January is a time for new goals for the New Year! Having challenges and goals in fitness are the main reasons I love to compete. That is why I have decided to enter at least 5 jiu jitsu tournaments this year as one of my goals. I'm hoping to compete in as many local tournaments as I did last year. My other goals are getting into double lotus without my hands, improving my overall flexibility (especially in my splits), increasing my hamstring strength, and finishing the third draft of my book.
After my last injury I was reminded of the importance of flexibility work as I had lost some causing my body to feel stiff. Not only does it help with my jiu jitsu, but also makes such a difference in my entire body and well being. My body feels better and functions better when my flexibility is on point.
In 2015, I was thrilled to complete the second draft of my book. I still grapple with my eagerness to finish it, my perfectionism, and the time management to do the writing. My business and training are first priorities of my day, so I make the best of the time I have even if there is little left in the day. I have to remind myself that the process is a marathon and not a sprint even though I have more of a sprint mentality. It's a long-term project that's good for my personal growth as well.
One of the goals I'm most excited about is increasing my hamstring strength. I have trained for aesthetics the past few years, so it will be a nice change and extra motivation to track my strength. I do strength training for my entire body, yet chose to track my hamstring strength for two reasons. They are a lagging body part of mine and it will also help with many jiu jitsu techniques. I've been logging the weights and reps for specific hamstring exercises. I know I will have great gains with BetaTOR and HMB aiding in the process. They both keep my training intense with excellent recovery.
I wrote down what I need to do to reach these goals and break it down by the month, week, and day. Last year I checked my progress quarterly when my taxes were due as a reminder. This time I've decided to keep them under the current page of my desk calendar, so it's a simple reminder to check my progress monthly. Then I can make adjustments accordingly depending on how I'm progressing with each goal.
Today I'm happy to be back to my normal training regimen with my body feeling good. I originally planned to compete this month, yet realized my mind was all geared up and ready but my body wasn't. I've done many competitions when I'm not 100% mentally or physically, but I realized that I like to be at least 50% or more. After my injury healed, I've been working to get my stamina, flexibility, and intensity back to normal. Now I'm looking ahead to March for my next tournament and both my mind and body are eager to compete! Check back with me next month and happy training!
-Jennifer Dietrick