascular diseases and obesity because of improved metabolic conditions
2) Make her physically strong and capable of lifting things she never thought possible...Also, opening jars? NBD. Lifting the kiddos? Not a problem. Making one trip into the house with the groceries? Got it.
3) Increase confidence as she discovers what her amazing body is capable of.
4) Develop a positive mind/body connection as she learns to engage muscles properly and feel the movement.
5) Take the focus off the scale. There is nothing wrong with having fat loss as a goal, but the constant pursuit of a number can become exhausting and make one feel like a slave to the scale. Getting stronger is motivating and feels great. Often times because of all the reasons listed above, fat loss is a side effect!
So, pick up some heavy weights and get lifting! ​