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Lady Strong!

Justyna Mackova

Level 8 Valued Member
Team Leader Certified Instructor
Elite Certified Instructor
About me: 30 years young, 168cm, 55kg, no injuries, one husband, no children, two lovely cats.

Mobility: need to work on my hips and shoulders regularly (especially loaded mobility for my shoulders = heavy get-ups, windmills, arm-bar etc.).

Backgrounds: Kettlebells were introduced to me by my husband - @Pavel Macek (Senior SFG) 8 years ago. I didn't have any athletic and sport experience before that. From that moment I am combining mostly kettlebell and bodyweight in my training. Last 2 years I start to „play” with barbell as well (deadlift is my favorite one!).

On daily basis, since 2010, I am leading classes in my „ladies only” Gym in Prague called Functional Training with the help of my great crew. We are focusing on strength and moving well - building strength, health and confidence in women.

Last year (2016) I went through: SFL (twice) and SFG2 recertification. I had also a pleasure to assist on SFL as well.

Now (being specific: today), I’ve finished Rite of Passage program with 16kg. I did chin-ups (and assisted chin-ups when it’s got „heavy”) along with my presses. I am going to take a two days of rest (I will do some mobility work only) and test my press and chin-ups.

Aims: To be strong as hell and still look like a lady (in my opinion - the best match/combination). To have strong, healthy, anti-fragile body and mind - ready for any challenge.

My longterm goal is to be Iron Maiden one day, which, with my bodyweight, will take me some longer time to accomplish (probably 2 years at least).

In free time: I love traveling, hiking, taking photos, drawing and dancing. I occasionally add some yoga classes to my training regiment. Generally I am looking for balance in my life and in the training.

justynamackova.jpg
 
Today is my rest day, so I did only mobility drills in the morning:

- few minutes of foam rolling and Original Strength
- "Escape Your Fighting Stance" program from Jon Engum - which I have been doing last month on my variability days
- (cossacks, pigeon and QL stretch) x3.

I am feeling really great today, I had also high HRV score today. I am a little sore and feeling "pumped" after yesterday's heavy (high volume) press training, but it's a nice level of soreness.
 
Today's mobility work:
- foam rolling and Original Strength - about 10 minutes (I am doing it with my students every morning)
- light get-ups with 3 windmills on the top: 12kg x5 (by the way - it's my favorite variation of get-up, see the older video below, with 16kg at my husband's gym)
- "Escape Your Fighting Stance" program
- (cossacks, pigeon and QL stretch) x3.



Today's was my second rest day. Being honest I can wait to come back to "normal" training with some weights. Tomorrow is my test day for press, so I going to eat & sleep well to be ready for it!
 
So precise! Great example. I like adding windmills at the top, too.
 
What is the "Escape Your Fighting Stance" program? Is it online somewhere to look at it?
 
@pet', @Anna C - thank you! I am glad that you like get-up variation with windmill, it's called Turkish Windmill.

@Swann 1 - "Escape Your Fighting Stance" - program for opening the body (shoulders, hips). Very simple, but in the simplicity is a strength. In short - 3 supersets of basic mobility drills, which most of SF students know (Brettzel & SF arm bar, pump & tactical frog, prying goblet squat & hip flexor stretch). I like to use it as a warm-up or after my training session (and of course, during the days when I sit a lot, which is not so often).

But, like @DavThew wrote, I recommend reading Flexible Steel book, or taking a workshop.
 
Today's test day (after ROP program with 16kg)

- warm- up: 10 +10 1HSW with 16, 3x get-ups with 16kg, 3x1 press with 16kg, clean with 20, 22 and 24kg
- press - 1RM: 18kg left hand (which is my SFG2 testing weight), 20kg right hand. My bodyweight before training = 56kg.

Press: I have also tried 22kg on the right hand but I got stuck exactly in the middle. 22kg on the right hand feels better than 20kg on the left. I need to work more on tension, and other strength-skills (@Pavel Macek words ;-)

I have also test my pull-ups today - I did 7 tactical pull-ups, which is nice surprise, as I did them only additionally to my presses and I have been doing mostly assisted pull-ups (with bands).

Next few days I am going to do some random acts of variety (freestyle) and on Monday I will start "new" program. "New" because my aim is staying the same - get stronger at press. I want to progressively work to 1-2-3 with 18kg. My secondary focus is to accomplish 10 strict pull-ups.

To sum up today's day - I am happy with results. It is still surprising that I can do 75 presses (I mean total reps) with 16kg and only one press with 18kg on the left hand.

Long way ahead of me, but like my husband is saying - the best way to eat an elephant it to start with small bites... I am really excited about the journey!
 
Yesterday I had planned to train but I was so sore that I decided to take a day off (instead of training I slept and ate a lot!)

Today’s practice:
  • foam rolling and Original Strength
  • get-ups: 12,12,12,16,16
  • few deadlift singles (which is always making me happy): 70, 75, 77,5, 80, 82,5kg
  • 2HS, 20kg: 10x10.
I feel much better today, but still - i took it easy. Last few days is really cold in Czech Republic (I mean - for me), so I feel like I have to save some energy for my inner „heating”.
 
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