Motivation

having been lifting for nearly two years now i have learnt so much about myself, so much more than I ever would from originally joining the gym to loose a few pounds!
I can honestly say that the whole time I have been lifting I have never once stopped being motivated, yes we all have those sessions once in a while where we are exhausted and can barely push one rep let alone ten. but i don't think of this as losing motivation. this is just temporary and you know your still motivated because you feel shit and disappointed leaving the gym after a half assed workout knowing you should have pushed through, but this docent matter because the fact is, that because you think this way, this proves you are in the correct mentality to be a lifter!

having had friends dip in and out of fitness and nobody around me seeming to be as dedicated to fitness and wanting to be strong as much I as am has made me want it even more. I would say this is one of the main things that motivates me, I know that when I walk into that gym I want to be the strongest woman in there and i want the men to be surprised at what I can lift, for me the feeling that i get when I see a girl curling the 2kgs knowing that I can curl the 12kgs makes me feel motivated, this makes me feel better than them (in a lifting sense, I am a very nice girl really) I do enjoy healthy competition and not knowing any girls who are really into lifting means I am always measuring up against guys, this means I set myself very high goals!

having friends join me in the gym a few times and then give up very quickly made me realise that this is something I have a real passion for, I could never just stop going to the gym, i'd feel bored, fat, lazy, and depressed.

Another way I like to motivate myself is by using social media such as Pintrest, Youtube and Instagram to keep up with the fitness scene and keep seeing images and videos of these beautiful strong women busting there asses and thinking, if they can do this so the fuck can I! I will then go to the gym and smash a great workout! thinking "yes one day my glutes will be as beautiful as Michelle lewin's!"
some of my favourite youtubers to watch include
1) Lex Griffin & Lainey
2) Nikki Blackketter
3) Wedges and Weights
4) Haiyen ( thecrazyasianchick)
5) ChealseaLifts
6) Nics Nutrition
7) The Diet Kitchen
and more...

Anyway, i started writing this post about motivation because I think so many people don't know what it is that even motivates themselves!  I believe the key to staying focused is when you find out what really motivates you. when you find the real reason you want to be at the gym, the real reason why you want to be great at whatever it is your doing, you'll stick to it.

You may want to lose weight, you may want to look like a fitness model, you may even want to be a fitness model, but you need to know what to keep reciting to yourself as your doing those last few reps, or as you are about to have a heart attack on the treadmill. you need to know why your here and you need to believe in yourself.

Happy Lifting!

my current training split

recently I've been following a new training split. i like to separate my weight training and cardio if i can, i feel like this means i can fully smash my weights and my cardio and i don't have to worry about saving myself for cardio at the end of a session, this is just what works for me meaning i the best out of both!

my split goes as follows;

Workout A: lower 

Workout B: upper

Workout C: lower

Workout D: upper 

Rest and repeat

SESSION A: (lower)

Barbell Back Squat – 5 sets of 5 reps
Barbell Hip Thrust – 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Reverse Dumbbell Lunges – 2 sets of 8-10 reps each leg
Leg Curls- 2 sets of 8-10 reps superset leg extensions 2 sets of 8 -10 reps
Calf Raises on leg press – 3 sets of 15 reps
Weighted Plank – 2 x 1 min
Three ab excersises 2 sets 20 reps

SESSION B: (upper)
Barbell Bench Press – 5 sets of 4-6 reps
Chin-Ups – 3 sets of  5-8 reps
Alternatic bicep curls - 3 sets of 20 reps
Seated DB Press – 3 sets of 5-8 reps
Barbell Row – 3 sets of 5-8 reps
EZ Bar Curls – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Lat pull down - 3 sets of 10-12 reps superset Upright row 10 reps
Close Grip Press Ups 2 x 20 drop to knees at failure
3 ab excersises 2 sets of 20 of each

SESSION C: (lower)
Barbell Deadlift – 5 sets of 5 reps
Sumo deadlift - 3 sets of 12
DB Split Squats – 4 sets of 8-10 reps each leg
Pullthroughs– 3 sets of 10-12
Seated Calf Raises – 3 sets to failure (around 20 reps)
Standing dumbell drops - 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Cable kickbacks 10 reps each leg superset with jumping lunges x3
3 ab excersises 2 sets of 20 of each

SESSION D: (upper)
Incline DB Press – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Inverted Rows hanging on smith machine – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Incline Press Ups drop to floor at failure – 3 sets of 10 reps
DB Rows – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
DB Curls 3 sets of 10-12 reps each arm
Cable Pushdowns – 2 sets of 10-12 reps superset with dumbell overhead extensions
Seated row dropset 6+ drops
3 ab excersises 2 sets of 20 of each

this is the current plan i have created, this is the first plan I've ever made/followed which docent completely isolate one muscle group per day, I've never followed a split where you'd have an upper and lower day i always created a "shoulder and tricep day" or a "Glute and ham day" but i must say i am really enjoying the variation of having all of the different exercises on each day. 

five days a week i will do fasted morning cardio, this usually takes me about 25-30 mins and is killing me, for this i have been doing the same routine Hiit followed by Tabata on the treadmill, this is; 

2 min walk 

15 - 20 rounds of 30 seconds on (9.5-10mph) and 30 seconds off (5-6mph) 

10 rounds of 20 seconds on (10-10.5mph) 10 seconds completely off (standing on the edge of the treadmill) 

stretching 

This is really intense first thing in the morning and gets my heart rate going like crazy, this usually adds up to about 3 miles in total and around 300 Kcal burned. 

If i don't have time to do a separate cardio workout i will do 10 rounds of Tabata as a warm up for my lifting. 

Although i do follow this training split as strictly as possible i do train at a strongman class on thursdays and saturdays. on saturdays we do events training such as farmers walk, yolk, tire flips, duck walk and many more. on thursdays we do mainly conditioning. 

if you have any questions, feel free to ask me and send me a message. i didn't want to ramble on too much 

Happy Lifting!