Ryan sat down with up and coming fitness content creator @Olivialee.fit to understand a little more about how she is keeping fit during isolation. Olivia is creating some excellent content and trains like an absolute warrior - definitely worth keeping tabs on her!
Hi Olivia, great to chat, please tell our audience a little more about yourself.
Well, I’ve been a rock climber for 20 years, competed at international level and travelled the world with it. Alongside climbing, I’ve always done, and loved, weight training. I think I have just always loved training in general and I love pushing myself both physically and mentally and I am always up for a challenge. Since lockdown I’ve adjusted from labelling myself as a climber, to more of a functional athlete. Recently, I want to focus on my weight training more as I feel I need a break from the pressures I feel in climbing. I’m psyched to get stronger, learn new skills and to see where my weight lifting journey will take me. I also enjoy running, downhill biking, and basically anything outside.
Well that certainly explains why your pull ups are so impressive, I saw your pull up workout the other day and despite training for over 15 years, I have no where near the level of control you have! So tell us, how have you been keeping fit during isolation, have you found it okay?
Mainly bodyweight workouts, running and some training sessions with my little barbell. (Can’t wait to get my proper bar and weights which obviously I've ordered from Recharge Fitness, I feel like I need an advent calendar counting down to an early Christmas!)
At the start of lockdown, I was so psyched and motivated. I set up a business in September which I devoted all my time to. Lockdown brought it to a standstill which allowed me some time to train for myself. I even did a Pull Up charity event, where I did 200 pull ups (strict) a day for 7 days for Mental Health week.
I also tried the Chelsea CrossFit WOD and loved how it pushed me. This then got me a little hooked and I started doing more CrossFit style workouts. I loved how they tested me mentally as well as physically. To get the most out of each workout, you have to give it 100% mentally and I fell in love with that.
My motivation throughout lockdown has been through some serious highs and lows, like most people. Training from home has its pros and cons, the atmosphere isn’t there and a lack of equipment and space can lower motivation but, you just have to make the most from the situation! But after being a competitive athlete for so long, I know that it comes down to discipline not necessarily motivation. The motivated workouts are the ones where you feel unstoppable and you can really push yourself. Doing the workouts were also my escape on bad mental days, and kept me sane (ish)! Training has always been my hobby and has never been a chore, I think lockdown has made me more appreciative of what my body is and it’s been a big learning curve for sure!
Sounds like you've been keeping yourself pretty busy then. Couldn't agree more, training is so good for mental wellbeing and there couldn't be more challenging time with isolation and everything else going on in the world right now.
Olivia has been kind enough to share one of her home workouts with us.
Duration: For Time
Difficulty level: Intermediate
Work out name: Bodyweight Burpee Chipper
Instructions:
Complete the following then reverse it!
Burpees are C2F (chest to floor) but can be changed to half burpees for beginners
V-Ups can be changed to sit ups if required.
15 Burpees
50 squats
15 Burpees
40 Lunges
15 Burpees
30 V-Sits
15 Burpees
20 Squat jumps
15 Burpees
10 Press Ups
Then back up the ladder!
I also did a 1km run on a treadmill for a buy in and buy out! This is optional!
That is amazing, thank you so much Olivia, we will get the team to give this a go and if anyone else wants to try, let us know how you get on. For those who want to watch Olivia give it a go you can check out her video below: