Do You Need PEDs To compete – Powerlifting

Hey Everyone,

Before we get started on today’s post, I wanted to mention that I did create the Facebook Group — it is called “WonderWomanFitness named after my business of course so that it would stand out from other fitness groups and makes it easier to remember. I created it today, nothing is posted as of yet & I am the very first member! LOL. However, I am going to be working on it more obviously over the course of the year and updating it with fun stuff — please share ideas/feedback.

Secondly, I already had a Facebook Page (2 actually); I deleted the one I created first that had more following because it did get hacked a couple of years back when it was connected to my old IG account, so after I created a new IG account, I never deleted the facebook page that was linked to it, so I decided to remove it & I am now using the new facebook page I created last year. It has my logo as the picture & I have updated the about me section. I will continue to also work on that project as well because I want to gain more following and prospects. The page can be found under “WonderWomanWellness” — because I wanted it to reflect mind & body health. I actually changed the page name but it hasn’t yet updated — so I am going to keep messing around with that. There is more to come with both of these projects, but feel again add / follow them and share any feedback! Thank you.

What are PEDs? Performance-enhancing drugs.

It is no new information that athletes in various sports have used PEDs, this isn’t a new 2022 trend, but it is now being more widely talked about on YouTube, Instagram and other platforms. I have watched a couple of YT videos discussing the usage of PEDs and even interview professional athletes who started their career without drug use then turning to it, to be more competitive within their sport. It is not a black/white picture, there is a lot of grey because its not necessarily “looked down” upon by many but still not widely accepted by many either. I think it is half/half as to whether or not people are for or against it. This post can get quite lengthy talking about PEDs and hopefully in a separate post, I will be able to go into more details around the usage based on sciences and interviews done by experts because I do believe it is an important issue surrounding sports (team and individual sports alike). For today, I wanted to discuss specifically powerlifting due to the fact I compete in powerlifting and have been for the last 5 years — so this hits home for me more so now than it did in the beginning & I kind want to share my views but also add in some clear answers for those who are thinking about competing in powerlifting.

First and foremost, I do NOT take PEDs and have NEVER taken PEDs, but I have THOUGHT about it on various occasions and still to this day think about it quite often as to whether I should. There are many obvious reasons as to why one would contemplate on taking PEDs and many reasons why one wouldn’t want to and both sides are respected by me. I am not for or against, I am neutral because I have no experience with PEDs. If you had asked me 5 years prior, I would have said “H*ll no! totally against it” because of my lack of knowledge at the time and my thoughts surrounding it. Now because I am more open minded and knowledgeable, I am more accepting of those who do choose to take it AS LONG AS THEY ARE HONEST! as I would be as well if I was taking PEDs. I can honestly say I have had people offer it, know people personally who do take PEDs both men and women and I have to say they enjoy the results they gained from usage. What is keeping me from taking PEDs? my morals. However, that could change because as said before, I do think about it many times. Also, I am 30 years of age and so I have to look at it from the perspective of what stage of life am I on, and how important is it to me to be the best at this sport or even come close to it? Consequences vs rewards mindset — so there is that as well.

The obvious answer to the title of this post is NO, you do not have to take PEDs in order to compete in powerlifting, It is not a requirement and while many people assume we all take PEDs, it is not true. Again, I am natural and have won 3rd place, came VERY VERY close to breaking a state record and have done well in my sport without using. So natural lifters do win and can do very well in the sport. The problem surrounding PEDs and powerlifting is the more competitive someone is, the higher the chance they might dabble with PEDs, especially if they decide they want to compete full time, become a professional powerlifter, become top/elite, break records, etc.. this pressure to be the VERY BEST is why so many athletes turn to PEDs. It doesn’t mean because you are competitive or someone is competitive they will take PEDs but it does mean the PRESSURE might come at some point from a coach or friend, or a fellow competitor or gym member. We have to remember we all have the right to make our own choices when it comes to this and you have to be prepared for when that time comes and you need to make a decision as to what path you want to take with this sport. Not all of us compete in this sport to win or be the best, many compete to have fun, for the experience and to prove to themselves they can do it & not everyone is meant to be the best, which is why it is a small percentage of athletes that are considered elite and/or professionals. We can’t all be the best, there is always someone faster, stronger or better than ourselves and we need to be okay with this going into a sport such as powerlifting because otherwise you will find yourself going crazy & doing things you wouldn’t normally consider doing.

I personally look up to Stefi Cohen, Hunter Henderson, and some other named athletes in this sport who have/are doing very well and some of them do use PEDs — if not all of them. I also realize that these men and women I look up to and think are incredible, I wouldn’t have a chance unless I were to use PEDs and out-trained them — even then it is not guaranteed I would be “better” than any of them or become the “best” — which means it is a risk to set my standards that high because of the mental and physical strain it would have on my body. I mentioned above that I am neutral on the topic of PEDs, but in a perfect world, heck yeah, I would love for us to all to be natural born athletes who are competing against one another without worry of someone doping – it would be awesome! but we don’t live in a perfect world and people are going to do what they want to do regardless of our feelings/emotions towards it. For obvious reasons, I would never be an advocate for the use of PEDs –there is obvious health issues that can stem from it & even death but by keeping an open mind it has helped me to realize that I could be competing against both natural and doped athletes & regardless of their performance, I am going to do my best because that is all I can control. Right?

There are drug-tested meets/federations and non-drug tested as well, you have the choice as to which you sign up for and which federation you join. Look over the rule books, get an understanding as to how each federation operates their meets, etc. Be informed, stay informed and make informed decisions that YOU CAN CONTROL. I have my right to be upset if I know someone is doping and competing in a drug tested meet but somehow goes “under the radar” — yes it upsets me, but again, I can’t control that & by being angry, I am either going to channel that anger and do awesome at the meet or channel it negatively and flop at my meet <— choice is mine. again.

So whether you are against or for it, I respect both sides 100%. I always say, be honest about it. Be safe about it, and stay connected to a medical doctor for blood work and other health test to be sure you are informed. In the meantime, I am not going to do PEDs anytime soon, but do know if you are choosing to do PEDs, think about your WHY and weigh in on how important your WHY is, look at the risk and reward and decide how that might reflect on the people who look up to you. If you are being honest and your truth is your truth, you have my respect but if you are doing it to become trendy or “cool”, then you get no respect from me. Point blank. Same as those who lie about it, no respect from me & if you are using it without understanding of it, no respect from me.

Are you for or against PEDs? Why or why not? share experiences– good or bad. I would love to know what everyone thinks and remember I am not here to judge, so please feel safe in my space. Thank you.

Shay-lon #TheFitnessWonderWoman

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Trainers- In person Training (Intro)

Good Morning,

Happy Sunday readers & followers!

It is fair to say that if you are a customer who prefers ‘in person’ personal training services, that you want someone who knows what they are doing and how to meet the requirements of such a task. It is also fair to say that the majority of clients utilizing a personal trainer for in-person training does not know what to expect (besides exercise) and is vulnerable to this because they want results, and a learning experience.

Trainers, it is your JOB to make sure the client gets both to the best of your ability BUT the client puts in the work if only the trainer knows how to train properly. Read this again if need be because this statement is very IMPORTANT! #PreachShayPreach

In this particular blog post, I want all my trainers to think long and hard about their training methods — what worked/works & what hasn’t and doesn’t for your particular clients. If you do not know, then you need to pay attention to your style of training, tone of training and the clients you train. Besides those 3 things, there are other small knit picking things I will bring up here and there to engage my audience, play devils advocate and open up your brain to ‘out of the box’ thoughts… because as a trainers our job is to LEARN, and TEACH. Simple but something many trainers fail at.

In person training will have two sides; clients & trainers. 1) Smaller categories: group training, 1-on-1 training. 2) Tiny categories: outdoors training/indoors training, gym training/at client’s home training, cardiovascular training/resistance training (we can dive even deeper if necessary), bodyweight training/equipment training, training females/males, training youth/adults, training on land/aquatics, training weight loss/sports specific/muscle gain, PLUS MORE!! many of if not almost all of these will be again be mentioned when I talk about remote personal training.

This was your introduction. My goal is to put together an E-book and/or subscription for both clients and trainers (one for trainers and one for clients on ‘in person training’). My blog post will be very basic information — that will lead to more detailed information in the E-book and/or subscription group. It will outline important foundations for both parties. Clients & trainers should read what is specific to them FIRST, but then read about each other. I will be teaching trainers and clients alike, but in return I want both trainers and clients to teach me — communication is everything. I will be learning from my own research, your research, your experiences, and YOU will be learning from me, from others, your own research and experiences.

I will be creating a Facebook Group in the near future for both clients and trainers alike. I will be sharing details once I decide how I want to go about it. I have some fun ideas I want to implement to take my blog higher and reach more people, but also to elevate my business as a personal trainer — gain clients, gain networking partners, and gain more insight for my learning. The Facebook group will also represent this and will have its perks for those who want a dedicated community! If anyone has feedback they want to share about creating a facebook group and/or information they want to have included in this group; please leave all comments! I read them all during the week. I might create some polls, or post with questions for further feedback as well. #letsgetexcited

Friday, Saturday and Sunday of next week — would normally be post but I might make those poll days to gain insight from my readers and followers. This INTRO was the start of what is to come with my blog and a starting idea for my facebook group I create.

Sign up for Remote training / contact me with questions & those interested in doing guest post, partnerships, sponsorships, and online events — please feel free to contact me! always open to networking and writing for others as well as having writers be introduced on my blog.

Shay-lon Moss

Trainers, Are you online, In-person or both?

Happy Friday!

<—- Thank you to all those who have continued to show support to the blog, I have a list of topics I need to skim over and reevaluate before I dive into them on the blog, so I haven’t forgotten to leave great fitness articles, I just need some intrinsic motivation and a little less outside fun keeping me from focusing! grrr LOL. Nothing beats summer, and it is on its way and I will be outdoors more than ever, but with this being said, I might have some fun fit articles to add about my outdoors adventures! To be cont….

So, RULE ONE as a personal trainer is becoming one, YES, but besides that is figuring out what type of training you want to offer your customers and best fits your lifestyle goals as well. For awhile before the pandemic, I was strictly in person training, but during COVID-19 (in which I decided to jump to a new city and start my career someplace new, yay!) I found that the studio I worked for was doing both in person and online personal training services. 10-11 months after leaving that job and starting my own personal training business, I realized that I did happen to enjoy online personal training sessions as much as I do in-person training; win-win. Now, a year later, (technically 2 years later) I am still choosing to offer both options because even though gyms are becoming more frequently used again and people are feel more comfortable leaving their homes — I find that the lifestyle that online training provides me is AWESOME SAUCE! but, I love being hands on with clients, so I need that in-person as a balance.

For anyone that is a personal trainer in the industry for any length of time, have you decided on which direction you would prefer to take your business? Hybrid? online only or in person only services? IF not, THEN, you should give this a tad bit of thought as you accrue more clients because they both offer pros and cons, and maybe adding one service or the other can heighten your business (financially, creatively, growing the amount of people you help, adding more ways to enjoy your work-life balance, etc.). I am not trying to change your mind in this post, but simply give you some ‘food for thought’ information that helped me decide what best works for me and how I see myself moving up my success ladder I have in mind for myself.

Now this information isn’t coming from a 6-figure trainer by any means, just a simple gal, making the struggle in a new city (no connections) into her success of a great business and wanting to help other trainers along the way — perhaps we can help one another?! no such thing as knowing everything, and we might all have degrees and experience, but the fitness industry is growing rapidly and with so much information, so many questions still linger and many trainers GIVE UP because they feel lost, financially struggling to the point of feeling defeated, give in to the temptations of working at a gym and having them rob us blind (not all, but most commercial gyms) — YES, I started at a gym after college for many years! and at the time I didn’t see myself going anywhere else, but that changed when I recognized my full potential (this was like 10+ years later)LOL! here I am, wanting to help myself but also wanting to build a community with other trainers who need the support as well. I am reaching my hand out to help, but if you don’t take it, then don’t expect me to beg you. Seriously.

I have some knowledge under my belt, and besides using it to help clients reach goals, I want to use it to help myself and other trainers reach our own goals in life with our business and growth. So again, I ask you, have you decided on which route you want to take with your business — online training? in-person training? or both (hybrid)? and then ask yourself why this works for you – more importantly think about/write out the pros and cons of your current business you run or if you don’t have one, think about the pros/cons you are running into being a personal trainer. How does one or both models work for you so that your weak points become what you work on to make into a strength in your business. This same exercise, I, too need to sit down and do myself — I only ask of you what I need to do myself because sometimes we need to sit down and analyze things under a scope.

As said before, I do hybrid training — I love the balance it creates, and due to being in a new city, allowing myself to do in-person allows me to meet more people in my community & build a local community (GOALS!).

Oh! you probably thought I would list out pros/cons of each of these models? NO! I am sure most of us have already in our spare time and if you haven’t, maybe eventually you will. I don’t want to bog down trainers with tons of information, I just want to share some short & sweet thought provoking business stuff for personal trainers today. Perhaps, I will have a list of my own in soon to come post, or perhaps, I’d rather have all of you share your own insight with me — so I can comment and engage with my readers and fellow fitness industry professionals 😀 win-win. Now, time for me to start my morning with a shower …

I will see you guys tomorrow. Homework: Trainers.. answer post question. Readers: I might have a poll for you tomorrow ….. (fitness related) for my own interest!

Follow me on social media, I am posting a heavy duty sumo deadlift on my IG today! woot …

Shay-lon Moss

#WonderWomanFitness is the business

#TheFitnessWonderWoman — is the lady in charge! me.

P.S Accepting clients, contact me for details!

Sleep First, “Fitness” Later

Sleep disorders.

  • insomnia
  • sleep apnea
  • narcolepsy
  • restless leg syndrome (RLS)
  • REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD)

Just to name a few. There are a few others I left off my list, but are just as important as these five, but for today, we will discuss these TOP 5 sleep disorders and how we can benefit from good sleep that will then indeed carry over to a good workout session & vice versa, how having a good workout will carry over to a better sleep pattern in the long term.

Its no news to us that many people fail to get the optimal amount of sleep necessary each night due to the ever increasing needs of our jobs, families, social life/ night life, school, and other activities that become priority over our sleep schedule. For many “I’ll sleep when I am dead” is the outlook you live by and to be honest, while I understand much can be done when we aren’t sleeping, I still believe that this saying does more harm than help in the long term when it comes to health and well-being. I will start by saying that as a kid, I was up VERY late almost nightly on the weekends with my sibling playing video games, outside, and didn’t think twice about it when it came to getting up for school the next morning because I was willing to make that lack of sleep sacrifice and my body was capable of handling it — whereas my brother was not a morning person, so his lack of sleep only made him more irritable in the morning & harder to wake (I do not miss being late for school due to him, LOL). My mom was definitely strict about bedtimes, but as you know, kids are rebels at times and prefer to break rules than follow them, so while I did have a “bedtime” schedule, it was more or less me hopping into bed staring at my ceiling or sneaking on my electronic(s) at the time and falling asleep hours later. Never been great at falling asleep, nor staying asleep. As I have aged, and grown to have more responsibilities, and hormonal changes, I have now realized how much I value having a decent amount of rest at night.

How many of you were young once, and sleep was optional? LOL

I’ve had both, jobs that required me to work 3rd shift (night til morning) and 1st shift (morning til midday shift) so my sleep changed constantly due to college, work, social outings, etc. and I never really got to a point where my sleep was stable. Even now. I literally have a bedtime during the week that I tell myself to follow in hopes I will be tired by then, but normally, I am laying in bed on my phone or having troubles falling asleep because my body isn’t quite ready to shut down. Yes, there are methods I can take/ have taken and they did work, but again, laziness to make it a habit or I would rather do something else instead impedes my judgement. Which as humans, if we do something, it is because “we feel like doing it”, so if I don’t feel like doing it, then I won’t and same goes for you. However, getting a good night’s rest is very important — it can make or break a workout the next day, it can cause one to become self-reliant on caffeinated beverages, it can cause more stress with lack of sleep, the chances of heart attack increases with lack of sleep, we don’t recover well from workouts when we don’t get ample amount of sleep and we fall victim to moodiness, fatigue, and our brain functions rely heavily on good sleep patterns.

How many of you struggle with falling asleep? What do you do when you lay in bed wide awake?

Sleep Insomnia (I do believe I have this disorder) – persistent difficulty initiation, duration or quality of sleep (https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia)

so basically insomnia is when we have troubles falling asleep — there are many different breakdowns to insomnia in which we will not discuss in this post but do know that for those of us who struggle with insomnia, we definitely can make things a tad bit easier for ourselves if we follow through with some nifty tips: restricting use of alcohol/caffeine and nicotine in the evenings, limiting the amount of screen-time before bed, avoid stimulating activities while using your bed (besides sex) — these are just a small few ways to help but most importantly speak with your doctor or a specialist in sleep to better help you!

Sleep apnea – a condition where you repeatedly stop and start breathing while you sleep. (https://www.sleepapnea.org/learn/sleep-apnea/)

Sleep apnea is linked to health conditions such as diabetes type 2, depression, stroke and high blood pressure to name a few. There a few treatments one can use: CPAP therapy, lifestyle change (weight loss, the positioning of your body while you sleep), dental work, and possible surgery. Keep in mind, that if you believe you are someone who struggles with sleep apnea, seek medical advice from a doctor for further options because if left untreated can hinder your daytime activities (falling asleep while driving or operating machinery, etc) both putting you at risk for injury or death.

Narcolepsy – excessive daytime sleepiness. (https://www.sleepfoundation.org/narcolepsy)

There are different type of narcolepsy in which we will not discuss in this post but even though a rare condition, many people suffer from this disorder. The treatment options for narcolepsy are not cures, but rather a form of treatment to increase the quality of life and help with the improving safety and reducing symptoms. Medication is one form of treatment for some, while others will do behavioral therapy (exercise, nutrition, practicing healthy sleep hygiene, etc) things that will improve their lives. If you believe you suffer from a form of narcolepsy, please seek medical assistance from a doctor.

Restless leg syndrome – An intense, irresistible urge to move your legs (arms and body as well) and occurs with other sensations in your limbs such as creeping, throbbing, tugging, itching, burning, crawling.. etc. (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9497-restless-legs-syndrome)’

Treatments range from good exercise habits, following good sleep habits, again avoiding caffeinated beverages or alcohol before bedtime, for others, it may lead to having to take a form of medication prescribed by a doctor. For the limbs, applying a heat pad or cold pack or massaging the legs for temporary leg relief from discomfort. Please speak with a medical professional if you believe you suffer from this disorder.

REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) – Sudden body movements and vocalizations while a person experiences vivid dreams during REM sleep. (https://www.sleepfoundation.org/parasomnias/rem-sleep-behavior-disorder)

Treatments vary with each individual pending on their needs. It can be anything from medications (melatonin) being first of the many, helping one to avoid triggers (using alcohol or certain prescription drugs), and injury prevention techniques (removing sharp objects, placing padding on the floor around the bed, possibly putting mattress on the floor, removing furniture and clutter away from the bed, among many other things that will be helpful to those who suffer from this disorder). If you are experiencing this sleep disorder, please seek medical advice from a doctor.

Now that we have had the breakdown of five different sleep disorders, and all of which we discussed healthy methods to help with each — from this information I shared alone, it definitely gives you a perspective of how important sleep can be and all the health problems that can stem from poor sleeping patterns. We have become accustom to the everyday on the go society that we don’t manage to put our sleep first, and the consequences of doing so start to catch up to us overtime; making things more difficult when we do finally do something about it. Habits are important to instill when it comes to practicing good sleep hygiene and healthy behaviors that allow for us to live a lifestyle that is safe, healthy and brings forth our best selves. It doesn’t mean, we should quit our jobs, leave our families and become hermits, BUT instead, we need to think about how we want to contribute to our jobs, families, friends and activities we enjoy and the best way we can start is by sleeping (allowing our bodies to rest fully) and addition to sleep, getting a good exercise regimen started. Longevity is KEY!

What methods do you use to fall asleep at night?

Do you suffer from any of the above sleep disorders, share your experiences in the comment section.

What is your bedtime ritual that helps you stay on top of good sleeping patterns?

Anyone that wants to share their experiences with sleep.. leave comments! love to hear them!

Thanks for reading

Shay-lon Moss

The #FitnessWonderWoman

need a trainer to keep you accountable? — contact me!

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