I sometimes get aggravated with Zuzka when she says things like - everyone can get a six pack, and it took me 2 days to learn how to do a pistol squat, etc, etc. She clearly is a genetic freak in a lot of ways - she would not be able to sell her ZGym if she wasn't. Michael Phelps would not have won more Gold Medals than anyone in history if he wasn't a genetic freak either. Granted both of them work damn hard. I mean they could sit around all day and be lazy and stuff their face with junk food and their genetic potential would never be known!
So I think we need to keep ourselves in check and keep our expectations realistic, but not use our genetics as too much of an excuse either. Somehow we need to find that happy medium.
I get scared sometimes at trying new exercises, or lifting too much weight - fear can keep me from making progress. I would say it is often the biggest obstacle for me. If I could have a trainer by side day in and day out I would make far more progress, but then again, wouldn't we all!
One way my genetics blessed me - I got damn lucky during my pregnancies. I put on under 15 lbs both times. I left the hospital both times in my pre-pregnancy jeans. I did not get any stretch marks, no diastasis recti. However, I do not like the way my skin on my belly folds anymore, but at least it is toned and flat. I worked for that part, but the rest? That's my genetics. I lucked out that way. We all have our thing. :)
Speaking of giving birth, did you guys know that Melissa Bender had a baby a few weeks ago?!
Congrats to her!
Check out www.benderfitness.com
She is doing a lot of post partum exercises right now, and she is going over diastasis recti repair exercises as well as pelvic floor health. If you need help in any of those areas, she has a ton of info for you.
And did you see that Edith finished her first power lifting meet?! Congrats to her too!
You can read all about it here:
http://www.traineredith.com/won-first-powerlifting-meet/
She is one strong woman! I am in awe. And she looks so feminine too. Gotta love it.
Pistol SQUATS!!!!!
I found another tutorial on pistol squats - this exercise is my nemesis! I just can't seem to get it. I am definitely not practicing enough either. I usually just try it once a week. GMB has done a tutorial before on pistols, but here is an updated one from them:
https://gmb.io/pistol-squat/
GMB has a different take on how to practice them - from the bottom up, rather from the top going down. I might have to give this a go.
how tall are you? 9months pregnant?? just looks like a little bloated! wow you may not even realise you were pregnant until 5th month :D do you ever wonder what zuzka wold be like if she was pregnant will she still have abs and stay shredded? or zuzka gains weight easily and she is a little short what do you think?
ReplyDeleteLOL! I know. I was small was I was pregnant. I am 5 feet 7 inches tall. But she came out 19.5 inches long an 7 lbs 6.4 ounces. She was in there somehow!
DeleteZuzka might gain a lot of weight when she is pregnant, but I am sure she will lose it all and have a six pack again in no time.
I knew about Melissa, I follow her on Instagram and so it was impossible not to know about her pregnancy :) She just started a Postpartum and Beyond challenge, so there will be a lot of new workouts. Btw Melissa Ioja posted new workout on her Facebook again, her live workouts on FB have been pretty good so far.
ReplyDeleteWow! That's the same thing with my mother for both pregnancies! She also gained 10-15 pounds with each pregnancy. I was little and didn't even realize that she was pregnant! But after menopause, she gained weight. I'm pretty sure that if she stopped eating as much as she does, she would lose it because her metabolism is still really high! If I ate as much as she did in a week, I would gain 10 pounds. With that being said, fear really does hamper down on workouts! I've been avoiding this workout since I know it'll take me almost 2 hours to finish, but I keep scheduling it everyday and as a result, I haven't worked out at all this week.
ReplyDeleteGO GET THAT WORKOUT AMINNOW!
DeleteFear is a big obstacle for me, as well. I remember trying to muster up the nerve to try handstands for the first time! I wish I could be like some people and just five right into things... But, working in a trauma icu alters reality a little and makes me a bit paranoid, haha!
ReplyDeleteAlso, you looked fabulous pregnant. I'm hoping that would happen with me, but who knows. I was born during a time when mothers ate whatever, whenever. My mom told me her diet while she was pregnant with me, was cheetos and big macs.. Lol. Needless to say, she gained A LOT of weight while pregnant.
Yeah, I was completely into eating healthy when I was pregnant. My thought process was - well, it isn't about ME anymore. I also was SO uncomfortable that eating a lot wasn't an option. It made the discomfort so.much.worse!
DeleteI had tests done because I was so small, but both kiddos were about 7 lbs 7 oz born a week early, and all was fine!
And oh yeah - I don't just dive into exercises either. I am always super cautious.
DeleteOh pistol squats...I can't get them right either. I do much better on one leg, but I'm still not at the point where I can "bounce" a bit on the bottom, I need to use the momentum to get right back up, or I'm stuck at the bottom.
ReplyDeleteThe exercise I'm terrified of is ninja jumps. All I see with that movement is the strain it puts on the knee joints, and I don't even have knee issues. I think ninja jumps are more dangerous than actually useful. It's the kind of exercise that could really damage the joints if one is lazy and unfocused and doesn't execute it properly.
Gina, I cannot believe your post-baby body. If this had been any other site I would have called that second photo a fake :-D Holy moly, that is probably the most impressive postnatal stomach I have ever seen. Does this run in your family?
I agree with Ninja jumps. IF I do them at all, I curl my toes under instead of trying them from flat feet and I feel like I have more control. Z does a lot of jumping around and not everyone's joints can handle it.
DeleteAnd yes - it runs in my family. Genetics! My stomach muscles shrunk back into place very quickly so I did not have the distended post pregnancy belly which a lot of women have. I mean your muscles are stretched out for months! I was lucky and I worked out while I was pregnant.
No stretch marks and no separation - BLESSED!
Secondly, my uterus shrunk back to its normal size fast too. I remember my OB commenting on it. The only draw back to that was I got MAJOR cramping from that. I thought I was gonna DIE it hurt so bad.
Steve Kotter teaches the pistol squat progression in a similar way to GMB. I could do pistols, but I always felt my body mechanics were a bit off with them. I tried GMB and Steve Kotter's way of doing things for a while, and it actually made me much more solid in the bottom position.
ReplyDelete