After breaking out of my 6 mo. delurking mode (from dark side to ??) a coupla weeks ago, I’ve posted a bit-under my evilly scheming VERY small pony’s name.
That was a bit of a ‘miscommmunication’; treacle is a tooth-rottingly sweet pudding, which just doesn’t seem like a strongchick (in the making!) username.
I’m on some horse and other critter BB’s, and I wasn’t sure what this would be like; after seeing a few “Rate My Physique”, I thought TMagnum might be a bit harsh for sensitive lil’ moi. (Sure as hell knew I would never post in R MY P!!)
However, after wandering over to “Strong Women” and looking around, I thought: how cool. Women of all types interested in strength, and being helpful and encouraging. Wow. Now I go back to the horse BB, and am struck by how be-atchy some horsey folk can be (at least when posting…VERY strong feelings re: our beloved horsies, and maybe too much time spent fighting the Manure Wars?).
I wanted to wait until my pale/pink/frail (well, wiry from flinging bales of hay and water pails around, and making sure 1200 lb. horses keep outta my personal space grr) body had acquired a few REAL muscles before posting. Now, I’m not exactly the Incredible Bulk, but I have been noticing my tiny/wiry/sinewy bits changing into much more dense muscle.
Pretty cool stuff, as I was always one of THOSE people who thought nothing but hard cardio (and pony riding!) could work in terms of fitness. Ha! I am sooo into this strength thing now; horses still rock, but powerlifting is most excellent.
As with many of us gals, my fella has been a PL-er for a few years, and I finally got my compass out, and made my way from the barn to the garage…“Lookee!” I started off real slow in late Dec. last year with the usual DL/BP/Squat combo.
Afer about 6 mos., I have found that: I can’t do squat (drag, as I stretched and prepped a lot, but after a month of just doing 45 up to 55 lb. my knees started to bitch me out big time), I started off a WAY wimpier BP-er than I had imagined (blush), and the DL seems to be my kind of thang.
The same ape-like arms that (along with a close grip due to shoulder clicks when the wider grip has been tried) make my BP a bit challenging are great for DL, along with my mule-stubborn personality.
My fella’s been bringing me along slow and steady; over the years, he’s read and experimented a lot, and finds the higher weight/lower rep thing works for him in general. So, he’s been figuring out how my bod-sky responds to a basic program, and tweaking (not literally!?) here and there.
He eats well/takes very basic supplements and works out on a 6-8 week cycle, so I’m basically following in his more muscular (ya think)and testosterone-y footsteps. When I started flinging-well, maybe not flinging, exactly-iron around I weighed around 103 pounds…kind of lanky petite.
(Fought through all kinds of crap with anorexia and bulimia until about 15 years ago, so it’s not like I’m some effortlessly skinny type. From 110 lbs. to 70 to 140 and back again-so NOT a nice thing to do to your poor body. Since finally dragging my ass back to ‘normal’ after 15+ years in the eating disorder PIT, I’m still grateful not to be in that place anymore.)
After my initial 6 mos. of doing Powerlifting-minus the squat sigh-I’m still around the same weight, but I’ve gone from a 50 lb. BP to a PR single of 81, and my DL has gone from 65 lbs. to a PR single of 200.
I guess I’ve made those gains that come a bit quicker when you’re a total rookie, but I also really feel like lifting has improved my patience and ‘control’ a lot…and some definite fat to muscle conversion. Yay!
I’ve always been impatient and impulsive i.e. buy that pony NOW!!/“Hey, let’s do that Mt. Everest thing asap-heck with training and oxygen!!”, so I’ve found the Powerlifing to be a real novelty. Ya gotta plan, do things in steps etc., and I feel not quite so hyper/more quietly calm[er!].
So, getting stronger (helps with all those horse chores!), and getting more inner/outer control…who knew??? I’m looking forward to keeping plugging with the lifts and building strength (ooo, I stretch now too-along with tuff sit-ups and curls).
It’s great to have this forum where us ‘wimmen’ can tell our stories, and brainstorm ideas, and cheer each other on. Keep lifting/working out/having that ME time/being stronger in a ton of different ways, 'cuz strength is a GOOD thing, as I’ve found.
Above is one teeny pic of my back after about 4 mos. (the situps have given me way stronger ab muscles in front, but I still have that genetic?? pot-ish belly…ick!).