PHOTO CREDIT: RXd PHOTOGRAPHY
SPORTS PERFORMANCE
THE IRON LADY the day’) such as Murph, which is an epic battle of a workout where athletes can choose to wear a weighted vest.
ML: How does Murph work? SM: It goes like this- 1 mile run to begin, 100 Pull Ups, 200 press ups and 300 air squats, then another 1 mile run to finish.
Anyone who has seen the‘ Fittest on Earth’ documentary on Netflix will be familiar with this one and it’ s one of my favourites.
ML: How quickly can you do it? SM: My best time to date has been 47:50 with a 7kg Vest if you fancy a challenge...
ML: I’ ll check my diary and get back to you on that...! Why is it that women in particular should not be worried about lifting weights? SM: I’ ve been lifting weights and doing resistance training for around 3 years now. Anyone who has seen my Instagram profile(@ CFsheli) will know that when I started I was 75kg and about a size 14-16. I’ m now 64kg currently and a size 8-10 thanks to lifting weights and CrossFit.
My physical strength is a real asset and has always been my best feature as an athlete though I’ m not particularly big at all. Yes, my arms are defined, my stomach is flat and toned, and I have a curvy set of legs, but I still have a long way to go and many more years of lifting weights before I would be lucky enough to develop Arnie’ s curves.
For all those people thinking about trying resistance training it is important to understand that gaining muscle takes years of tireless effort and dedication, as well as seriously heavy weight sessions and high calories on a regular( probably daily) basis. It doesn’ t just‘ happen’ and there is no way you would achieve an athletically muscular body without deliberate and serious hard work.
For those ladies who want to firm up some of their softer areas, develop curves in all of the right places and confidently stand naked with the lights on... resistance training and lifting weights are well worth investing time into. But start off under the guidance of a coach or trainer.
ML: Finally, what changes are you noticing with the perception of‘ body image’ for females? SM: Body image for females, particularly the evolving athleticism of women within sports, has been a hot topic lately and I’ ve been asked about it a lot. There are so many conflicting views. Traditionally women are seen as these slim, fragile and precious creatures. But there are some revolutionaries, who I’ m proud to be one of, who envisage females as potential warriors of our time, who are sculpted to stand beside the many male heroes that dominate throughout history and within modern popular culture. Watch out boys, because the girls are coming and we mean business.
As a female athlete within sport it really is a psychological battlefield, and one where I have found myself caught between wanting to be the best athlete I could be and the incessant need to conform to the current socially acceptable realms of‘ beauty’. It took a long time for me to reverse this negative self-talk and to really start to own my physique and stand confidently with my ever changing body shape. Ronda Rousey( UFC fighter) once said that her body was‘ femininely badass as f ** k’ because every single muscle was developed for purpose. I really believe and admire this. I believe that I can be strong, independent, purposeful and a badass athlete, whilst still maintaining my feminity. Strong is the new sexy.
Weightlifting and resistance training is not for everyone, granted, but it is for anyone. The associated health benefits speak for themselves, not forgetting the psychological benefits, and the figure you can obtain is one to be proud of. ________
You can follow Sheli’ s journey on social media(@ CFsheli) see her presenting on stage in person at BodyPower in May or watch her compete at many CrossFit competitions up and down the UK.
110 MUSCLE & FITNESS / MARCH 2018