My formula for happiness: a Yes, a No, a straight line, a goal.

I haven’t updated this in a long time though I am sure no one has noticed…. lol.

I am doing a meet tomorrow in Los Altos May 22, then for the summer not training for ANYTHING. Its going to be great, I get to pick a few fun things to get better at that DON’T include Snatching!! I am going to get my Back Squat and Push Press up. I need handle Back Squatting 315lbs like a motherfucker and I want to Push Press 185 lbs. I am also gonna do KettleBells and jumping plyos for conditioning so that by the end of the summer I am lean mean 135 lbs! I have worked VERY hard to be 143-5 ish lbs and will do my normal upper body assistance work to keep building muscle b/c I NEVER want to have a skinny upper body. GROSS. But I want to lose about 5-7 lbs of body fat, then I could kick ass as a 63 kg lifter. I don't feel like my "extra" fat is helping me. I know I am going to get made fun of for saying that, but if you are a girl, don't even pretend that you don't understand!! I can't wait to get jacked! It’s going to be the fun summer I have never had. Minus working my job all the time, oh yeah.

I have been planning this "fun time" for a while. months in fact. I have a detailed routine of my fun lifting plan. It is actually kinda insane and not what most people would think of as fun.  Nietzsche is my favorite philosopher and I feel that his ideas fit really well with my own world view and my thoughts and feelings on sports and my sport. One of the things he wrote, in Twilight of the Idols, was 

"My formula for happiness: a Yes, a No, a straight line, a goal."

For me Happiness is having a goal to work towards, thats why even my off time/off season is planned and goal oriented. The fastest way to reach what you desire is a clear shot, a straight line. 

A YES, A NO. A lot of times I have to say NO to certain things and activities. Like going out with friends, sleeping in for fun, lounging around and generally "relaxing" (relaxing that is not counted as "Recovery" time) But I do not feel like I am missing out, really. well sometimes I do, but that is a fleeting feeling. When it comes down the wire, I would be happy dying knowing that I gave myself 100% to my goals and aspirations, AND WAS TRUE TO MYSELF. But I would say YES to having a family in a second and NO to training hard (at least for a year, hahah) 

*49% Motherfucker. 51% Son of a Bitch*

I am a huge Motorhead fan and obviously the documentary on Lemmy Kilmister had me frothing at the mouth in anticipation.  Oddly, I learned so much about MYSELF from the film, not just the fucking amazing badassness that is LEMMY. Various interviewers asked him throughout the film how it felt to still be creating, recording music and touring at 63 years old. Being a man of few words, but all the right ones, he simply says something along the lines of “I’m not qualified to do anything else, really.” The drummer says “They said motorhead was the worst band in the world, well the kids are showing up to see the worst band in the world!”

Motorhead has released 25 albums. There is no end. In the beginning they did not have an endpoint. I love that Lemmy keeps doing what he loves. He lives in a little 1 bedroom off the sunset strip and pays $900 a month and won't move because it's rent controlled and right by The Rainbow Bar and Grill. He says he doesn’t need more. 

He can do what he loves, that’s all that matters. 

That’s beautiful to me. 

Respect. 

With weightlifting or any sport, or even just working out to be in better shape/stronger, there is no endpoint either. Someone I know wrote this:

"The destination truly never comes. The closer you get, the further away it moves."

You have to enjoy the journey, enjoy the struggle, enjoy the pain! Not just enjoy the pain: LOVE the pain! To create your destiny you must be in control of the journey, knowing where to turn your sail. In every endeavor in life you are progressing or regressing. There is NO middle ground, stagnation means regression... Basically if you are not pushing to get better you are moving backwards, getting worse. THE DESTINATION NEVER COMES.

so enjoy the sweat pouring off you know and always give 100% in whatever you do! 

Just like my hero, Lemmy Kilmister! *49% Motherfucker. 51% Son of a Bitch*

Fit Expo Bench and Deadlift Invitational

This past weekend I had the honor of competing with some of the strongest ladies in the USA in the US Powerlifting Association's Fit Expo Bench and Deadlift Invitation Meet.

It was very fun, I had a blast even though I lifted Raw (no gear, just a belt), so my numbers, especially in my bench were way below most of the other ladies. My raw deadlift was about in the middle of the class. I weighted in at 141lbs and lifted in the 148 lb class. My powerlifting buddy Emilio from back in the day handed off and handled me, then he had to go for his softball game and Justin Lovato helped me with my deadlift. The slaps helped, thanks man! It was a huge crowd and lots of my golds gym buddies stopped by, hung out and cheered for me! it was soo cool! I was not nervous at all, I mean, its just for fun, right!?

In the Middle Weight (132,148, 165 pound) classes, I came in 3'd in the Bench and 3'd in the Deadlift out of 5 girls. Which is cool b/c I lifted raw, no bench shirt, no deadlift suit.

What I realized is that I am a way better Olympic Weightlifter than Powerlifter. I was one of the tallest girls there, definatly the tallest in my weight class! I realize that I love WL more than PL, but PL will ALWAYS  hold a special place in my heart and I know I will always be hitting up some PL meets! I love that I can't be pinned down as one or the other! I also love that I lift at "The Mecca of Bodybuilding!" I love combining aspects from all three sports to benefit each other.

I also met Olympian Cara Heads, which as very cool!! what an humble, amazing athlete and classy lady!

Thanks to Steve Chen, Max, and Larry for taking video and pics! My friend Larry lent me his mom's (how cool is that!?) old belt for DL in!

Faith and Patience

Well I better write down my 2011 goals before its not January anymore!

*Clean and Jerk 100 kilos in Competition-currently 96 kilos. handling 90 kilos on a weekly basis for multiple sets and doubles on jerks. 

*Be able to HANDLE 70 kilos in the Snatch in training-currently have randomly hit 70 in training and 65 consistently. 

*Back Squat 150 kilos-currently @ 136 kilos, and can hit 130 almost any day.

*Power Clean 85 kilos-currently @75 kilos for sets of doubles, 78-80 max PC. 

*Shoulder Press 135 lbs- currently @115 for triples. 

I have been thinking about the Pyramid Of Success lately, by John Wooden. He died about half a year ago. I have read most of his books and his ideas have formed a huge part of how athletes are spose to behave and act and view success and "failure."

My favorite idea that Wooden had is what is written at the top of the Pyramid. "FAITH AND PATIENCE."

Faith and Patience: all good things happen with time.

When I started Weightlifting I was 23 /24. WAY TOO OLD by anyones standards to start a sport, much less one that takes YEARS AND YEARS to get good at.  And that you have to start when you are FIVE!! I planned on WL till I was 30. Now I am 29. But I refused to believe that. I knew I had the perseverance and stamina to do whatever it took. I will be so tired from work, but the moment I step into the gym and smell the iron and sweat and I feel alive. Everything else melts away. Its just me and my passion. 

These are mostly the same goals I have had for years and years. Silly me thought that I was gonna clean and jerk 100 k in my first year of Olympic lifting. I had no idea that kind of strength/form/posture that it really takes. So these are my seemingly modest goals. When I accomplish them I will be very proud of myself. I love my sport more than anything. I would do anything to be able train everyday to improve.  I used to have daily training goals, ie, hit a certain number. I do not have those anymore. I do not need the extra pressure b/c I know I would never not try my absolute best every attempt. To not try my best would disgust me. 

I have faith in myself.

I trust myself that I will always Find A Way.

I believe that if I always give 100% and train smart I will do my best. Doing the best that you can do is all Wooden asked of his athletes and thats all that I ask of myself. Have fun, enjoy the ride and push harder! 

I realize, I get so cold/When I was young, I was already old.

As the darkest, coldest hours of the year comes forth as the Winter Solstice, the astro sign of Capricorn begins and continues till the middle of Jan.

In my "humble" opinion ( I just say humble b/c as a Capricorn I know I always know best, okay? lol) its a pretty amazing sign to have.  Some might say that its all bullshit, but I have noticed that all the Caps I know have a similar aura and similar traits and a silent confident way we carry ourselves.

We usually get underestimated -because we aren't a loud obnoxious Fire sign or a sprightly Air sign, or a over emotional weird-o Water sign. (generalizations haha!!)-because instead of TALKING about what we are going to do, or what we have done in the past, we let our actions speak louder than our words.

We will climb the highest mountain and never surrender. Quitting is seriously NOT an option. When we put our mind to something we have will power to control ourselves to a scary degree.

We aren't showy. we usually wear dark colors and love mysterious and evil things. we know were are badass and don't need to announce it to world (ahem, Leo's!!).

We are sexy and dark. and we don't need to show it off to get what we want. we would rather earn it.

We are serious. Everything we do is part of plan for greatness. Get the hell outta the way if you aren't gonna help us or watch out.

We have a dry, whitty sense of humor. Knock knock jokes don't cut it. weird oddities do.

While we may come off as stubborn, we are actually just being patient and biding our time all while calculating master plans in our heads.

We love work. when we aren't working towards a goal we go freaking crazy! we love goals and dislike people that are ambitionless and floaty and change their minds every 5 seconds. we know that "talent and luck" don't exist and are just a result of hard work!

We will do anything for the ones we love and destroy the ones that threaten us. without any hesitation.

Unless you are amazing in some sort of way, or unique we just don't care about you and in fact don't even know you exist.

All in all I really like my sign and find it quite true and I am very glad that I use my traits to make myself the best Strength Athlete that I can be. I find great pleasure in all the training I have to do to become one and hopefully I will one day live/lift up to what I know I can accomplish.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL MY CAPRICORN FRIENDS!!

Speed Force!!!/Keep Squatting and you'll get there.

AN APPLICATION  OF SPEED FORCE/STRENGTH! 

Speed-Force or Speed-Strength is often a term used in sports to describe the application of an Explosive Movement. Anything where you are pushing or pulling as hard as you can for less than a second or two. It's an anaerobic effort. The maximum effort your muscles can exert in the shortest/"fastest" amount of time. Former UCLA Head Strength & Conditioning Coach Doc Kreis was really into "Speed Strength."

Some examples of Speed Force/Strength are Throwing Sports (shot put, javelin, hammer, discus) and Weightlifting (Snatch and Clean and Jerk). With Throwing, the weight stays the same and the distance tries to be increased. 

Check out my friend Christina Scherwin!!

With Weightlifting the weight lifted tries to be increased and the distance (floor to overhead) stays the same. 

This a Aimee Anaya Everett, she is amazing and very inspiring to me!

So they are kinda opposite, but the maximum about of force created stays the same. You give 100% effort each time. Or at least at 80-90% and above. Training for a sport that requires you to move a heavy object is different than training for a sport were the object is relatively light. Strength is a DETERMINING factor in success, as well as TECHNIQUE. You can be strong as freaking bull but if your form is shit, you will not throw far or lift what you are theoretically capable of. 

Soo the questions remains...what music should you listen to while trying to develop Speed Force/Strength? 

Well....how about Maxxxwell Carlisle's new shredding the fuck out metal instrumental album called SPEED FORCE?!!!? it rocks majorly and I did the album layout and my muse J.J. did the photos! 

Check out a sampler of songs and seriously buy the album on Itunes. Don't be cheap sauce, okay? 

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/speed-force/id405381508

Fit Expo

The only news I have is that I am gonna Bench and Deadlift in the LA Fit Expo Jan 30.

I was not planning on doing a meet till the spring or summer 2011 and just "relax" over the winter (aka get hella jacked and just do fun body building stuff in addition to weightlifting.) It would have been a nice mental break. But since I qualified to lift because of the USPF State Games I thought that I should. Out of 5 girls invited to compete I am ranked 3'd in DL and 4th or 5th in Bench. In the 132-165 # weight class. My bench sucks. :) Its all Raw for me at least. Oh well, it will be a fun two month training period and after that I am gonna take a break and rock out!! I am actually gonna follow a diet too and eat regular meals and protein and stuff. OMG! lets see what miracles happen!

http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/node/16651