IFBB Figure Pro Teresa Anthony shares an update with three weeks to go until the 2011 Figure International. This time around she shares why she changes up her routine, shoes and more. Check it out!
It is just about 3 weeks to the Arnold and I am starting to get super excited but anxious at the same time. My diet and training seems to be going well but like every other competitor I have my hungry moments, which seems to get more frequent the closer I get to the show. But hey I think that is just part of the discipline of the contest prep and finding that inner strength to ignore the cravings. The winter weather has also been a challenge, there are mornings that it is tough to get out of the bed and head to the gym. My biggest goal at this time is to stay focus and not let this factors interrupt my prep.
Change#1:
There are times in the competition prep that I find myself getting bored with my routine and needing to change things up a bit. When I say changing up a bit, it can be from changing the days you train a bodyparts, incorporating more plyometrics, maybe adding some power-lifting move within daily weight training, or even changing up your cardio of choice. I also find myself working out at different gyms to break the monotony of my daily routine. Recently, I decided to try different something different for my leg training. Over the years and I have heard time and time again that I need to work on legs, more quad sweep, etc. So noted. 🙂 In the effort to make improvements to my legs, I started training with wrestling type shoes, which are ugly, flat but I did find they assisted me in focusing more on my form and range of motion during my reps. I definitely noticed the difference, I was able to go deeper on squats and leg press and I felt more tension on the quads while training. Recently, I noticed many folks in the gym have been wearing these five finger shoes (which looked weird to me initially), therefore, I went out to purchase a pair for leg day. Five Fingers are shoes. Or slippers. Or socks with flexible Vibram rubber soles on the bottom. They have five toe cutouts and absolutely no arch support or traditional foam padding in the soles. I have been wearing them for 2 weeks and so far I used them for front squats, lunges, leg presses, hack squats, deadlifts, cardio on the stepmill and stairmaster and even for going the grocery store. I can say I am truly satisfied with the purchase and I have been getting the best quad pump with this shoes.Change #2:
In efforts of continuing my changing in routine, I have been also started rope climbing. My gym installed two ropes hanging from the ceiling and I have incorporated the rope climbing into my back and arms workout. My weekly back routines consisted of the typical back exercises such as pull ups, dumbbell rows, pulldowns, etc., however, I have incorporated the rope climbing in between some of my sets and this way I am constantly shocking the muscle. Here is my an example of my back training:1. unassisted pull-ups (3 sets, 10 reps)
2. cable pull downs (3 sets, 12 reps); then Rope climb to the top
3. dumbbell rows (3 sets, 12 reps); Rope climb
4. dumbbell pullover (3 sets, 15 reps); Rope climb*As a disclaimer, it might be a good idea to wear gloves for the rope climb!
Change #3:
One of the biggest adjustment I have been working on is my attitude and confidence in my physique. For many years I have had a complex about being skinny and not having the body to match up with the Pros. Well, towards the end of last competition season I made up my mind that I have to embrace what God gave me and just keep working towards making improvements. While I might never completely have the bod I desire, I am still a work in progress and striving the to best of me this season. After all….skinny is not that bad. 🙂Until next time folks… peace out!
Teresa
Follow Teresa on twitter @FitTeresaNicole. Give her a shout and tell her you saw her on Hardbody.
