102.5kg deadlift PR and Stockholm Meetup!

I had a great time on Saturday when I finally got to meet a few of my cyber friends (or is that old schools talk? FB buddies then). We met up at Stockholm's Atletklubb (Olympic Lifting club) and played around with all the equipment! After training we went out for a well deserved post workout pizza (yumzerz!). We all took  the afternoon off and met up again in the evening for more food and some talking :] Fantastic weekend in so many ways.

I started my session with some snatches and C&J. Haven't really had any excellent sessions lately and the weight has been moderate/low. I managed to do three singles at 50kg though, which is pretty damn good if you haven't been over 40kg in months. I think all that technique training is starting to pay off! I wanted to see if I could break my old PR of 52.5kg (going for 55kg) but after two failed attempts I decided to give that up (and go for those two last singles at 50kg instead).

After not having pulled a barbell deadlift in months I could feel the DL itch... So once I thought I was done with the Oly stuff I jumped at the chance of testing my strength. The reason for not having pulled in a few months is of course not because DL's are no longer in my program... They've just been replaced with trap bar deadlifts which has done wonder for my trap engagement. It's like I can actually USE mid and lower traps as well when pulling, rather than just cheat and let my poor lower back take the hit. It's also a bit easier to sit back which means more glutes and hammies (=stronger lift yey!). 

I started out with a single at 80kg and one at 90kg. Felt pretty good so I prepared to put on 100kg (previous PR). But then I remembered something that I've been told more than once. If you doubt you can do it, put on another 2.5kg (102.5kg total). So I did. I gave conventional a try first (because I'd prefer it!), but it didn't give at all so I went with sumo. I managed to pull it almost all the way up, but lost my balance somehow (sending the video to my coach to see what the hell happened). I had to drop the bar. I was mildly irritated because obviously I couldn't let this piece of shit get to me. I went away from the bar, slapped myself hard in the face (this explains the chalk) and just did it. It was a slow and ugly lift, but I locked out and I WON dammit! Next step 105kg...See you soon :]

And here's a pic;

Happy Valentine's ;]

i luuurve grumpy cat <3

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In case you don't already. It's slightly more active than the blog :] Not sure why I don't update more frequently here, but I like my posts to be longer and contain something interesting rather than just babbling about nothing to no end like a lot of other people tend to do. I keep my babbling to facebook ;] I also post more pictures there!

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Sick but high in spirits!

I've been sick this whole week, which really, really sucks... I was going to start my new program on Monday (2x3 trap bar DLs, go heavy!), but woke up with some sort of evil cold or something. I stayed home from work Monday and Tuesday, then went in to work at the gym on Wednesday… And got the assignment of cleaning all the dumbbells (approximately 1900kg). Needless to say this wasn’t an ideal day to spend an unwell day. So got to stay home today as well... But, this evening I’ll be working at the other gym, and as I’ve got three clients I really can’t stay home… Been looking forward to it for a whole week!

Last Thursday there was a girl who came in for an intro session and wanted to know more about training for strength (lucky she came in to the right instructor). She was a former gymnast and had been doing several sports on a decent level. Only 16 years old, but with great body control and great will to learn. This is the ideal client. I’ve written her a program now and I’ll stick with her to see how things are going. She did so well in her first session, I don’t think technique or motivation will be a problem. After booking her next session two of her friends came up to me to book the same intro session for this week. I love it when people have the right attitude! BAM!

Hopefully some caffeine and naproxen can sort this damn headache out…

Also, I’m working on making an intro program for Breeze Fitness as well (for the under 15s). I haven’t worked much with teenagers before so I’m really looking forward to learn more and make myself useful ;]

January Update!

Hello blog readers!

So I’ve been absent for a while again… I’ve enjoyed both Christmas and New Years, during which I had a whole week to myself for de-stress and catch up time. I’m so glad I did, because so far January has been a really busy month!

The first week on January I started two internships – at a gym called Breeze Fitness (amazeballs – learned loads already!), and at a EU organization that gives money to rural projects. It’s great to learn more about the wonderful world of training, and the things I learn at the EU place is also invaluable, for when the time comes for me to start my own projects (or company?), I’ll know all about how to do it! Actually, I already started. So much going on now I can hardly keep my head straight.

The first project that I’ve been working on for a looong time is finally ready to get to work. Actually it’s been done for quite some time, but now I’m ready for some REAL work! It will take off! So if you have a couple of free minutes – please check out www.strongmanevents.com and let me know what you think! You can also register as a member, like on Facebook or follow on Twitter. Every little helps, right ;]

Second big thing is a new web based projects – won’t tell you much more right now, but I think it will fill a space that really needs filling… And I’ll let you know when I get into production! So excited about this one!

Third project is a summer camp that I’m already planning for aspiring strongwomen! For it to qualify for the project support I’m applying for I’ll need to aim it towards women under 25, but I’m sure I’ll be able to fit a few older girls in as well ;] Best thing about interning at that organization is that I get to plan my own project too on interning time. How awesome is that?

I’m also in the process of building a few other websites, and I really hope they turn out awesome. My naprapath has a lot of work to get to on Tuesday after all this computer time…

I'm happy to say my motivation seems to have returned :] Wonder if it might have something to do with the insane amount of D3 I'm consuming.... Here's some pics from my January training!

The girls of Sjobo Strongman!

This is my new Bosu ball ;] I use it for situps..........

...............and unloaded skwatz.....don't want to get too bulky ;]

Glad to say we have some new girls in training :]

And this is me in my current state! Look how bulky I am ;] All manly and stuff! :D

Short Christmas update ;]

As you can probably tell I've been quite inactive here recently. I decided to take a "Start Your Own Business Course" lasting for five weeks, and with everything else that's been leading up to Christmas there just hasn't been enough time to focus on everything. The course has been really useful, but I still have too many ideas to keep my head straight. The next step is to clean up the mess in my head, and write a list of possible actions from here... And then stick to it ;] Glad I have my training to keep me sane!

Managed to do some good results, like 80kg for 4x5 on trap bar deadlifts. The last set was intense, but decent and I didn't even see stars. Next time it's 5x5 so we'll see if I go for 80 or if I can increase it slightly. I have microplates, so it would be cool to just add a little so that I improve in some way... Slowly getting back to previous weights. I'm so glad to be back to 5-6 reps instead of 12. It killed my motivation, and I didn't even feel like going to the gym. 5-6 makes me feel like 3-2-1 is not far away :D And now is also the time to plan next years competition season. A dream would be to qualify to the Strongman Fitness at the Arnold... But that may be a few years away.

I'll be starting an internship at an organisation called Leader in January. It gives out EU money to projects that are beneficial to rural areas. It also has another division, LaSource. They give money to people between the age of 13 to 25 to run their own projects. I'd love to run some cool projects in the future myself, so I'm hoping to learn a lot about what it means from the organising side of it AND from the funding side. If you just know where to look there is money for everything!

If I'm lucky I might have the chance to intern at a gym as well, but I'm still waiting for a final answer... Hoping it comes within the next few days!

And finally I just want to wish you all a merry Christmas! Take care now, and take time to appreciate the company of friends and family :]

What To Do With Lack Of Motivation?

Hey guys. It’s been a while.

Honestly, I couldn’t be bothered. Somehow I wish I could say I’m eating super clean, feel awesome and only have great workouts! But lately, that’s not the case. I’m not sure why it’s not as it should be. I keep getting fatigued halfway through a workout, finding myself unable to complete them… I feel like an old computer, you know the ones who will die on you five minutes after your charger has accidentally hopped out of it’s socket…

I had a good chat with my “programmer” (the guy who makes my programs that is), and we’ve come up with a new strategy for the next month. Hopefully it will work a bit better, and my motivation will once again be up to scratch. I’m looking forward to get my new program, which must be a good sign!

The lack of motivation is something that can easily get to me outside the gym. But as I’ve pretty much always had something to work for inside the gym (a close goal), I’ve always managed to leave anything negative at home and just give my all to the weights. It’s different now. I wish I could post some excellent motivational poster and then I’d suddenly be motivated to do some work again.

Somehow, I wonder what we really get out of all those motivational quotes and pictures we put on facebook. Do we post them to make ourselves feel good, or to make people think we feel good? The latter is the impression I get most of the times. I think there are surely people out there who will post motivational stuff with only the intent of motivating other people. But I think that most of the people who post them will do so in order to give others the impression that they are super motivated, nothing can stop them, yada yada yaaaaadaazzzzZzzZzzz… Is it true?

If it helps in improving someone’s self-image, then I think it’s great. As long as we don’t lie to ourselves in the process, polishing our shiny surface and then feel like a fake person inside. Maybe we’re not even aware that we’re doing it?

I think it’s important to remember that we are all just people. Sometimes we have shit days, but we also have great days. No matter how we chose to deal with them, we must accept that they are there.

Something I find true, and that I believe is true for most people, is that the motivation you have must come from within. You need to want something badly for “motivation” to happen. I think that’s partly the case for me right now, I don’t have a specific goal. Or a real short-term goal. Why do I do this? And what good will it do me? I find myself yearning for those wonderful three reps, two reps, one rep. Max. Not having to deal with a trillion reps in everything. It feels like too much like cardio. I know a lot of it is necessary, but it doesn’t make it more fun.

This, today, and every day like it, is when I know I have to continue. This is when I can’t give up. I’m at the bottom of a building-base-strength ladder, but the reps will get fewer, the weights will get heavier and I will once again have that special feeling.

The feeling on PR day. That’s the reason why I do this. It’s the reason for flipping tires, loading stones, pressing logs, deadlifting and squatting. The feeling of accomplishment when I’ve reached a goal is like a high.

And I’m on a detox..

Training, Newspapers, Health Stuff and More

This week has certainly brought some interesting events, and it came with only good training sessions too! I had squat day on Monday, it was pretty light still, but I’m grateful to be down to only 40 reps... Or 4x10 that is. I hate reps. I really, really do. And I can’t help watching people’s PR videos with one, two or three reps and I just can’t wait to get there! I feel weak as well, as I have little experience with reps, huuuh it’s nasteeeh!

DL day on Wednesday was smooth, 4x10 trap bar, I lowered the weight slightly from last week (4x12), because I wanted to get more speed. It felt way better, and somehow it seemed to fix the technique as well. I’m too much of a thinker and tend to overanalyze, so sometimes it’s good for me to just be a bit “stupid” and not think at all. I think that’s just something that I’ll have to struggle with, like many others before me.

I woke up on Thursday morning with a slightly stiff ass, but otherwise happy body. This was a real special day indeed, as one of the sports journalists from Ystads Allehanda and a photgrapher was going to swing by Sjobo Strongman to do a story about me. I was there early to warm up, and the energy was high! You know that wonderful feeling when somehow you’re way stronger than you usually feel? I had a lot of ummppf, which is great, because I thought I had lost it… I guess sometimes you just need the extra excitement to get there. I tend to feel low and un-ummppfy after a competition, when I don’t have anything special to train for. The next competition is a little more than six months away, and it feels like FOREVAR. Anyway. They stayed for almost an hour and took loooads of pictures and asked me loads of questions and they were super nice. I didn’t really know what to expect as I haven’t really done a personal interview like that before, but I’d be happy to do plenty more ;D

After the morning excitement I got home to get ready for a doctors appointment. I’ve had some weird symptoms for a while, and when talking to the doctor he mentioned something about the possibility of an underactive thyroid.  They drained me on what felt like two litres of precious blood, or possibly more, then I went home to sleep. Again. I feel like

I sleep all the time, but I’m always tired anyway. It’s not the normal type of tired either. Difficult to explain, but I simply can’t stay awake (which can be an issue at times). In the evening I had my first session at Kraftverket (the gym I’ll be working at a little bit), and I also got to fill in for another guy on the Friday.

Today the story about me was in the paper! So here are some pics;

I got on the cover!! How cool is that?! :D YAY

This stone is pretty light, but it doesn't mean I can levitate it ;] I just have a lot of power when putting it up there, so don't worry... Just an illusion ;] BAM!

Couldn't believe how much space they had given me when I saw it... I am so, so happy about this and I do hope tomorrow's interview will turn out as good as this one :]

I’ll see if I can post up some more pictures that the photographer took, but I’ll need to get in touch with him first, to make sure he doesn’t mind. Would be cool to translate the article as well, if I have the time… It will certainly be a busy week.

Tomorrow the excitement continues, as I’ve got another interview at Sjobo Strongman! Can’t wait! Apparently media likes the idea of strong women... Let’s hope it makes more girls hit the heavy weights in the gym, of even try the hardcore version, a strongman gym!