Explain Your Sports, Part 2: Womens Bodybuilding Divisions

Bodybuilding is a sport in which absurdly lean and hungry athletes get on stage wearing next to nothing but a spray tan and a glued on bathing suit. There are no feats of strength performed on contest day- all of the lifting is done in advance. Weeks, and sometimes months, of dieting have preceded show day. This contest is not about what we can do, it’s about showing off the physical manifestation of the work we have done in the days, months, weeks, and years prior.… Read More Explain Your Sports, Part 2: Womens Bodybuilding Divisions

August 9, 2019August 10, 2019 Spio3 Comments

Explain Your Sports, Part 1: Strength Sports

Oh hey there. I’m up to some shit again. Another thing, a new thing… kind of. In a surprise to nobody, I’m a real busybody, it turns out. Two and a half weeks ago I opened up my bodybuilding season by taking home a silver in the pro figure division at the WNBF California… Read More Explain Your Sports, Part 1: Strength Sports

August 9, 2019August 9, 2019 Spio1 Comment

Giving Up Control

I’ve always been proud to tell people that I’m self-coached. Two elite powerlifting totals and a natural bodybuilding pro card felt like even greater accomplishments when I could add that little tidbit on the end. I did it, all by myself. The traiing, the nutrition, the accountability- those victories were mine, just mine.

What an arrogant asshole. … Read More Giving Up Control

April 26, 2019April 27, 2019 SpioLeave a comment

Tiny Little Hormones, Big Freaking Deals

Let me just start this by saying that I feel awesome. I’ve been away for a while, and I talked about that a bit in this post, so I won’t get back into it again, but I’m super glad to be back and feeling good. I’ll preface this post by stating that I am… Read More Tiny Little Hormones, Big Freaking Deals

September 20, 2018September 20, 2018 Spio8 Comments

Meet Report: USPA Drug Tested Metroflex Classic 2018

Holy moly, did it feel good to get back on the platform after 18 whole months away. Just kidding. It was a complete and utter shitshow. From top to bottom, the worst meet of my life. Spoiler alert: Objectively, the meet seemed to have gone well. I earned my second elite lifting total, and then… Read More Meet Report: USPA Drug Tested Metroflex Classic 2018

June 16, 2018June 15, 2018 Spio3 Comments

Pre-event Dreamscape

Regardless of what competition I am getting ready for, or for which sport, about four weeks from the date, I start to have incredibly realistic and invasive dreams about the event, and in every single one of them, it’s going terribly, terribly wrong. This seems like a atrocious betrayal of my brain, in the weeks… Read More Pre-event Dreamscape

May 17, 2018May 18, 2018 SpioLeave a comment

What Are the Limits?

It’s been a long time since I tested myself really pushed my limits to see what I was capable of- for most of the past year… ummm, year and a half, let’s be real, I’ve been simply trying to survive, and there was no room for pushing myself beyond that. My last powerlifting meet… Read More What Are the Limits?

May 7, 2018May 6, 2018 SpioLeave a comment

Clicking “Follow” Isn’t Your Cue to Be the Boss of Me

Edit: Clarifying the roles of White Knight and Mem after some confusion. First of all, if you’re one of the lovely people who chose to get butthurt about my use of the word “mansplain,” or thought you should lecture me about “not all men,” when I last talked about women being harassed on the… Read More Clicking “Follow” Isn’t Your Cue to Be the Boss of Me

January 31, 2018February 1, 2018 Spio27 Comments

I’m Super Glad 2017 is Over

I’ve had a challenging year- not only as an athlete, but as a human. If you’re a regular reader, you’ve likely noticed- and been disappointed by- my irregular writing and intermittent social media presence in the past 12 months. During contest prep, I typically do more writing, more posting, more sharing, more how-to-ing, but this… Read More I’m Super Glad 2017 is Over

January 14, 2018January 14, 2018 Spio6 Comments

The Mystery of The Best Dietary Approach

Low carb. Keto. Paleo. IIFYM. Flexible dieting. Intermittent fasting. Calories in-calories out. *insert branded diet name here* OF COURSE you can eat donuts. OF COURSE avocados have magical fat burning qualities. OF COURSE grains will murder your pets in their sleep. OF COURSE you need to buy this disgusting shake. Dietary approaches are incredibly… Read More The Mystery of The Best Dietary Approach

September 28, 2017September 28, 2017 Spio2 Comments

Squat Rack Shenanigans

Striking a Balance Between Strength and Stage