T H E I RON L A DY
are crossed that this success continues
into 2018.
ML: What does a typical training day
look like?
SM: I am often asked to discuss a
typical day or week of my training
but the beauty of CrossFit training is
that ‘typical’ doesn’t exist. Every day
is different and challenging in new
ways, from volume to intensity and
from skill level to aerobic demands.
There are also plenty of awkward
obstacle tasks and unfamiliar
movements with varied weights
and durations. That’s why I love it
I think, I’m never bored of my fitness
programme!
All I can really say is, I try to train
5 days a week, my sessions are usually
broken into 2 x 90 minute sessions
per day (AM then PM). I complete my
resistance training and accessory work
to focus on various muscle groups and
then work on barbell lifts and skills.
I practice gymnastics techniques,
tolerance of volume and usually try
out something new that I’ve seen and
find challenging. Then I aim to get
sweaty and to target my metabolic
conditioning.
I tend to take Thursday and Sunday
as active recovery/rest days and that’s
when I’ll go climbing, wakeboarding,
snowboarding or try a new sport. Each
week I usually aim to run, cycle and
swim at least once too.
ML: That’s a lot of work, how do you
begin to recover?
SM: Honestly, recovery is the key!
I’ve found in the last year that really
focusing on my recovery and all of it’s
elements has allowed me to take my
training to the next level. It allows
me to train harder when it matters,
develop my body where it matters and
to still function the next day as needed
for work and life! There is nothing
worse than having to ask your Mum
to wash your hair because you can’t
physically manage it after a heavy
training day, and luckily that isn’t an
issue anymore.
ML: Any recovery tips you can
share with us?
SM: My top recovery tips are as
follows:
• Hydration - 3L + works for me
• Sleep, this one is massive !!
10:00pm bed time every night, I need
my 8 hours.
• Awesome Supplements Daily Dose
vitamins and minerals, there’s so much
we don’t get from whole foods these
days and being strict with Vitamins
and Minerals makes a massive
difference to my body’s recovery
potential.
• Calories - and LOTS of them,
I can easily eat the boys under the
table.
I have a nutritional coach, Carl
Greenslade, who keeps on top of my
requirements and alters my plans as
my training changes.
• Rest. As much as I want to train
everyday, it’s a bad plan. Quality of
training always wins over quantity,
and gives your body time to refresh
and refuel.
• Stretching and mobility - iron out
those creases and cracks that I make
daily.
ML: What are your favourite
movements and workouts?
SM: I love all movements and
workouts but I would say that the
Olympic lifting really gets me fired up
and I currently have a 97.5kg Clean
and Jerk. I’m chasing the big 100kg
and an 80kg Snatch. I really enjoy
completing the benchmark workouts
written by the CrossFit founder
Greg Glassman, they are all named
after girls - Fran, Helen, Amanda
and Diane. Then there are the ‘Hero’
WODS (CrossFit lingo for ‘workout of
MARCH 2018 / MUSCLE & FITNESS
109