#MAKEITHAPPEN WITH ANNA MCMANAMEY

Skip to content X

Home
Training & Nutrition Coaching with Anna
Tribe ~ with Anna Mcmanamey
E-Books
Tribe Success Stories
Who I Am ~ Anna Mcmanamey
Get Social With Anna
Get In Touch With Me
Read My Blog
Coaching Portal

Blog

View Posts By:
Supplements | Training | Workout Videos | Nutrition | Health | Fitness Competitions | Recipes | Mindset | Transformations |

RECIPE: Meatballs with Roasted Sweet Potato & Carrot Mash

Ingredients 300g lean gluten free meat balls (beef, pork, or kangaroo work best)200g sweet potato (can also be substituted for pumpkin)200g carrot160g baby spinach2 tsp oil (avocado, macadamia,...

Are You Ready to Compete?

Competing is one of the most rewarding endeavours you can experience, but only because of how difficult it is - physically, emotionally, mentally & financially. â It will affect every area of...

Training When Sick: Should You Do It?

As the winter weather descends on us, often, falling sick does as well. The question then becomes â€“ should you train when youâ€™re sick? Given the current climate, I think a resounding NO would...

5 Reasons You’re Not Making Progress in the Gym

You've been busting your butt in the gym for months now, but you're still not seeing the results you hoped. Chances are, youâ€™re doing several, if not many things that are hindering your...

Stressed out? How to Balance Cortisol Levels Naturally

When youâ€™re under stress the adrenal glands release the hormone cortisol. While this is a healthy, normal & necessary response in short bursts, chronically elevated cortisol can set the stage...

What Your Poo Says About You

Did you know that your bowel movements can reveal a great deal of information about the health of your gut & body? Itâ€™s all here on the Bristol Stool Chart: a guide that uses stool shape...

1
2
3
…
16
Next

Join my TRIBE today!
It’s completely FREE! Woo!

FOR MORE TIPS, TRICKS & MOTIVATION > FOLLOW ME ON IG!
@IAMANNAFITNESS & @ANNA_MCMANAMEY

May 13

Want to build bigger hamstrings?🍖⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Th

Want to build bigger hamstrings?🍖⁠
⁠
⁠
The muscles that compose the hamstrings have two functions: bending the knee (knee flexion) and kicking the leg back (hip extension).⁠
⁠
To tap into the most amount of muscle fibres possible, you first want to train the hamstrings through both of these movement patterns.⁠
⁠
Hip extension: RDLs, Back Extensions, Good Mornings.⁠
Knee Flexion: Leg Curls, GHRs, Nordic Curls.⁠
⁠
So what about reps?⁠
⁠
Contrary to popular belief, the hams are NOT primarily made up of fast twitch muscle fibres, but rather an even mix of both fast and slow fibres.⁠
⁠
Fast twitch - heavier loads, lower reps⁠
Slow twitch - lighter loads, higher reps⁠
⁠
Because of this, you’ll find incorporating a mix of low, moderate and high reps will achieve better growth.⁠
⁠
And don’t forget your eccentric work. I’ve had some of the best results with Nordic Curls and GHRs. They are badass choices for growing bigger, stronger hams.💪⁠
⁠
TAKEAWAY👉 To build the most amount of hamstring muscle possible, you want to use equal volume on hip extension work as you do on knee flexion work, with a variety of rep ranges: low, medium, and high. Use eccentrics and other intensity techniques like dropsets, 28’s and partial reps and enjoy the burn.🔥⁠
⁠
In this video:⁠
⁠
▪️Seated Leg Curls, 28’s (7 full, 7 bottom, 7 top, 7 full)⁠
▪️GHR’s x8⁠
▪️Horizontal back extensions x15⁠
⁠
...ouch!!😖😭🤢⁠
⁠
Looking forward to getting back into these smash sessions again with @coachreeceadams once my knee has recovered.😈💪⁠
⁠
⁠
@redefinedfitnessau
@iamannafitness⁠
@prorawgym

May 12

When things don't happen right away, remember it t

When things don't happen right away, remember it takes 6 months to build a Rolls Royce, and only 13hrs to build a Toyota. Beautiful and well built things take time, and YOU are a Rolls Royce.🌟 #makeithappen

May 11

KNEE REHAB🦵3 weeks post-op and recovery is goin

KNEE REHAB🦵3 weeks post-op and recovery is going well, but I’ll admit, it’s hard to be patient.😒⁠
⁠
I’m still a month or two off returning to full training, but I’m working around it best I can. I’ve been following my rehab program religiously and keeping mostly to machine work, moderate to light weights (higher reps) and avoiding deep knee flexion. Making the most of eccentrics, partial reps and drop sets to keep the intensity high... and I’m feeling it - in a good way!😅⁠
⁠
Current training split:⁠
3x upper⁠
3x lower rehab + reduced program⁠
⁠
Here’s a look at one of my lower body rehab/training days:⁠
⁠
Rehab:⁠
🔹Bike 40mins⁠
🔹X-Trainer 10mins⁠
🔹Leg raises 10x BW, 1kg, 2kg/leg⁠
🔹Lying Hip Extensions x30/leg⁠
🔹Standing Single Leg Calf Raises x 24/leg⁠
⁠
🔸Lying Leg Curls 5x 20, 20, 8, 8, 8 + 25 partials⁠
🔸Stiff Leg Deadlifts 4x 20, 20, 10, 10⁠
🔸Leg Press, 3s eccentrics 5x 20, 20, 10, 10, 10⁠
🔸45d Back Extensions 3x 20⁠
⁠
Embarrassed to say my legs were FRIED after this.🥵⁠
⁠
Outfit // @ryderwear Motion crop + shorts⁠
10% off: ANNAM10 📍Link in bio!⁠

May 10

💌Things I would tell my younger self... 1. You

💌Things I would tell my younger self... 1. You will not be happier when you’re skinnier. In fact you will become more miserable, self-critical and reclusive the more weight you lose. 2. Dieting to achieve your physique goals shouldn’t make you cry. It just doesn’t have to be that hard. Educate yourself about nutrition and the importance of matching your food intake to your training needs. You will feel better, look better and be a lot nicer to hang out with. 3. The number on the scales is not a measure of your self-worth. It cannot gauge how intelligent you are, how much fun you are, your loyalty, work ethic or how much you are loved by your friends and family. A machine will never be able to measure that, and at the end of the day, isn’t that more important? 4. Exercise is not a punishment. Train because it adds enjoyment and value to your life. Change your motivation to be less about how you appear and more about who you are and what you have to gain. 5. Losing weight is not your life purpose. 10yrs from now you won’t even remember the workout you missed, the pizza you ate, how much you weighed or what your body fat percentage was. What may seem really important right now is pretty insignificant in the long term. Keep it in perspective and don’t sweat the small stuff. I hope that some of you reading this might identify and avoid making the same mistakes I did, or at least take comfort in knowing you’re not alone.💕 #makeithappen

May 9

Our habits always beat intentions. When the novelt

Our habits always beat intentions. When the novelty wears off, when life gets in the way, or when things get hard, habits will kill even our very best intentions - to go work out, to eat well, to drink more water, to get to bed earlier... The key to achieving permanent long term change then, is to change your habits. Research has shown that any behavioural pattern can be broken or created in just 3 weeks - what are you waiting for? #makeithappen

May 9

One for the dog mums 🐶❤️ @frankthewienerdog

One for the dog mums 🐶❤️ @frankthewienerdog #happymothersday

May 7

Weekend or not, if your goal is to become anything

Weekend or not, if your goal is to become anything that’s above average, not a day can go by without you investing in becoming that person. No masterpiece was ever created by a lazy artist.✨

May 6

Backstage pump up with @nikou.ahmadi 💪 Can’t

Backstage pump up with @nikou.ahmadi 💪 Can’t wait to see this pocket rocket back up on stage next weekend.👑 @iamannafitness It’s one thing getting in shape to compete. We know you need to diet and train hard, but what do you do in the days leading up to competition?📆⠀⁠
⁠
💦What changes do you make to water and sodium?⁠
⁠
💪How do you pump up backstage?⠀⁠
⁠
🥔What foods do you eat on show day?⠀⁠
⁠
👙What about bikinis, tanning and heels?⠀⁠
⁠
🤔How do you choose the best category for your body type?⠀⁠
⁠
⁠
There is far more to Comp Prep than training and following a diet, which is why it’s important to work with a coach who is well versed in all aspects of stepping on stage.💃🏼⠀⁠
⁠
With almost a decade worth of experience competing at elite level of bikini-fitness competitions + 7yrs comp prep coaching experience, I know a thing or two about what it takes to bring your A-Game.🏆⠀⁠
⁠
I’m now taking clients for 2021 Season B and 2022 shows ~ all federations.👑⁠
⁠
Work with me online💻 or face-to-face🏋️‍♀️⁠
@iamannafitness⁠
⁠
Let’s #makeithappen 💫⁠
⁠
Hit link in bio to enquire today👆

May 5

EXCUSES WON’T GET YOU RESULTS🚫 Winter, work,

EXCUSES WON’T GET YOU RESULTS🚫 Winter, work, study, family... many of us have a lot on our plate right now and would much rather stay home under the doona eating comfort food. I’m no different. But the fact of the matter is, if you’re making excuses for not keeping to plan, you’re not going to progress. Period.⠀ However... if you’re planning on revealing that “beach body” by September, you better get cracking!⠀ If you want to look like a fit, healthy person, start behaving like one.⠀ ❌No, cold weather is not a reason to skip training.⠀
❌No, stress is not a reason to eat off plan.⠀
❌No, your best friend’s mother’s second cousin’s birthday is not a reason to polish off a bottle of wine.⠀
❌No, a vacation is not a reason to eat like an asshole.⠀ Fit and healthy people do not make excuses for weak behaviour. They identify it, correct it and let it go. Change is hard, but you know what’s harder? Clinging to habits that are consistently holding you back. Let go of the BS excuses and learn to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. #makeithappen

May 4

Bringing up Lagging Body Parts⁠💪⁠ ⁠⁠ Be

Bringing up Lagging Body Parts⁠💪⁠
⁠⁠
Before you start blasting a lagging body part repeatedly over multiple sessions per week to within an inch of its life, you need to address training EFFICIENCY.⁠
⁠
If a body part isn’t responding to two sessions a week, increasing to three, four, even five sessions won’t necessarily fix the problem. It will often be counterproductive.⁠
⁠
Before you do anything else, you need to look at the underlying reason WHY it is not developing in the first place.⁠⁠
⁠
There are two factors you need to consider here:⁠
👉 how well you contract the target muscle⁠
👉 your recovery/growth capacity⁠
⁠
If you struggle to contract or feel a muscle working, it doesn't matter how strong you are or how intensely you train, that muscle simply will not respond favourably. You first need to take the time to learn how to “switch on” and contract that muscle.⁠⁠
⁠
This may require you taking a step back to refine and work on your weaknesses, to then ultimately take a leap forward once you have achieved full contractile ability.⁠⁠
⁠
Then, you need to give your body the best chance to adequately recover, adapt and grow. In most cases, lagging muscle groups will have a poor capacity to recover from training. Blasting it with too much intensity and overtraining will only further limit it's ability to grow.⁠
⁠
Also, you need to ensure your recovery basics are covered: Are you eating enough? Are you sleeping enough? If training is the stimulus for building your body, food and sleep are the bricks and mortar. You can have a whole construction team at the ready, but without the materials, nothing is being built.⁠
⁠
Outfit // @ryderwear Adapt🐾⁠
10% off: ANNAM10

May 3

Ladies - is this you?👇⠀ ⠀ Bloating + fluid

Ladies - is this you?👇⠀
⠀
Bloating + fluid retention⠀
Stubborn fat + cellulite (especially butt & thighs)⠀
Mood swings⠀
PMS + irregular periods⠀
Fatigue + low energy⠀
⠀
If any of those symptoms resonate with you, you may be experiencing the effects of oestrogen dominance (or estrogen for US followers).⠀
⠀
Oestrogen dominance is where the body contains too much oestrogen compared to progesterone. Both hormones play crucial roles in a woman's health & menstrual cycle, but when this ratio becomes out of balance, the above symptoms can occur, leaving us feeling pretty crappy & often making it much harder to achieve our physique goals (think more fat, less muscle).⠀
⠀
To help the body eliminate excess oestrogen we need to support the functions of our liver & gut, as these are responsible for the breakdown & elimination of oestrogen:⠀
⠀
💦 Drink more water – water plays a vital role in toxin & hormonal elimination. Most active females should aim for a minimum 3L daily.⠀
⠀
🌈 Eat the rainbow – colourful fruits and veges contain polyphenols, flavonoids & carotenoids (especially the skins and peels) that help feed the good microbes & support healthy gut function.⠀
⠀
🥦 Eat more fibre – fibre is essential for healthy bowel function & toxin elimination. Eating more veggies, fruit, beans, lentils, whole grains & seeds can increase fibre intake.⠀
⠀
😴 Get quality sleep – 7-9hrs quality sleep per night is critical to optimal health. Deep delta sleep means you are releasing more Melatonin which activates detoxification cycles.⠀
⠀
💦 Sweat more – daily exercise & sauna therapies naturally assist the body in eliminating toxins via sweat.⠀
⠀
🍷Eliminate alcohol - alcohol impairs oestrogen metabolism & increases oestrogen in both men & women.⠀
⠀
🍞Avoid inflammatory foods - eat a gluten & dairy-free diet to reduce histamine & hypersensitivity to oestrogen.⠀
⠀
🍃 Supplementation - essential nutrients such as B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, fish oils, selenium, DIM & calcium d-glucarate all work to support oestrogen metabolism & detoxification. You’ll find most of these in @switch_nutrition #EstroSwitch 🙌 All you need is 2x caps AM + PM.⠀
⠀
10% off: ANNA10 🤑 Link in bio!

May 2

So you overate, missed a workout, and didn't accom

So you overate, missed a workout, and didn't accomplish what you had hoped this weekend...⁠
⁠
The worst thing you can do is drag your bad choices with you into a new week.⁠
⁠
Get back up, refocus and get right back on track.💛

May 2

They say, "what you eat in private, you wear in pu

They say, "what you eat in private, you wear in public" and this is absolutely true. Your body will keep an accurate log of everything you're consuming, even if you aren't. This is where many people struggle with #IIFYM or #flexibledieting. Left to their own devices without the rigid boundaries of a set meal plan, extra calories start sneaking into their diet simply through lack of accountability.⠀⠀ While you can still be flexible in your approach, dietary compliance still matters. Prepare your own food and measure your portions, or if you're eating out, be specific with your food diary entries. Log the components separately, and overestimate to be safe. Don't just choose a generic entry that most conveniently "fits" your macros. Stricter tracking will always yield better results. Keep your goals closer than your temptations this weekend 💪🏼 #makeithappen

Apr 30

If you feel like you’re constantly self-sabotagi

If you feel like you’re constantly self-sabotaging your own goals, you need to ask yourself this one question: 👉 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝘽𝙀𝙉𝙀𝙁𝙄𝙏 𝙖𝙢 𝙄 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛-𝙨𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙧? We can all relate to a time where we have consistently sabotaged an expressed goal, whether it’s failing to stick to a diet, consistently skipping workouts or cardio, not showing up for practice, over-spending your budget or not doing the necessary work or study to build your career. Logically, it makes absolutely no sense to get in our own way and make reaching our goals substantially harder, so why do we do it?🤷🏼‍♀️ It all comes down to whether the goal you are trying to reach is truly in line with your 𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗨𝗘𝗦.🙆🏼‍♀️ 〰️ Maybe you “feel” like you need visible abs, even though it requires sacrifices you’re unwilling to make. 〰️ Maybe you “feel” like you have to compete, when really you want to take a break. 〰️ Maybe you “feel” like you need to build up your savings, but aren’t willing to cut back on expenses. 〰️ Maybe you “feel” like you need to further your education to please others, when really your passions lie elsewhere. Failing to stay focused and do the work is simply feedback from your brain telling you that your goals are not aligned with what you truly want in life. Naturally you will want to gravitate towards what is truly valuable to you at that point in time. In contrast, when you set goals that are aligned with those values, you’ll find yourself intrinsically motivated to go out and chase them. The drive is there. It just HAPPENS.💫 Rather than becoming frustrated and beating yourself up, ask yourself if the goals you’re chasing are truly yours, or someone else’s.🤔 #makeithappen
@iamannafitness
www.iamanna.com.au

Apr 29

Here's the problem with doing a different workout

Here's the problem with doing a different workout every day...⁠
⁠
⁠
How many of you have a training schedule that looks something like this?⁠
⁠
Mondays: you run.⁠
Tuesdays: you do some weights training.⁠
Wednesdays: spin class.⁠
Thursdays: maybe pilates or another group class.⁠
Fridays: morning Bootcamp.⁠
⁠
If you have time to mix things up with another workout class or HIIT session, all the better.⁠
⁠
Because that’s what getting fit is all about, right? Mixing things up?⁠
⁠
Yes and, well, mostly no.⁠
⁠
While you won’t see much change in your fitness or physique doing the exact same thing during each workout, constantly “keeping your body guessing” isn't going to produce much progress either.⁠
⁠
Yes, you burn calories, but you won't build much muscle, or get significantly better at any given exercise, both of which are necessary achieving your fitness goals.⁠
⁠
To burn fat, build muscle, or get better or stronger at an exercise, your workout program should remain pretty consistent for a minimum of four to eight weeks. Maybe even 10.⁠
⁠
That’s where progressive overload comes in. By regularly increasing your exercise intensity or workload you continue to overload the body and keep it guessing just enough.⁠ That's when the magic happens.⁠
⁠
Need help designing an effective training program?⁠
Hit the link in my bio to enquire about 1-1 coaching.☝🏼⁠⠀

Apr 28

Hip Thrust 140kg x 6💙💙💙⁠ Only a few yea

Hip Thrust 140kg x 6💙💙💙⁠
Only a few years ago, I couldn’t get more than 80kg off the ground. Back then I made it my mission to hit a 100kg hip thrust, which I did, right before heading off to my first @wbffentertainment Worlds. >>SWIPE>> Crazy to think that this is now a warm up!😅⁠
⁠
In order to build muscle, increase strength, improve performance, or for any similar improvement to occur, the human body must be forced to adapt to a work load that is above and beyond what it has previously experienced.⁠⠀⁠
⁠⠀⁠
We call this 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗢𝗔𝗗.⁠⠀⁠
⁠⠀⁠
Every time you train, your primary goal is to “do more” than you did the previous week. Either by:⁠⠀⁠
⁠⠀⁠
• Lifting the same load & reps with better form, more control & less effort – 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮.⁠⠀⁠
• Lifting the same load & reps for increased distance - 𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.⁠⠀⁠
• Lifting the same load for more reps &/or sets – 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙚.⁠⠀⁠
• Lifting a heavier load – 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮.⁠⠀⁠
• Lifting the same load, reps & sets with less rest – 𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮.⁠⠀⁠
• Lifting the same load with more speed & acceleration – 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩.⁠⠀⁠
• Doing more reps, sets and/or weight in the same amount of time – 𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮.⁠⠀⁠
• Lifting the same load & volume more often throughout the week – 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮.⁠⠀⁠
• Doing the same work while losing body mass – 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙚.⁠⠀⁠
• Lifting the same load & volume & then extending the set past technical failure with forced reps, negatives, drop sets, isometric holds, rest pause, partial reps or post-exhaustion techniques – 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩.⁠⠀⁠
⁠⠀⁠
Need help with your own training? Hit the link in my bio to enquire about 1-1 coaching.☝🏼⁠⠀

Apr 27

Body transformation is about far more than the hou

Body transformation is about far more than the hour you spend in the gym. It's the decisions you make the other 23 hours of the day that will have the greatest impact.💥⠀⠀
⠀⠀
Are the choices you're making today in line with the goals and dreams you have tomorrow?⠀
⠀
Work hard towards self control this week.💪 #makeithappen

Apr 26

BFR TRAINING🔥⁠ Exactly 1 week post knee surge

BFR TRAINING🔥⁠ Exactly 1 week post knee surgery and can’t train yet, so I’m living vicariously through past workouts.😅⁠
⁠
Here’s one that is going to come in handy for my recovery & return to lifting.💪⁠
⁠⁠
BFR (blood flow restriction) works by restricting part of the blood flow from your arm or leg in order to provoke muscle adaptation.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
It restricts venous return while still allowing arterial flow, resulting in a substantial increase in muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth) and stimulation of muscle protein synthesis. The exact science is obviously a lot more detailed than this but that’s the basic premise.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Here’s why I like BFR training, especially if you’re dealing with injuries/niggles:⁠⁠
⁠⁠
▪️Train with less weight - 20-50% of your 1RM which means that less stressful heavy lifting is needed to increase muscle growth.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
▪️Maximise output in less time - this type of training fatigues your muscles faster, activating both type I and II muscle fibers. Type II are normally the hardest ones to activate unless doing heavy training.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
▪️Shorter recovery time - BFR training techniques also have much faster recovery times, meaning DOMs aren’t going to get in the way of your next workout.⁠⁠
⁠
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀 & 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝘀𝗲?⁠
The 30-15-15-15 protocol is most commonly used with BFR training. Here’s the breakdown:⁠
⁠
1️⃣ 30 reps / 2020 tempo⁠
2️⃣ Rest 30s⁠
3️⃣ 15 reps / 2020 tempo⁠
4️⃣ Rest 30s⁠
5️⃣ 15 reps / 2020 tempo⁠
6️⃣ Rest 30s⁠
7️⃣ 15 reps / 2020 tempo⁠
⁠
If you’re unable to complete >50 reps, reduce the weight until you can complete all 75 reps.⁠
⁠
To make it harder, increase the occlusion pressure (Max 80%) or the weight.⁠
⁠⁠
👉 You’ll get the best muscle-building results combining BFR as an accessory to a traditional strength or hypertrophy program.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
I’m using the @sagafitness.official BFR Cuffs which are fully wireless and automatically calibrate to your unique occlusion zone. They can even be controlled by your smartphone device via the SAGA Fitness app!🙌⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Shop the BFR Cuffs online & save 10% with my code “ANNA10”💰 Link in bio!⁠⁠
⁠⁠
#sagafitness #bfrcuffs #bfrtraining

Apr 25

A few truths about women and muscle gain💪⁠
⁠
1️⃣ Muscle growth is a painfully slow process, especially for women. You are not going to turn into the Incredible Hulk overnight. Not even in a few months, or even a few years. The highly muscular women you see on stage train specifically to achieve this look and are either genetically gifted, enhanced or both.⁠
⁠
2️⃣ If you’re addicted to competing, or perpetually live on low calories, don’t expect to improve much.⁠
⁠
3️⃣ Sleep protects muscle. Those who get less than 7hrs quality sleep per night during a diet phase will lose more weight from muscle than fat compared to those who are well rested.⁠
⁠
4️⃣ More training ≠ more progress. If you are training hard enough, 4-5 days per week is plenty.⁠
⁠
5️⃣ Figure out why a muscle is weak and underdeveloped before throwing a whole lot of extra volume at it.⁠
⁠
6️⃣ Technique is everything. You could be following the best training program in the world, but if your movement patterns are sh*t, your results will be too.⁠
⁠
7️⃣ Track your progress. If you aren’t consistently logging your weights, setting new strength/rep targets, taking photos, etc, you will likely stay looking the same.⁠
⁠
8️⃣ There is no universally “ideal” body fat level for muscle growth. Find the place where you feel, perform and recover best.⁠
⁠
9️⃣ Protein is arguably the most important macronutrient for muscle growth. Aim for a daily target of 1.8-2.2g/kg then structure the rest of your calories around that.⁠
⁠
🔟 You must continually find new ways to keep challenging yourself to force your body to adapt and change. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.⁠ @iamannafitness⁠
www.iamanna.com.au

Apr 25

⚖️ How much weight should you gain during the

⚖️ How much weight should you gain during the off season? 🤔⠀
⠀
👉𝘼𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨 𝙔𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮.⠀
⠀
This will look entirely different from one client to another. 5kg to one person could mean 10-15kg to someone else. This is why you’ll NEVER see me setting off-season weight targets for my clients. In my opinion, this is not only incredibly limiting, it can be down right harmful.⠀
⠀
The primary goal post-show should always be to stabilise hormones, hunger, energy, mood & general health, NOT losing your mind because you’ve gained a few hundred grams more than some arbitrary number your coach has set you. What good is that number if you’re not getting a period, your training sucks, & you still feel like sh*t?!💩⠀
⠀
While it’s never a good idea to let all discipline fly out the window & gain a tonne of body fat between shows, gaining enough body fat to support optimal health, muscle growth and recovery IS.⠀
⠀
It's likely you'll NEED to gain a little more body fat than you’d like to effectively build muscle, get stronger and make changes to your physique. That way, when it does come time to diet again, your results will reflect the hard work you put in during your time off.⠀
⠀
We each have our own unique set point where our body functions optimally, and there isn’t a coach in the world who can tell you what that number is. While a coach should be there to offer guidance and support, it’s up to YOU to keep check of your own biofeedback and what your body is telling you.🗣⠀
⠀
An optimal off-season weight is one where you:⠀⠀
▪️Get restful, restorative sleep each night.⠀⠀
▪️Your hunger levels are manageable & you’re not food-focused.⠀⠀
▪️You’re recovering well from training & getting stronger.⠀⠀
▪️You feel happy & energetic.⠀
▪️Your digestion is healthy (no bloating, excessive gas, constipation, etc).⠀⠀
▪️You have a healthy, regular menstrual cycle.⠀
⠀
Whether that’s 5kg, 10kg, or 15kg over stage weight, the perfect off season weight is the one where YOU are living your healthiest, happiest life🙌⠀
⠀
Are you a competitor needing support & guidance during your off-season? Apply for 1-1 coaching at link in bio☝️

LEGAL

Payment & Delivery
Returns Policy
Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy

SUPPORT

Contact
Media Enquiries

0

0

Your Cart

Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop

Continue Shopping