Martin Luther King Day

Happy Martin Luther King Day

 

I don’t think I will need to write a whole paragraph on why Martin Luther King Day is important to me, because if you have history books or pay attention to our history and care about our culture, then it would be obvious how he played an important part in our lives- even til this day. Some of you may not recognize him as an important model in our history but the man was, and he deserves respect for being able to endure the kind of hatred, violence, and racism that many of us have never came close to having to endure in own life time. For those of you who are not aware, my family is very mult-racial and back in his time that would be considered highly UNACCEPTABLE, that would be something to get a black women or black man killed, and put a white man or his family in danger of even thinking about wanting to get with my race. It was tough times back them and even though racism still thrives during this time, we have still come a lot further than we used to be. 

 

I live in a predominantly white town (mostly upper class) citizens and I have lived here all my life besides the 7 years I was living in different states. I have had to endure racism and ignorance growing up until my adult age now, just in this town alone and from my own race and also other races. It is scary to think that someone can hate you for the skin you are in, but if anyone has ever had someone make light of their differences due to color, it hurts because you don’t understand how one can make you feel inferior for something you didn’t choose but was born this way. I have a very strong family history, that I never realized until my adult years, because I didn’t really care as a teen or child — but now I see the steps my grandparents and great grandparents took to help me pave my own way in my own life and be proud of who I am no matter what others may think. 

 

Some of the things my family is known for doing is creating a street sign that says “Martin Luther King Blvd” in my town, of course it had to be approved by the state and city and of course it took some fighting I would assume, but because of them, in his honor they had it approved and still is a street sign for a bridge we have here in town. I consider that amazing, to be honest. We also built a library about black history for young people who need more information on our culture and history, I’d say that is a huge deal considering not many school’s history books hit every little detail. No offense. My family built that, in a town where the minority (which is me) is seriously a minority .. but I give them respect because I am sure someone hated to see it there, hated to know it was built on black culture, but guess what? it still stands! There are some other things they are known for, but what I am trying to get at is, because of them being proud of who they are no matter who was fighting against them, they were able to stay strong and do things that might have small meaning to most but for some of us, meant a whole lot.. ❤

 

I hope all of you have a wonderful Martin Luther King Day! 

 

Shay-lon 

My dream is to live in a world where being different is okay, not something we have to continue to fight for.. not something we have to be scared of, and not something that forces you to have insecurities. 

Monday|Powerlifting|Week Three

Road To Powerlifting

Being that I am on week three now of this powerlifting stuff, I have to admit that I love it, I really, really love it. While it is NOT my own program, I think I will stick with this one until it stops offering me results.. or until I get bored enough to stop. Hopefully by the end of next week, I will be able to show you some results & improvements in my numbers. 

 
 
  • Standing Barbell shoulder press: 3 x 5, 3, 1

 

  • 75% 1-RM: 3 x 5, 57 lb ( I used 60 lb)
  • 85% 1-RM: 3 x 3, 65 lb
  • 95% 1-RM: 3 x 1, 72 lb ( I used 70 lb)
  • 95% 1-RM (based off my true 1RM at 100 percent): 80 lb singles ( I did 3 sets)

 

  • Cable Upright row: 5 x 15, 40 lb
  • Front to side lateral raises: 5 x 15, 10 lb
  • Pull ups: 5 x 6

Conditioning and cardio:

  • Sprints: 30 seconds, 100m, 10 times
  • Jump rope: 45 seconds, 5 times
 
  • Upright stationary bike: interval training (20 minutes total)
  1. Rpm 80-90, level 8, 2 minutes
  2. Level 20, rpm 30+, 5 minutes
 

 

Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe

So.. I don’t know about you, but I love me Papa John’s garlic butter sauce (not a huge fan of their pizza) and I was just playing around on Pinterest, and for whatever reason, the idea to look up how to make my own garlic butter sauce intrigued me enough to MAKE IT! It was very simple & it taste good & not to mention it saves me money, lol 

For all of my garlic people out there, this recipe is for YOU 🙂

 

Ingredients:

 
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup butter

Directions:

  1. Melt butter on the stove on low heat
  2. Spoon off foam on top
  3. stir in garlic powder and salt until dissolved
  4. remove from heat  & enjoy!
 

Week Two|Day Five|Cardio & Conditioning|Powerlifting

Don’t avoid cardio day, we need it. 

 

Circuit one: (4 rounds)

 
  • Manmaker: 5 reps, 40 lb
  • DB thruster: 5 reps, 40 lb
  • barbell overhead squat: 5 reps, 45 lb

Circuit Two: (3 rounds)

  • Burpees: 10 reps
  • One handed kettlebell swings: 10 reps, 10kg
  • Decline sit ups: 10 reps

Circuit Three: (5 rounds)

  • power clean: 5 reps, 95 lb, 100 lb
  • Push press: 5 reps, 65 lb
  • Kettlebell snatches: 5 reps, 8kg
  • EZ bar lunges: 5 reps, 40 lb
 
  • Stationary upright bike: 20 minutes total, interval training
  • rpm 60-70, level 7, 1 minute
  • rpm: 80-90+, level 2, 2 minutes
 
 
 

Week Two|Day Four|Powerlifting|Squats and legs

Road to Powerlifting 

  • Barbell Back Squat: 3 x 3

 

  • 70% 1-RM: 126 lb
  • 80% 1-RM: 144 lb
  • 90% 1-RM: 162 lb, 5 rep max

 

  • Box Squats: 5 x 15, 135 lb
  • Leg press: 5 x 15, 298 lb
  • Smith machine narrow stance squats: 5 x 15, 75 lb
  • Walking EZ bar lunges: 5 x 15, 30 lb

Ab Workout:

  • Decline Sit ups: 4 x 20, 15, 15, 10, 6 lb medicine ball
  • Leg raises: 4 x 20, 15, 15, 10
  • Medicine ball v-up: 4 x 20, 15, 15, 10, 6 lb medicine ball

Just recently, I have decided that I am going to implement more stretching into my workouts (I know better, but hate stretching) but it will be good for my lifting and looking into possibly starting a beginner yoga and working on mobility as well before and after exercises. I figure I need to do whatever I can to help me on my lifts, especially the heavier ones so I can reduce my chances of injuries. If you have any good mobility workouts, stretches, or someone you follow on social media who does good yoga practices, please pass it on to me! thank you!