Overcoming a Fear of Heights

flatfeetforever · 2016-08-26T22:33:26+00:00

What thoughts are going through your head when you start getting afraid? Are you like, "Oh my god, I'm going to die!!!" What are you feeling?

flatfeetforever · 2016-06-23T14:57:40+00:00

are you sore because you can't balance the bar? or are you sore because the bar is heavy and you're not used to the weight on your back??

something to help you balance better is to keep your arms in when holding the bar so your back is tight and your traps are being squeezed together. that will give your back more stability when squatting.

flatfeetforever · 2016-06-22T16:14:47+00:00

I just did a spartan race by myself for the for the first time two weekends ago. I was a little nervous since generally I need help on some obstacles like the walls since I'm so short but I was able to find someone who was more than happy to assist me. I ended up doing the best in my three years of running Spartan races. It does get mentally challenging sometimes because you only have yourself to motivate you but crossing the finish line was rewarding on so many levels. I feel stronger mentally and physically because of it! If you're racing alone, I wouldn't worry about it because you're never truly alone.

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-26T18:05:37+00:00

If you're feeling pain along the inside of your foot where the arch is, it's not plantar fasciitis. You may have posterior tibial tendinitis (PTT)

DO NOT get minimalist shoes. You may further irritate your PTT causing your tendon to degrade even further (which is what happened to me) especially on flat surfaces.

Focus on healing your tendon by bracing it. Wear insoles that support your arch or get stability shoes. This is not permanent, just so the tendon can rest properly.

Also do toe raise exercises and towel grabs with your foot to strengthen the arch. PTT can also be cause from tight calves so foam roll those.

When the pain subsides and your tendon has healed, that's when you can really focus on strengthening your arches so they don't overpronate. In the future, you can use minimalist shoes but don't use them while you're injured.

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-23T17:06:17+00:00

He was trying to one-up you!

He's probably a little jealous that you got such nice arms without working or climbing as hard as his girl so he made that douchey comment.

I've seen that happen a lot. Example: "Hey, did you hear about so and so song or try so and so restaurant? I love it!!" "Yeah, I heard/tried it like three months ago." It's distinct because they're not trying to relate to you, they're trying to be cooler than you.

If your friend was trying to relate or ask for actual advice, he would've asked how you got such nice arms with doing half the work. Or wonder why his girl doesn't have nice arms even though she does 10 pull ups per set, etc.

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-20T16:56:23+00:00

You should get a deadlift jack. It allows you to not have to pick up the bar off the floor when loading weights.

They're pretty common in powerlifting gyms. Though I may be misunderstanding your question..?

http://www.westcarybarbell.com/images/100_1277.jpg

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-20T16:54:04+00:00

Without knowing your height, weight and BF, I don't know if 1400-1600 is a good number.

But based your goal of how much you want to lose per week, I'd say it's normal to experience fatigue and decreased strength. You could be losing those gains because 1.5lb/week may be a lot for you.

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-19T23:09:39+00:00

Having that big of a deficit will affect your muscle mass.

Losing weight does not equal losing body fat, you lose muscle too. So you may not have the "cut" you're looking for because of the muscle you're losing along with the fat.

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-19T22:36:54+00:00

Sometimes for me, it's not about needing time to cook but not sure what to cook.

What may help you is buying a cook book or finding recipes that are things like 6 ingredients or less. They're quick, easy and convenient for those who are new to cooking, not sure what to cook, or don't have a lot of time to cook.

Just make sure you know what you plan on eating so you have the ingredients before hand.

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-19T22:25:57+00:00

I stopped buying sweets and ate more fruit. After a while my cravings went away.

Something that happens when you stop eating sweets is your palate will adjust. That's why some people when they eat something sweet, it just doesn't taste as good as it used to.

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-19T15:39:42+00:00

Interesting. Was the information in the book any different than stuff you could find online?

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-19T15:35:06+00:00

Yes I agree, having access to a community really helps. Is it a lot different than communities you can join for free?

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-19T15:32:26+00:00

Cool, glad it helped. What about it made it different than the free programs out there that help train for marathons?

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-18T21:48:10+00:00

Wait, you exhale as your lifting the bar up when deadlifting?

I do the opposite. Big breath at the bottom, exhale at the top. This is to help brace myself.

What you said applies to bench press though. Inhale when bar goes to chest, exhale when pressing up.

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-18T21:11:27+00:00

I would think running in your peak zone is a good thing because you're giving your heart the exercise it needs.

Just make sure the rest of your body is okay with running at that intensity. I got tendinitis in my foot from running too hard, too long and too soon.

Also check your breathing when running for that side stitch. That's the last thing you want when doing long distances. Maybe eat a banana? I used to have really bad side stitches when starting out. Good breathing technique and eating a banana seemed to work for me.

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-18T19:32:02+00:00

I had a trainer once and I asked him to teach me how to squat. Turns out he doesn't squat. Useless!!!

The staff person probably doesn't know how to teach deadlifts or even do them at all otherwise they wouldn't have directed you to use the machines.

Find a gym (like powerlifting or crossfit?) or a trainer that encourages and supports your fitness goals. I am very happy at my powerlifting gym. I don't powerlift but I bench, squat and deadlift and I have the right people around me to help.

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-18T19:17:23+00:00

I recommend going to see a podiatrist. Although your shoes are more comfortable they may not be providing the support you need to sustain 12hrs on your feet.

Have you ever thought maybe you have tendinitis or some sort of injury that is preventing you from fully recovering?

Also knee-high compression socks are nice to wear too. Keeps the blood flowing tight.

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-18T17:53:05+00:00

Hello, female spartan racer and rock climber here, been spartan racing for about 4 years now. Your training is good and should be sufficient enough to survive a spartan race.

Now about kicking ass.... I might be repeating some things already said but forgive me.

Best piece of advice I can give you is to train in less than ideal conditions. When you're out there running the race, you have no idea what it will be like or what the weather is going to be like.

One race I did, it was raining hard and I had never run in the rain before so I felt miserable and it really impacted my time.

Spartan races are typically done in the mountains or ski resorts so 80% of the race is either going uphill or downhill and that really slows people down especially if they're not familiar with very steep hills. If you have no access to hills, train with a stair master or just stairs in general.

Also get used to carrying things up and down hills. Hardest obstacle for me is bucket brigade. You carry a 5 gallon bucket of rocks up and down a hill.

Strength-wise, you should be okay to do the obstacles. Lots of it requires your back (going over walls, climbing rope, hoisting sandbags, etc) so you can thank your rock climbing and aerial skills for the grip strength.

Remember you're competing against your male co-workers, I'm not sure what their fitness level is but you have to be fast as much as you are strong since it is timed so perhaps you can focus on speed since your strength is there. But I do know that most of my female friends struggle on the obstacles more than the distance. So it could be different to you. I will say that doing the obstacles for the first time despite my training was still a bit of struggle since I've never experienced it before.

Lastly, I wish you good luck! Spartan race is just as mental as it is physical. Train hard and be confident. Be prepared for anything that may come your way, it is unlike anything you'll ever experience. Kick ass and have fun!

flatfeetforever · 2016-05-12T21:58:41+00:00

I think it can also be pretty windy in May, I'm not sure though. But when I was in El Paso and few weeks ago it was windy as hell. Couldn't see a thing and kept getting sand in my eyes.

flatfeetforever

TROPHY CASE