All my life, I've been athletic. From starting with tee-ball, to swimming, to volley and basketball, to softball, to powerlifting and rugby in college, sports was part of my everyday life. Along with the training of those sports came lifting weights. And in the beginning (when I started lifting in high school) it was just something that our coach MADE us do. But in college, when I started competing, it became an activity that I LOVED to do. I can remember sitting in class waiting for the time to pass so that I could drive to the Rec Center to get my lift in before going to work for the evening.
It was what I looked forward to.
And along the way, I met another weightlifter, and he became my "training partner" - not just in the weightroom, but in life too. (Insert the apropos aaawwwweee, here.)
But it's funny how life just gets in the way sometimes. And my reality, after Caton and I got married was that we got pregnant with three kids in a 4.5 year span. Needlesstosay, my weight lifting got pushed to the back burner. And that was all on me. I know plenty of pregnant women lift all through their pregnancies...but I just couldn't. So I didn't. And I had resolved that I just would never be back to that form again. That me training for a meet, and lifting big weight was in my past...and that's where it would stay.
That was until last fall. I woke up one morning, looked at myself and did not like what I saw. I was a thirty-something mom of three little ones that was severely out of shape and over weight. In the past, I had fooled myself into thinking that there was nothing that I could do about the weight. That every time I had wanted to jump back on the fitness train, I had gotten pregnant again...so it really wasn't my fault.
But now there were no excuses left. I wasn't pregnant again (nor planning to get pregnant in the future), we had just moved to a new city where I knew no one (so I had a ton of time on my hands), the older kids were in school, and Caton had set up a complete gym in our garage. I had all the tools at my fingertips.
So I started slowly. I found a website that posted a daily workout that could be done without much equipment all in the comforts of our house. (Because there was NO WAY in heck I was going to step foot in a gym, or WORSE, in Caton's athletic facility, and allow anyone to see just how far down the fitness ladder I had fallen.) And in the beginning of those workout days, it was brutal. I couldn't even finish the workouts, I was winded, I was sore, I was miserable. (I was embarrassed, I was pissed off, I was humbled, too.) It would literally take me at least twice as long to do the workouts than what was recommended...but I didn't quit.
And over the next two months, things got alittle better. And the workouts that I was following left me wanting alittle more. So I found another website. This just so happened to be a Crossfit place here in town that posted their workouts online. So I started following that. Again, I felt defeated. The workouts had movements that I had either NEVER done or hadn't done since my PL days in college. So I researched how to do the movements correctly (it helped that I have a S and C coach as a husband), and I slowly started to add weight to my lifts.
Then I got a crazy idea to enter into a beginner's CF challenge...because for some of the lifts, I could actually DO the prescribed weights. And for the challenge, the weights that they had posted, should have been easy. And all in all, I did OK in the competition. Ended up placing right in the middle of the pack. That was in December.
And with the turn of the new year, I was determined to finally lose the weight that I was hanging on to...and to get stronger in the process. So I continued on with Crossfitt-ing and by the end of March, my lifts were showing significant improvement and my body weight had dropped 20lbs!
Then in mid-May, we went with Caton to his powerlifting competition. And while watching him compete...a small flame lit back up inside of me. I casually mentioned it to him on the way home, and as soon as we got back, he had me a program written up.
And that's where I am today. Since starting this program 2 months ago, I have put 65# on my squat (for a PR of 240#), 25# on my bench press (125# PR), and 40# on my deadlift (265#) all while losing a total of 25# (since January).
Am I where I used to be strength-wise?...ABSOLUTELY NOT. But I'm getting there. Am I where I want to be weight-wise?...NOPE. But I'm now the same size I was before having kids. Do I feel like a new person?...COMPLETELY, 100% YES. And that is such an encouraging feeling. To know that I can be a mom and a wife AND be strong....makes me smile knowing that the best is yet to come.
***There is a push/pull meet in September that Caton and I both will (hopefully) be doing depending on the schedule of Caton's off week. So we will both get to test our abilities.***
It was what I looked forward to.
And along the way, I met another weightlifter, and he became my "training partner" - not just in the weightroom, but in life too. (Insert the apropos aaawwwweee, here.)
But it's funny how life just gets in the way sometimes. And my reality, after Caton and I got married was that we got pregnant with three kids in a 4.5 year span. Needlesstosay, my weight lifting got pushed to the back burner. And that was all on me. I know plenty of pregnant women lift all through their pregnancies...but I just couldn't. So I didn't. And I had resolved that I just would never be back to that form again. That me training for a meet, and lifting big weight was in my past...and that's where it would stay.
That was until last fall. I woke up one morning, looked at myself and did not like what I saw. I was a thirty-something mom of three little ones that was severely out of shape and over weight. In the past, I had fooled myself into thinking that there was nothing that I could do about the weight. That every time I had wanted to jump back on the fitness train, I had gotten pregnant again...so it really wasn't my fault.
But now there were no excuses left. I wasn't pregnant again (nor planning to get pregnant in the future), we had just moved to a new city where I knew no one (so I had a ton of time on my hands), the older kids were in school, and Caton had set up a complete gym in our garage. I had all the tools at my fingertips.
So I started slowly. I found a website that posted a daily workout that could be done without much equipment all in the comforts of our house. (Because there was NO WAY in heck I was going to step foot in a gym, or WORSE, in Caton's athletic facility, and allow anyone to see just how far down the fitness ladder I had fallen.) And in the beginning of those workout days, it was brutal. I couldn't even finish the workouts, I was winded, I was sore, I was miserable. (I was embarrassed, I was pissed off, I was humbled, too.) It would literally take me at least twice as long to do the workouts than what was recommended...but I didn't quit.
And over the next two months, things got alittle better. And the workouts that I was following left me wanting alittle more. So I found another website. This just so happened to be a Crossfit place here in town that posted their workouts online. So I started following that. Again, I felt defeated. The workouts had movements that I had either NEVER done or hadn't done since my PL days in college. So I researched how to do the movements correctly (it helped that I have a S and C coach as a husband), and I slowly started to add weight to my lifts.
Then I got a crazy idea to enter into a beginner's CF challenge...because for some of the lifts, I could actually DO the prescribed weights. And for the challenge, the weights that they had posted, should have been easy. And all in all, I did OK in the competition. Ended up placing right in the middle of the pack. That was in December.
And with the turn of the new year, I was determined to finally lose the weight that I was hanging on to...and to get stronger in the process. So I continued on with Crossfitt-ing and by the end of March, my lifts were showing significant improvement and my body weight had dropped 20lbs!
Then in mid-May, we went with Caton to his powerlifting competition. And while watching him compete...a small flame lit back up inside of me. I casually mentioned it to him on the way home, and as soon as we got back, he had me a program written up.
And that's where I am today. Since starting this program 2 months ago, I have put 65# on my squat (for a PR of 240#), 25# on my bench press (125# PR), and 40# on my deadlift (265#) all while losing a total of 25# (since January).
Am I where I used to be strength-wise?...ABSOLUTELY NOT. But I'm getting there. Am I where I want to be weight-wise?...NOPE. But I'm now the same size I was before having kids. Do I feel like a new person?...COMPLETELY, 100% YES. And that is such an encouraging feeling. To know that I can be a mom and a wife AND be strong....makes me smile knowing that the best is yet to come.
***There is a push/pull meet in September that Caton and I both will (hopefully) be doing depending on the schedule of Caton's off week. So we will both get to test our abilities.***
2 comments:
A, we are so proud of your success and determination to continue to
break those personal bests. It
makes us feel good to know that you are pursuing one of your true
loves and that is athletics. Go Girl! We can hardly wait to see all of you -- real soon.
Thats awesome Adriene! keep it up!!! Good luck to you in your competition in the fall!!!!! I love following you an Keith on FB. Even though we really aren't that close anymore and live far apart I wish yall the best. it's great to see how much your babies have grown. It seems like yesterday we were the girlfriends at USM and now look at us!!! Good luck Adriene!!!!
P.s... I totally feel like this about my TKD and crossfit.. Crossfit is just awesome!
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